The highly anticipated draw for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 took place on Friday, February 21, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting knockout stage. With the new format coming this season, the draw has raised questions about how teams are paired and why finishing high in the league phase matters so much.
How the Round of 16 works in Champions League 2025
In the 2025 Champions League, the top eight clubs from the league phase automatically advanced to the Round of 16. Meanwhile, the teams that finished in positions 9 through 24 entered the knockout playoff round, with eight of them making it through to the next stage.
The 16 clubs in the Round of 16 include:
Arsenal
Aston Villa
Atletico Madrid
Barcelona
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayern Munich (KO-PO)
Benfica (KO-PO)
Borussia Dortmund (KO-PO)
Club Brugge (KO-PO)
Feyenoord Rotterdam (KO-PO)
Internazionale
Lille
Liverpool
Paris Saint-Germain (KO-PO)
PSV Eindhoven (KO-PO)
Real Madrid (KO-PO)
Unfortunately, the teams finishing 25th to 36th were eliminated from contention.
Champions League 2025 Round of 16 draw
The matchups for the Round of 16 are as follows:
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool
Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa
Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid
PSV Eindhoven vs. Arsenal
Benfica vs. Barcelona
Borussia Dortmund vs. Lille
Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan
The seeded teams (right side) will play the second leg at home.
Key dates for the Round of 16 Champions League 2025
First legs: March 4-5
Second legs: March 11-12
Each team will play one match on a Tuesday and one on a Wednesday.
How the new format works
For the first time this season, UEFA has implemented a fixed bracket for the quarterfinals and semifinals, which is determined by the final league standings. This change means teams know exactly who they could face all the way to the final, and crucially, teams from the same country are now allowed to play each other in the knockout stages.
The top half of the bracket includes heavy hitters like Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, Liverpool, PSG, and Real Madrid, making it a particularly tough section. If Arsenal advances, they will meet the winner of the Madrid derby in the quarterfinals. In contrast, the bottom half of the bracket appears to be slightly weaker, with Barcelona standing out as the key team.
Why league position matters
The league standings heavily influence the Champions League knockout draw. Higher-ranked teams avoid facing each other until the later stages, ensuring that Liverpool and Barcelona—who finished first and second—cannot meet until the final. However, the new structure has complicated matters for some top clubs. Teams like Manchester City, PSG, and Real Madrid, who had disappointing seasons, now face earlier encounters with some of the top teams. For example, Manchester City, finishing 22nd, will face Real Madrid in a high-profile knockout playoff.
Upcoming rounds and key dates
Quarterfinals:
First legs: April 8-9
Second legs: April 15-16
Semifinals:
First legs: April 29-30
Second legs: May 6-7
Final: May 31, Allianz Arena, Munich
Home Advantage in later rounds
The team listed first in each tie will have home advantage in the first leg of the quarterfinals and semifinals.