• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Expert reveals the 'likely' Champions League round-of-16 draw and fans are in shock at some of the fixtures

Home> Football> Football News

Published 19:09 23 Jan 2025 GMT

Expert reveals the 'likely' Champions League round-of-16 draw and fans are in shock at some of the fixtures

The Champions League's first phase is reaching its climax.

Marcus Chan

Marcus Chan

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Champions League, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Football

Marcus Chan
Marcus Chan

Advert

Advert

Advert

The projected draw for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 has emerged ahead of the last match week.

This season, the Champions League underwent a huge revamp as the traditional group stage has been changed into one big league phase.

Instead of playing twice against three teams home and away, clubs now play eight matches against different opponents, four at home and four away.

Teams that finish in the top eight will automatically qualify for the last 16, with sides finishing in positions 9-24 needing to play a two-legged play-off to decide their fate.

With just one match week left, the league table is starting to take shape.

Advert

For example, Premier League leaders Liverpool are guaranteed a top-two finish after winning all seven of their matches so far. However, Manchester City must win against Club Brugge next week to keep their hopes alive.

So far, nine teams have already been knocked out of the competition, in the shapes of Slovan Bratislava, Young Boys, RB Salzburg, Sturm Graz, Crvena Zvezda, Girona, RB Leipzig, Sparta Praha and Bologna.

Ahead of the last round of matches, the projected draw for the round of 16 has emerged on social media.

As per Football Rankings, Liverpool and Barcelona have been projected to face either AS Monaco, Celtic, Feyenoord or Brest.

Advert

Arsenal and Inter Milan could be in for a nightmare draw, with the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus, Sporting Clube de Portugal and Paris Saint Germain as potential opponents.

City, whose fate hangs in the balance, could face PSV Eindhoven in the play-offs before taking on Atletico Madrid or AC Milan.

The other English side, Aston Villa, could come up against Club Brugge, VfB Stuttgart, Atalanta or Bayern Munich.


Of course, it has to be said that anything could happen in football and that the projected draw is only a prediction.

Advert

Meanwhile, data has revealed that defending champions Madrid is Arsenal's 'most likely' opponent in the round of 16.

The Champions League will return next week with fixtures being played on Tuesday and Wednesday.

  • Carlo Ancelotti didn't hesitate when naming the one team Real Madrid want to avoid in the Champions League
  • Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and Aston Villa's nightmare Champions League opponents revealed ahead of draw
  • What Man City's Champions League defeat to PSG means heading into the final round of games
  • Supercomputer ranks every team's chances of winning the Champions League this season with shock name included in top 10 favourites

Choose your content:

an hour ago
8 hours ago
9 hours ago
  • Getty
    an hour ago

    Vinicius Jr Reveals the Only Club He’d Leave Real Madrid For

    Vinicius Jr started on the bench for Real Madrid's Champions League opener against Marseille.

    Football
  • Getty
    8 hours ago

    Chelsea Player Savaged by Own Fans After Bayern Munich Loss

    Chelsea lost to Bayern Munich in their return to their Champions League.

    Football
  • Getty
    8 hours ago

    Alexander Isak's Liverpool Debut Stats Emerge After Dramatic Win vs Atletico

    Alexander Isak made his debut as Liverpool beat Atletico Madrid.

    Football
  • TNT Sports
    9 hours ago

    Diego Simeone Held Back by Security After Heated Moment With Liverpool Fans

    Liverpool beat Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

    Football