So Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo is actually happening. That’s the biggest story emerging from the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw that took place on Monday in Nyon, Switzerland. The PSG vs. Manchester United pairing was the last one to be drawn. The dates for each matchup will be revealed by UEFA later in the day.
The eight Champions League group winners were drawn against the eight group runners-up, but they could not be drawn against teams that hail from the same group or country. The group winners host the second leg in the Round of 16.
Among the other highlights of the draw: Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich should be a slugfest, and Inter Milan vs. Ajax Amsterdam should be a must-watch series between two teams that play an entertaining brand of soccer.
MORE: List of Champions League top scorers this season
There will also be recent history at play when Liverpool and RB Salzburg meet. And Real Madrid (vs. Benfica) and Chelsea (vs. LOSC Lille) will definitely like their chances to make the quarterfinals.
Champions League final draw
Here are the eight Round of 16 matchups that were drawn on Monday, Dec. 13. The final schedule will be released later in the day:
| Match | Home team – 1st leg | Home team – 2nd leg | |
| 1 | Benfica | vs | Real Madrid |
| 2 | Villarreal CF | vs | Manchester City |
| 3 | Atletico Madrid | vs | Bayern Munich |
| 4 | RB Salzburg | vs | Liverpool |
| 5 | Inter Milan | vs | Ajax |
| 6 | Sporting CP | vs | Juventus |
| 7 | Chelsea | vs | LOSC Lille |
| 8 | Paris Saint-Germain | vs | Manchester United |
(All times Eastern)
6:22 a.m.: Chelsea comes up and the Blues can only face French club LOSC Lille. So that means it’s PSG vs. Manchester United in the Round of 16.
6:21 a.m.: Sporting CP is the next runner-up. Arshavin pulls out Juventus from the pot. Not a bad draw for the Italian side.
6:20 a.m.: Inter Milan comes up next. And the Italian champs are paired with group winners Ajax Amsterdam.
6:19 a.m.: Next runner-up is Austrian side FC Salzburg, the first Austrian side in the knockout stages. And the opponent that comes up for them is Liverpool.
6:18 a.m.: Atletico Madrid is the next runner-up that comes up. They’re drawn against Bayern Munich.
6:16 a.m.: Now it’s Villarreal drawn and they’re paired with Manchester United. But since they played in the same group, Arshavin has to draw again. And it’s Manchester City.
6:15 a.m.: Benfica is the first group runner-up drawn. And they’re drawn against Real Madrid.
6:13 a.m.: Now it’s Michael Heselschwerdt, UEFA head of club competitions, going over the rules. He says that only later this afternoon will we know the official schedule. UEFA will determine which matches are played on each of the eight matchdays.
6:09 a.m.: Andrey Arshavin being introduced. He’s going to be helping Marchetti pick out the balls from the pots. And now draw host Pedro Pinto is asking him a few questions.
6:06 a.m.: The deputy general secretary of UEFA, Giorgio Marchetti, has the mic. He’s the master of ceremonies.
6 a.m.: We’re waiting on the draw proceedings to get started in Nyon, Switzerland. It’s kicking off with a hype video of all 16 qualifiers.
5:15 a.m.: In case you’re wondering why Andrey Arshavin is part of today’s draw: He’s born and bred in Saint Petersburg and played for the local club. That’s where the final is happening on May 28.
5:12 a.m.: CBS Sports is hosting a live watch along with the draw that you can view below. It will begin at 5:50 a.m.:
4 a.m.: The draw is a great time to unveil a new Champions League ball for the knockouts:
MORE: How the Europa League playoffs work
How the Champions League draw worked
The eight group winners were drawn against the eight group runners-up for the Round of 16, but no team could be drawn against another that hails from the same group or country.
MORE: The final Champions League group standings
Below are the Round of 16 qualifiers sorted by group:
| Group | Pot A (Group winners) | Pot B (Runners-up) |
|---|---|---|
| A | Manchester City | Paris Saint-Germain |
| B | Liverpool | Atletico Madrid |
| C | Ajax | Sporting CP |
| D | Real Madrid | Inter Milan |
| E | Bayern Munich | Benfica |
| F | Manchester United | Villarreal |
| G | LOSC Lille | RB Salzburg |
| H | Juventus | Chelsea |
Here are the Round of 16 qualifiers sorted by country:
| Nation | Total clubs | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| England | 4 | Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City |
| Spain | 3 | Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Villarreal |
| France | 2 | Paris Saint-Germain, LOSC Lille |
| Italy | 2 | Inter Milan, Juventus |
| Portugal | 2 | Sporting CP, Benfica |
| Austria | 1 | RB Salzburg |
| Germany | 1 | Bayern Munich |
| Netherlands | 1 | Ajax Amsterdam |
Champions League Quarterfinals, Semis & Final
After the Round of 16 winners are determined, there will be a quarterfinal draw held on Friday, March 18 that will also establish the rest of the bracket through to the final. There are no seedings involved in that draw, and unlike the Round of 16, teams from the same country can be drawn against one another.
The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played with the same rules as the Round of 16: The team with the most aggregate goals after two legs advances. If teams are tied after the second leg, they will play 30 minutes of extra time, and if the deadlock persists, a penalty kick shootout will determine the winner. The away goals tiebreaker is no longer in use.
- Quarterfinals: April 5-6, April 12-13
- Semifinals: April 26-27, May 3-4
- Final: May 28, 2022 (Saint Petersburg, Russia)
