Champions League draw: USMNT stars set for face-off in Round of 16

The second-round pairings for the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League are set following Monday’s round of 16 draw in Nyon, Switzerland. All 8 knockout phase match are noted listedbelow, with fast takeaways from each one.

Arsenal vs. Porto

Back in the Champions League for the veryfirst time in 6 seasons, the Gunners appearance like authentic title competitors. With all regard due a Porto side that completed connected on points with Barcelona, Arsenal must cruise into the quarterfinals.

Barcelona vs. Napoli

Advancing to the last 16 is an enhancement for Barcelona after being gottenridof in the veryfirst round in each of the last 2 seasons. But Xavi’s group doesn’t have an simple course to its veryfirst quarterfinal look because 2020, with Italian Scudetto holder Napoli more than capable of knocking out the five-time European titlists.

Manchester City vs. Copenhagen

Defending champs Man City couldn’t have asked for a muchbetter draw, with the Danes maybe the weakest of the 16 staying groups. But FC Copenhagen has currently beaten the Sky Blues’ crosstown competing Manchester United in this competition while likewise holding Bayern scoreless in a tie in Munich last month.

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Real Sociedad

Kylian Mbappé & Co. are determined on raising club soccer’s most desired prize for the veryfirst time. But after completing as the runner-up in 2020 and making it back to the semis the next year, PSG stoppedworking to reach even the quarters the last 2 years. Is the present group, sans Neymar and Lionel Messi, any muchbetter?

Inter Milan vs. Atlético Madrid

Inter directly lost the 2022-23 last to Man City, and the Serie A leaders have a strong adequate team  to make another deep run this spring. Still, Monday’s draw didn’t do the Nerazzurri any prefers. Atléi is a powerful enemy — while Diego Simeone’s group isn’t having the finest La Liga project, they endedup above Lazio, Feyenoord and Celtic to win Group E.

PSV Eindhoven vs. Borussia Dortmund

The 4 U.S. males’s nationwide group gamers still alive and kicking in this season’s Champions League play for these 2 groups. Gio Reyna’s Dortmund would typically be the preferred, however this PSV side — which includes Reyna’s fellow Americans Sergino Dest, Ricardo Pepi and Malik Tillman — pleased in the group phase and is a best 16-0 in the Netherlands’ Eredivisie.

Bayern Munich vs. Lazio

After being peacefully beaten by the ultimate champs Bayern  in last season’s last 8, Bayern are looking to win it all for the veryfirst time consideringthat2020 With Harry Kane breaking scoring records in Germany simply about every week, Lazio will be hard-pressed to avoid them from returning to the quarters at least.

Real Madrid vs. RB Leipzig

It’s no shock that record 14-time European champs are the bookmakers’ frustrating preferred to dispatch Leipzig. What’s unexpected is that both City and Bayern have muchbetter chances of winning this year’s competitors outright. With the apparently unstoppable Jude Bellingham leading Real, bet versus Los Blancos at your own threat.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer author for FOX Sports. Before signingupwith FOX Sports in 2021, he was a personnel author with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he hasactually covered United States guys’s and females’s nationwide groups at several FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.