Five talking points from the Champions League draw | OneFootball

The UEFA Champions League’s last-16 draw was made on Friday and it has thrown up some incredible ties.

From huge match-ups between compatriots to clashes between some of the form teams in Europe. March’s Champions League fixtures are not ones to be missed.

Here are five talking points from the Champions League draw.

Can Atletico exact revenge on arch-rivals?

The Spanish capital will come to a standstill early next month. Friday’s draw has put together Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in another fascinating chapter of their rivalry. Atletico have spent much of their existence in the shadow of their cross-town neighbours, while few teams have inflicted such misery on the Rojiblancos.

In 2014, Atletico were seconds from a first Champions League title, until Sergio Ramos’s last-gasp equaliser forced extra time. Diego Simeone’s shell-shocked side crumbled to lose 4-1 in extra time.

Two years later, the Madrid rivals met again in the final. A tense decider ended all square before Real Madrid prevailed on penalties. The following season, Real Madrid secured a second-leg comeback in the semi-finals to eliminate Atleti from Europe for a third time in four seasons.

In the midst of a tense title race, their continental clashes will not be short of entertainment. Revenge is on the agenda for Atleti.

German giants go head-to-head

Bayern Munich’s dominance of German football has rarely been threatened across the last decade, but Bayer Leverkusen have emerged as a genuine rival. Last season, Leverkusen dethroned the perennial champions to win the Bundesliga for the first time – without losing a game. Leverkusen added the DFB-Pokal in a historic unbeaten double, but have seen Bayern bounce back to lead the title race this time around.

Leverkusen, however, are unbeaten in three meetings with Bayern this season. Both league fixtures ended all square, while Xabi Alonso’s side eliminated the Bavarians from the German Cup in December. Now the teams meet in Europe for the very first time, in a fascinating Bundesliga blockbuster in the Round of 16.

Grab the popcorn for this one.

Liverpool land tough test

Liverpool were well aware of their potential opponents for the last 16, but there will have been disappointment when PSG were pulled out of the hat. The French champions have recovered from a shaky start to impress in the Champions League, including a 10-0 thrashing of compatriots Brest in the play-off round.

Luis Enrique’s side lack genuine competition domestically but remain the only unbeaten side across Europe’s top five leagues this season. Europe will be the true test of a new-look PSG, who have moved on from the failed superstar project in Paris to build an exciting young side.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s €70m arrival has strengthened a forward line already containing Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele. The latter has 23 goals in all competitions this season and is challenging Mohamed Salah as the form player in Europe right now.

Arsenal and Aston Villa start as favourites

Arsenal and Aston Villa will start their last-16 ties as favourites, having been drawn to face PSV Eindhoven and Club Brugge respectively.

Arsenal reached the quarter-finals last season and thrashed PSV 4-0 at the Emirates during the 2023/24 group stage. The Dutch champions have a real threat going forward, but it is a draw that should hold no fear for the North Londoners.

Aston Villa face surprise package, Club Brugge. It’s a rematch of their league phase clash, that saw Brugge win 1-0 in Belgium courtesy of a calamitous error from Tyrone Mings. Brugge beat Atalanta impressively over two legs in the play-off round, though have made the last 16 just once previously.

Feyenoord seek another Serie A shock

Italian clubs have underwhelmed in the Champions League this season with four of the nation’s five entrants already eliminated. Bologna failed to make it out of the league phase, while Juventus, Atalanta and AC Milan all crashed out in the play-off round.

Feyenoord eliminated AC Milan in the last round and next take on rivals Inter in the last 16. Despite a disappointing Eredivisie campaign, the Rotterdam side has reached this stage for the first time in the Champions League era. Their win over Milan was a sweet moment, having lost star striker Santiago Gimenez to the Rossoneri just a fortnight earlier.

PSV also eliminated Juventus and Feyenoord will now hope the Netherlands’ supremacy over Serie A can continue.

Read – Champions League draw in full as Premier League clubs learn fate

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