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Return to Madrid for Liverpool, as they draw Atletico in last 16

Reds will return to site of last season's Champions League triumph to face Atletico in last 16

Holders Liverpool will return to the scene of last season's Champions League triumph after they were drawn against Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the competition yesterday, with Manchester City facing 13-time winners Real Madrid.

Juergen Klopp's side will travel to the Wanda Metropolitano, where Liverpool lifted the trophy in June, for the first leg of their tie against three-time runners-up Atletico.

"The task is going to be difficult because we have an opponent that are the reigning champions," said Atletico director Clemente Villaverde.

"They are the champions, they have all the assets to be called the best team in Europe.

"We will have to use all our hard work and our experience. We know they are not going to make it easy."

Pep Guardiola's City, who are trying to win their first Champions League crown, face a tough task against Real, the record winners of Europe's top club prize, for a place in the quarter-finals.

The two clubs met in the 2015/16 semi-finals, the furthest City have progressed in the tournament.

That tie was won 1-0 on aggregate by Real.

"It is a difficult one, of course. Real Madrid have won 13 times, so they are the best," City director of football Txiki Begiristain told BT Sport.

"We want to be the best, so we want to beat them."

Chelsea face German giants Bayern Munich, who boast the competition's leading marksman this season in Robert Lewandowski, scorer of 10 goals in five group-stage games.

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has fond memories of London, where Bayern beat a Borussia Dortmund side featuring Lewandowski in the 2013 final at Wembley.

"We're happy to go to London, we have great experiences from there. Chelsea are a dangerous team and we must take them extremely seriously," said Neuer.

Paris Saint-Germain, who impressed in the group stage and will be trying to avoid a fourth successive last-16 exit, will take on 1997 champions Dortmund.

Barcelona will play Napoli for the first time, as the five-time European champions attempt to move on from last season's painful semi-loss to Liverpool.

Italian champions Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo will fancy their chances of overcoming French side Lyon.

Tottenham Hotspur, beaten 2-0 by Liverpool in last season's final in Spain, will lock horns with Bundesliga leaders RB Leipzig. - AFP


CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND OF 16

  • Borussia Dortmund v PSG
  • Real Madrid v Manchester City
  • Atalanta v Valencia
  • Atletico Madrid v Liverpool
  • Chelsea v Bayern Munich
  • Lyon v Juventus
  • Tottenham v RB Leipzig
  • Napoli v Barcelona

EUROPA LEAGUE ROUND OF 32

  • Wolves v Espanyol
  • Sporting Lisbon v Istanbul Basaksehir
  • Getafe v Ajax Amsterdam
  • Bayer Leverkusen v Porto
  • Copenhagen v Celtic
  • Apoel v Basel
  • CFR Cluj v Sevilla
  • Olympiakos v Arsenal
  • AZ Alkmaar v LASK
  • Club Brugge v Man United
  • Ludogorets v Inter Milan
  • Eintracht Frankfurt v Red Bull Salzburg
  • Shakhtar Donetsk v Benfica
  • Wolfsburg v Malmo
  • AS Roma v Genk
  • Rangers v Braga
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