UEFA Champions League Round: Defending champion Manchester City is set to clash with Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, while current Premier League leader Arsenal will take on Portuguese side Porto.The Danish champion, finishing above Manchester United in their group, has reached the knockout stages for the first time since 2011.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, participating in the competition for the first time since 2017, looks to overcome past setbacks experienced under Arsene Wenger’s tenure when the Gunners suffered seven last-16 exits in a row, reports Xinhua.
In a notable pairing, reigning Italian and Spanish champions Napoli and Barcelona will confront each other, marking their third clash in five seasons.
Barcelona won 4-2 on aggregate in the same stage as this year in the 2019/2020 season, and they also came out on top in the knockout round play-offs of the Europa League two years ago.
Leipzig, the Bundesliga’s emerging powerhouse, faces a formidable challenge against Real Madrid, the tournament’s most decorated team, in their quest for a quarterfinal berth.
The record 14-time winners, plagued by injuries this season, saw central defender David Alaba added to their extensive injury list following a cruciate ligament tear in Sunday’s league match against Villarreal. He is expected to be sidelined for at least six months.
Bayern Munich, the German champion, appears to have a favourable matchup against Lazio, currently languishing in the bottom half of Serie A.
Dortmund, emerging as victors from a challenging group featuring Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, and Newcastle United, will face PSV Eindhoven.
PSV has swept their first 16 Eredivisie games this season, only one win away from equaling the best-ever start to a Dutch top-flight.
Paris Saint-Germain, finishing second in their group, is matched against Real Sociedad, the unexpected Spanish group winners marking their first last-16 appearance in two decades.
Last season’s finalist, Serie A leader Inter Milan, faces a compelling battle against Atletico Madrid, highlighting the draw’s standout ties.
The draw adhered to Champions League regulations, pairing group winners with runners-up and ensuring teams from the same member association did not meet at this stage.