%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20width%3D%2239px%22%20height%3D%2240px%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2039%2040%22%20enable-background%3D%22new%200%200%2039%2040%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M38.5%2C7H28.2v26h10.3V7z%22%2F%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M26.1%2C25.5c0%2C5.8-4.1%2C7.5-12.9%2C7.5C3.9%2C33%2C0%2C31.2%2C0%2C25.2v-1.1h11.6%0A%09v2.4c0%2C0.7%2C0.1%2C1.4%2C1.2%2C1.4c1%2C0%2C1.2-0.4%2C1.2-1.3v-0.9c0-1.6-0.9-1.6-3.5-2.2C2.2%2C21.7%2C0%2C19.7%2C0%2C15.3v-0.9C0%2C9.3%2C5.5%2C7%2C12.9%2C7%0A%09c10.2%2C0%2C12.8%2C2.6%2C12.8%2C7.4v1.8h-11v-2.9c0-0.6-0.4-1.1-1.2-1.1c-0.6%2C0-1.2%2C0.4-1.2%2C1.1v0.9c0%2C1.5%2C0.9%2C2%2C3.3%2C2.5%0A%09c8%2C1.6%2C10.5%2C3.3%2C10.5%2C7.5V25.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Liverpool Draws Real Madrid, PSG to Face Bayern in Champions League Round of 16
Liverpool was left to pay for not winning its Champions League group with a round of 16 showdown against reigning champion Real Madrid.
The pairing will mark the fifth and sixth meeting between the two sides in Champions League in less than five years. As well as the 2018 final, it will also be a rematch of last year’s Champions League final, when Real Madrid won its 14th European Cup/Champions League title thanks to a Vinícius Júnior winner.
Like Liverpool, PSG was also dealt a challenging draw due its second-place finish (Both Liverpool and PSG finished tied for first on points in their respective groups but lost the tiebreaker.). The meeting will be a rematch of the 2020 Champions League final, which Bayern won, 1-0. However, PSG prevailed on away goals in their last meeting in the 2020-21 quarterfinals.
Among other high-profile matchups, Tottenham will take on Serie A champion AC Milan while Borussia Dortmund will face Chelsea in Graham Potter’s first foray into the Champions League knockout stages.
If this is the year Manchester City claims its first Champions League title, the road will go through RB Leipzig. Meanwhile, Europa League champion Eintracht Frankfurt will face Napoli, whose first loss of the entire season came just last week against Liverpool.
To round out the draw, Inter Milan was issued a generous draw against Porto while upstart Club Brugge, which will make its Champions League knockout stage debut, will face Benfica.
The first legs of the round of 16 will take on Feb. 14-15 and Feb. 21-22, while the second legs will be played on March 7-8 and March 14-15. The quarterfinal draw will then take place March 17.
Here is the full round of 16 draw:
- Liverpool vs. Real Madrid
- PSG vs. Bayern Munich
- AC Milan vs. Tottenham
- Borussia Dortmund vs. Chelsea
- RB Leipzig vs. Man City
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Napoli
- Inter Milan vs. Porto
- Club Brugge vs. Benfica
More Soccer Coverage:
Andrew Gastelum is a programming editor and writer at Sports Illustrated who specializes in soccer, the Olympics and international sports. He joined the SI staff in March 2021 and previously contributed to Howler Magazine and NBC Sports. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame alum and is currently based in Italy.