UCL: Real test for Liverpool

NYON, November 7

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Holders Real Madrid will face English Premier League side Liverpool once again in the Champions League last-16 stage — a repeat of last season’s final — while Paris St Germain will take on German champions Bayern Munich.

Madrid edged Liverpool in a tense final in May thanks to a Vinicius Junior strike.

The pair were pulled out of the hat in Monday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland, having also met in the 2017-18 final, which the Spanish side won as well.

Madrid have not lost any of their last six games against Liverpool in the Champions League — five victories and one draw — winning the two finals and progressing in their only knockout-stage tie, 3-1 and 0-0 in the quarterfinals of the 2020-21 season, in these six meetings.

One of the pre-tournament favourites Bayern and PSG will not go all the way, as the duo meet next, in a season that could be veteran PSG forward Lionel Messi’s last chance to add to his four crowns won with Barcelona.

English Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have been given tough assignments despite winning their groups, taking on Serie A champions AC Milan and the Bundesliga’s Borussia Dortmund, respectively. — Reuters

Round of 16 draw

Leipzig vs Manchester City

Club Brugge vs Benfica

Liverpool vs Real Madrid

AC Milan vs Tottenham

Frankfurt vs Napoli

Dortmund vs Chelsea

Inter Milan vs Porto

Psg vs Bayern Munich