The road to European glory has officially been mapped out after the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League round-of-16 draw delivered blockbuster clashes, brutal reunions and zero room for error.
Following a tense playoff round that saw Inter Milan and Juventus crash out, Europe’s elite now know exactly what stands between them and the final in Budapest, Hungary.
From PSG vs Chelsea to Real Madrid vs Manchester City, for the fifth straight season, the knockout phase promises fireworks from the very first whistle.
Premier League Presence, No All-English Ties
Six Premier League clubs reached the last 16, but no all-English clashes were drawn:
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Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen
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Newcastle United vs Barcelona
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Liverpool vs Galatasaray
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Tottenham vs Atlético Madrid
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Chelsea vs PSG
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Man City vs Real Madrid
Who Made the Champions League Last 16?
Seeded vs Unseeded Explained
Seeded Teams (Top 8 from League Phase)
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Arsenal
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Bayern Munich
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Liverpool
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Tottenham Hotspur
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Barcelona
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Chelsea
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Sporting CP
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Manchester City
Unseeded Teams (Playoff Winners)
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Real Madrid
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Paris Saint-Germain
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Newcastle United
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Atletico Madrid
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Atalanta
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Bayer Leverkusen
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Galatasaray
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Bodø/Glimt
Seeded teams will play the second leg at home, a potentially decisive advantage.
PSG vs Chelsea: Club World Cup Final RELOADED
Holders Paris Saint-Germain will face Chelsea in one of the standout ties. This is a direct rematch of last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup final, where Chelsea stunned PSG 3–0 in New Jersey.
Chelsea director of football David Barnard said:
“It’ll be tough but it holds no fear for us.”
“It’s too soon to speak about the final, we should think game by game. Now we have a strong opener to face.”
PSG boss Luis Enrique responded calmly:
“It will be fascinating to play against one of the best English teams, who we know well, but it will not be about revenge.”
“These are two different competitions.”
Real Madrid vs Man City AGAIN!
For the fifth consecutive season, Manchester City and Real Madrid will collide in the knockout rounds.
The clubs have met nine times since April 2022, with Madrid winning three of the last four knockout encounters, though City beat them during the league phase in December.
Arsenal Lead the Favourites Race
After finishing top of the league phase with eight wins from eight, Arsenal are Opta’s favourites to lift the trophy.
Opta Champions League Win Probabilities
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Arsenal – 27.40%
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Bayern Munich – 14.28%
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Liverpool – 12.83%
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Manchester City – 10.79%
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Chelsea – 6.86%
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PSG – 4.64%
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Real Madrid – 2.78%
FULL ROUND-OF-16 FIXTURES & DATES
First Legs:- March 10
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Galatasaray vs Liverpool (5:45pm GMT)
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Atalanta vs Bayern Munich (8:00pm GMT)
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Atlético Madrid vs Tottenham (8:00pm GMT)
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Newcastle United vs Barcelona (8:00pm GMT)
First Legs:- March 11
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Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal (5:45pm GMT)
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Real Madrid vs Manchester City (7:45pm GMT)
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Bodø/Glimt vs Sporting CP (8:00pm GMT)
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Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea (8:00pm GMT)
Second Legs:- March 17
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Sporting CP vs Bodø/Glimt
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Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen
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Chelsea vs Paris Saint-Germain
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Manchester City vs Real Madrid
Second Legs:- March 18
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Barcelona vs Newcastle United
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Bayern Munich vs Atalanta
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Liverpool vs Galatasaray
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Tottenham vs Atlético Madrid
The Bracket Is Set And So Is the Route to Glory
Thanks to the new bracket format, teams already know their possible path to the final:
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Chelsea or PSG → Galatasaray or Liverpool (QF)
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Man City or Real Madrid → Bayern Munich or Atalanta
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Arsenal → Sporting CP or Bodø/Glimt (if they beat Leverkusen)
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Newcastle or Barcelona → Atlético Madrid or Tottenham
Key Champions League Dates
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Round of 16: March 10–11 & March 17–18
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Quarterfinals: April 7–8 & April 14–15
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Semifinals: April 28–29 & May 5–6
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Final: May 30 — Budapest, Hungary
