On February 21, 2025, football fans around the world will have their eyes glued to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw, set to take place at the European Football House in Nyon, Switzerland. This highly anticipated event will not only reveal the matchups for the knockout stage but also determine the classification for the quarterfinals and semifinals.
This season’s Champions League has already delivered plenty of excitement, with the top clubs battling it out through the league phase, and now it’s time to see who will go head-to-head starting in the knockout rounds. The draw is particularly captivating this year as the format has changed, providing teams with specific opponents based on their performance and positioning from the group stage.
Participated clubs include heavyweights Liverpool, FC Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atlético Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, and Aston Villa, who all secured direct spots for the knockout phase due to their outstanding performances. Meanwhile, teams coming through the playoffs—such as Bayern Munich, Feyenoord, Benfica, Brugge, Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and PSV Eindhoven—will also be vying for advancement.
The stakes are high with Spanish giants Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atlético Madrid representing Spain's hopes in this knockout round. Real Madrid, fresh off defeating Manchester City, will find out their next opponent between Bayer Leverkusen and Atlético Madrid, setting up the possibility of an exciting derby clash if the draw sees the two Madrid clubs matched against each other.
For FC Barcelona fans, the potential opponents include either the formidable Paris Saint-Germain, who are back on track after showing promising form, or Benfica, who recently scraped past Monaco. The prospect of facing PSG throws up visceral memories for Barcelona, who have history with the French club—most notablly from last season's dramatic encounters.
Atlético Madrid also faces significant hurdles, potentially facing off against either arch-rivals Real Madrid or the resilient Bayern Munich, historic contenders said to be less intimidating than previous seasons. Yet, whichever team they face for their round of 16 matchup, they will be hoping to use the home advantage for the second leg at the Metropolitano Stadium.
The draw procedure on February 21 will define the entire path for these clubs as they aim for glory at the Allianz Arena. The first draw will determine the match pairings, separating teams based on their final positions during the group stage. The initial seedings for the draw see the top-eight teams matched creatively with those qualifying from the playoffs, creating possible pathways either clarified or complicated based on positional assignments.
Beginning the ceremony at noon local time, fans can view the draw live through Movistar + channels dedicated to the Champions League as well as on UEFA.com’s official streaming platform. This opportunity offers the fans the chance to experience the thrill of anticipation surrounding their respective clubs.
With all twenty-four teams now finalized, excitement reaches its peak as this next phase of the competition draws near. Will Spain's elite clubs make deep runs, or will formidable opponents emerge to claim European domination? Only time—and the draw—will tell how this thrilling tournament will progress.
So gear up for the Champions League action on February 21 and witness who your favorite team will be up against as they aim for European supremacy!