Manchester City will be facing Real Madrid in what promises to be a rekindling of their rivalry in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) last 16 following Friday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
This will be their sixth knockout meeting since the 2019/2020 UCL season.
Manchester City edged the 15-time European champions 2-1 during December’s group stage clash, setting the stage for another heavyweight showdown which many observers have likened to a final.
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain will confront Chelsea in a repeat of last season’s heated Club World Cup final won by the English side.
Both teams expressed confidence ahead of the tie.
Premier League leaders Arsenal face Bayer Leverkusen after topping the league phase with eight straight victories to avoid Europe’s biggest heavyweights.
Bayern Munich, runners-up in the group stage, take on Atalanta, who eliminated Borussia Dortmund via a stoppage-time penalty in the playoffs.
Also, Newcastle United will meet Barcelona again, while Liverpool will battle Galatasaray.
Struggling Tottenham Hotspur face Atletico Madrid just as Norway’s giant-killers, Bodo/Glimt square off against Sporting Lisbon of Portugal.
Last-16 Fixtures:
Real Madrid v Manchester City
Bodo/Glimt v Sporting;
PSG v Chelsea
Newcastle v Barcelona
Galatasaray v Liverpool
Atletico v Tottenham
Atalanta v Bayern
Leverkusen v Arsenal.
Quarter-final and semi-final pairings were also confirmed, with potential blockbuster clashes awaiting as Europe’s elite chase Champions League glory.
Quarter-final pairings:
QF1: PSG/Chelsea v Galatasaray/Liverpool
QF2: Real Madrid/Man City v Atalanta/Bayern
QF3: Newcastle/Barcelona v Atletico/Tottenham
QF4: Bodo/Sporting v Leverkusen/Arsenal
SEMI-FINALS
Semi-final 1: QF1 winners v QF2 winners
Semi-final 2: QF3 winners v QF4 winners.
