At the top of the Premier League standings, Liverpool is set to clash with Paris St-Germain in the Champions League round of 16. Meanwhile, Arsenal will face PSV Eindhoven, and Aston Villa will face Club Brugge.
Defending champions Real Madrid, fresh off their victory over Manchester City in the knockout phase play-offs, are set to clash with local rivals Atletico Madrid. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich will take on Bayer Leverkusen in a matchup that features two German teams.
This matchup marks the first encounter between Liverpool and PSG since the 2018-19 season, in which Liverpool ultimately secured their sixth European championship title.
The victors of that matchup will challenge either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Arsenal, provided they overcome PSV, is set to encounter the record 15-time champions Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the last eight.
The upcoming two-legged matches in the last 16 are scheduled for 4-5 March and 11-12 March.
The complete lineup for the Last-16 draw has been revealed.
Club Brugge will face Aston Villa in a two-legged encounter. The first match is scheduled for March 4 at 17:45 GMT, followed by the second leg on March 12 at 20:00 GMT.
Real Madrid will face Atletico Madrid in the first leg on March 4 at 20:00 GMT, followed by the second leg on March 12 simultaneously.
Borussia Dortmund will face Lille in the first leg on March 4 at 20:00 GMT, followed by the second leg on March 12 at 17:45 GMT.
PSV Eindhoven will face Arsenal in the first leg on March 4 at 20:00 GMT, followed by the second leg on March 12 simultaneously.
Feyenoord will face Inter Milan in the first leg of their matchup on March 5 at 17:45 GMT, followed by the second leg on March 11 at 20:00 GMT.
The highly anticipated clash between Paris St-Germain and Liverpool will be played in two legs. The first match is scheduled for March 5 at 20:00 GMT, followed by the second leg on March 11 at the same time.
Bayern Munich will face Bayer Leverkusen in a highly anticipated matchup. The first leg is scheduled for March 5 at 20:00 GMT, followed by the second leg on March 11 at the same time.
Benfica will face Barcelona in the first leg on March 5 at 20:00 GMT, followed by the second leg on March 11 at 17:45 GMT.
Liverpool and Aston Villa are set on a collision course in European competition.
The matchup between Premier League leaders Liverpool and defending French champions PSG is set to be a captivating contest.
PSG appeared to be on the brink of elimination from the competition, but a surge in performance allowed them to secure a 15th-place finish in the league phase.
The team faced a setback against Arsenal but bounced back with a victory over Manchester City, paving the way for an all-France knockout phase play-off against Brest, which they dominated with a 10-0 aggregate score.
Paris Saint-Germain boasts Ousmane Dembele, one of Europe’s top goalscorers, having netted six goals in this season’s competition.
Liverpool’s recent record in away matches against French clubs has been less than favourable. They have failed to secure a win in their last five encounters since their Champions League triumph over Marseille in 2008.
“At this point in the competition, the calibre of opponents will undoubtedly be exceptionally high, and in PSG, we face a team and a club with genuine European pedigree,” stated Liverpool manager Arne Slot.
“Earlier this week, they secured their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with an impressive victory over Brest. Their performance in the league phase has also been noteworthy, with significant wins against Stuttgart, Manchester City, Girona, and Salzburg.”
Should Liverpool overcome Luis Enrique’s team, they will meet Premier League counterparts Aston Villa in April, provided they successfully navigate their match against defending Belgian champions Club Brugge. The latter finished 24th in the league phase but eliminated Atalanta in the knockout phase play-offs.
In a notable match during the league phase, Club Brugge secured a victory over Villa, marking one of Unai Emery’s team’s only two defeats.
Emery expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I’m thrilled because we are going to enjoy this moment with our supporters” about the tie.
Arsenal’s upcoming rivals, PSV Eindhoven, are the reigning champions of the Netherlands. They secured a notable victory against a weakened Liverpool team, winning 3-2 in January, despite ultimately finishing 14th in the league phase.
Arsenal has three victories against PSV in the Champions League group stages, with their latest triumph being a commanding 4-0 win at home last season.
“We are fully aware of the challenges ahead,” stated manager Mikel Arteta. “We have faced them in competition, and they are indeed a formidable team.” At this stage, every team demonstrates high skill and competitiveness.
