The draw for the Champions League round of 16 is complete, and the results have handed us some very, very interesting encounters.
FINAL UCL LAST 16 DRAW: #UCLdraw #ChampionsLeagueDraw pic.twitter.com/jgAmAyaLg2
— LiveSoccerTV.com (@LiveSoccerTV) December 14, 2015
English Premier League giants Arsenal, a side who booked their ticket to the knockout phase by the skin of their teeth on the final day, were paired against reigning champions and last season’s treble winners Barcelona.
Déjà vu? Rigged? Oh no! If these were the first things to come to mind, then odds are you are not alone, as many on Twitter could not help but rue – or laugh depending on what team you support – the Gunners’ bad luck in Europe.
Arsene Wenger’s crew had locked horns with the Blaugrana in back-to-back seasons once, in 2009-10 and 2010-11, with the north London side being dumped out of the tournament on both occasions. Will history repeat itself?
Even Man City could not help but troll Arsenal over their last 16 opponent
Your turn to play 'em, @Arsenal! #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/ojx5obbkX7
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) December 14, 2015
Arsenal fans when they found out they were drawn against Barcelona. https://t.co/AafxnI5Phq
— Not Match of the Day (@NOT_MOTD) December 14, 2015
Arsenal vs Barcelona. This far you have come, but no further. #UCLdraw
— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) December 14, 2015
Arsenal vs Barcelona again! #UCLdraw Last 16 exit for the gunners? pic.twitter.com/pwzcrWw4u0
— Oddschecker (@Oddschecker) December 14, 2015
Arsenal vs Barcelona RT if you cried
— غنى و هيك (@GhinaSeddik) December 14, 2015
Arsenal vs Barcelona. Lmao. Arsenal have been meeting either Bayern/Barcelona for the past 5/6 years.
— Edd of Verdant (@Bojaaa) December 14, 2015
Arsenal vs Barcelona. Why even bother pretending this draw is random?
— Double Flamini (@double_canister) December 14, 2015
Arsene Wenger right now... #Arsenal #UCLdraw #Barcelona pic.twitter.com/NiAwcKkxGb
— FootballFanCast.com (@FootballFanCast) December 14, 2015
League draw: Arsenal VS Barcelona Arsene Wenger Right Now #UCLdraw #Barca pic.twitter.com/8Ht9mlthlF
— M Barak Cherguia (@CherguiaMbark) December 14, 2015
The fact that Messi has never scored vs Cech did little to comfort fans
FACT: Lionel Messi has never scored against Petr Cech. pic.twitter.com/ngc67hmb2K
— Footy Jokes (@Footy_Jokes) December 14, 2015
Messi will finally score against Cech
— WeAreChelseaFC (@WeAreChelseaFC) December 14, 2015
I concede. Messi might have never scored against Cech, maybe never will. But, pretty sure Neymar and Suarez will rip that net a new one.
— Muayyad K. (@Muayyad_K) December 14, 2015
Graphic : ARSENAL vs. BARCELONA [via @WhoScored] pic.twitter.com/2ZDQ9YNqAq
— Gooners Report Indo (@GoonersReport) December 14, 2015
And that was not it. Elsewhere, fellow London side Chelsea were paired against Ligue 1 champions PSG in a repeat of last season’s meeting, one which saw the French side eliminate the Blues from the tournament at Stamford Bridge with only 10 men.
A chance for revenge for Jose Mourinho’s crew? This will be their third meeting in as many seasons.
Please UEFA I really want to know how you guys always Draw Arsenal vs Barcelona and PSG vs Chelsea.
— Oscar is Ranking. (@OSCARanking) December 14, 2015
Chelsea vs PSG again... pic.twitter.com/TEVYxbOzGR
— Footy Jokes (@Footy_Jokes) December 14, 2015
Chelsea vs PSG: PSG have won just 1 of their last 6 Champions League matches in normal time against Chelsea #UCL
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) December 14, 2015
GRAPHIC: Chelsea vs PSG #UCLdraw (whoscored) pic.twitter.com/tfNUiNTIjs
— Chelsea Eleven (@ChelseaEleven) December 14, 2015
Chelsea vs psg for 3rd year in a row
— Luke Morley (@LukeMorley92) December 14, 2015
I'm getting tired of seeing PSG vs Chelsea
— Gerry (@HdzGerry) December 14, 2015
Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich, who made their way into the last 16 by thrashing the likes of Arsenal, Olympiakos, and Dinamo Zagreb, will face a tough test away to last season’s runners-up Juventus.
Madrid duo Real and Atletico were handed tricky opponents in the form of Roma and PSV, respectively, though both can dispensed off easily by the Liga BBVA sides.
Roma vs Real Madrid #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/y0qEmiiexm
— Real Madrid C. F. (@realmadrid) December 14, 2015
Lmaooo Roma vs Real Madrid I doubt if this present Roma squad can beat Madrid Not that the previous ones have not done it, but not this
— . (@iLLmaCuL8) December 14, 2015
Lazio - Galatasaray Fiorentina - Tottenham Roma - Real Madrid Juve - Bayern Napoli - Villareal The Italian teams got some tough draws.
— Siavoush Fallahi (@SiavoushF) December 14, 2015
Finally, Portuguese giants Benfica will have to overcome Zenit St. Petersburg, whilst Manchester City were handed a relatively easy opponent: Dynamo Kyiv.
The Citizens atrocious Champions League record and their tendency to self-explode in Europe should be kept in mind, though.
THE UCL DRAW ... pic.twitter.com/WTevbRjLG8
— Troll Football (@TrollFootball) December 14, 2015
The dates for both the first and second leg fixtures of the round of 16 was confirmed shortly after the draw concluded, with 4 games happening on the 16th and 17th of February, whilst the remaining 4 will be played on the 23rd and 24th of the same month.
The return leg will initiate on the 8th, 9th, 15th, and 16th of March.
February 16 fixtures (1st leg)
- PSG vs Chelsea
- Benfica vs Zenit
February 17 fixtures (1st leg)
- Gent vs Wolfsburg
- Roma vs Real Madrid
February 23 fixtures (1st leg)
- Arsenal vs Barca
- Juve vs Bayern
February 24 fixtures (1st leg)
- PSV vs Atletico
- Dynamo Kyiv vs Man City
March 8 fixtures (2nd leg)
- Wolfsburg vs Gent
- Real Madrid vs Roma
March 9 fixtures (2nd leg)
- Chelsea vs PSG
- Zenit vs Benfica
March 15 fixtures (2nd leg)
- Atletico vs PSV
- Man City vs Dynamo Kyiv
March 16 fixtures (2nd leg)
- Barca vs Arsenal
- Bayern vs Juve
