The Champions League knockout stage draw has set the stage for a thrilling spring, with the path to the final in Budapest now clear. The draw, completed after the playoff round determined the final 16 teams, has produced several compelling matchups, including a familiar clash between European giants Real Madrid and Manchester City.
Real Madrid, the competition’s record winners, will face Manchester City in the Round of 16 for the fifth consecutive year. The two sides have met 15 times to date, with 5 wins apiece and 5 draws. The pairing sets up another highly anticipated encounter between two of the world’s most dominant clubs, and a rematch of recent battles in Europe’s top competition.
Elsewhere in the draw, Paris Saint-Germain will take on Chelsea, while Barcelona will face Newcastle United. League phase winners Arsenal will be matched up against Bayer Leverkusen. Tottenham Hotspur will play Atletico Madrid, Liverpool will face Galatasaray, and Bayern Munich will take on Atalanta.
One analyst believes Real Madrid has a favorable outlook heading into the tie. “It’s a déjà vu, which you sometimes want to vary, but the last two experiences have been positive, although the team is leaving some doubt right now,” said Tomás Roncero, subdirector of Diario AS. “We have a measure of Guardiola’s City. The precedents are quite acceptable.” He added, “We’ve got his morale beaten, especially Haaland,” referencing the Norwegian striker’s previous struggles against Real Madrid. “There’s moderate and cautious optimism, but I sense optimism among the people.”
A Challenging Path for Some
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Roncero also commented on the overall draw structure, expressing his dissatisfaction with the current format. “UEFA has decided that the Champions League has to be like the Roland Garros or Wimbledon draw, with everything decided,” he stated. “35 Champions League teams on one side. 5 on the other, which are Barcelona’s 5. Of the eight teams, seven have none. On the other side, of eight, there are six European champions.”
He questioned the fairness of the system, suggesting a more traditional, open draw. “Wouldn’t it be better to have a pure draw for the Round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals like always? Because it conditions you in that way, and it’s so unbalanced. Before, the European champions were better distributed with those theoretically stronger teams.”
Roncero believes Real Madrid is prepared for a difficult road to the final. “Madrid knows that if they want to win the Champions League, it has to be like the 14th or the 15th, against all the top teams.” He even predicted a potential all-Spanish final, stating, “I would sign right now for a final against Barcelona or Atlético, because that would signify you’ve gotten rid of all the top teams. It would mean we’ve pulled off the feat of eliminating City, surely Bayern, and in the semis, PSG, Chelsea or Liverpool – not nothing. Madrid already did it in the 14th and 15th, so challenges don’t scare the Madrid fans.”
