FC Barcelona already knows the names of the two teams that could face them in the Champions League round of 16 draw, which will take place this Friday in Nyon.
In the new Champions League format, UEFA pairs teams that finished in the top eight of the group stage in pairs based on their rankings. Thus, Barcelona’s opponent cannot be Chelsea, who finished sixth, while Barcelona under Hansi Flick took fifth.
In the playoffs, both Chelsea and Barcelona learned their round of 16 opponents will be one of the winners from two matchups: Monaco vs Paris Saint-Germain and Qarabag vs Newcastle. The French tie was very close, while Newcastle dominated Qarabag, winning 6-1 in the first leg and 9-3 on aggregate.
If the opponent is the French team, Barcelona will play on the left side of the bracket; if it is Newcastle, they will play on the right. The first leg of the round of 16 is scheduled for March 10-11, with the return leg on March 17-18. The second leg will be played at Spotify Camp Nou.
Therefore, Barcelona’s possible round of 16 opponents are either Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle.
