Contrasting fortunes for Arsenal, Leicester City and Manchester City in today’s Champions League round of 16 draw
The Champions League draw for 2016 was made just a few minutes ago, and there will be mixed feelings for the three remaining Premier League sides.
Arsenal were rewarded for finishing top of their group by being paired with Bayern Munich, but they will at least benefit from a home second leg advantage.
Arsenal played Bayern Munich – and were knocked out by them – at the same stage of the competition in 2012-13 and 2013-14, as well as facing them in the Champions League group stage last term.
Manchester City will look to build on their semi-final place last season as they take on Monaco.
The French side would have been a favoured draw over teams like Barcelona, Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund, but Pep Guardiola's side do have to travel to Monaco for the return leg, and are hardly in a rich vein of form just now.
Leicester City will face last season's (and the two seasons before that) Europa League winners Sevilla.
After a much-needed confidence-boosting 4-2 win over Manchester City at the weekend and a welcome return to the goals for Jamie Vardy, Claudio Ranieri's men may fancy their chances against Sevilla – especially with the second leg at the King Power stadium.
Elsewhere, the draw threw up a glamour tie between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, but otherwise the draw looks to have pitted strong favourites against unlikely winners – which should see few shocks in the Round of 16.
Full draw:
- Bayern Munich v Arsenal
- Man City v Monaco
- Sevilla v Leicester
- Real Madrid v Napoli
- Benfica v Borussia Dortmund
- Porto v Juventus
- Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid
- PSG v Barcelona
The first legs will be played in mid-February 2017 with the return legs in March.