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Barcelona will take on a familiar opponent in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League as they have been drawn against PSG/Newcastle United in the knockout stages.
The Blaugrana, despite some hurdles along the way, managed to secure a top-eight finish in the league phase of the competition, ending up in fifth place with 16 points from eight games.
It meant that Hansi Flick & co. once again avoided getting dragged into the knockout playoff stages, unlike their arch-rivals Real Madrid, and directly moved to the Round of 16.
From the knockout phase play-offs onwards the tournament is a bracket with potential opponents in the Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals also pre-defined by pairings which are determined by teams’ final league positions.
For example, teams that finished first and second in the league phase will face the winners of the knockout phase play-off ties involving the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th-placed teams in the Round of 16.
It meant that Barça and Chelsea, who finished fifth and sixth, respectively, would be facing the winners of the knockout playoff matches between PSG (11th) and Monaco (21st), and Newcastle United (12th) and Qarabag (22nd).
With PSG and Newcastle prevailing in their respective playoff games, it came down to Barcelona facing either Luis Enrique’s men or Eddie Howe’s side, both of whom they faced in the group stage this term.
As it would turn out, they have now been drawn against Newcastle.
The teams who finished in the top eight are seeded and will be at home in the second leg.
As such, the first leg will be played at St. James’ Park on March 10/11 and the second leg at the Spotify Camp Nou on March 17/18.
QF and SF draw
With the brackets for the entire tournament now set, Barcelona, should they win in the Round of 16, will face the winners of Atletico vs Tottenham in the quarter-finals.
Provided, the reigning champions prevail there as well, a semi-final date would await against one of Bodo/Glimt, Sporting CP, Bayer Leverkusen, or Arsenal.