Liverpool will take on Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the Champions League round 16. Arne Slot’s Reds topped the 36-team league phase, earning a direct spot in this stage. Meanwhile, PSG finished 15th and powered through a play-off, demolishing Brest 10-0 over two legs.
The first leg kicks off at Parc des Princes on March 4 or 5, 2025, with the return match at Anfield a week later.
These clubs last met in the 2018/19 group stage. PSG won 2-1 at home after Liverpool secured a 3-2 victory in England. Their only prior knockout clash was in 1997’s Cup Winners’ Cup semi-finals, where PSG triumphed 3-2 on aggregate before losing the final to Barcelona.
Liverpool leads the Premier League by eight points over Arsenal despite playing one more game. On the other hand, Luis Enrique’s PSG remain unbeaten in Ligue 1, sitting 10 points clear at the top. The winner of Liverpool vs. PSG will face either Club Brugge or Aston Villa in the quarter-finals. This raises the prospect of an all-English clash, echoing the European Cup rivalries of the early 1980s.
Reigning champions, Real Madrid will face city rivals Atletico Madrid. Real, fresh off a play-off win over Manchester City, hosts the first leg. The Spanish giants dominated this matchup, winning finals in 2014 and 2016 and knockout ties in 2015 and 2017. Atletico’s Diego Simeone, however, is undeterred: “It’s an amazing tie, and we are ready for it.” The victors will meet either PSV Eindhoven or Arsenal next.
Arsenal, third in the league phase, face PSV again after a 4-0 home win and a 1-1 draw last season. Mikel Arteta noted, “They’re a really good team. It will be tough, but we’ll be ready.”
Bayern Munich, Bundesliga leaders, take on Bayer Leverkusen, coached by ex-Bayern star Xabi Alonso. Unbeaten in their last six meetings, Leverkusen seek a historic European win. Elsewhere, Feyenoord face Inter Milan, while Barcelona meet Benfica after a thrilling 5-4 league-phase victory. Borussia Dortmund, last season’s finalists, will battle Lille.
The semi-final draw teases potential blockbusters: Liverpool vs Arsenal or Real Madrid vs PSG, pitting Kylian Mbappé against his former club. Barcelona, Bayern, and Leverkusen share the other side of the bracket. The final awaits in Munich on May 31, 2025. Who will lift the trophy?
