Champions League Round of 16: All you need to know
What's the story
The draw for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 has set up some exciting matchups. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will take on Chelsea, while Manchester City will face Real Madrid for the sixth time since the 2019-20 season. Arsenal, who topped their group with a perfect record of eight wins, will take on Bayer Leverkusen in what is considered a favorable tie.
Draw details
Other notable fixtures and dates
Newcastle United will take on Barcelona, while Liverpool will face Galatasaray. Tottenham Hotspur have been drawn against Atletico MadridAtletico Madrid. The first legs of these matches are scheduled for March 10 and 11, with the return legs on March 17 and 18. Chelsea's clash with PSG is a rematch of last summer's Club World Cup final, which the London side won 3-0.
Previous matches
City have faced Real 9 times since April 2022
Manchester City faced their respective opponents in the league phase of this season's competition. City's win in Madrid in December was their ninth meeting with Real since April 2022. As per Opta, Manchester City versus Real Madrid will be the first fixture in UEFA Champions League history to be played in the knockout stages in five consecutive seasons.
Future matchups
Arsenal rated as Opta's favorites to win the title
If Arsenal beat Bayer Leverkusen, they will face the winner of Bodo/Glimt versus Sporting Lisbon in the quarter-finals. Opta rates Mikel Arteta's team as favorites to win this season's competition, with a 27.40% chance of being crowned European champions for the first time. Bayern Munich is next best at 14.28%, followed by Liverpool (12.83%) and Manchester City (10.79%).
Twitter Post
Confirmed!
The confirmed round of 16 draw ✅#UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/PVhNIIZngZ
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 27, 2026