The Champions League round of 16 draw has been completed, with all three English clubs placed in the same half of the bracket. Liverpool, Arsenal, and Aston Villa now know their opponents for the next stage, as the competition shifts to a traditional knockout format after the new league phase.
Liverpool, who topped the league table, will face Paris Saint-Germain, a side that advanced with a 10-0 aggregate win in the play-offs. The winner of that tie will meet either Aston Villa or Club Brugge in the quarter-finals. Arsenal have been drawn against PSV Eindhoven, with a potential quarter-final clash against the winner of Real Madrid versus Atletico Madrid.
In the other half of the draw, Bayer Leverkusen take on Bayern Munich, while Barcelona face Benfica after their nine-goal thriller in the league phase. The round of 16 first legs are scheduled to take place in just under a fortnight.
Aston Villa fans expressed relief at drawing Club Brugge rather than Borussia Dortmund, despite a previous 1-0 defeat to the Belgian side in the league phase, which was decided by a bizarre penalty after Tyrone Mings picked up the ball thinking it was dead. Mings will be keen to make amends.
Arsenal supporters had mixed reactions to facing PSV, with some disappointed at missing a reunion with former player Robin van Persie, who is expected to take over at Feyenoord. Others voiced concerns about a potential meeting with Real Madrid in the next round.
Liverpool fans were divided on facing PSG, with some confident of progression despite the French side's attacking threats like Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola. The Reds will hope to repeat their 2019 Champions League success, which also began with a group stage encounter against PSG.
