Liverpool-Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain-Bayern Munich are the big games in the last 16 of the Champions League, according to Monday's draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. The qualification of Liverpool and PSG as runners-up in their groups made the draw more expensive for most of the top sides, and the event, at which former Turkish footballer Hamit Altintop played the role of 'innocent hand', confirmed two of the strongest ties that could be expected.
German coach Jurgen Klopp and Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti's side will meet again after last year's title decider in Paris, which was won by Real Madrid thanks to a goal from Brazilian Vinicius Junior. Two seasons ago they also met in the quarter-finals, and Real Madrid emerged victorious with a 3-1 win in the first leg and a 0-0 draw at Anfield. They also met in the 1981 final, with Real Madrid winning 1-0, and in the 2018 final in Kiev, with Real Madrid winning 3-1.
Salah ready to humiliate Real Madrid in Champions League, Ancelotti trembles
Klopp's reaction when he learns he will play Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16
In the current edition, Real Madrid have reached the last 16 as top of their group without too many problems, although with a defeat against Leipzig that made them wait until the last matchday to, after beating Celtic, certify their command; and Liverpool have gone from strength to strength this season after a discreet start in which they were even beaten by Napoli (4-1), who snatched the top of their group.
PSG's multi-million-pound project, with Leo Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar at the helm, will once again face a fiendish clash with Bayern Munich, who have completed a perfect group stage for the third time. It will be a chance for Senegal's former Liverpool man Sadio Mané to prove his power against the French and advance to the next round. In 2020, the Bavarian side were crowned champions in Lisbon with a goal from Kingsley Coman against the French team, who last term lost at this stage to Real Madrid and who want to end their curse and crown their project with the title.
Former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher wrote on his Twitter account about the Reds' meeting with Real Madrid, with a picture of the team he was a member of that eliminated the Spaniards by a 5-0 scoreline. In addition, he sent a sizzling message to Virgil Van Dijk: "Hopefully you can
keep two clean sheets.
Virgil van Dijk in the next clash!
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