Two huge matches to draw the attention in the Champions League round of 16, as Arsenal were once again drawn to play against the title holders, Bayern Munich, who they were knocked out by last season, while Barcelona and Manchester City clashing should provide a very interesting matchup as well.
Manchester United and Chelsea are two English teams that should feel quite happy about the draw they’ve gotten, facing Olympiacos and Galatasaray respectively, while the finalists from last season, Dortmund, should feel quite comfortable about playing against Zenit as well.
The first legs will be played on 18, 19, 25 and 26 February, and the second legs will be played on 11, 12, 18 and 19 March 2014.Ā The draw for the quarter-finals will be held on 21 March 2014.Ā he final will be played on 24 May 2014 at theĀ EstĆ”dio da LuzĀ inĀ Lisbon,Ā Portugal.
FC Barcelona vs Manchester City
A mega matchup that sees Barcelona host the second leg against a red hot Manchester City, playing in this stage for the very first time. Barcelona are four-time champions, but have traditionally had a tough time against English clubs, usually called Chelsea.
Manchester United vs Olympiacos
David Moyes couldn’t have asked for a better draw, even though Olympiacos aren’t going to be walk overs andĀ tooĀ easy to beat. The European form for the Red Devils suggests they shouldn’t be messing this up.
Atletico Madrid vs AC Milan
Any draw for Milan considering their current form was going to be difficult. Atletico Madrid went through the group stage without losing once, and should be the favorites to go through, unless something changes in the next couple of months.
PSG vs Bayer Leverkusen
The French champions won’t be complaining about Leverkusen, who are an enjoyable team to watch but their defense isn’t up to par with difficult challenges in this competition, with their nine conceded goals against Manchester United serving as an example
Chelsea FC vs Galatasaray
A comfortable draw for Chelsea which creates an interesting opportunity for Didier Drogba to play against the team he led to the Champions League trophy in 2012.
Real Madrid vs Schalke 04
An excellent draw for Real Madrid, getting a German side that similar to Leverkusen, are fun to watch, but don’t have the quality in the middle of the park or their defense to really look like serious rivals to a team like Real.
Borussia Dortmund vs Zenit St. Petersburg
Dortmund got through Shakhtar at this stage last season, and Zenit are weaker than the Ukrainian champions from last season. However, if defensive problems continue to haunt Dortmund two months from now, they might not be clear favorites as one might expect.
Bayern Munich vs Arsenal
Arsenal, unlike United and Chelsea, have no luck. They are a stronger side than the one who almost knocked out Bayern Munich last season, but it’s hard to believe the Germans will be so complacent this time around.