The Champions League last-16 draw threw up some mouth-watering ties with holders Real Madrid playing local rivals Atletico Madrid while Bayern Munich were drawn against Bundesliga title challengers Bayer Leverkusen on Friday.
Real Madrid thrashed Premier League champions Manchester City 6-3 on aggregate in the playoffs and the 15-times winners will now make the trip across town to face Atletico, the side they beat in the 2014 and 2016 finals.
Bayern, having last won the trophy in 2020, take on Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen, who pipped them to the Bundesliga title last season. Bayern lead Leverkusen by eight points this term after they drew 0-0 last weekend.
Liverpool, who like Bayern have been European champions six times and topped the group stage table, travel to in-form Paris St Germain for the first leg after the French side humiliated Brest with a 10-0 aggregate win in the playoffs.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot will have one eye on his side’s League Cup final against Newcastle United, which will be played on the Sunday after the second leg against PSG.
Five-times winners Barcelona meet Benfica again, having faced them in a chaotic group stage match last month which they won 5-4 with Raphinha’s winner in the sixth minute of added time.
Arsenal, who are struggling with an injury crisis that has left them without a recognised striker, have been drawn against Eredivisie title challengers PSV Eindhoven.
Former European champions Aston Villa, having last played in the knockout stage in 1983, have been drawn against Club Brugge, who beat Unai Emery’s side in the group stage.
With the quarter-final and semi-final draws also set, Liverpool could play Villa in the next round.
Emery, a European competition specialist who has won four Europa League titles, may even face his former club PSG.
Borussia Dortmund play Lille while Feyenoord, the second Dutch side to go through, take on 2023 runners-up Inter Milan — the only Italian team left in the competition after AC Milan, Juventus and Atalanta crashed out in the playoffs.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LAST 16 FULL DRAW
Paris St Germain v Liverpool
Club Brugge v Aston Villa
Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid
PSV Eindhoven v Arsenal
Benfica v Barcelona
Borussia Dortmund v Lille
Bayern Munich v Bayer Leverkusen
Feyenoord v Inter Milan
Team mentioned second play return leg at home
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINALS
QF1: PSG/Liverpool v Brugge/Villa
QF2: PSV/Arsenal v Real/Atletico
QF3: Benfica/Barcelona v Dortmund/Lille
QF4: Bayern/Leverkusen v Feyenoord/Inter
Team mentioned second play return leg at home
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS
Semi-final 1: QF2 winners v QF1 winners
Semi-final 2: QF3 winners v QF4 winners
Team mentioned second play return leg at home
FIRST AND SECOND LEG DATES
Last 16: March 4-5 and March 11-12
Quarter-finals: April 8-9 and April 15-16
Semi-finals: April 29-30 and May 6-7
Final: May 31
