Updated at 12.45pm
MANCHESTER CITY HAVE been drawn against Barcelona in the Champions League Round of 16 for the second successive year.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side qualified from the group stages thanks to back-to-back wins in their final two games but will face the four-time European Cup winners once more as they look to advance past the Round of 16 stage for the first time.
Arsenal, however, avoided the big boys as they were paired with French side Monaco while Chelsea will renew their rivalry with Paris Saint Germain after the clubs met in the quarter-final last year.
The Gunners will face the Ligue 1 side for the first time with Arsene Wenger set to come up against his old side.
“As the draw progressed it was evident a lot of the big teams have gone,” Arsenal secretary David Miles to Sky Sports. “We have picked some of the biggest teams in Europe over the last five years. We aren’t taking anything for granted, Monaco have earned the right to be here.”
“It will be great to at least get through this round of 16 and press on and kick on from there. Overall we’re taking nothing for granted but we are pleased with the draw.”
Chelsea edged out PSG last term with an away goals win and the tie will see David Luiz, who was sold by Chelsea during the summer, come up against his erstwhile employers.
Before the draw, Jose Mourinho stated he would like to draw the French champions, purely for logistical reasons, although Laurent Blanc’s side were among the toughest opponents, on paper at least, that the Blues could face.
Defending champions Real Madrid were paired with German side Schalke – a side that they comfortably beat at the same stage in 2013/14 – while there will be a repeat of the 1997 final when Juventus take on Borussia Dortmund.
Shakhtar Donetsk and Bayern Munich as well as Porto and Swiss club Basel will meet for the first time.
Uefa have confirmed the dates for the ties as follows:
First legs
- 17 February: Paris v Chelsea, Shakhtar v Bayern
- 18 February: Schalke v Real Madrid, Basel v Porto
- 24 February: Manchester City v Barcelona, Juventus v Dortmund
- 25 February: Leverkusen v Atlético, Arsenal v Monaco
Second legs
- 10 March: Real Madrid v Schalke, Porto v Basel
- 11 March: Chelsea v Paris, Bayern v Shakhtar
- 17 March: Atlético v Leverkusen, Monaco v Arsenal
- 18 March: Barcelona v Manchester City, Dortmund v Juventus
-Originally published 12.30
