JAKARTA - English Premier League teams do not meet each other in the 16th round of the Champions League. However, Manchester City has to meet Real Madrid, which is a big match in the knockout round.
There are six Premier League teams competing in the last 16. Newcastle United is the only team from England who has to play the playoffs. Meanwhile, the other five teams, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur automatically qualify for the knockout round by entering the top eight.
The success of sending five representatives to the last 16 shows England's dominance in the European competition this season. How not only three teams from outside England who qualify, Bayern Munchen (Germany), Barcelona (Spain) and Sporting Lisbon (Portugal).
Interestingly, from the results of the draw held in Nyon, Switzerland, Friday, February 27, 2026 WIB evening, no English team met each other. This allows Premier League teams to continue their dominance in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. They will meet each other in the round if they are able to eliminate their opponents.
Only, Man City got the toughest opponent. Pep Guardiola's team for the umpteenth time met Madrid. This became a big match in the 16th round and a meeting for the 16th and 17th times.
Previously, the two teams had met 15 times. The result was indeed balanced because Madrid and Man City both won five times. Both teams also drew five times.
However, the two teams have actually met since the 2019/20 season until now. The result, Man City has recorded four wins, including a big win 4-0 in the second leg of the 2023 semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Madrid won three times and the two teams drew three times. Last season, Man City was eliminated by Madrid in the playoffs. From the two meetings, The Cityzens always suffered defeat.
Meanwhile, Arsenal, who are aiming to win the wide-eared trophy for the first time in the club's history, will face Bayer Leverkusen, who qualified for the last 16 via the playoff route.
If they pass through Leverkusen, Mikel Arteta's team faces Sporting or Bodo/Glimt who made a surprise by eliminating Inter Milan in the playoffs. On the way in the preliminary round, Bodo/Glimt also made a surprise by defeating Man City and Atletico Madrid.
Chelsea and Liverpool will only meet in the quarter-finals if they knock out their opponents. Chelsea face defending champions Paris Saint-Germain who have to fight through the playoffs and Liverpool are challenged by Galatasaray who knocked out Juventus.
Newcastle, who did not make the elite team, had to meet the heavy opponent Barcelona. The two teams actually met in the qualifying phase. At that time, in the match at Newcastle's home at St James' Park, Barca won 2-1.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are facing Atletico. The 16-team match that does not involve Premier League teams, namely Bodo/Glimt against Sporting and Atalanta against Bayern Munich who rely on the deadly striker Harry Kane.
The first match in the round will be held on March 9 to 11, 2026 local time. The second match will be held from March 16 to 18, 2026. The final match will be held at the Puskas Arena, Budapest, Hungary on May 30, 2026.
The results of the Champions League 16-team draw:
- Real Madrid vs Manchester City
- Bodo/Glimt vs Sporting CP
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea
- Newcastle United vs Barcelona
- Galatasaray vs Liverpool
- Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Hotspur
- Atalanta vs Bayern Munich
- Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal
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