CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Liverpool draw Real Madrid, PSG host Bayern

One of the most anticipated dates in the busy UEFA schedule finally came: a draw for the knockout stage of the Champions League. The last 16 were divided into two groups (seeded and unseeded) and the draw didn't disappoint, as current champions Real Madrid had will face Liverpool, while Paris Saint Germain will host Bayern Munich in the first game. This will be the fourth meeting between the Reds and the Royal club in the last six years. In fact, both clubs met in last season's final game and the Spanish giants ended up winning it 1-0. Real won the final of the Champions League in 2018, defeating Reds 3-1. Liverpool haven't won any of their last six meetings with Real in Europe having won the first three, including the final in 1981.

The other big draw is PSG against Bayern Munich. The rich Qatari are dreaming of the Champions League trophy for years and they drew a team which prevented them to take it: Bayern defeated PSG in their only final so far, 1-0 in 2020. In Paris, they definitely cannot be satisfied with the draws so far. It is enough to look at who they drew in the round of 16 of previous seasons:

2015: Chelsea - advanced

2016: Chelsea - advanced

2017: Barcelona - eliminated

2018: Real Madrid - eliminated

2019: Manchester United - eliminated

2020: Borussia Dortmund - advanced

2021: Barcelona - advanced

2022: Real Madrid - eliminated

This draw also brought us an intriguing and competitive pairing of Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund, and interestingly enough, the two teams have never met before. The Blues started their campaign with a loss against Dinamo in Zagreb, but after Graham Potter came in, they drew once and then won in four consecutive matches to secure the first place. Both clubs have a 'mutual' history, as former coach Thomas Tuchel and current players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Christian Pulisic used to play in Dortmund.

Italians are considered to be a 'lucky' nation, and their clubs just confirmed it with today's draw. One of the 'hottest' clubs in Europe right now is Napoli, and they should consider themseleves lucky after they drew Eintracht Frankfurt, while Inter Milan will host Porto, as one of the easiest rivals from the seeded teams, at least on paper. AC Milan did get Tottenham, but considering Antonio Conte's negative record in the elimination phase of the elite competition, Rossonerri do have a chance.

It could be said that Benfica was the luckiest club, as the Portuguese club drew Brugges from the second hat and is well on its way to continuing its great European season in the quarter-finals of the elite competition. The Belgians did some incredible results at the start of the group stage but later fell while Benfica kept their consistent form, played phenomenally and won first place ahead of Paris Saint-Germain. Manchester City will be serious favorites against Leipzig, while Chelsea are slight favorites against Borussia in the second English-German clash.

The first legs will be played on February 14/15/21/22, the return matches on March 7/8/14/15, and the seeded teams will be hosts in the return matches. In this part of the competition, the draw is still semi-conducted, so teams from the same nation, and teams who played against each other in the group stage couldn't face each other. Non-seeded formations were drawn first and the computer indicated the potential opponents. Since the away-goals rule is not active anymore, all ties level after 180 minutes will go to extra time irrespective of the number of goals each team has scored at home and away. If the teams still cannot be separated after the additional 30 minutes, the tie goes to a penalty shoot-out.

Champions League Last 16

RB Leipzig – Manchester City

Brugge – Benfica

Liverpool – Real Madrid

AC Milan – Tottenham Hotspur

Eintracht Frankfurt – Napoli

Borussia Dortmund – Chelsea

Inter Milan – Porto

Paris Saint Germain – Bayern Munich