Leipzig-Real Madrid, Naples-Barça, Inter-Atlético and PSG-Real Sociedad, in the Champions League round of 16

   MADRID, 18 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Atlético de Madrid and Real Sociedad will face the 'coconuts' Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively, in the round of 16 of the 2023-2024 Champions League, while FC Barcelona will face the also difficult Naples and Real Sociedad Madrid was luckier and will face RB Leipzig, according to the draw held this Monday at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon (Switzerland).

Fortune was not on the side of the red and white team or the 'txuri urdin', who will face two of the rivals to avoid before the draw in the Champions League round of 16. Inter Milan, finalist in the last edition of the continental competition, and PSG, always threatening with Kylian Mbappé as their banner, will be the rivals of Madrid and the Basques, who will face two demanding tests to get among the eight best teams in Europe.

Atlético certified its place in the round of 16 on the fifth day of the group stage, crowning itself at the top of Group E on the sixth and final date by beating Lazio at the Cívitas Metropolitano (2-0). And now, they must overcome the European runners-up, Inter Milan, current leader of Serie A and with players like Lautaro Martínez, Nico Barella and Marcus Thuram as figures.

One of the attractions of the duel will be the reunion of Diego Pablo Simeone with the Italian team, in which he played as a player between 1997 and 1999, after his first stage as a red and white team. The Colchonero team will have the advantage of playing the second leg in an impregnable Metropolitano this season -20 consecutive victories in all competitions-. In the last precedent, they won (0-2) in the final of the European Super Cup in 2010.

The other 'coconut' was for Real Sociedad, the great surprise of the first phase of the continental competition by finishing first in Group D precisely against Inter, against whom they achieved a draw at the Giuseppe Meazza in their last duel (0- 0). Those from San Sebastián will have the first obstacle of the crosses in Kylian Mbappé's powerful PSG, in an a priori very unequal tie given the trajectory of the Parisians, finalists in 2019-2020.

Unprecedented duel between San Sebastián and the French, in which the pressure will only be on the bench of Luis Enrique Martínez, eternal candidate for a top European club competition who has resisted him since the arrival of Nasser Al-Khelifi to the club. Imanol Alguacil's effective and successful model will thus face its most demanding test, to confirm itself as one of the most annoying teams, while PSG will not want to fall as quickly as last year.

Although more friendly, the draw also provided a tough match for FC Barcelona, ​​which will face Napoli, the current Italian champion and with Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as great threats. The Italians finished second in the Real Madrid group, losing in both matches of that first phase against the Madridistas. While the Catalans finished first in their group, although from more to less, with the last blot in the form of a defeat against the affordable Antwerp (3-2).

Already with Xavi Hernández on the bench, Barça eliminated the Italians in the 2021-2022 Europa League playoffs, with a prestigious victory (2-4) at the Diego Armando Maradona. The two also met in the round of 16 of the pandemic Champions League, in 2020, with the Catalans winning 4-2 on aggregate. The Blaugranas will have to improve their level of play and recover the injured Ter Stegen and Lewandowski, far from their best scoring level.

Finally, the best finisher of the draw was Real Madrid, who will face German team Leipzig, a rival of medium difficulty for a ticket to the quarterfinals. Like all Spanish teams, the whites will play the second leg at home, which seems to be a factor in their favor, given their performance at the Santiago Bernabéu in Europe and with the 2022 Champions League and their comebacks in their memory.

The 14-time European champion already faced the Germans in the group stage of the last edition, winning (2-0) in Madrid and losing (3-2) in Germany. The joy and offensive proposal are Leipzig's greatest dangers, against the history and power of a Real Madrid with plenty of victories in the group stage, in addition to a brilliant Jude Bellingham -4 goals in 6 games-.

Still with two months ahead, what worries the merengue team the most are the injuries, after Alaba's cruciate fracture - third in four months after those of Courtois and Militao - who will miss the rest of the season.

The round of 16 matches of the top continental competition at club level will be played over four weeks; The first leg matches will be held on February 13, 14, 20 and 21, while the return matches will take place on March 5, 6, 12 and 13.

All Champions League Round of 16 matches: