By Samuel A. December 20, 2023
Defending champions Manchester City will face group A runners up, Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League last 16, while Arsenal will face Porto. The draw also pitted La Liga and Serie A champions against each other, with Barcelona set for another tussle with Napoli on Europe’s biggest stage, and Inter will lock horns with Atletico Madrid. Paris Saint-Germain escaped the big names as they were drawn against Group D winners Real Sociedad.
Arsenal will play Porto in the UEFA Champions League last 16, while title holders Manchester City take on Copenhagen. City, who won the treble last season under Pep Guardiola by defeating Inter Milan in the final, would be delighted as the got the relatively easiest draw. City have not reached the heights they did last season in the Premier League, in part due to an injury to Kevin De Bruyne, they topped Group G by winning every single one of their six matches in Europe. The draw is one that City will be heavy favourites to negotiate regardless of any injury concerns.
2004 UCL winners under Jose Mourinho, were drawn against Arsenal, who continue to impress under Mikel Arteta and are attempting to compete on two fronts. Arsenal are the only other Premier League side to reach the Champions League knockout rounds after Manchester United and Newcastle United were both eliminated in the group stages.
Paris Saint-Germain are yet to win the Champions League and behind the scenes rumours continue, but with Kylian Mbappe in decent form they are heavy favourites against Basque side Real Sociedad, who could also cause an upset. PSV Eindhoven will play German side Borussia Dortmund while Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich take on Lazio. The first legs will take place across February 13-14 and 20-21 next year, with the return matches across March 5-6 and 12-13.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LAST 16 DRAW in full :
Porto v Arsenal
Napoli v Barcelona
PSG v Real Sociedad
Internazionale v Atletico Madrid
PSV Eindhoven v Borussia Dortmund
Lazio v Bayern Munich
Copenhagen v Manchester City
RB Leipzig v Real Madrid
The Europa League knockout round playoff draw also took place on Monday.
The group winners will be joined by the winners of the playoffs, contested by eight runners up from the Europa League group stage and eight third placed teams from the Champions League group stage.
These ties will be played on 15 and 22 February.
Feyenoord v Roma
Lens v Freiburg
Benfica v Toulouse
Galatasaray v Sparta Prague
AC Milan v Rennes
Young Boys v Sorting Lisbon
Sporting Braga v Qarabag
Shakhtar Donetsk v Marseille
Eight teams are safely through to the last 16 of the Europa Conference League, including Aston Villa.
They will be joined by the winners of the knockout round play-offs, contested between eight runners-up from the Europa Conference League group stage and eight third-placed teams from the Europa League group stage.
These ties will also be played on 15 and 22 February.
Sturm Graz v Slovan Bratislava
Servette v Ludogorets
Union Saint-Gilloise v Eintracht Frankfurt
Real Betis v Dinamo Zagreb
Olympiakos v Ferencvarosi
Ajax v Bodo/Glimt
Molde v Legia Warsaw
Maccabi Haifa v Gent
