UEFA Champions League round of 16 draw, permutations, seeding, opponents: Who could group stage winners face?

Written by on December 8, 2021

By Monday, the 16 remaining teams in the Champions League will discover their fate

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UEFA

As soon as the Champions League group stages are done and dusted — one match remains Thursday in Bergamo — focus already turns to the draw for the knockout stage. Due to take place at 6 a.m. ET on Monday morning — and available to stream on Paramount+ — it will see the eight group stage winners pitted against the runners-up for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Teams cannot be drawn against another side from the same national federation as them nor can they meet opponents that they also played in the group stage. The sole significant change from past years is that away goals will now not be used to decide these two-legged ties, which will go to extra time if they are all square at 90 minutes and then to a penalty shootout. First legs will be played on Feb. 15, 16, 22 and 23. Second legs will be on March 8, 9, 15 and 16.

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Below you’ll find every team’s potential last-16 opponents:

Seeded teams

Manchester City (Group A)

  • Possible opponents (6): Atletico Madrid, Sporting, Inter Milan, Benfica, Villarreal/Atalanta, Salzburg

Liverpool (Group B)

  • Possible opponents (6): PSG, Sporting, Inter Milan, Benfica, Villarreal/Atalanta, Salzburg

Ajax (Group C)

  • Possible opponents (7): PSG, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Benfica, Villarreal/Atalanta, Salzburg, Chelsea 

Real Madrid (Group D)

  • Possible opponents (5 or 6): PSG, Sporting, Benfica, Salzburg, Chelsea (Atalanta if they advance) 

Bayern Munich (Group E)

  • Possible opponents (7): PSG, Atletico Madrid, Sporting, Inter Milan, Villarreal/Atalanta, Salzburg, Chelsea 

Manchester United (Group F)

  • Possible opponents (6): PSG, Atletico Madrid, Sporting, Inter Milan, Benfica, Salzburg 

Lille (Group G)

  • Possible opponents (6): Atletico Madrid, Sporting, Inter Milan, Benfica, Villarreal/Atalanta, Chelsea 

Juventus (Group H)

  • Possible opponents (5 or 6): PSG, Atletico Madrid, Sporting, Benfica, Salzburg (Villarreal if they advance)  

Unseeded teams

PSG (Group A)

  • Possible opponents (6): Liverpool, Ajax, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Juventus

Atletico Madrid (Group B)

  • Possible opponents (6): Manchester City, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Lille, Juventus 

Sporting (Group C)

  • Possible opponents (7): Manchester City, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Lille, Juventus  

Inter Milan (Group D)

  • Possible opponents (6): Manchester City, Liverpool, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Lille

Benfica (Group E)

  • Possible opponents (7): Manchester City, Liverpool, Ajax, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Lille, Juventus  

Villarreal or Atalanta (Group F)

  • Possible opponents (if Villarreal advance): Manchester City,  Liverpool, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Lille, Juventus 
  • Possible opponents (if Atalanta advance): Manchester City, Liverpool, Ajax, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Lille

Salzburg (Group G)

  • Possible opponents (7): Manchester City, Liverpool, Ajax, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Juventus 

Chelsea (Group H) 

  • Possible opponents (4): Ajax, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Lille

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