UCL Round of 16 draw: Which teams have qualified for UEFA Champions League knockouts? Format, live streaming info

The 2024-25 edition of the UEFA Champions League has reached the round of 16 stages, with half of them finalised after the knockout playoffs that ended on February 19.

This season’s Champions League is being played under a new format, wherein the group stages have been replaced by the league phase, with the top eight qualifying directly for RO16.

The teams placed ninth to 24th qualified for two-legged playoffs and the winners of the playoffs joined the top-eight in the pre-quarterfinals.

The teams placed 25th to 36th and the losing sides in the playoffs were eliminated from the competition.

When and where will the Champions League round of 16 draw take place?

The round of 16 draw for the UEFA Champions League will take place at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland on February 21. The program is scheduled to begin at 4:30 pm IST (6 a.m. ET / 11 a.m. GMT).

Which teams have qualified for the Champions League round of 16?

The following teams qualified for the round of 16 by finishing in the top-eight:

• Arsenal
• Aston Villa
• Atlético Madrid
• Barcelona
• Bayer Leverkusen
• Inter Milan
• Lille
• Liverpool

The following teams qualified for the round of 16 by winning the two-legged playoffs:

• Bayern Munich
• Benfica
• Borussia Dortmund
• Club Brugge
• Feyenoord
• Paris Saint-Germain
• PSV Eindhoven
• Real Madrid

What is the format for round of 16 draw in UEFA Champions League?

The fixtures in the pre-quarterfinals are primarily determined by a club’s final position in the league standings.

For example, Barcelona and Liverpool, who finished second and first, respectively, could only play 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th in the round of 16.

Instead of using the old-fashioned approach of drawing one team against another, the new structure inserts teams into a position in the bracket to generate a fixture.

Last month, the teams participating in the elimination playoff round were drawn into their bracket positions.

The top eight teams advance to one of two available spots in the round-of-16 draw, which automatically creates the matchup and the entire bracket leading up to the final.

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The top eight are paired as follows: first and second, third and fourth, fifth and sixth, and seventh and eighth. After being drawn to opposing positions, the couples will not be able to play one another until the final.

For example, PSG and Benfica are currently Liverpool’s and Barcelona’s only choices heading into the draw.

The side that advances from Liverpool and Barcelona to the top part of the bracket will face PSG. That implies that the opposing team will automatically face Benfica in the bottom half.

They will have advanced to the final of the knockout bracket. For the particular quarterfinal and semifinal ties, there is no draw.

Is there country protection in the round of the 16?

No, there is no country protection for the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. That rule was scrapped after the league phase. As a result of this, Paris Saint-Germain played Ligue 1 side Brest in the knockout playoff round.

Paris St Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in action with Brest’s Luc Zogbe in the UEFA Champions League.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS

When are the round of 16 matches in the UEFA Champions League?

Following are the dates for the two legs of the Champions League pre-quarterfinals:

• March 4-5
• March 11-12

After the round of 16 draws, another draw will be done on the same day to determine which team will host the first leg of the round of 16 games.

The quarterfinals are scheduled on April 8-9 and April 15-16 while the semis will be played on April 29-30 and May 6-7.

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Bayern Munich’s home, Allianz Arena will host the Champions League final on May 31.

How to watch the round of 16 draw of UEFA Champions League?

The round-of-16 draw for the UEFA Champions League will be live telecast on Sony Sports 2 SD and HD in India. It can also be live-streamed on Sony LIV (app and website) and UEFA.com.

Can winter signings play in the Champions League round of 16?

Yes. A club can make up to three changes in its Champions League squad for the pre-quarterfinals. That can include January signings. However, the total limit of squad size remains 25 players.