Premier League casts large shadow over Champions League draw loaded with hazard

The opening part of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League concluded this week with the highest eight groups reserving their spot within the spherical of 16 in March. 

The English Premier League solid an enormous shadow over the event by way of the primary eight matchdays, as a minimum of 5 golf equipment from England’s prime flight – Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and Chelsea – completed within the prime eight. The Gunners topped the desk of 36 groups with an ideal 8-0 document as the one facet to go undefeated. 

Germany’s Bayern Munich additionally had a powerful run within the opening part of the competitors by posting seven wins (one loss) and ending second general. FC Barcelona of Spain additionally completed within the prime eight, as did Portugal’s Sporting CP, who has undoubtedly been the shock bundle of the event up to now. 

The different half of the sphere within the spherical of 16 can be decided throughout the two-legged playoffs that run from Feb. 17-25. 

Friday’s draw held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, paired collectively groups who completed ninth by way of twenty fourth within the desk throughout the preliminary part of the competitors.  

Let’s check out the playoff matchups (groups listed first will host the second leg).

Paris Saint-Germain vs. AS Monaco 

PSG seemed poised to clinch an automated berth within the spherical of 16 earlier than successful simply one in all their final 5 video games to fall out of the highest eight. The reigning Champions League holders closed out the primary part with a 1-1 draw vs. Newcastle United to complete eleventh. 

As a end result, they’ll tackle fellow French facet AS Monaco who has already defeated PSG at house throughout the 2025-26 Ligue 1 marketing campaign. However, PSG will nonetheless be thought of the favorite as Monaco have only one win in six matches in all competitions because the begin of the 12 months. 

PSG hammered Ligue 1 outfit Brest 10-0 on mixture in final 12 months’s playoffs earlier than happening to elevate the trophy for the primary time in its historical past. The French giants will look to repeat the identical end result by having to play further video games with the intention to qualify for the spherical of 16. 

This is the one playoff sequence that pits groups from the identical league towards one another. 

Round of 16 opponent: Either FC Barcelona or Chelsea 

Juventus vs. Galatasaray 

Canadian ahead Jonathan David scored twice and added an help in eight appearances for Juventus within the first part of the competitors, taking part in a pivotal function in guiding the Serie A membership to a Thirteenth-place end. 

It was a gradual begin to the European marketing campaign for Juventus who went winless by way of its first 4 video games. But three wins and three clear sheets of their ultimate 4 matches helped the Italians safe a spot within the playoffs. 

Awaiting them are Galatasaray, who completed twentieth within the desk and certified for the playoffs largely on the again of Nigerian ahead Victor Osimhen – he scored six of the staff’s 9 objectives. Osimhen might want to get extra attacking assist if the Turkish membership has any hope of breaking down the Italians’ stout defence. 

Round of 16 opponent: Either Liverpool or Tottenham 

Real Madrid vs. Benfica 

Wednesday’s ultimate matchday of the opening part of the event featured some dramatic video games, however none extra so than Benfica’s 4-2 win over Real Madrid in Lisbon. Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored through a header deep into harm time to assist Benfica edge out French membership Olympique Marseille on objective distinction to complete twenty fourth within the desk and safe the ultimate playoff spot. 

The loss for Real Madrid meant it slipped out of the highest eight (and did not clinch an automated berth within the spherical of 16), which implies it’s now pressured right into a playoff towards Benfica, who’re coached by Jose Mourinho, Los Blancos’ former supervisor. Incredibly, Kylian Mbappé scored a tournament-leading 13 objectives within the first part, however that also wasn’t sufficient to assist Real clinch a top-eight spot. 

Benfica misplaced their opening 4 matches however then rebounded by successful three of their final 4, so search for Mourinho’s males to proceed to offer his former membership a tough time subsequent month. 

Friday’s draw means Mourinho will return to Estadio Bernabéu for the primary time since leaving as Real Madrid supervisor in 2013. 

Round of 16 opponent: Either Sporting CP or Manchester City 

Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund 

Borussia Dortmund suffered a 2-0 house loss to Inter Milan on the ultimate matchday of the primary part. The German membership’s “reward” for ending outdoors of the highest eight is one other tough Italian opponent within the playoffs within the type of Atalanta. 

Dortmund have netted simply 9 objectives in its final 9 matches in each the Champions League and Bundesliga. Meanwhile, Atalanta solely discovered the again of the online 10 instances in its eight video games within the first part of the Champions League, so objectives might be a premium when these sides meet within the playoffs subsequent month. 

The winner of this sequence will advance to the spherical of 16, the place it’s going to face both Arsenal or Bayern Munich, who completed first and second within the desk.

Round of 16 opponent: Either Arsenal or Bayern Munich 

Newcastle United vs. Qarabağ FK 

Newcastle United can be heavy favourites towards shock bundle Qarabağ of Azerbaijan, who’ve by no means certified for the knockout part of the event. 

The modest membership from Azerbaijan may have its fingers full within the playoffs towards Newcastle United. England internationals Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes shaped probably the most harmful scoring duos within the first part by combining for 11 objectives – solely two fewer than Azerbaijan scored as a staff.  

Round of 16 opponent: Either FC Barcelona or Chelsea 

Atlético Madrid vs. Club Brugge 

Atlético doesn’t have the very best observe document in European competitors vs. Brugge. The Spaniards completed in final place within the group stage of the 2022-23 Champions League, their early exit helped alongside by a 2-0 loss to Brugge in Belgium and a scoreless attract Madrid. The Belgian facet additionally eradicated Atlético throughout the 1991-92 European Cup Winners’ Cup and the 1978 European Cup. 

Keep a watch out for Portuguese ahead Carlos Forbs of Brugge, a 21-year-old product of Manchester City’s youth staff who has scored twice towards FC Barcelona on this Champions League marketing campaign.  

Round of 16 opponent: Either Liverpool or Tottenham 

Inter Milan vs. FK Bodø/Glimt 

Inter Milan is trying to make amends after final season’s humiliating 5-0 loss to PSG within the Champions League ultimate. Five wins from eight video games within the first part was spectacular, however not sufficient to propel the Italian facet into the highest eight – they completed tenth.  

FK Bodø/Glimt have gained the Norwegian league championship 4 instances within the final six years and pulled off a significant shock by qualifying for the playoffs with a Twenty third-place end within the desk. The Norwegians have by no means certified for the knockout spherical of the Champions League and face a tricky take a look at subsequent month towards Inter, who conceded simply seven objectives in eight video games within the first part of this 12 months’s competitors. 

But the Norwegians upset Manchester City and Atlético Madrid to sneak into the playoffs. Could one other big slaying be on the playing cards for them after they face Inter in February? 

Round of 16 opponent: Either Sporting CP or Manchester City 

Bayer Leverkusen vs. Olympiacos  

In a rematch of the primary part of the event, Bayer Leverkusen can be out for revenge after struggling a shocking 2-0 loss in Greece. It was a recreation the Germans shouldn’t have misplaced, contemplating they created the higher scoring probabilities on the day. But on the identical time, you must give credit score to Olympiacos for ruthlessly exploiting Leverkusen’s defensive weaknesses. 

Round of 16 opponent: Either Arsenal or Bayern Munich