Defending champions Liverpool face Atletico Madrid, Tottenham drawn against RB Leipzig

Manchester City have drawn Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League, while Chelsea will face Bayern Munich in a repeat of the 2012 final.

Defending champions Liverpool have been drawn to face Atletico Madrid, while Tottenham will face RB Leipzig in the first knockout round.

Pep Guardiola will return to Spain for City’s first leg against Real Madrid, with the Premier League side having home advantage in the second leg.

City and Real met in the semi-finals of the 2015/16 competition, with Madrid winning 1-0 on aggregate on their way to the title.

Liverpool also have the advantage of having their second leg against Atletico at Anfield, with the first tie being played at the Wanda Metropolitano, where Jurgen Klopp’s side beat Tottenham to win last season’s final in June.

Both Chelsea and Tottenham will be away from home in their second legs.

Chelsea’s only Champions League title came against Bayern when they prevailed 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena in 2012.

Five-time winners Barcelona take on Napoli, Borussia Dortmund will play Paris Saint-Germain and Serie A champions Juventus face Lyon.

Italian club Atalanta, who qualified for the competition for the first time, will take on former finalists Valencia.

Last-16 draw in full

Borussia Dortmund vs Paris Saint-Germain

Real Madrid vs Manchester City

Atalanta vs Valencia

Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool

Chelsea vs Bayern Munich

Tottenham vs RB Leipzig

Napoli vs Barcelona

Analysis: Tough tests await for English clubs

English clubs will have to pass some fierce examinations if they are to continue the Premier League’s recent rise to the top of European football.

Defending Premier League champions Manchester City have been fortunate with cup draws in recent years but drew arguably the toughest opponent they could face in Real Madrid.

It’s a familiar foe for Pep Guardiola but with Champions League specialist Zinedine Zidane back at the helm, Real remain a frightening force in this competition and City will have to produce two complete performances to progress.

Meanwhile, Chelsea, who were always heading for a tough draw after finishing second in their group, face a Bayern Munich side struggling for consistency but with the firepower to cause serious damage – just ask Tottenham.

Frank Lampard’s return to the Allianz Arena – the scene of his and Chelsea’s Champions League triumph in 2012 – adds intrigue to a tough tie for his developing side.

Chelsea’s London rivals Tottenham will be pleased to have swerved PSG, Juventus and Barcelona but RB Leipzig are top of the Bundesliga and not to be underestimated. Timo Werner – with 16 goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances this season – will be a major threat.

Finally, title-holders Liverpool can look forward to a return to the scene of this year’s Champions League triumph at Atletico Madrid – and will go into their tie favourites to see off Diego Simeone’s underperforming team. But the Champions League knockouts are rarely that straightforward.

Analysis: ‘Not a bad time to play Real’
Speaking on Sky Sports News, former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock says Manchester City should not fear this Real Madrid side.

Real Madrid were knocked out by Ajax in the round of 16 last season
Real Madrid were knocked out by Ajax in the round of 16 last season
“I don’t think it’s the same Real team that beat Liverpool in 2018, especially without Cristiano Ronaldo,” he said.

“I think this is a good time to play them, and they may have Aymeric Laporte back.”

Opposition form
Real Madrid vs Man City – second in La Liga behind Barcelona on goal difference after 16 games. Came second in Group A behind PSG, picking up 11 points from six games.

Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool – fifth in La Liga, six points off top spot. Came runner-up in Group D behind Juventus, picking up 10 points from six games.

Tottenham vs RB Leipzig – top of Bundesliga by two points, and six points ahead of fifth-place champions Bayern Munich. Topped Group G with 11 points from six games, ahead of Lyon, Benfica and Zenit.

Chelsea vs Bayern Munich – fifth in the Bundesliga, six points off top spot, but topped Group B with a 100 per cent record ahead of Spurs, Olympiacos and Red Star Belgarde, scoring 24 goals in just six games, and conceding five.

Champions League knockout stage – the key dates

February 18/19 & 25/26: Round of 16 – first leg

March 10/11 & 17/18: Round of 16 – second leg

April 7/8: Quarter-finals – first leg

April 14/15: Quarter-finals – second leg

April 28/29: Semi-finals – first leg


By DOMENICO DRAGONE

iGaming expert - with over 10 years of experience in the retail market in Italy and knowledge of global online gaming. In the past he has worked with the largest national gambling companies and he managed some land-based shops on their behalf. Entrepreneur, investor and enthusiast of difficult challenges, in 2015 he founded The Betting Coach Group, an international news and social marketing agency geared towards sports, esports and gambling companies. He is currently the C.E.O of The Betting Coach and is a consultant for Loginbet.it Mr. Dragone collaborates with providers (game developers) and event organizers with the aim of helping them develop networks and business across continents. Passionate about journalism, he is the creator and promoter of iGaming Cafè, the first talk show in Italy, dedicated to companies and delegates from the gaming world.