Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa's Champions League final paths revealed as likely knockout opponents confirmed
Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa's most likely path to the Champions League final has now been revealed following the conclusion of the round of 16 draw.
Liverpool topped the new-look group stage format, which features 32 teams, having collected 21 points from their eight matches.
Arsenal finished in third, with Aston Villa in eighth after their final-day 4-2 victory over Celtic at Villa Park.
That meant all three teams qualified automatically for the last 16 draw as seeds, meaning they will play the second leg of their ties at home.
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It also meant none of them had to take on a two-legged play-off, which teams who finished in ninth to 24th place in the group stage had to contest.
Those fixtures concluded on Wednesday, with the last 16 draw taking place at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday.
Liverpool have been handed one of the toughest draws out of the seeded teams, as they will face French giants Paris Saint-Germain.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, will take on Club Brugge of Belgium, while Arsenal have been drawn against reigning Dutch champions PSV.
But the paths to the final for each club have now also been made clearer.
Liverpool's path to the Champions League final
Liverpool will take on the winner of the second last 16 clash between Club Brugge and Villa if they can defeat PSG.
That could bring up the possibility of returning to Villa Park just weeks after the Reds drew 2-2 in the Midlands on Wednesday evening.
Arne Slot's side could then take on another English side in Arsenal in the semi-final, though Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and PSV are the other options.
On the other side of the bracket for a potential final include Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and Inter Milan.
Arsenal's path to the Champions League final
If they can get past PSV over two legs, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal will face the daunting prospect of taking on either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
They could then face any of PSG, Club Brugge or fellow English clubs Liverpool or Aston Villa in the semi-final of the competition.
Arsenal are on the same side of the bracket as Liverpool so have the same list of potential Champions League final opponents, including Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and Inter Milan.
Aston Villa's path to the Champions League final
Unai Emery's Aston Villa side will take on either PSG or Liverpool in a daunting Champions League quarter-final if they can defeat Club Brugge in the last 16.
Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, PSV or Arsenal are then their potential opponents in the semi-final if they can make it that far, with the same list of possible final opponents as Liverpool and Arsenal above.
Champions League round of 16 draw in full
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Liverpool
- Club Brugge vs Aston Villa
- Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid
- PSV vs Arsenal
- Benfica vs Barcelona
- Borussia Dortmund vs Lille
- Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen
- Feyenoord vs Inter Milan
Topics: Liverpool, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Champions League
Ryan Smart