The revised Champions League format has once again validated its effectiveness, as it has delivered an exciting mega derby in the playoffs while witnessing the exit of three notable giants in February.

In the matchup between the last two European champions, Manchester City found themselves overpowered by Real Madrid, while Italian titans Milan and Juventus had to acknowledge the superiority of their Dutch Eredivisie counterparts – Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven.

With the playoffs now concluded, the lineup of the top 16 teams in Europe is finalized. Starting tomorrow (Friday, 12:00), after an exciting draw in Nyon, the potential paths for each team to reach the grand final in Munich and seize the Champions League title will be revealed – the draw will establish the pairings for the round of 16, along with potential opponents for the quarterfinals and semifinals.

Regarding the round of 16, the teams securing the top eight positions during the first part of the season will face off against their playoff rivals, with each team having two potential opponents due to league placement implications.

Liverpool and Barcelona have dominated the initial phase of the season, capturing the top two spots. During the draw in Nyon, they will be separated into different halves of the bracket, ensuring they cannot clash until the final. Consequently, one team faces a challenging matchup in the round of 16 while the other is set to encounter a more favorable opponent.

It has been long established that these two teams will be playing against the winners of the playoffs, which were the 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th placed teams on the league table – Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica. As a result, the round of 16 is already guaranteed a high-profile matchup: PSG vs. Liverpool or PSG vs. Barcelona. Benfica will be matched against whichever team does not draw Paris Saint-Germain.

The next two teams in the standings – Inter (3) and Arsenal (4) – will avoid facing any of the heavyweights, primarily due to the likes of PSV and Feyenoord, who have eliminated Juventus and Milan, becoming the rivals of the giants from Milan and London.

On the other hand, Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen, ranked fifth and sixth respectively, face more challenging hurdles as they are likely to encounter Real Madrid (11th) and Bayern Munich (12th) as their potential opponents.

This situation implies that, alongside the match featuring PSG, the round of 16 will showcase two other intriguing encounters – possibly a Madrid derby and a clash between clubs from La Liga and the Bundesliga.

Lille (7) and Aston Villa (8) have clinched the last two spots for direct qualification to the round of 16. However, given that some of the favorites (notably Real, City, Bayern, and PSG) did not perform up to par in the league stage, these two teams are likely to draw easier opponents than the higher-ranked Liverpool (2), Barcelona (5), Atletico (6) and Bayer Leverkusen (X).

Their possible adversaries include Borussia Dortmund and Club Brugge.

The top eight teams from the league phase will host the second leg matches in the round of 16.

Once the draw establishes the pairings for the round of 16, it will also initiate the draw for potential opponents for the quarterfinals and semifinals, while also revealing the nominal host for the grand final at the Allianz Arena.

It is essential to note that after the round of 16 draw, two distinct halves of the bracket will be formed, ensuring that Liverpool (2) and Barcelona (3), as well as Inter (4) and Arsenal (5), Atletico (6) and Bayer (7), and Lille (8) and Aston Villa (X), are placed on opposite sides and will not meet until the final.

This division is particularly crucial for the quarterfinal draw, where teams on one side may face each other.

The advantage post-quarterfinals favors the higher-ranked teams from the league stage, allowing them to play the second legs at home, meaning that the draw in Nyon will impact the tournament until the final.

The team that advances to Munich from the left side of the bracket will be the nominal host in the grand finale.

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