The Champions League returns on Tuesday with an exciting set of round-of-16 ties.
Liverpool get things under way with a visit to Galatasaray at 5.45pm UK time (1.45pm ET), with Newcastle United facing league-phase opponents Barcelona at St James’ Park and Tottenham Hotspur looking for respite from their Premier League struggles away at Atletico Madrid.
Among the standout fixtures on Wednesday are Paris Saint-Germain hosting Chelsea in a rematch of last summer’s Club World Cup final and Real Madrid taking on Manchester City at the Bernabeu — by the time that round-of-16 tie ends, Madrid and City will have played each other 13 times in the 2020s.
Here, our writers analyse what could be in store.
How happy was your team with the draw?
Sam Lee, Manchester City reporter: Facing Real Madrid is hardly a prospect to be relished but they are at their relative weakest in years and City could do some real damage. City did win in Madrid in their December league-phase game, after all.
George Caulkin, Newcastle United reporter: They did not say so in public, but Newcastle viewed Chelsea as the marginally preferable draw. Barcelona feels like a bigger test (and they have already lost to them in the league phase), but a trip to the Camp Nou will be relished by fans and stir gilded memories of Sir Bobby Robson, an influential figure at both clubs.
James Horncastle, Italian football reporter: Given Atalanta were 2-0 down in the first leg of their play-off against Borussia Dortmund last month, they are just happy to be here. Being the only Serie A team left in the competition is also a source of pride. It will be their first time facing Bayern Munich and, while the tie figures as a step up from the 2024 Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, it is one to relish.
Gregg Evans, Liverpool reporter: After drawing PSG in the round of 16 last year, Liverpool will have seen this as a greater ‘reward’ for finishing in the top eight. They lost to Galatasaray this season, but Arne Slot’s side have grown stronger together. A tougher test against PSG or Chelsea follows in the quarter-finals.
Cerys Jones, Chelsea reporter: Even though they have, weirdly, beaten PSG more recently than Newcastle, Chelsea would have preferred to face the latter. PSG will be out for blood after Chelsea upset them in the Club World Cup final in New Jersey, whereas Newcastle’s season is floundering. This is a chance for Chelsea to prove that victory was a sign of them re-establishing themselves as European giants, rather than a one-off showpiece win.
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, German football reporter: Bayern will have been more than happy. They will be wary of what Atalanta did to Borussia Dortmund, but will enter the tie confident and without trepidation. Manuel Neuer’s left calf injury is unideal and Alphonso Davies’ latest setback also came at a bad moment, but both should be available again within weeks rather than months.
Bayer Leverkusen? Even if they are underdogs, facing Arsenal can be approached as a learning experience for a young team who have done well to reach this stage.
Dermot Corrigan, Spanish football reporter: Atletico Madrid will have been content with Tottenham Hotspur, as Liverpool were the other option. Spurs are not having a great season and are mired in a Premier League relegation battle, while Diego Simeone’s side were outplayed when losing 3-2 at Anfield last September.
Madrid would have much preferred Sporting CP. They just keep meeting City in this competition, with Pep Guardiola never a welcome visitor to the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid and Manchester City are familiar foes (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Art de Roche, Arsenal football reporter: Arsenal would have been happy to play either Bayer Leverkusen or Atalanta, but considering they faced the Italian side last season, they will welcome a new challenge against Leverkusen.
Their most recent match against Leverkusen was a 4-1 win in a 2024 friendly, but even with the German side sixth in Bundesliga, their 2-0 win against Manchester City earlier this season shows they should not be taken lightly.
The side of the draw will be equally important to Arsenal as they will play either Sporting CP or Bodo/Glimt instead of Manchester City or Real Madrid. They do have sore memories of a Europa League exit at the hands of Sporting in 2023, but evading the pressure of yet another spring meeting with City will have been well received.
Jack Pitt-Brooke, Tottenham Hotspur reporter: Spurs would have rather been drawn against Galatasaray than Atletico in the round of 16. But ultimately, the final phase of this season is about staying in the Premier League.
Laia Cervello Herrero, Barcelona reporter: As happy as they could be. Their last matches against PSG did not inspire optimism, but they beat Newcastle this season. They went to buy a lottery ticket and won.
Will they be optimistic about reaching the final?
Lee: City’s prospect of Bayern in the next round and then PSG or two English clubs in the semis is not especially tempting, if they get past Madrid!
Caulkin: Getting to this stage was Eddie Howe’s target at the start of the season, so you can argue that anything from this point is a bonus. But St James’ Park will be a cauldron. “We want to go as far as we can, and why not?” Howe told reporters last month. They will attack it.
Horncastle: During Covid-19 restrictions, Atalanta were seconds away from reaching a Champions League semi-final, where they would have played RB Leipzig. That was five and a half years ago. They have won the Europa League in the meantime. They do not expect to win this competition. They do want to make life difficult for whoever they face and go as far as possible.
An issue for Atalanta is their engagement on three fronts. They are still in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia. The squad is deeper than it has ever been but their depth is being tested by Giorgio Scalvini’s suspension, Charles de Ketelaere’s injury, Ederson’s fitness and Ademola Lookman’s replacement, Giacomo Raspadori, being yet to truly hit the ground running.
Evans: Momentum will build for Liverpool if they can get through this one. After surrendering the Premier League title by Christmas, the focus has been on making amends in the Champions League. Anfield will be electric for every game from here, and there is a feeling this team are well-equipped to go far.
Jones: If they can beat PSG, which is a big if, opponents start looking at them less like the Chelsea who have dropped points to Qarabag, Atalanta, Leeds United and Burnley, and more like the team who have beaten Napoli, Liverpool and PSG in the past year. Optimism will build.
Stafford-Bloor: Bayern have every reason to be hopeful. Arsenal are the only team to have beaten them in the Champions League this season and they are now on the other side of the draw. Remember what Vincent Kompany’s side did to PSG during the league stage? And that was without Jamal Musiala, who has since returned to full fitness. There is nothing to fear.
Corrigan: Madrid’s history of a record 15 European Cup/Champions League victories (including six of the past 12) always brings confidence, but this is not a vintage squad with a rookie manager in Alvaro Arbeloa — and if they get past City then it will likely be Bayern Munich next.
Atletico, meanwhile, have not got past the quarter-finals since 2016-17. Their draw looks relatively kind, with a potential all-La Liga clash with Barcelona, who they beat in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, in the last eight.
De Roche: There are no guarantees of reaching the final, but Arsenal would be confident against any team in Europe after winning all eight of their league-phase games. The consistency they have shown home and away has been a major improvement from previous Champions League campaigns, and can be what makes the difference this year.
Pitt-Brooke: Not especially. If Spurs go through, they would face the winner of Barcelona and Newcastle. And then Arsenal in the semi-finals. Spurs fans will probably not be booking their flights to Budapest, which hosts the final on May 30, quite yet.
Cervello Herrero: Not only have Barcelona been drawn against what looks like the most beatable opponent, but in a year in which they are struggling in the Champions League, they have avoided possibly playing former champions PSG, Chelsea, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Manchester City or Real Madrid until the final. Hansi Flick’s team suddenly have time to improve their defensive frailty before the very end of the competition.
Which player could stand out for your club?
Lee: It is an obvious answer but Erling Haaland, mainly because he scores most of City’s goals. Sometimes football really is that simple! By the same token, Gianluigi Donnarumma could be vital at the other end.
Caulkin: Anthony Gordon has been a man on a mission in the Champions League this season. He is second in the competition’s goalscoring charts, behind Kylian Mbappe (14 goals), with 10 (helped by four against Qarabag in that extra play-off fixture, admittedly), and is brimming with confidence.
Horncastle: Marco Carnesecchi. Italy is blessed with depth in the goalkeeper position and the 25-year-old is having an outstanding season for Atalanta. Gianluigi Buffon, no less, told La Tripletta podcast: “I see myself in Carnesecchi in the way he approaches games. He’s bold and has got a bit of swagger about him.”
Evans: Dominik Szoboszlai is the leading light for Liverpool this season and is pumped up to make it to the final in his homeland. His goals, creativity and all-action displays will be crucial — providing he is actually played as a midfielder rather than as a makeshift right-back.
De Roche: His numbers may not be as high as previous seasons, but Bukayo Saka tends to be the man Arsenal look to in the Champions League. He has played just 24 matches in the competition, but has scored 12 goals and assisted another eight. Even when others have taken the headlines, such as Declan Rice with his free kicks against Real Madrid last season, Saka has still stood up to carry Arsenal through European matches. Others may provide magic moments, but the winger will be instrumental to Arsenal’s progress.
Corrigan: Given Madrid have so many issues in defence, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will likely need to perform heroics (again) if Madrid are to go much further. Meanwhile, Norway centre-forward and former Crystal Palace player Alexander Sorloth scored a superb hat-trick for Atletico in the play-off second leg win against Club Brugge, and has the physical attributes to trouble any defence.
Jones: It would be lovely for Chelsea if all their goals looked like Joao Pedro’s winner against Napoli — but since that strike, he seems to have the confidence to storm in and put away the poacher’s goals too. If he can maintain that habit, he will be Chelsea’s most important player.
Pitt-Brooke: Xavi Simons has shone in Spurs’ Champions League games, looking like he relishes playing on the biggest stage. The 22-year-old will be as hungry as anyone to keep impressing and proving that he is one of the most exciting young players in Europe.
Cervello Herrero: It is that time of the year again for Lamine Yamal. He shone during the knockout stages, and this season, that stage has come at the perfect time.
Goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi has shone for Atalanta (Clement Mahoudeau/AFP via Getty Images)
And who could be the star of this year’s knockout stages?
Lee: Let’s go with PSG’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia again. You can easily imagine it.
Caulkin: Newcastle attempted to sign Michael Olise when he was a Crystal Palace player, but so did just about everybody else. The Bayern Munich winger is so exciting to watch.
Horncastle: No matter the stage, I enjoy watching PSG midfielder Vitinha play football.
Jones: I would love for it to be Musiala. It has been a shame for European football as a whole that the Bayern attacking midfielder has missed so much of the competition already — what better stage for him to build momentum before the World Cup?
Evans: Rio Ngumoha — only 17 years old but developing nicely at Liverpool and making an impact on games as a substitute. He could prove to be the difference.
Stafford-Bloor: Harry Kane. His goals have always produced moments, but Kane is playing with as broad an effect as at any point during his career. He is Bayern’s most influential player and they have every chance of winning the competition. If they do that, it surely brings the Ballon d’Or into play.
Corrigan: Sporting CP next is a good draw for Bodo/Glimt, and Jens Petter Hauge has just been playing outstandingly well.
Pitt-Brooke: I love watching Julian Alvarez — the Argentina forward is such a dangerous, ruthless player who seems to flourish in the biggest games. If Atletico get past Spurs, he could find himself attacking Barcelona’s defence in an all-Spanish quarter-final.
De Roche: I’ll go for Hauge. It’s always nice to find players that were not on your radar in these competitions and his finishes in both legs against Inter definitely caught the eye.
Cervello Herrero: Yamal. Last season, he was the star against Inter, and the elimination left him feeling very frustrated. “I’m going to bring the Champions League to Barcelona,” he told reporters after the match. He was only 17 then but there is something about him that makes me believe him.
Which round-of-16 tie excites you the most?
Horncastle: Bodo/Glimt against Sporting keeps the romance alive for both. Bodo ran the gauntlet in their final league-phase games and in the play-off round. Sporting made it to the top eight, upsetting PSG and, perhaps, benefiting from not playing any Premier League teams.
Evans: Atletico vs Tottenham looks fun, if only to see how a side fighting relegation gets on at the Metropolitano. Simeone vs Igor Tudor on the sidelines might be feisty, too.
Lee: I know they played in September but Newcastle vs Barcelona feels… fresh.
Caulkin: It is difficult to look beyond Newcastle’s game against Barcelona, but if you force me: Bodo/Glimt against Sporting. The Champions League always feels like the same teams playing each other and sticking it to the man always appeals.
Bodo/Glimt are making headlines in the Champions League (Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Corrigan: PSG against Chelsea looks the most even on paper — there is a feeling that Luis Enrique’s champions have yet to really click this season, but they might start to accelerate from here.
Jones: I imagine a PSG side with a Club World Cup-sized chip on their shoulder could be quite a lot of fun. Who will come out on top against Chelsea? I have no idea, but expect entertainment.
De Roche: Real Madrid vs Manchester City is the most exciting on paper, but it will be cool to see Bodo/Glimt and Sporting go head-to-head in one of the more unlikely meetings. Sporting took the game to PSG, while Bodo/Glimt did the same to Inter. Having either of them in the quarter-finals should be fun.
Pitt-Brooke: How about Atalanta against Bayern Munich? Atalanta have such a distinctive style, and Bayern have arguably played the best football in Europe this season. It is hard to get excited about Manchester City vs Real Madrid when it happens every year.
Stafford-Bloor: As someone with fond memories of the 1990s and Faustino Asprilla, Newcastle and Barcelona stirs something in me. These are different times and I’m not sure the two sides are particularly well matched, but Newcastle’s physicality will be a problem at St James’ Park and that will be a brilliant evening.
Cervello Herrero: One cannot look at the fixtures and look past Manchester City against Real Madrid, or rather Guardiola against Madrid, to be more precise. It already seems like a European classic and has my full attention.
Who is your pick to win the tournament?
De Roche: If last season is anything to go by, then where teams finish in the league phase does not mean that much when the knockouts begin. Arsenal have a good chance, considering how comprehensive their wins were, even against Bayern and Inter. I also wonder how long Kylian Mbappe will go without lifting the big one at club level.
Horncastle: Arsenal. They have been trending in that direction.
Lee: The big question about Arsenal is whether their form carries on for a few more months, but they do have a good draw on their side. That said, I can still see PSG winning it.
Caulkin: Will PSG rouse themselves like last season? I could see it. But I’m going to say Bayern Munich, just for the hell of it.
Evans: Liverpool — they have found their groove in the Champions League by winning the last three away games, and the team are set up to succeed in Europe, especially if they can get a few players back from injury.
Corrigan: Arsenal were tremendous in the league stage, but seem quite likely to get distracted by the Premier League. If PSG can hit form and reach last season’s level, they could win it again.
Pitt-Brooke: Kompany has built a potentially great Bayern team, with a real unity among the players and an expansive brand of football. He has Kane playing better than ever. They are the best team, but they are also in the harder half of the draw.
Jones: I struggle to imagine Arsenal maintaining this level of strength in the Champions League while also fending off City in the Premier League. Bayern have a mammoth task to reach the final, but they have the attacking quality to beat any team they would face there — and they have been frighteningly consistent in this competition, so I will go with them.
Cervello Herrero: As Gary Lineker once said, “Football is a simple game in which 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and, in the end, the Germans always win.” So that means Bayern Munich, I guess.
What would you change about the Champions League?
Horncastle: But for the disorientation at stages of the league phase, the new format delivers. Pot 1 teams are losing to those in Pot 4. Real Madrid and PSG fell into the play-off round again. Italians crashed out. Bodo/Glimt and Galatasaray unexpectedly made it through, as did PSV, Feyenoord and Club Brugge last year.
Evans: The number of teams. There are far too many, and that has diluted the competitiveness.
Jones: I agree with Gregg. I find the league format, with teams playing a wider variety of opponents, more entertaining than the traditional group format, but cutting down the numbers should keep that unpredictability and variety while making for fewer walkovers or dead rubbers.
Lee: I like the format, but would get rid of the VAR system, which is equally infuriating in Europe, just in a different way.
Caulkin: Two years ago, Newcastle played Milan, PSG and Borussia Dortmund in the group stage: a brilliant, brutal draw. I quite like the new format and Howe’s team have benefitted from it, but the games have (largely) felt like a drop-off from Premier League quality and there’s something a bit weird about the lack of context/narrative in only playing teams once. I haven’t given any solutions there. I’m old and would bring back the European Cup.
Corrigan: I don’t like the potential paths to the final being known so far in advance. It also takes most of the excitement out of draws like last month’s. Although the flip side of that was that at that one was over quickly.
De Roche: Similar to Dermot, the new bracket system takes some of the excitement around the competition when you know what paths teams can take to the final as early as February.
Pitt-Brooke: I would gleefully get rid of the new format. The 144-game league phase is a bloated joke. We need fewer teams, fewer games and more jeopardy from the start. I never thought eight groups of four would look so appealing, but here we are.
Stafford-Bloor: I don’t like seeding. I understand the argument for it, but even at the round-of-16 stage there is a lack of jeopardy.
Cervello Herrero: The fact that you might have to compete against teams you have already played that same season in the same competition. I like the new format, but it loses its appeal if you see the same match three times.
