Champions League Round of 16 Draw: Real vs. City Clash; PSG Faces Chelsea

Staff Report: PNN

The draw for the Round of 16 of UEFA Champions League 2025/26 was held in Nyon, Switzerland. The most talked-about match is the clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City, who face each other in the knockout stage for the fourth consecutive season.

In recent seasons, the matches between the two teams have been fiercely competitive, with victories swinging between Real Madrid and Manchester City. This year’s match has already generated intense excitement in the football world.

Meanwhile, the current champion Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will face English club Chelsea. Last year, the two teams met in the Club World Cup final, where Chelsea won 3-0. Therefore, PSG enters the upcoming match seeking revenge.

Other notable matchups include Barcelona vs. Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur vs. Atlético Madrid, and Arsenal vs. Bayer Leverkusen. English club Liverpool will face Turkey’s Galatasaray again, having lost 1-0 to them in the league stage in Istanbul, making it a rematch to settle scores.

Additionally, Bayern Munich will play Atalanta, while Norway’s Bodø/Glimt will face Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon.

The first leg of the Round of 16 will take place on March 10-11, and the return leg on March 17-18. In the league stage, the top eight teams will host the second leg at their home stadiums. The draw also determined the potential quarterfinal and semifinal pathways: if City or Real wins, they will face the winner between Bayern and Atalanta in the quarterfinals. If PSG or Chelsea wins, they will face the winner between Liverpool and Galatasaray.

The Champions League final will be held on May 30 in Budapest. Football fans will have to wait until the season ends to find out which team lifts the trophy.