- A computer has revealed the draw probabilities for the Champions League
- The qualifiers for the knockout stages were confirmed on Wednesday night
- On a packed train, how DO you ask a celebrity to move from a seat you have reserved? It’s All Kicking Off
A computer has revealed the draw probabilities for the Champions League last 16, with Arsenal and Manchester City potentially up against some tough opponents in the first round of the knockouts.
There was plenty of drama on Wednesday evening, as the final round of group games took place.
The main action came from Group F, where both Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain toiled to qualify for the knockouts.
After taking the lead in their match against AC Milan, Newcastle would ultimately suffer an agonising defeat at St James’ Park, with PSG drawing 1-1 with Borussia Dortmund at the Signal Iduna Park, to book their place in the knockouts ahead of Eddie Howe’s side.
But the Parisians will now likely come up against some tough opposition in the round of 16, having finished second in the group behind Dortmund.
In fact, they are being backed to come up against Man City, with Pep Guardiola’s side, who defeated Red Star Belgrade earlier this evening, reportedly having a 14.75 per cent chance of drawing the Ligue 1 champions, according to the computer created by Reddit user emi_nga.
City also have a 14.75 per cent probability of drawing FC Copenhagen, who advanced out of Group A along with Bayern Munich, while Manchester United and Galatasaray both failing to qualify.
Arsenal, interestingly, who booked their place in the knockouts following their 6-0 win against Lens last week, are most likely to play Leipzig, with the Computer giving them a 20 per cent probability of playing the Bundesliga side.
The Gunners also have a 13.59 per cent chance of drawing PSG and FC Copenhagen according to the computer.
Elsewhere, Serie A leaders, Inter Milan reportedly have a high chance of drawing seeded sides Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, while Real Madrid and Barcelona are both being heavily backed to draw Leipzig.
The next round of the tournament is set to take place on February 13, 2024, with the draw for the round of 16 set to take place on Monday, December 18.
The draw will work with the winners of each group being put into a seeded pot. The runners-up in each group will go into a second unseeded pot.
They will be drawn against each other with seeded sides playing the first leg of each tie away, before returning home for the second match of the tie.
Share or comment on this article: Champions League last-16 draw probabilities: Computer reveals Man City are most likely to play against current league leader, while Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal could have a tough away trip to Germany
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
