Football enthusiasts gear up for a thrilling Champions League adventure, as FC Bayern and RB Leipzig prepare to take on Lazio Roma and Real Madrid, respectively. Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund face a spicy encounter with Peter Bosz and PSV Eindhoven.
Unfortunately, RB Leipzig drew the short straw in the Champions League last 16 draw, landing the unenviable task of facing record winners Real Madrid. On the other hand, SC Freiburg will face French club RC Lens in the Europa League intermediate round.
Captain Manuel Neuer and Thomas Müller remain confident in FC Bayern's ability to overcome Lazio Roma, despite their past victories taking place in an empty stadium due to coronavirus. Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund have not faced PSV Eindhoven in over 20 years, adding a layer of intrigue to this Champions League encounter.
SSC Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain with superstar Kylian Mbappé were potential opponents for FC Bayern, but they were thankfully spared this challenge in the Champions League draw. Peter Bosz, the former Borussia Dortmund coach, will face his former team in the Europa League, causing excitement and anticipation among fans.
RB Leipzig's memories of Real Madrid are much fresher, having lost 2-0 in Madrid in the group stage last season before securing a comeback win in Germany. The Saxons face tough competition from Real Madrid's impressive squad and star players Toni Kroos and Antonio Rüdiger, but they are eager to put up a fight.
The first legs of the first knockout round will be played between February 13 and 21. After finishing second in the group stage, Leipzig will have the right to play at home, while Bayern and BVB will first play away. The second legs will be played between March 5 and 13.
This season marks the last time the Champions League will be played in this format, as a new league-based format is set to take its place starting next season. The new format will include 36 clubs in the preliminary round, all of which will be in the same table, with two additional group games for each participant and an additional knockout round for some clubs.
While FC Bayern and RB Leipzig express optimism for their chances, Bayer Leverkusen and Lille await them in the round of 16. Borussia Dortmund also have their work cut out for them against Lille, as they look to build on their success from last year's Champions League final. RB Leipzig faces a challenging squad restructure as they look to improve their performance in the upcoming seasons.
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- The all-German matchup between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League round of 16 will be an exciting affair, with Bayern aiming to secure their first Champions League title since 2020.
- Borussia Dortmund, last year's Champions League finalists, will face Ligue 1 outfit Lille in the round of 16, presenting them with a tough challenge as they look to go one step further in this year's competition.
- RB Leipzig's squad is undergoing a restructure over the coming transfer windows, as contracts expire for players like Yussuf Poulsen, Kevin Kampl, and Peter Gulacsi, and the team seeks to address issues up front.
