The Champions League draw produced an unprecedented historical anomaly.

27/02/2026 22:08:00 PlaymakerHub

The UEFA Champions League draw ensured a historic round of 16, with all six Premier League clubs—Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal, Newcastle, Chelsea, and Tottenham—learning their upcoming challengers.

The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw has produced fateful and explosively promising matchups, with all six Premier League representatives determining their next opponent on the journey to conquer Europe.

The ceremony held in Nyon, Switzerland on February 27th mapped the path from the round of 16 to the final, scheduled for May 30th in Budapest, Hungary. Among the English clubs, Arsenal is seen as having received the most favorable draw.

Lễ bốc thăm C1 tạo ra điều kỳ lạ chưa từng thấy trong lịch sử 799816

By finishing top in the 36-team league phase, Arsenal, along with Bayern Munich, will play the second leg at home in every knockout round (except the final). In the round of 16, the "Gunners" face Bayer Leverkusen, before a potential quarter-final against Bodo/Glimt or Sporting CP. Potential semi-final opponents for Mikel Arteta's side include Newcastle, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Tottenham.

Liverpool, six-time European champions, will meet Galatasaray in the round of 16. If they advance, they could face PSG or Chelsea in the quarter-finals. The "Reds'" potential semi-final path includes Real Madrid, Man City, Atalanta, or Bayern Munich.

Newcastle will clash with Barcelona right in the round of 16, potentially followed by a quarter-final against Atletico or Tottenham. Meanwhile, Chelsea must face the reigning champions PSG, before contemplating a scenario against Galatasaray or Liverpool in the last eight.

Tottenham will take on Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 and could meet Newcastle or Barcelona in the quarter-finals. Man City, meanwhile, renew their rivalry with Real Madrid—a fixture that has become a "new classic" in the Champions League. If they overcome Los Blancos, Pep Guardiola's team could meet Atalanta or Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, before considering PSG, Chelsea, Galatasaray, or Liverpool in the semi-finals.

Lễ bốc thăm C1 tạo ra điều kỳ lạ chưa từng thấy trong lịch sử 799820 — All Premier League clubs have secured their places in the 2025/26 Champions League round of 16.

Notably, Man City and Real Madrid will become the first pairing to meet in five consecutive knockout rounds. Including group and league phase matches, the two sides have faced each other 11 times in the last five seasons. In fact, during this same period, City have played Real Madrid more often than most domestic opponents, except for Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham.

Real Madrid's director of institutional relations, Emilio Butragueño, shared after the draw: "It's fascinating that we meet Man City every season. Five years in a row, the teams know each other inside out. They not only have a strong squad but also impressive depth, giving Pep Guardiola many options. These are always attacking games, full of goals, and among the most attractive in the world. We hope the whole team reaches peak condition, as everyone understands what the Champions League means to Real Madrid."

2025/26 Champions League Round of 16 draw results: