UEFA hold draws for Champions League Last 16, Europa playoffs, as Madrid face Liverpool, Man U meet Barcelona
Europe’s football governing body, UEFA has concluded the draws for this seasons football season’s Round of Last 16 Champions League, as well as the two-legged playoff stage of the Europa Cup involving the Chmapions League dropp-out teams and second placed Europa Cup group finishers.
In the draws made, Monday afternoon, Liverpool and Real Madrid were drawn to face each other in the last-16 of the Champions League, bringing together the teams who met in last season’s final in Paris.
The first leg will take place at Anfield in February 2023 and for Jürgen Klopp’s side the tie represents an opportunity to avenge May’s 1-0 defeat to Real in the French capital , an encounter that was marred by organisational chaos which led to the kick-off being delayed and hundreds of Liverpool supporters fearing for their safety.
Manchester City, meanwhile, have again been handed a favourable tie, this time against the German side RB Leipzig, while Tottenham face Milan, the Serie A champions, and Chelsea take on Borussia Dortmund.
Elsewhere there is an eye-catching meeting between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, the French and German champions respectively.
The other last-16 ties see Eintracht Frankfurt face Napoli, Club Brugge face Benfica and Internazionale take on Porto.
The first legs are scheduled for 14/15/21/22 February, with the second legs on 7/8/14/15 March.
Full fixture:
Liverpool vs Real Madrid
Bayern vs PSG
Man City vs Leipzig
Spurs vs AC Milan
Chelsea vs Dortmund
Meanwhile, for failing to comprehensively beat Real Sociedad and top their Europa group, Manchester United have been handed a tough match against La Liga giants, Barcelona of Spain knockout play-off round scheduled to hold in February, next year.
Manchester only beat Sociedad, last Thursday, in Spain, by 1-0 when a wider scoreline would have seen them top the group and avoid the knockout playoffs.
Barcelona dropped down into the competition after failing to get out of their Champions League group but now provide a stern test for Erik ten Hag’s side, who finished second in their Europa League group.
United will travel to the Camp Nou on 16 February for the first leg of the tie, with the return at Old Trafford taking place on 23 February. They have some fond memories of the venue having completed the 1999 treble there with a last-gasp victory over Bayern Munich in that year’s Champions League final.
“We will have to compete, going to Manchester against a really top rival and an historic side which has grown a lot with the arrival of [Erik] ten Hag,” said Xavi, the Barcelona manager. “[They have] great individual players and it is the toughest rival once again in the Europa League.”
Arsenal, who won their Europa League group, have already progressed to the last 16 of the competition.
In other pairings, Sevilla, who have won the Europa League six times, have also dropped down into the competition from the Champions League and will take on PSV Eindhoven in the first knockout round.
Juventus must overcome French side Nantes to secure a place in the last 16 in March.
Roma, who won last season’s inaugural Europa Conference League competition, are up against Austrian league champions RB Salzburg, while Shakhtar Donetsk take on French side Rennes.
Portuguese league runners-up Sporting have been paired against Midtjylland of Denmark, Ajax face Union Berlin and Bayer Leverkusen take on Monaco.
