Following its winter hibernation, the Champions League is finally about to get interesting. The Sunday Independent's Declan Lynch has written of the loss of interest in Europe's Premier Competition compared to the soaring of the Premier League, writing that the European Cup now resembles a kind of experimental midweek jazz session sandwiched between the mainstream pop of the Premier League.
Part of the reason behind that is the tedium of the group stage, which merely throws up a whole heap of meaningless ties. But now we're at the knockout stages, things get interesting.
Arsenal's curse goes on: they top the group, and still somehow manage to get Bayern Munich. Even if they had finished second in their group, they would have drawn Barcelona! One advantage is that Arsenal will have the second leg at home, bucking the trend in which they lose at home, heroically win away but come up short on away goals.
Elsewhere, City will fancy their chances of progressing against Monaco, and while Leicester won't be favourites against Sevilla, an upset is certainly not beyond them.
Atletico Madrid took their city rival's role of usually drawing the worst German team remaining, while Real Madrid will face Napoli in a game nobody will call the Rafa Benitez Derby.
Juventus and Dortmund, dark horses to break the Bayern/Barca/Real monopoly will fancy progressing against Porto and Benfica respectively.
Here's the full draw:
Manchester City v Monaco
Real Madrid v Napoli
Benfica v Borussia Dortmund
Arsenal v Bayern Munich
Porto v Juventus
Bayer Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona
Sevilla v Leicester City
The first leg of the ties will be played on 14th and 15th, and 21st and 22nd of February.
The return legs will take place on the 7th and 8th, and the 14th and 15th of March.
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