The UEFA Champions League has reached an electrifying stage, with the Round of 16 draw set to take place on Friday, February 21, 2025, at 12:00 CET in Nyon, Switzerland. The draw will determine matchups between the top eight teams from the league phase and the eight winners of the recent knockout phase play-offs.
Knockout Phase Playoffs Recap
The knockout phase play-offs saw intense battles as teams fought for a place in the last 16. Here’s a breakdown of the results:
- Paris Saint-Germain vs. Brest
PSG dominated with a staggering 10-0 aggregate victory, sealing the tie with a 3-0 away win in the first leg. - Real Madrid vs. Manchester City
In a thrilling encounter, Real Madrid triumphed with a 6-3 aggregate score. Kylian Mbappé was the standout performer, scoring a hat-trick in the 3-1 second-leg win at the Santiago Bernabéu. - PSV Eindhoven vs. Juventus
PSV overturned a first-leg deficit to win 4-3 on aggregate, with defender Ryan Flamingo scoring the decisive extra-time goal in their 3-1 second-leg win. - Feyenoord vs. AC Milan
Feyenoord pulled off an upset, advancing with a 2-1 aggregate victory. A 1-0 home win and a 1-1 draw at San Siro secured their progression. - Bayern Munich vs. Celtic
Bayern overcame a resilient Celtic side with a 3-2 aggregate win, thanks to a late equalizer from Alphonso Davies in the second leg. - Club Brugge vs. Atalanta
Club Brugge showed their strength by winning both legs, securing a 5-2 aggregate victory over Atalanta. - Borussia Dortmund vs. Sporting CP
Dortmund comfortably advanced with a 3-0 aggregate win, wrapping up the tie with a dominant second-leg performance. - Benfica vs. AS Monaco
Benfica edged Monaco in a thrilling contest, winning 4-3 on aggregate after a dramatic 3-3 second-leg draw.
Teams Advancing to the Round of 16
The draw will pair each seeded team with an unseeded team, with clubs from the same national association now allowed to face each other, increasing the potential for high-stakes domestic matchups.
Seeded Teams (Top 8 from League Phase):
- Liverpool (England)
- Barcelona (Spain)
- Arsenal (England)
- Inter Milan (Italy)
- Atlético Madrid (Spain)
- Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
- Lille (France)
- Aston Villa (England)
Unseeded Teams (Knockout Phase Play-off Winners):
- Paris Saint-Germain (France)
- Real Madrid (Spain)
- PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
- Feyenoord (Netherlands)
- Bayern Munich (Germany)
- Club Brugge (Belgium)
- Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
- Benfica (Portugal)
What’s Next?
The first legs of the Round of 16 will take place on March 4 and 5, with the return legs on March 11 and 12, 2025. The road to the final at Allianz Arena in Munich on May 31, 2025, is set to be thrilling, with Europe’s best teams vying for the prestigious trophy.
