The UEFA Champions League knockout playoffs concluded Wednesday, setting the stage for the round of 16 draw scheduled for Friday in Switzerland, according to reports from USA Today and ESPN.
Atletico Madrid advanced with a 7-4 aggregate victory over Club Brugge, while Newcastle United defeated Qarabag 9-3 overall. Bodo/Glimt upset Inter Milan 5-2 on aggregate, and Bayer Leverkusen progressed past Olympiacos with a 2-0 aggregate score. These teams join the eight clubs that automatically qualified for the round of 16: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, and Manchester City.
Several second-leg matches were played Wednesday to determine the final playoff participants. Paris Saint-Germain played Monaco, Juventus faced Galatasaray, Real Madrid competed against Benfica, and Atalanta battled Borussia Dortmund. Results of these matches will determine the final pairings for the round of 16.
The round of 16 matchups, as currently projected based on playoff results, include PSG/Monaco versus Barcelona or Chelsea, Juventus/Galatasaray against Liverpool or Tottenham, Real Madrid/Benfica facing Sporting CP or Manchester City, and Atalanta/Dortmund playing Arsenal or Bayern Munich. Newcastle will play either Chelsea or Barcelona, Atletico Madrid will face either Tottenham or Liverpool, and Bodo-Glimt will be matched against either Manchester City or Sporting CP. Bayer Leverkusen’s opponent has yet to be determined.
The UEFA Champions League, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), is an annual competition for top-division European clubs. According to Wikipedia, the tournament began in 1955 and was rebranded in 1992. It is the most-watched club competition globally, trailing only the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship in viewership. The current champions are Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid holds the record for the most championships with 15 titles.
The draw to finalize the round of 16 pairings and the subsequent path to the final will be held at 6 a.m. ET on Friday, February 27, in Switzerland.
