The path to the 2019 Champions League final in Madrid has now become clear following the draw for the round of 16, which has thrown together some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Heavyweight clashes between Liverpool and Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid and Juventus and Ajax and Real Madrid ensure that some of the most successful clubs in the game will be facing elimination at the first knockout stage.
The draw has been kinder to leading contenders such as Manchester City and Barcelona, but who will come out on top when the Champions League returns in February?
It may lack glamour, but Manchester City’s pairing with Schalke is a dream draw for the Premier League champions. Schalke, who qualified as runners-up behind Porto in Group D, are languishing in the bottom half of the Bundesliga having won just four league games all season. Coach Domenico Tedesco has a squad low on the quality needed to worry City and this tie should be a formality for Pep Guardiola’s team.
Leroy Sane will return to Germany to face his former club and it really should be a happy homecoming for the City winger in what is likely to be a mismatch. As for omens, City’s only European title — the 1970 Cup-Winners’ Cup — came after beating Schalke en route to the final.
Who will go through? Manchester City
A heavyweight clash, but one that could become an embarrassingly one-sided affair if United fail to resolve their defensive problems before February.
Can United’s dismal defence cope with the threat of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani? Will Paul Pogba be back in the United team in time to make an impact against the French champions? And will Jose Mourinho still be in charge at Old Trafford when United host the first-leg in February?
There are many questions to answer ahead of the first competitive meeting between the two clubs, but PSG will go into the tie as strong favourites as they attempt to improve on their unimpressive Champions League record. United may have to win to keep alive their hopes of playing in next season’s Champions League by winning this year’s competition, but that has become an even tougher task with this draw.
Who will go through? PSG