CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Which teams can Real Madrid face in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16?
Los Blancos finished top of their group with a perfect record, but other results mean they can face a huge test in the next round.
Real Madrid’s Champions League Group Stage campaign came to an end on Tuesday with their 2-3 win over Union Berlin in Germany. A Dani Ceballos shot from distance was deflected past Rønnow in the dying minutes to give Real Madrid a narrow win against their opponents and finish the first round off with a perfect record: 6 wins from 6.
Now, the Round of 16 awaits, and Real Madrid, as group winners, will be included in Pot 1 for the draw. They will play a side from Pot 2, with one exception: they cannot play a team from the same domestic league. That stipulation, quite curiously, does not apply to Real Madrid or any Spanish team, as they all, except Sevilla, who came bottom, finished top of their respective groups and therefore avoiding any mental mathematics in terms of the draw.
As such, any team from an enticing Pot 2 is a potential opponent for Real Madrid in the next round.
Round of 16 teams and pots:
Pot 1:
- Bayern
- Arsenal
- Real Madrid
- Manchester City
- Real Sociedad
- Barcelona
- Atlético Madrid
- Borussia Dortmund
Pot 2:
- PSV Eindhoven
- RB Leipzig
- Copenhagen
- Inter
- Napoli
- PSG
- Lazio
- Porto
When is the Round of 16 draw?
The draw for the 2023/24 Champions League round of 16, which will be held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, is to take place on Monday 18 December 2023, at 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT. You’ll be able to follow live-text coverage of the draw right here at AS USA.
When are the UCL round of 16 ties?
The first legs of the round of 16 ties will be played on 13, 14, 20 and 21 February 2024, with the returns following on 5, 6, 12 and 13 March 2024.