With the Champions League play-offs now behind us, the remaining teams have a better understanding of who they could face in the round of 16.
A dramatic night in Europe on Wednesday saw reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain nervously edge past Monaco 5-4 on aggregate, and 15-time winners Real Madrid overcome Jose Mourinho’s Benfica 3-1 over two legs.
Atalanta produced a spectacular comeback to get past Borussia Dortmund, winning 4-1 on the night to recover from a 2-0 first leg deficit, while Galatasaray survived a stunning Juventus fightback to eventually book their spot in the next round in extra time.
Today at 11am, with coverage live on the Daily Mail, the six Premier League teams left in the competition will each learn which of two potential opponents they will be facing – and their full routes to the final.
Spanish newspaper Marca are calling today’s decisive picking of balls the ‘rigged’ draw because of the seeding situation that pits clubs against just one of two others based on their finishing positions in the league stage of the competition.
There is a possibility that Newcastle and Chelsea could be drawn against each other, after the Magpies cruised past Qarabag 9-3 on aggregate in their play-off.
If not Chelsea for Eddie Howe’s men, then they will be forced into a reunion with Barcelona, while the Blues could be drawn against defending champions PSG.
Premier League leaders Arsenal, who topped league phase with a perfect record, now know that either Bayer Leverkusen or Atalanta lies in wait for them in the last 16.
If they manage to get through that tie, there is potential for another crunch clash with Manchester City in the quarter-finals. The teams are already going head-to-head for Premier League glory and will meet in next month’s Carabao Cup final.
City could have a tough path getting to the quarter-finals, however. They are guaranteed to face a team they met in the group phase of the competition in the last-16.
Pep Guardiola’s men may have to travel back to Norway to face this season’s dark horses, Bodo/Glimt, after the Yellow Ones produced a historic two-legged victory to dump last season’s finalists, Inter Milan, out of the competition.
City already know how difficult a prospect facing Bodo is, after being beaten 3-1 by them in the Arctic Circle in January.
If not Bodo, then City will face Real Madrid yet again. It would be the fifth straight campaign that the two giants have faced each other in a two-legged tie.
In their league phase fixture at the Bernabeu, City came from behind to beat Los Blancos 2-1, thanks to goals from Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland.
Liverpool face two difficult ties against teams they faced in the league phase. Either Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray await for Arne Slot’s Reds.
The six-time winners edged past Atletico in their opening fixture of this season’s competition, with Virgil van Dijk scoring a stoppage-time header after Marcos Llorente’s brace had clawed the Spanish side back level.
However, they struggled against their other potential opponents Galatasaray, losing 1-0 in the intimidating RAMS Park.
Tottenham have the same two potential opponents as Liverpool, with Igor Tudor’s team set to face either Atletico or Galatasaray in the round of 16.
Win that tie, and Spurs could possibly face Chelsea or Newcastle in the quarter-finals.
