3 out of 6 English teams hold a significant advantage in the Champions League knockout stage

26/02/2026 12:58:00 esportapi

Following the conclusion of the 2025/26 Champions League play-off round, the 16 teams qualifying for the knockout phase now know their possible opponents ahead of the draw scheduled for Friday (27/2) in Nyon, Switzerland.

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Possible Round of 16 matchups:
Potential Round of 16 clashes:

After a commanding 9-3 aggregate victory over Qarabag on 24/2, Newcastle United under coach Eddie Howe has secured all six Premier League representatives in the Round of 16. Newcastle will face either Chelsea or Barcelona in the next round, and will also find out whether Liverpool or Tottenham could be their quarter-final opponent. Should they reach the semi-finals, they might even meet another English team such as Manchester City or Arsenal.

Arsenal, coached by Mikel Arteta, and Bayern Munich, led by Vincent Kompany, will take on Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen in the Round of 16. Thanks to their performance in the league phase, Arsenal and Bayern cannot meet until the final. Chelsea will play against Newcastle or the defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16.

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Liverpool aims for their 7th Champions League title in history, last winning in 2019 under Jurgen Klopp, and could face Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray. Tottenham, coached by Igor Tudor, is in the same bracket. Manchester City, managed by Pep Guardiola, and Sporting CP might have to confront Bodo/Glimt or Real Madrid, the competition’s most successful club with 15 titles.

According to Sportbible, under the new format, teams from the same country can face each other at any knockout stage, including the final. After finishing first and second in the league phase among 36 teams, Arsenal and Bayern Munich will play the second leg at home in all knockout rounds. All top 8 teams will host the second leg of the Round of 16. Liverpool and Tottenham (ranked third and fourth) will also host the second leg of the quarter-finals if they advance.

641531034_1391970669639594_5348597809390790259_n — Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham are guaranteed to play the second leg at home in the Round of 16 and quarter-finals if they progress.

The official draw for the Round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals will take place in Nyon, Switzerland on 27/2. The Round of 16 matches will be held from March 10/11 to 17/18. Quarter-finals from April 7/8 to 14/15. Semi-finals from April 28/29 to May 5/6. The final will be hosted on May 30 in Budapest, Hungary.

The 16 teams in the Champions League Round of 16: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting CP, Manchester City, Newcastle, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Bodo/Glimt, Real Madrid, Galatasaray, Paris Saint-Germain, Atalanta.

Possible Round of 16 matchups:

Arsenal: Bayer Leverkusen or Atalanta
Chelsea: Newcastle or PSG
Liverpool: Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray
Man City: Bodo/Glimt or Real Madrid
Newcastle: Chelsea or Barcelona
Tottenham: Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray
Real Madrid: Sporting CP or Manchester City
Barcelona: PSG or Newcastle
Bayern Munich: Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen: Arsenal or Bayern Munich
Sporting CP: Real Madrid or Bodo/Glimt
Bodo/Glimt: Sporting CP or Manchester City
Atletico Madrid: Tottenham or Liverpool
Galatasaray: Liverpool or Tottenham
Atalanta: Arsenal or Bayern Munich
PSG: Chelsea or Barcelona

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After a commanding 9-3 aggregate win over Qarabag on 24/2, Newcastle United under coach Eddie Howe has ensured all six Premier League teams advance to the Round of 16. Newcastle will face Chelsea or Barcelona next, and will also learn whether Liverpool or Tottenham could be their quarter-final opponent. If they reach the semis, they might even face another English side like Manchester City or Arsenal.

Arsenal, led by Mikel Arteta, and Bayern Munich, managed by Vincent Kompany, will face Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen in the Round of 16. Due to their league phase results, Arsenal and Bayern cannot meet before the final. Chelsea will meet Newcastle or defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16.

Liverpool is chasing their 7th Champions League title, last won in 2019 under Jurgen Klopp, and could face Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray. Tottenham, coached by Igor Tudor, is in the same bracket. Manchester City, led by Pep Guardiola, and Sporting CP may face Bodo/Glimt or Real Madrid, the competition’s most decorated club with 15 titles.

According to the new format, teams from the same nation can meet at any knockout stage, including the final. After finishing first and second among 36 teams in the league phase, Arsenal and Bayern Munich will host the second leg at home in all knockout rounds. All top 8 teams will have the second leg of the Round of 16 on home ground. Liverpool and Tottenham (ranked third and fourth) will also host the second leg of the quarter-finals if they advance.

The official draw for the Round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals will be held in Nyon, Switzerland on 27/2. The Round of 16 matches are scheduled from March 10/11 to 17/18. Quarter-finals from April 7/8 to 14/15. Semi-finals from April 28/29 to May 5/6. The final will take place on May 30 in Budapest, Hungary.