Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs have found out their opponents for the Round of 16 in the Champions League.
Sign up to our LondonWorld Today newsletter
Sign up
Thank you for signing up!
Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to LondonWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
Submitting...
Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have learned their potential path to the Champions League final with the Round of 16 draw confirmed on Friday morning.
The three London giants are joined by Premier League rivals Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United in the knockout stages with three rounds to be played before the final in Budapest on May 30.
The Gunners are locked into a push for the Premier League title but Mikel Arteta’s side could still win the quadruple, competing in the Champions League, as well as the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. Meanwhile, European football has provided some welcome respite from poor league form for Europa League holders Spurs while the Blues hope to taste more success after winning the Club World Cup last year.
Arsenal
Arsenal will take on Bayer Leverkusen in the Round of 16. Kasper Hjulmand’s side beat Olympiacos in the play-off round, winning 2-0 away from home before securing their route to the Round of 16 with a 0-0 draw this week.
The two sides last met in a club friendly during the pre-season of 2024, which Arsenal won 4-1. Should the Gunners get past Leverkusen, they will face either Bodo/Glimt or Sporting Lisbon in the quarter final.
Newcastle United, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid or Spurs could then wait in the semi-final. Speaking about the draw on Sky Sports, former Premier League striker Charlie Austin said: “On paper, you have to look at it and go, they have the best side of the draw. That builds more pressure and expectation. What is the bigger thing for Arsenal? The ultimate thing? For me, it’s winning the Premier League. This adds even more spice to it, because your expectation is now on Arsenal to get to the very last stage of the Champions League.”
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur did business with Atletico Madrid in January to sign Conor Gallagher for £34 million but will have to put niceties on hold for the Round of 16 when they take on the La Liga side.
Diego Simeone’s side beat Club Brugge in the play-off round and take on Spurs for the first time since the Cup Winners’ Cup Final of 1963, which the London outfit won 5-1.
If Igor Tudor gets his side through the Round of 16, one of Newcastle United or Barcelona will wait in the quarter final. Bodo/Glimt, Sporting Lisbon, Bayer Leverkusen and Arsenal all await in a potential semi-final.
Chelsea
Chelsea have been handed a tough draw with Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain for the Round of 16. The French outfit romped to a 6-0 win in the final over Inter Milan last term.
The Blues have tasted success against PSG recently, winning the Club World Cup final 3-0 in July. Chelsea would then meet Galatasaray or Liverpool in the quarter final.
Real Madrid, Manchester City, Atalanta and Bayern Munich could all then wait in the semi-final in what is perhaps the more tricky half of the Champions League draw.
In other news, Paul Merson and Chris Sutton make Arsenal vs Chelsea predictions as 'free hit' claim made.