Champions League draw: Pairings, schedule, bracket for knockout round

The UEFA Champions League bracket is set, with Friday seeing the draw for knockout stages pair some of Europe’s best soccer teams for March’s round of 16

A new format expanded the knockout stage, with Tuesday and Wednesday seeing the debut of a playoff phase that effectively functioned as a round of 32. Friday’s draw set up the path for the rest of the tournament, with a bracket in place all the way through to this season’s final on May 31 in Munich.

Between those results and the group-stage table playing a major factor in seeding for the draw, some massive matchups have emerged despite how far the Champions League is from its one-off championship game. French power Paris Saint-Germain will face Premier League titans Liverpool while Real Madrid has been paired with city rivals Atlético Madrid.

Here’s what to know about the Champions League round of 16 draw, including pairings and schedule:

Champions League draw: Round of 16 pairings, tournament bracket

Friday’s UEFA Champions League draw set up the following matchups in the round of 16:

Round of 16 pairing 1: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool
Round of 16 pairing 2: Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa
Round of 16 pairing 3: Real Madrid vs. Atlético Madrid
Round of 16 pairing 4: PSV vs. Arsenal
Round of 16 pairing 5: Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan
Round of 16 pairing 6: Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Round of 16 pairing 7: Borussia Dortmund vs. Lille
Round of 16 pairing 8: Benfica vs. Barcelona

The draw also sets the bracket for the rest of this season’s Champions League, with the path to May 31 final at Allianz Arena in Munich now clear.

Quarterfinal pairings

Quarterfinal 1: Round of 16 pairing 1 winner vs. Round of 16 pairing 2 winner
Quarterfinal 2: Round of 16 pairing 3 winner vs. Round of 16 pairing 4 winner
Quarterfinal 3: Round of 16 pairing 5 winner vs. Round of 16 pairing 6 winner
Quarterfinal 4: Round of 16 pairing 7 winner vs. Round of 16 pairing 8 winner

Semifinal pairings

Semifinal 1: Quarterfinal pairing 1 winner vs. Quarterfinal pairing 2 winner
Semifinal 2: Quarterfinal pairing 3 winner vs. Quarterfinal pairing 4 winner

Champions League 2024-25: Knockout round schedule

Round of 16 first legs: March 4-5
Round of 16 second legs: March 11-12
Quarterfinal first legs: April 8-9
Quarterfinal second legs: April 15-16
Semifinal first legs: April 29-30
Semifinal second legs: May 6-7
Final: May 31

Champions League 2024-25: How to watch knockout matches on TV and streaming

The 2024-25 Champions League round of 16 will air across various CBS platforms, with specific game broadcasts yet to be set.

Games could air on CBS or the CBS Sports Network, while Paramount+ and the CBS Golazo Network are streaming options. Fans can also look to Fubo, who is offering a free trial for new subscribers.

Stream the Champions League knockout rounds on Fubo

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