The highly anticipated Champions League last-16 draw took place on Friday morning in Nyon, Switzerland, and it’s safe to say the action is heating up.
Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal all learned their fates for the knockout stages of Europe’s premier club competition.
The Big Matchups
Liverpool’s journey to the quarter-finals will see them face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in a thrilling last-16 encounter.
The French club comes into the tie in fine form, having demolished Brest 10-0 in the play-off round.
This promises to be a high-stakes clash as the Reds aim to continue their European adventure.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa, who have been performing brilliantly under Unai Emery, will face Club Brugge.
Villa had previously lost to Brugge 1-0 in the League Phase, but they’ll be hoping to turn things around in the knockout round.
If both Villa and Liverpool progress, we could be in for an all-English quarter-final showdown.
Arsenal Draw PSV as Their Challenge Awaits
For Arsenal, their challenge comes in the form of PSV Eindhoven.
The Dutch side, along with Feyenoord, is one of two teams from the Netherlands still in the competition.
Arsenal’s path will lead them to face the winners of the Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid tie, and if the Gunners make it through, they could meet Liverpool or Villa in an all-English semi-final clash.
Exciting Matches Across the Draw
The rest of the draw has produced some fascinating matchups.
In an all-German clash, Bayern Munich will take on Bayer Leverkusen.
Feyenoord will battle Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund will face Lille, and Benfica will take on Barcelona in a repeat of their dramatic League Phase encounter, where Barcelona won 5-4 in the final moments of the game.
Home Advantage for English Sides
The return legs for the last-16 matches will be played at the home stadiums of the seeded teams, which means Liverpool, Arsenal, and Villa will enjoy the advantage of playing the decisive second leg at home.
The two-legged ties will take place on March 4-5 and March 11-12, with teams now beginning to plot their routes toward the coveted Champions League final.
Full Champions League Last-16 Draw
- PSG vs Liverpool
- Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid
- Feyenoord vs Inter Milan
- Borussia Dortmund vs Lille
- Club Brugge vs Aston Villa
- PSV vs Arsenal
- Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen
- Benfica vs Barcelona
With such high-profile matchups on the horizon, the road to the final promises to be filled with drama, excitement, and fierce competition.