Champions League Round of 16 Set
The UEFA Champions League round of 16 field is confirmed with the draw taking place February 27 at 6 a.m. ET in Nyon, Switzerland. Newcastle United secured their spot with a 3-2 victory over Qarabag (9-3 aggregate), while Atalanta staged a dramatic 4-1 comeback against Borussia Dortmund with a 98th-minute penalty following VAR review. The 16 clubs advancing include Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Barcelona, Manchester City, Real Madrid, PSG, and Galatasaray among others.
The draw sets up several rematches steeped in recent history. Manchester City and Real Madrid will face each other for the sixth time since the 2019-20 season, a rivalry that has become a staple of the tournament's knockout stages. Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea are also poised for a familiar battle, having met multiple times in recent years, including a fiery Club World Cup final. For Newcastle United, the draw against Barcelona marks a return to a historic European fixture. The two clubs have met five times previously in the Champions League group stages, with Barcelona winning four of those encounters. Newcastle's only victory came in a memorable 3-2 win at St James' Park in September 1997, courtesy of a Faustino Asprilla hat-trick. Atalanta's path to the round of 16 was nothing short of cinematic. Trailing 2-0 after the first leg against Borussia Dortmund, they mounted a stunning comeback in the return fixture. After goals from Gianluca Scamacca, Davide Zappacosta, and Mario Pašalić gave them the aggregate lead, a 75th-minute Karim Adeyemi goal leveled the tie. The match was ultimately decided by a 98th-minute penalty, coolly converted by Lazar Samardžić after a VAR review. Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray secured their spot by overcoming Juventus in the playoff round with a 7-5 aggregate score. Despite a nervy 3-2 loss in the second leg in Turin, their dominant 5-2 victory in the first leg proved decisive. Their attack is spearheaded by Victor Osimhen, who has been a key goalscorer for the team in their European campaign. The first legs of the Round of 16 ties are scheduled to be played on March 10th and 11th, with the return legs taking place on March 17th and 18th. The draw has also mapped out the potential path to the final, with the winners of PSG/Chelsea set to face the winners of Galatasaray/Liverpool in the quarter-finals. Among the other notable matchups, Arsenal, who were the only team to finish the league phase with a perfect record, will take on Bayer Leverkusen. Last season's runners-up, Inter Milan, were surprisingly knocked out in the playoffs by Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt, who will now face Sporting CP.
