Real Madrid and Manchester City will meet yet again in the Champions League round of 16 after being paired together in Friday’s draw, marking the fifth consecutive year the two sides face off in the knockout stage.
The clash pits the record 15-time European champion Real Madrid against the 2023 title winner Man City, with the victor potentially facing Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.
Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt, enjoying a remarkable run, will host Sporting Lisbon in the Arctic Circle next month. The team avoided a rematch with City after stunning the English champions with a 3-1 win during the league phase, sparking a four-match winning surge despite playing in the Norwegian offseason.
Title holder Paris Saint-Germain were drawn against Chelsea, with the winner set to face either Liverpool or Galatasaray in the quarterfinals. Galatasaray had earlier beaten Liverpool 1-0 in September, contributing to a difficult spell for the English champions.
The draw also produced two Spain vs England matchups: Barcelona will take on Newcastle, while Atletico Madrid meet Tottenham. The winners will face each other in the next round.
Elsewhere, Bayern Munich were paired with Atalanta, the last remaining Italian side, and Arsenal will face Bayer Leverkusen. The winner of that tie will meet either Bodø/Glimt or Sporting in the quarterfinals.
First-leg matches are scheduled for March 10 or 11, with return legs a week later. The draw also determined the bracket through to the final, set for May 30 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.