UEFA conducted the Champions League bracket draw earlier today in Nyon, Switzerland, setting out the full road to the Budapest final and effectively mapping Liverpool’s potential path through the competition.
The Champions League always has a way of sharpening focus around Anfield, but this season’s revamped format has cranked the jeopardy up another notch.
The event didn’t just decide the Round of 16 ties – it fixed the entire knockout tree, meaning the Reds now know which side of the bracket they’re on and which heavyweights are locked in as possible opponents later in the tournament.
Arne Slot’s men were given Galatasaray for the first round and are on the “silver” side of the bracket, and unfortunately it means that the Anfield club has the tougher side filled with European giants.
Within that framework, Liverpool’s list of possible knockout opponents has already been narrowed down. Based on how the bracket has been constructed, the Reds are guaranteed to face two of six clubs at some stage on their side of the draw (depending on how far the Reds go of course): Chelsea, Paris Saint‑Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Atalanta or Bayern Munich.
If Liverpool keep progressing, every knockout round will come from this pool of teams, giving a clear sense of just how demanding the road to Budapest is likely to be.
Below is the full list of the Round of 16 fixtures. The dates and times are set to be confirmed by UEFA later this Friday evening:
|Champions League Round of 16 Fixtures|
|Home|Away|Dates|
|---|
|Paris Saint-Germain|Chelsea|TBC|
|Galatasaray|Liverpool|TBC|
|Real Madrid|Manchester City|TBC|
|Atalanta|Bayern Munich|TBC|
|Newcastle United|Barcelona|TBC|
|Atlético Madrid|Tottenham Hotspur|TBC|
|Bodø/Glimt|Sporting CP|TBC|
|Bayer Leverkusen|Arsenal|TBC|
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