Liverpool Draws PSG as Arsenal and Aston Villa Discover Champions League Foes

LIVERPOOL, England — Liverpool will face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16, while Arsenal takes on PSV Eindhoven and Aston Villa will play Club Brugge. The matchups were revealed following the completion of this season’s knockout phase.

This marks the first time Liverpool has squared off against PSG since the 2018-19 season, a campaign that ended with the Reds claiming their sixth European title. The winners of the Liverpool-PSG tie will advance to face either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the quarter-finals. Arsenal, if successful against PSV, will match up against the winner of the all-Spanish clash between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

The two-legged matches in the last 16 will take place on March 4-5 and March 11-12. Particularly intriguing will be the match-up between local rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, alongside an all-Germany face-off featuring Bayern Munich against Bayer Leverkusen.

In recent weeks, the competition has been filled with drama. In the previous round, Manchester City suffered a significant setback, losing their tie to Real Madrid with an aggregate score of 6-3. City held a lead in the first leg until the 86th minute when dramatic goals from Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham turned the momentum decisively in Madrid’s favor.

Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe showcased his scoring prowess with a hat-trick that guaranteed PSG’s advance after a strong 7-0 victory over Brest, confirming their place against Liverpool. Bayern Munich, following a tough two-legged tie against Celtic, progressed with a close 3-2 aggregate win.

Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies scored in injury time to level the second leg against Celtic, preventing an upset after Niklas Kuhn had given Celtic an initial lead. Bayern’s experience ultimately saw them through, demonstrating the high stakes and unpredictability inherent in the Champions League.

As excitement builds for the upcoming rounds, Liverpool’s bracket path could see them face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen if they succeed against PSG. Arsenal’s potential opposition also includes strong contenders like Real Madrid, further enhancing the anticipated intensity of the competition.

The Champions League continues to attract huge global interest, with upcoming broadcasts promising to deliver every moment of the action. The highlights are set to be available on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website, with extensive coverage planned for the knockout phase.

As these storied clubs prepare for their critical encounters, fans eagerly await the matches that could define the remainder of their seasons. The Champions League is poised for another thrilling chapter.