After a thrilling last night of action to conclude the first ever league stage in European football’s premier club competition, attention turns to the more familiar matter of the knock-out stage.
The Champions League last 16 will be played across two match weeks in the first half of March with Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa all among the eight teams waiting to find out who they’ll be facing for a place in the quarter-finals.
The other eight will be the winners of two-legged play-offs in February. Manchester City’s tie against Real Madrid is the most eye-catching play-off but Celtic will take on Bayern Munich over two legs and there’s also an all-French affair between Brest and PSG.
When is the draw for the last 16 of the Champions League?
The play-off round will finish on Wednesday 19th February, less than three weeks from now. The eight winners will take their place in the last 16 draw, which will take place on Friday 21st February.
There are limited possible ties in that draw. Each play-off winner will face one of only two potential opponents on 4th or 5th and 11th or 12th March.
With those pairs of possibilities already known, we’re guaranteed some mouthwatering ties in the last 16 too.
The winner of the all-Ligue 1 play-off will face Liverpool or Barcelona. The winner of Monaco vs Benfica will play the other.
Club Brugge or Atalanta will be rewarded with a last 16 tie against Lille or Aston Villa. The winner of Sporting CP vs Borussia Dortmund will play the other.
Manchester City or Real Madrid will take on Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen. The winner of Celtic vs Bayern Munich will play the other.
Last but not least, Juventus or PSV Eindhoven will go toe to toe with Inter Milan or Arsenal. The winner of Feyenoord v AC Milan will play the other.
The teams who finished in the top eight of the league stage will be at home in the second legs of their round of 16 ties.
Home and away order will be decided by way of a draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals before the final in Munich at the end of May.
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