European heavyweights are set for blockbuster clashes after Friday’s draw for the UEFA Champions League last 16 paired Real Madrid with Manchester City for the fifth consecutive season in the knockout rounds.
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain will meanwhile face Chelsea.
The 15-time European champions Real Madrid will host the first leg at Santiago Bernabeu next month before travelling to England for the return fixture a week later.
The sides have already met this season, with Pep Guardiola’s City securing a 2-1 victory in Madrid during December’s league phase.
City finished eighth in the standings to qualify directly for the last 16, while Real placed ninth and had to advance via the play-offs, defeating Benfica 3-1 on aggregate.
This marks the eighth campaign since 2012 in which Madrid and City have crossed paths in Europe. Real eliminated City in last season’s play-offs and again in the 2024 quarter-finals en route to lifting the trophy.
They also prevailed in the 2022 semi-finals, while City won their semi-final meeting a year later before going on to claim the 2023 title.
PSG will play the first leg of their tie at home after edging past AS Monaco 5-4 on aggregate in the play-offs. Chelsea progressed automatically to the last 16 after finishing sixth in the league phase.
The clubs previously met in three straight knockout campaigns from 2014 to 2016 — Chelsea winning their first encounter before PSG claimed the next two. Their most recent showdown came in July’s Club World Cup final in the United States, where Chelsea defeated the reigning European champions 3-0.
Elsewhere, Newcastle United will face FC Barcelona, with the opening leg at St James’ Park. Barcelona won 2-1 there during the league phase in September.
There will be a record six English clubs in the last 16. Liverpool are set for a rematch with Galatasaray, who beat them 1-0 earlier in the competition. Arsenal will take on Bayer Leverkusen, while Tottenham Hotspur have been drawn against Atletico Madrid.
German champions Bayern Munich meet Atalanta, the only remaining Italian side. Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt, fresh from eliminating Inter Milan, have been rewarded with a tie against Sporting CP.
First-leg matches are scheduled for March 10 and 11, with the return fixtures a week later.
Teams that finished in the top eight during the league phase will host the second legs. This season’s final will be staged at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 30.
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