Champions League
LIVE now: The Champions League draw
The round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League will once again feature a blockbuster clash between Manchester City and Real Madrid. Meanwhile, FC Bayern will face Atalanta Bergamo for the first time.
Real Madrid will face Manchester City in the round of 16 of the Champions League. This blockbuster match was drawn by Ivan Rakitic, who retired last summer, at the draw in Nyon on Friday. The Spanish side secured their place in the next round on Wednesday with a 2-1 win over Benfica Lisbon in the play-offs, thanks to "wild card" David Alaba. Konrad Laimer will face Atalanta Bergamo with FC Bayern, while Kevin Danso will take on Atletico Madrid in a Tottenham shirt.
Defending champions Paris St. Germain will battle Chelsea for a place in the quarterfinals. FC Barcelona will face Newcastle United. Arsenal, the only team to have completed the league phase without dropping a point, are favorites against Bayer Leverkusen. Liverpool, who finished third in the league, will face Galatasaray Istanbul. Norwegian sensation Bodö/Glimt will look to continue their fairy-tale run against Sporting Lisbon. The first legs will be played on March 10/11, with the return legs following a week later.
Knockout duel for the fifth season in a row
Real and ManCity will meet in the knockout phase of the "Champions League" for the fifth season in a row. This has never happened before in CL history. This duel also took place in the league phase in December, with the English side coming out on top 2-1 at the Estadio Bernabeu thanks to goals from Nico O'Reilly and star striker Erling Haaland. Previously, the Spanish CL record champions had come out on top in both the 2024 quarterfinals on penalties and the 2025 playoffs with two victories.
After 15 games, the record is balanced with five wins, five draws, and five losses each. "It's like a final, we're looking forward to competing in Madrid again," said ManCity football director Hugo Viana. Coach Pep Guardiola also emphasized the positive aspects of the draw. "The more we play against the best teams in this competition, the more we will learn, improve and be better in the future," said the Spaniard. Both teams are currently in second place in their national leagues.
Bayern warned after Dortmund exit
On paper, FC Bayern awaits the winner in the quarterfinals. However, the German Bundesliga leaders do not want to take Atalanta, who defeated Borussia Dortmund, lightly in their first direct duel. "In the play-offs against Dortmund, we saw how strong Atalanta are at home. The team can create a lot of pressure, play very aggressively and are of high quality," said Bayern's sporting director Christoph Freund. It won't be easy. "But if we bring our energy and performance to the pitch, we have a good chance of advancing to the next round." PSG vs. Chelsea will be a rematch of the Club World Cup final, which the Londoners won 3-0 last July.
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