The Champions League has just finished all the matches in the group stage. Thus, 16 teams have the right to qualify for the knockout phase.
After matchday 6, which team will qualify for the round of 16? Let’s look at the final standings for each group. Dominance of German and English Clubs are real this season. The results in this group phase, there are two countries that dominate their representatives in the round of 16. Those countries are Germany and England each sending 4 clubs to the round of 16.
The German Bundesliga sent representatives from Bayern, Dortmund, Leipzig and Frankfurt while the clubs from the English Premier League were Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. From Serie A Italy sent 3 representatives along with Milan, Inter and Napoli. The two Portuguese representatives are Porto and Benfica while the Spanish La Liga are represented by Real Madrid. One club each representing France, PSG and Belgium, Club Brugge.
Those who made it as group winners were Bayern Munich, Benfica, Chelsea, Manchester City, Napoli, Porto, Real Madrid and Tottenham. These eight teams are included in the seeded pot. Meanwhile, the group runner-up is in a non-seeded pot. Those who were runners-up in the group were Club Brugge, Dortmund, Frankfurt, Inter, Leipzig, Liverpool, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
To determine their opponents in the round of 16, the 16 teams must follow the draw. The draw will take place at the House of European Football Nyon, Switzerland on Monday 7 November 2022.
What are Champions League Round of 16 Drawing Rules? Like the criteria in previous years, the rules for drawing the Champions League for this year’s round of 16 are also the same as those in effect in the EUFA. The seeded pot consists of the group winners while the non-seeded pot contains the team that was the group runner-up during the elimination phase in their respective groups.
Teams that are in the same pot cannot meet in the round of 16. Likewise, teams from the same country cannot face each other even though they are in different pots. Bayern, Dortmund, Leipzig and Frankfurt are the 4 clubs that represent Germany. Chelsea, City, Liverpool and Tottenham are the clubs that represent England. They couldn’t meet each other in the last 16.
Likewise Italian clubs such as Milan, Inter and Napoli. Portuguese clubs, Porto and Benfica. They cannot face each other in this round of 16. The only other club that represents their country is Real Madrid (Spain), Paris Saint Germain (France) and Club Brugge (Belgium).
When will the Round of 16 take place? The Champions League knockout phase takes place over two legs. The first legs are scheduled for 14/15 and 21/22 February 2023. Then the second legs will take place on 7/8 and 14/15 March 2023. Kick-off starts at 03.00 WIB in the morning.
All seeded teams first travel to the headquarters of the non-seeded teams in the first leg in February 2023. They, the seeded group winners, only hosted the second leg in March 2023. In the round of 16 or the next round in the knockout phase with two legs, the away goals rule that has been in effect has been removed.
If the match ends in a draw after 180 minutes (two legs), then the match will go into extra time regardless of the number of goals scored by each team at home and away. If a team still has no winner after 30 minutes of added time, then the match goes to a penalty shootout to determine the winner.
The final of the 2022/23 season edition of the Champions League will take place on 10 June 2023 at Istanbul’s Atatrk Olympic Stadium, Turkey. Let’s enjoy the matches of the best European teams in the 2022-2023 Champions League. Did your team make it to the last 16 and what are their hopes and chances? Please write in the comments column.
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