Champions League draw: Lionel Messi v Cristiano Ronaldo to meet for the Final Showdown

Champions League draw: Lionel Messi v Cristiano Ronaldo to meet for the Final Showdown

Champions League draw: Lionel Messi v Cristiano Ronaldo to meet for the Final Showdown

Lionel Messi of PSG and Cristiano Ronaldo of Man U to face each other, after the result for the Champions League round 16 draw was revealed.

Fans of both football Legends are in anticipation to see the outcome of the knockout stage.

Manchester United have been drawn to face Ligue 1 leaders Paris St-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League.  Messi moved to PSG this season while Ronaldo moved back to his former club to help reshape the club and possibly retire from there, though, it’s not confirmed.

According to BBC, The first legs will be spread out on 15, 16, 22 and 23 February, with the second legs on 8, 9, 15 and 16 March.

A major change from this season sees the away goals rule removed, so ties level after 180 minutes will go to extra time.

If the teams still cannot be separated after the additional 30 minutes, then it goes to a penalty shootout.

This season’s final takes place in St Petersburg, Russia, on 28 May.

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Below is the rest of the draw;

2021 champions league round 16 draw
Photo credit: skysports

Also, check out Phil McNulty, chief football writer’s article on BBC below;

Manchester United, of all the Premier League clubs, arguably drew the short straw from a chaotic Champions League last-16 draw when they were paired with Paris St-Germain to set up another meeting between the two greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo, who has won the competition five times with United and Real Madrid, has inspired progress into the last 16 while Ballon d’Or winner Messi’s primary mission after signing for PSG from Barcelona is to help them land the Champions League for the first time, having claimed it four times at the Nou Camp.

In a game not short on narratives, PSG will be led by the manager many believe may well be at Old Trafford next season, Mauricio Pochettino.

It is a tough draw for United’s interim boss Ralf Rangnick but not without hope as PSG looked a fractured, inconsistent side when winning and then losing against Manchester City in the group phase – although aside from Messi he must also work out a way to combat Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, if the Brazilian is fit.

It will also revive memories of United’s remarkable 3-1 win in Paris in March 2019 that saw them overhaul a 2-0 first-leg deficit to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

For the other Premier League clubs, there will be a sense of cautious optimism as life could have been much harder, with Chelsea facing French champions Lille while Liverpool are paired with heavy underdogs Red Bull Salzburg.

Manchester City will also be quietly confident of progress against Villarreal but manager Pep Guardiola will be wary of last season’s Europa League winners as they are led by former Arsenal boss Unai Emery, who has a knack of producing big results in European competitions.

Source: bbc

 

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UPDATE!!!

Due to some technical issues, the initial UEFA Champions League round 16 draw as stated above, has been canceled and redrawn.

UEFA Champions League round 16 redraw
Check Here for the updated and very accurate result.