Early Thursday morning, UEFA drew the matchups for the round of 16 at the Champions League. The drawing resulted in a few highly anticipated tilts and some major headlines.
Real Madrid vs. Manchester United
Madrid has had a disastrous season thus far and their saving grace would be a major run in the UCL. Coach Jose Mourinho is being rumored to head to Man U once his tenure ends with Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo will be facing off against the team that made him a legend. Madrid got through the Group stage with some difficulty, but poses a major threat with a dominant midfield. Their one major task will be to hold Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie at bay as the dynamic duo has made Man U's offense potent and unbeatable. The English side cruised through the first four matches in the group stage before fielding mediocre sides in their final two games. This is the match that will make TV ratings soar.
Match Days: Feb. 13 At Madrid, March 5 At Manchester United.
FC Barcelona vs AC Milan
Both sides have a history of winning this competition recently, but Milan got the worse of this draw. The team has been dreadful this season in the Italian League and Barcelona has been virtually unbeatable. They did lose to Celtic in the group stage, but Lionel Messi looks like an unstoppable force that should make this an easy matchup for Barça.
Match Days:Feb. 20 at Milan, March 12 at Barcelona
Bayern Munich vs. Arsenal
Arsenal will play a heavy defensive style but they drew a tough team in the next round. Bayern is a heavy favorite to win the entire tournament after being the runner-up last season and they have the offensive weapons to take down Arsenal's leaky defense.
Match Days:Feb.19 At Arsenal, March 13 At Munich
Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Borussia Dortmund
A series that could go under the radar, but both sides are potential champions. Donetsk managed rather well in a group that contained defending champion Chelsea and Juventus and wound up ousting the champions. However, Dortmund's group round was even more impressive as the German side ran through Real Madrid, Ajax Amsterdam, and Manchester City without recording a single loss.
Match Days: Feb. 13 at Shakhtar Donetsk, March 5 at Dortmund
Valencia vs. Paris St. Germain
PSG has done a considerable amount to prove their worth as the French side scored the most points of any remaining side in the group stage. As a reward they drew a struggling Valencia side that has been dismal in the Spanish League.
Match Days: Feb. 12 at Valencia, March 6 at Paris
Malaga vs. FC Porto
The big matchup here will be Isco vs. Jame Rodriguez. The two youngster have the potential to be major superstars in coming years and this matchup could be their moment to shine. Malaga had a successful run in the group stage with the likes of Zenit St. Petersburg and AC Milan failing to provide much competition for the Spanish side. FC Porto was one of the top teams in the tournament until they slowed down in their final two matches and lost the group the PSG. The squad has solid defense and a potent offense that could make life hard for the Spanish side.
Match Days: Feb. 19 at Porto, March 13 at Malaga
Celtic vs. Juventus
A large contingent will root for the underdog Celtic side which was able to take down Barcelona in the group stage, but they will take on a formidable Juventus side that has not lost in the Champions League since 2006. Juventus did not lose a single match in the group stage but did struggle to score at times.
Match Days: Feb. 12 at Celtic, March 6 at Juventus
Galatasaray vs. Schalke 04
This is the lowest profile matchup of the knockout stage. The Turkish side barely got out of the group stage, while the German side was formidable in the group stage. Strikers Burak Yilmaz and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar will have a spotlight on them in this match of two sides that few think will make deep tournament runs.
Match Days: Feb. 20 at Galatasaray, March 12 at Schalke 04
The draw for the quarter-finals will be held on 15 March 2013. The first legs will be played on 2 and 3 April, and the second legs will be played on 9 and 10 April 2013.
The first legs will be played on 23 and 24 April, and the second legs will be played on 30 April and 1 May 2013. The final will take place on May 25, 2013 at the Wembley Stadium in London, England.
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