The UEFA Champions League draw for the final 16 has now been finalised, seeing those who won their play-off ties join the automatically qualified top eight. The new set of games will take place on 10/11 March and 17/18 March for the return legs.
Gloucestershire based Mark Bellingham will see his son, Jude, face Manchester City across two legs. The Citizens squeezed through automatically in eighth, beating Galatasaray at home 2-0 in the final matchday to pip Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United, and Real Madrid on the final day.
That former pair drew to each other in matchday eight, meaning both dropped out of automatic places. Los Blancos meanwhile were defeated 4-2 by Benfica, with Anatoliy Trubin’s 90+8’ minute goal seeing Jose Mourinho saved from group stage elimination.
The Eagles were subsequently defeated in both legs to Real Madrid in the play-off round, setting the Spanish side up with the 2022/23 champions. Bellingham’s fitness may mean he is absent from both games however – the midfielder expected to be out until the end of the month with a hamstring injury.
Although Benfica couldn’t progress, compatriots Sporting will be hoping to take Portugal into the quarter finals. Rui Borges’ side beat holders PSG and Athletic Club in the final two matchdays to qualify automatically – they now travel to Norway to face surprise package Bodo Glimt.
Kjetil Knutsen has received praise in the past few days for making his side competitive against Europe’s best, ensuring their home in the Arctic Circle remains a fortress. There, they beat Manchester City on January 20, as well as Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano and Inter Milan across two legs – all despite finishing 23rd in the group stage, and their domestic campaign ending in late November.
Elsewhere, after overcoming fellow French team Monaco 5-4 over the two legs, holders PSG will host Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea. The Blues have had mixed spells in the Premier League, but excelled in continental football with a 3-0 victory over Barcelona and 3-2 win in Naples on the final day.
Newcastle went five unbeaten to end the group stage but a draw to PSG scuppered automatic hopes. For them, a return to the Nou Camp will be in order – though Barcelona are a formidable opposition, leading La Liga and losing just twice in the league since the start of November.
Spanish rivals Atletico Madrid failed to beat Galatasaray, Bodo, and Club Brugge, meaning they now host Tottenham in the first Ro16 leg. Spurs will be led by the recently appointed Croatian Igor Tudor as they look to bring some joy to a season that has them battling relegation at the moment.
Italian side Atalanta ensured Italian clubs weren’t completely eliminated before the first proper knockout round, impressively coming back from 2-0 down to Borussia Dortmund in the first leg to win 4-1 in Bergamo. The Nerazzurri will see their team take on giants Bayern Munich – the Germans finished second on 21 points from their eight games, only losing to Arsenal who secured a perfect campaign.
In the last drawn fixture, Mikel Arteta’s Gunners travel to Germany, in fact, to face Bayer Leverkusen. Die Werkself sit sixth in the Bundesliga – 21 points off Bayern. Arsenal meanwhile have begun to stumble in England with just three domestic league wins in the last eight, dropping 11 points as their gap to second shrinks.
Draw in full:
~ Ties to take place on 10/11 March and 17/18 March for the return legs.
Manchester City vs Real Madrid
Bodo/Glimt vs Sporting
PSG vs Chelsea
Newcastle vs Barcelona
Galatasaray vs Liverpool
Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham
Atalanta vs Bayern Munich
Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal
