Sports News of Tuesday, 19 December 2023

Source: goal.com

UEFA Champions League last 16 draw: Arsenal vs Porto, as Napoli face Barcelona

Victor Osimhen and Robert Lewandowski Victor Osimhen and Robert Lewandowski

Arsenal will face Porto in the last 16 of the 2023-24 Champions League, while Real Madrid tackle RB Leipzig in the first knockout round.


WHAT HAPPENED

Elsewhere, European title holders Manchester City are due to lock horns with FC Copenhagen and Barcelona must overcome Napoli in order to reach the quarter-finals. There are also heavyweight ties involving Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich, who come up against Lazio, and Paris Saint-Germain going head-to-head with Real Sociedad.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LAST 16 DRAW IN FULL

Porto vs Arsenal

Napoli vs Barcelona

Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Sociedad

Inter vs Atletico Madrid

PSV vs Borussia Dortmund

Lazio vs Bayern Munich

FC Copenhagen vs Manchester City

RB Leipzig vs Real Madrid

THE BIGGER PICTURE

There will be plenty of U.S. interest in the tie involving PSV and Borussia Dortmund – with the likes of Ricardo Pepi, Sergino Dest and Gio Reyna hoping to figure prominently in that contest. Inter made it all the way to the final last season, before coming unstuck against Pep Guardiola’s Treble-winning City machine, and they are unlikely to have things all their own way against La Liga heavyweights Atletico Madrid.

WHAT NEXT IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE?

The first legs of the eagerly-anticipated last-16 encounters will take place on February 13, 14, 20 and 21. The return dates will be staged on March 5, 6, 12 and 13. All of the teams still involved at this stage are hoping to make their way down a path that leads to the final at Wembley Stadium on June 1, 2024.