Uefa Champions League Draw: Premier League clubs set to learn last-16 and beyond
The uefa champions league draw on Friday will determine last-16 matchups and the path through the quarter-finals and semi-finals, with the ceremony scheduled for February 27 and starting at 11am ET. Several tie pairings are already narrowed to two clubs after midweek playoff results, leaving England’s qualifiers to learn their opponents and potential domestic clashes.
Draw timing and format: Uefa Champions League Draw set for February 27 at 11am ET
The draw for the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals will be made on Friday February 27, beginning at 11am ET. With the playoff round completed, many ties are already partially decided and the draw will confirm exact pairings and the knockout roadmap through to the semi-finals.
English contingent confirmed: Newcastle join Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham
Newcastle progressed to the last 16 to join Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham. Newcastle reached the knockout stage after beating Qarabag in their playoff, winning 9-3 on aggregate. As a result, Newcastle know they will face Chelsea or Barcelona in the last 16, and they will learn on Friday whether Tottenham or Liverpool could be quarter-final opponents and whether a potential semi-final route could involve Manchester City or Arsenal.
Liverpool’s two possibilities and match dates confirmed
Liverpool now know their last-16 opponents will be either Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray. Galatasaray emerged from their two-legged playoff with Juventus, winning 7-5 on aggregate after extra-time on Wednesday night. Atletico had secured their place earlier, overcoming Club Brugge on aggregate on Tuesday evening. Liverpool progressed from the league phase as a seeded qualifier in third place, and the first leg of their last-16 tie is scheduled for March 10/11 with the return fixture at Anfield on March 17/18.
Other playoff outcomes set several last-16 paths
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain saw off Monaco on Wednesday and are set to be one of the options to face Chelsea or Barcelona. Real Madrid’s playoff results mean they have set up a tie with Sporting or Manchester City. Atalanta defeated Borussia Dortmund and, as a consequence, will play either Arsenal or Bayern Munich. Bodo/Glimt eliminated Inter Milan and will face either Manchester City or Sporting, while Bayer Leverkusen will play either Bayern Munich or Arsenal. Atletico Madrid’s result also established they will face either Tottenham or Liverpool in the last 16.
How domestic matchups could first occur and the narrowed opponent lists
At the start of the week, England’s qualifiers knew their last-16 opponents would be drawn from one of four sides; with the midweek playoffs finishing, each of those options has been cut to two for Friday’s draw. The earliest opportunity for two English sides to meet is in the last 16, when Newcastle could be paired with Chelsea. Any other all-English meetings could first occur in the quarter-finals: Manchester City could meet Arsenal, and Chelsea or Newcastle could meet Tottenham or Liverpool.
Current provisional opponent lists are: Arsenal — Bayer Leverkusen or Atalanta; Chelsea — Newcastle or Paris Saint-Germain; Liverpool — Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray; Manchester City — Bodo/Glimt or Real Madrid; Newcastle — Chelsea or Barcelona; Tottenham — Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray.
All of these permutations will be finalised when the draw is made on Friday February 27 at 11am ET.
