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Liverpool handed Real Madrid rematch in Champions League last 16, PSG draw Bayern

NYON – Liverpool will have the chance to avenge the Champions League 2021-22 final defeat at the hands of Real Madrid after they were drawn on Monday to face the holders again in the last 16.

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain were drawn to play Bayern Munich in a repeat of the 2020 final which was won by the German club.

Manchester City will play Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig and 2021 winners Chelsea also drew German opposition in the shape of Borussia Dortmund.

After topping their group thanks to a last-gasp winner away to Marseille last Wednesday, Tottenham Hotspur were given a tough draw against Italian champions AC Milan.

Inter Milan will play Porto and Eintracht Frankfurt will take on Napoli, while Benfica were drawn against tournament outsiders Club Brugge of Belgium.

The first legs of all last-16 ties will be played in February with the return matches in March.

The final of this season’s Champions League will be held in Istanbul on June 10, 2023.

The Turkish city was supposed to host the final in 2020 and again 2021, only for the game to be moved on each occasion to Portugal due to the pandemic.

Champions League last-16 ties:

RB Leipzig (GER) v Manchester City (ENG)
Club Brugge (BEL) v Benfica (POR)
Liverpool (ENG) v Real Madrid (ESP)
AC Milan (ITA) v Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)
Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) v Napoli (ITA)
Borussia Dortmund (GER) v Chelsea (ENG)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Porto (POR)
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) v Bayern Munich (GER)

*First legs to be played on February 14/15/21/22; second legs on March 7/8/14/15.

Over in the Europa Leage, Barcelona and Manchester United will meet in the play-offs for a place in the competition’s last 16.

The Spanish side met the 2017 Europa League winners twice in the 2009 and 2011 Champions League finals, winning on both occasions, while United lost both legs of the 2018-19 European Cup quarter-final meeting between the pair.

“The draw has given us the most difficult rivals again, like in the Champions League group stage. Luck was not on our side. Manchester United are a great rival, a historic club – the worst that we could wish for,” Barca coach Xavi Hernandez said.

United finished second in their Europa League group this season behind another Spanish team – Real Sociedad – and meet a Barca side who missed out on the Champions League last 16 after finishing third in their group behind Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.

The eight group runners-up from the Europa League face eight third-placed sides from the Champions League group stages, with the winners of the two-legged play-offs progressing to the last 16. REUTERS, AFP

Europa League knockout round play-offs:

Barcelona (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Juventus (ITA) v Nantes (FRA)
Sporting (POR) v Midtjylland (DEN)
Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) v Rennes (FRA)
Ajax (NED) v Union Berlin (GER)
Bayer Leverkusen (GER) v Monaco (FRA)
Sevilla (ESP) v PSV Eindhoven (NED)
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Roma (ITA)

*First legs to be played on Feb 16, second legs on Feb 23

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