Arsenal to Face Porto in Champions League Last-16, Real Madrid Drawn Against RB Leipzig
In the last-16 of the Champions League, Arsenal will be facing Porto, while Real Madrid has been drawn against RB Leipzig.
Manchester City, the reigning Champions League team, will play against Copenhagen.
However, Manchester United was not included in Monday’s draw. They finished at the bottom of their group, behind Bayern Munich, Copenhagen, and Galatasaray, which means they will not be participating in continental football in the second half of the season. Newcastle United, another Premier League side, was also knocked out of Europe, finishing last in their group behind Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan.
Champions League Last-16 Draw in Full
The draw for the last-16 consisted of eight seeded teams that won their Champions League groups and eight unseeded runners-up.
Rules for the Draw
Each tie in the last-16 consists of one seeded team and one unseeded team.
Teams from the same country were not allowed to be drawn against each other in this stage of the competition. For example, Bayern Munich, the winners of Group A, could not be drawn against RB Leipzig, who came second in Group G. Teams were also prevented from drawing against sides from their own group. For instance, Arsenal, the winners of Group B, could not have drawn PSV, who finished behind them.
From the quarter-finals onwards, these restrictions are lifted.
Schedule for the Last-16 Ties
The first and second legs of the last-16 ties will be played across two weeks each.
First legs: February 13/14 and February 20/21
Second legs: March 5/6 and March 12/13
Rest of the Champions League Schedule
Teams are already looking ahead to their potential schedules for the rest of the season leading up to the final at London’s Wembley Stadium in June.
Quarter-final and semi-final draw: March 15, 2024
Quarter-finals: April 9/10 and 16/17, 2024
Semi-finals: April 30/May 1 and May 7/8, 2024
Final: June 1, 2024
For more information on how Manchester United and Newcastle’s exits have impacted England’s chance of a fifth Champions League place, click here.
(Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)