European Draws: PSG-Liverpool and more
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It was a busy afternoon at UEFA headquarters as the draw for each of the three competitions -- the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League were made. After the play-off round, Ligue 1 McDonald's have three sides remaining -- LOSC Lille and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and Olympique Lyonnais in the Europa League. Here's our look at their opponents for the Round of 16, with the first legs of the ties set to be played March 4-6.
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool
The capital side's reward for a scintillating end to the league phase and subsequent comprehensive win over Stade Brestois in the play-off round is a matchup against a team many would have as Europe's best. Liverpool started the season with a new manager in Arne Slot, but they've scarcely missed a beat as they sit eight points clear atop the Premier League, with Mo Salah the competition's leading scorer. In the Champions League, they won seven of their eight league phase matches to top the competition, and will be a tough opponent for Luis Enrique and his charges. The two sides have met twice before, in the 2018/19 Group Stage, with each team winning at home.
Paris Saint-Germain will face Liverpool in the @ChampionsLeague Round of 16! 📋🏆
First leg - March 4 or 5, at the Parc des Princes.
Return match - March 11 or 12, at Anfield.
pic.twitter.com/FEP43JXKBz— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) February 21, 2025
LOSC Lille vs. Borussia Dortmund
The other side remaining in Europe's marquee competition is LOSC Lille, who were able to rest through the play-off round by virtue of their top-eight finish. Their reward is a Dortmund side who will be familiar foes to fans of Ligue 1 McDonald's having knocked PSG out of the competition last season. Much has changed since then for the German side, though, with Niko Kovac, late of AS Monaco, having replaced Nuri Sahin on the bench and the team struggling in midtable in the Bundesliga. In Europe, though, they have been more dangerous, narrowly missing a top-eight finish themselves, and scoring 22 goals in the league phase. After beating Sporting Club de Portugal in the play-off round, they'll renew their hostilities with Lille, whom they previously faced in the UEFA Cup in the 2001/2 season.
Olympique Lyonnais-Club FCSB
European champions in 1986, when they were known as Steaua București, the Romanian side are currently top of their league, but have few familiar faces. The squad, led by Cyrpiot manager Elias Charalambous, is composed largely of domestic players. Having lost skillful winger Florian Coman in the summer has hardly dimmed their style, though. Unbeaten in league play since August, in Europe they started in the Champions League play-off rounds, before dropping into the league phase. While they lost to Rangers and Manchester United, they still managed to finish 12th, before handily beating Greek side PAOK to reach the Round of 16.
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