The highly anticipated Champions League round of 16 ties are just around the corner, with defending champions Real Madrid gearing up to face city rivals Atletico in the first leg. This clash between the Madrid giants is a familiar one, as they have met in the competition four times in the past decade, with Real emerging victorious on every occasion.
Real Madrid secured wins in the finals of 2014 and 2016, as well as in the quarter-finals in 2015 and the semi-finals in 2017. The winner of this matchup will face either PSV Eindhoven or Arsenal in the quarter-finals, setting the stage for an exciting showdown.
Liverpool is also set to take on Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16. The last time these two teams met in the Champions League was during the 2018/19 season, with PSG claiming a 2-1 victory at home after Liverpool won 3-2 in England. The winner of this matchup will go up against either Club Brugge or Aston Villa in the quarter-finals, potentially leading to an all-English clash in the next round.
Another intriguing matchup will see Bayern Munich facing off against Bayer Leverkusen. Leverkusen, under the management of former Bayern midfielder Xabi Alonso, remains undefeated in their last six encounters with Bayern. This will be the first time these two teams meet in a European competition, adding an element of unpredictability to the tie.
Feyenoord will take on Italian champions Inter Milan, with the winner set to face either Bayern or Leverkusen in the quarter-finals. This marks the first time since 2005/06 that two Dutch clubs have made it to the last 16, adding to the excitement of the competition.
Barcelona will go head-to-head against Benfica, while Borussia Dortmund will face off against French team Lille. The semi-final draw hints at potential matchups between Liverpool and Arsenal, as well as a showdown between Kylian Mbappe’s Real Madrid and his former club, PSG.
With the final scheduled for May 31 in Munich, football fans are in for a thrilling few months as the Champions League action unfolds. Stay tuned for more updates and exciting matches as the competition heats up.
