Latest News: Champions League draw pairs Chelsea with PSG and Man City with Real Madrid
The latest news from the Champions League draw leaves heavyweights matched up early: Chelsea will play holders Paris St‑Germain in the last 16 and Manchester City will meet Real Madrid, with first legs scheduled for 10 and 11 March and second legs on 17 and 18 March.
Big ties and Premier League presence
Six Premier League clubs qualified for the last 16 but the draw produced no all‑English ties. Arsenal, who finished the league phase as the only team to win all eight games, will face Bayer Leverkusen. Newcastle United will meet Barcelona, Liverpool take on Galatasaray and Tottenham were drawn against Atletico Madrid; Manchester City draw Real Madrid completes the set.
Latest News: Chelsea v PSG rematch and other notable matchups
Chelsea’s last‑16 meeting with Paris St‑Germain is a rematch of last summer’s Fifa Club World Cup final, when the Blues beat the European champions 3-0 in New Jersey. Chelsea’s director of football David Barnard said, "It'll be tough but it holds no fear for us, " adding, "It's too soon to speak about the final, we should think game by game. Now we have a strong opener to face. "
City, Liverpool and Newcastle faced familiar opponents this season
Manchester City, Newcastle and Liverpool all met their last‑16 opponents during the league phase. City’s win in Madrid in December finished 2-1 at the Bernabéu. City will face Real Madrid in the knockout stages for a fifth straight season; the coverage gives two different totals on their overall meetings—one places their meetings at 17, while another calls City’s December win their ninth meeting with Real since April 2022. City’s director of football Hugo Viana said, "It's a big game for both teams. It's like a final, we are happy to go there again. " Liverpool ambassador Ian Rush said, "I think our advantage is that the second leg is at home. I think the atmosphere at Anfield is second to none and, hopefully, that will come into it. "
Tactical notes: Chelsea, PSG and other threats
One analyst called Chelsea’s Club World Cup final victory over PSG last summer probably Enzo Maresca's finest hour as Chelsea manager; he deployed a plan that pinged balls over Nuno Mendes for Cole Palmer to chase, backed up by Malo Gusto, that tore the European champions apart in the first half. Another voice suggested Liam Rosenior may try to exploit the same vulnerability, but warned Chelsea look weary and that exertions in the US may have left them fatigued. PSG’s recent form has been described as indifferent: they were forced into the playoff round after a defeat by Sporting and a draw against Newcastle in their final two league‑phase games, then edged Monaco 5-4 on aggregate.
Other knockout narratives: Bayern, Atalanta and historical notes
Bayern Munich finished the league phase second behind Arsenal, three points adrift, and their Bundesliga form—one loss all season and an attack averaging more than 3. 5 goals per game—was highlighted. Harry Kane has scored 43 goals in all competitions this season, with Michael Olise, Serge Gnabry and Luis Díaz noted for running beyond him. If Arsenal get past Leverkusen they will face either Sporting or Bodo/Glimt in the quarter‑finals.
Atalanta overturned a 2-0 first‑leg deficit against Borussia Dortmund in the playoff round, but commentary warned they are not the same side that won the Europa League in 2024 and sit seventh in Serie A. For Newcastle fans, mention of Barcelona still conjures Faustino Asprilla’s hat‑trick in their 3-2 win in 1997; Newcastle have lost all four meetings since, including a 2-1 league‑phase defeat at St James' Park in September that was noted as giving the club some hope.
Route to the final and what’s next
The route to the final is already mapped: if Newcastle and Tottenham both progress they would meet in the quarter‑finals, and Chelsea and Liverpool would meet in the other half of the draw. The final is scheduled for Saturday, 30 May at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary. First legs of the last 16 will be played on 10 and 11 March, with second legs on 17 and 18 March.
