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regular-article-logo Saturday, 23 November 2024

Manchester City get Copenhagen, Barcelona to face Napoli in Champions League last 16

Copenhagen, who twice met City’s rivals Manchester United in the group stage of the competition, will travel to Manchester again to face Pep Guardiola’s side

Reuters Nyon (Switzerland) Published 19.12.23, 07:39 AM
Representational image.

Representational image. File picture

Holders Manchester City will take on FC Copenhagen in the last-16 of the Champions League, while Spanish heavyweights Barcelona will face Napoli as Monday's draw in Nyon threw up few standout encounters.

Copenhagen, who twice met City's rivals Manchester United in the group stage of the competition, will travel to Manchester again to face Pep Guardiola's side.

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The Danish team will have their work cut out against the champions, who won all six of their group-stage matches and are on an unbeaten run of 20 games in European football.

"In the group phase they played against Bayern Munich, Galatasaray and Manchester United and they went through. They were the second-best team in the group so it means a lot," said City's director of football Txiki Begiristain.

"They have been better than Manchester United and Galatasaray, two clubs with a much more experience in the Champions League than them. So we have to be careful."

One of either the Serie A or La Liga champions Napoli and Barcelona will not proceed after being pitted against each other.

The two teams last faced each other in the Europa League knockout stage in 2022, with Barcelona winning 5-3 on aggregate.

"There is still time to go but they are league champions, like we are, and I believe we will see two tough games," Barcelona's sporting director Deco said.

Another clash between Italian and Spanish sides will see last year's finalists Inter Milan take on three-time runners-up Atletico Madrid.

"Atletico have played two finals in the last 10 years and have a great history in this competition, our club is no different and we want to try to dream again to give our fans further joy," Inter coach Simone Inzaghi said.

Record 14-time winners Real Madrid will take on German side RB Leipzig, while English Premier League leaders Arsenal have a tricky assignment against Porto.

Arsenal have won all three of their previous Champions League home matches against Porto by an aggregate score of 11-0, but have not beaten the two-times champions away.

Harry Kane-led Bayern Munich face Italy's Lazio, while Borussia Dortmund will be reunited with former manager Peter Bosz when they take on Dutch leaders PSV Eindhoven.

"PSV Eindhoven is an attractive and challenging draw. At the moment Eindhoven is the measure of all things in the Netherlands," said Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl.

French champions Paris St Germain, who scraped through a difficult group stage, come up against Spain's Real Sociedad as they continue their hunt for a first-ever European Cup.

Alaba injury sours mood

Madrid: Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric demonstrated his enduring value with a goal and a brilliant assist in a 4-1 home win over Villarreal on Sunday to put his side top of La Liga but they lost defender David Alaba to an ACL injury in the first half.

Real’s Austria international went off after 35 minutes as he became the third Real player sidelined with a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury this season after centre-back Eder Militao and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Following a 1-1 draw at Real Betis last weekend, Real returned to winning ways and lead the standings on 42 points.

Modric helped Real open the scoring through Jude Bellingham in the 25th minute as his cross from the edge of the area found La Liga’s top scorer who headed past goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen. Rodrygo extended Real’s lead with a close-range strike from a Modric corner in the 37th. Jose Morales pulled a goal back for the visitors after 54 minutes.

However, Brahim Diaz scored Real’s third in the 64th and Modric got on the scoresheet four minutes later, striking a loose ball inside the box.

Reuters

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