Football: Manchester City, Liverpool draw Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in Champions League knockout stages

The Champions League draw has thrown up a few interesting ties.
The Champions League draw has thrown up a few interesting ties. Photo credit: Getty

Real Madrid have drawn English champions Manchester City, while titleholders Liverpool will face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League round of 16.

Real ended up in pot two, after finishing second in their group, behind Paris St Germain, and City were the unlucky team paired with them, when their name was pulled out at UEFA headquarters.

City, who will be at home in the second leg, have yet to beat the Spanish side, with two draws and two defeats in their previous four meetings.

But manager Pep Guardiola has a much more encouraging record, with nine wins, four draws and four defeats in 17 meetings, as coach of Barcelona and then Bayern Munich.

"It's a difficult one," said Manchester City football director Txiki Begiristain. "Real Madrid are the best.

"We want to be the best, so we have to try and beat them. It's always a pleasure to play against Real Madrid.

"We know them very well. They know our manager."

Liverpool and Atletico Madrid's previous meetings have produced one win for each team and two draws, with both teams scoring four goals.

Only Europe's biggest five leagues - England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain - were represented in the draw and 11 of the 16 teams also reached the knockout stages last season.

Elsewhere, Italian Serie A champions Juventus will face French side Olympique Lyonnais and PSG will play Germans Borussia Dortmund.

Barcelona were pitted against unpredictable Italians Napoli, the first time the two sides have ever met.

Napoli fired coach Carlo Ancelotti immediately after beating Genk to book their place in the last 16 and replaced him with Gennaro Gattuso, who has never coached in the Champions League before.

"A great team, a great challenge, two fascinating races," he said. "We will face them without fear."

Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur side, who reached the final last season, will play RB Leipzig of Germany, who are in the knockout stages for the first time, while Chelsea were drawn against Bayern Munich.

Despite their erratic domestic form, Bayern were the only team to complete the group stage with a 100 percent record.

Serie A side Atalanta, who reached the last 16 in their Champions League debut, despite losing their first three group matches, were drawn against Spaniards Valencia.

Reuters