Barcelona’s clash against last season’s runner-up Paris Saint-Germain headlines the Uefa Champions League round of 16 fixtures as the draw for the first knockout round was completed on Monday.
Defending champions Bayern Munich, who are yet to lose a match since the beginning of the last season in the Champions League and beat PSG in the 2020 final, face Italy’s Lazio in what will be the first meeting between the two sides in this event.
Frank Lampard’s Chelsea were handed a tough draw, facing Atletico Madrid in the first knockout round of Europe’s most coveted club competition. The 2012 winners face Diego Simeone’s side who
English giants Manchester City and Liverpool will both be facing Bundesliga clubs, taking on Borussian Monchengladbach and RB Leipzig respectively.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City team, still seeking a first Champions League title, must get past Gladbach who were one of the surprise packages in the group stages as they almost topped a group that had Real Madrid and Inter Milan.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus will play Portuguese side Porto, winners in 2004, while the competition’s most successful side Madrid take on last season’s surprise quarter-finalists Atalanta.
The round of 16 first legs are scheduled for 16/17/23/24 February, with the second legs on 9/10/16/17 March. The teams that finished first in their groups will play the second leg at home.
Here are the round of 16 fixtures (seeded teams on the right):
Borussia Monchengladbach vs Manchester City
Lazio vs Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea
RB Leipzig vs Liverpool
FC Porto vs Juventus
FC Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain
Sevilla vs Borussia Dortmund
Atalanta vs Real Madrid
French champions PSG will relish another chance to avenge their soul-destroying ‘Remontada’ defeat to the Catalan giants in 2017.
Having beaten Barca 4-0 in the French capital, PSG crashed to a 6-1 defeat at the Camp Nou orchestrated by Neymar.
The Brazilian, who won the 2015 Champions League with Barca, then joined PSG in a world record move weeks later but has yet to taste similar European success with Ligue 1’s dominant force.
They came closest last season when they were beaten 1-0 in the final by Bayern Munich, who claimed a sixth European crown thanks to a goal from PSG youth product Kingsley Coman.
With the first legs due to be played in February, PSG seem hopeful Neymar will have recovered in time from an ankle injury which forced him to be stretchered off the pitch in his side’s 1-0 Ligue 1 defeat to Lyon on Sunday.
On Monday PSG said Neymar’s prognosis was “reassuring” while the 28-year-old said on Instagram that his injury “could have been worse” following a rough tackle from Lyon midfielder Thiago Mendes which left him screaming in agony.
Barca may not be as intimidating opponents as in the past after a troubled start to the season influenced by boardroom chaos and Lionel Messi’s attempt to leave the club in the summer.
Messi saved Barca’s blushes on Sunday with the only goal in a home win over lowly Levante, but they are nine points behind La Liga leaders Real Sociedad.
Holders Bayern take on Lazio, who are at this stage of the event after more than two decades.
“They are a very difficult opponent, we saw them in the group against Dortmund,” said Bayern’s sports director Hasan Salihamidzic.
“It is always difficult against the Italian teams. But it is always nice to go to Rome.”
Lazio’s Spanish midfielder Luis Alberto described the draw as “complicated”.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City team, who like PSG are still seeking a first Champions League title despite serious investment from Gulf state owners, must get past Borussia Moenchengladbach, European Cup finalists way back in 1977.
“I learned when I was in Germany how big and important and historical a team Gladbach are. I respect the beauty of their football,” said former Bayern boss Guardiola.
“I want to arrive in the best condition when we play them. We want to compete as best as possible and go through.”
Lazio, who are in the knockout phase for the first time in over two decades, face an unenviable task of stopping the Bayern juggernaut.
“They are a very difficult opponent, we saw them in the group against Dortmund,” said Bayern’s sports director Hasan Salihamidzic.
“It is always difficult against the Italian teams. But it is always nice to go to Rome.”
Lazio’s Spanish midfielder Luis Alberto described the draw as “complicated”.
City must get past Borussia Moenchengladbach, European Cup finalists way back in 1977.
“I learned when I was in Germany how big and important and historical a team Gladbach are. I respect the beauty of their football,” said former Bayern boss Guardiola.
“I want to arrive in the best condition when we play them. We want to compete as best as possible and go through.”
Lampard said that Chelsea have been handed the hardest possible draw with their tie against Atletico Madrid.
“I think most people will say it’s the toughest draw that we could have had,” the Blues boss said.
“We have to have belief in ourselves and, when that game comes around, you’re going to have to beat these sort of teams if you’re going to win the Champions League.”
Juventus will play Portuguese side Porto, winners in 2004 and it will be a chance for Cristiano Ronaldo to travel deep in the tournament with the Italian giants.
“We want to face them in the same manner we took on Barcelona,” said Juve vice president Pavel Nedved, referring to the 3-0 win at the Camp Nou which allowed the Italians to top their group.
Liverpool will be wary of an attack-minded RB Leipzig side who ended the hopes of Manchester United in the group phase. That match will be a clash of German managers as Jurgen Klopp’s Reds face a Leipzig side led by young coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Here are some stats about the round of 16 fixtures:
With AFP inputs