The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League ushered in a new era of competition with significant format changes.

We already got to see some of the curveballs the new league stage brought with the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester City needing to scrape their way into the preliminary knockout round.

The knockout phase play-offs, which take place on February 11-12 and 18-19, are a critical juncture for teams like Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich.

The play-offs have already seen some intriguing matchups, such as Real Madrid 3 – 2 Manchester City and Bayern Munich 2 -1 Celtic so far with the second legs still to come.

When is the Champions League last 16 draw and when are the fixtures?	Premier League top five decided as Man City, Newcastle and more battle for Champions League	Liverpool vs Wolves - Premier League: Live score, news and updates as Reds draw first blood through Luis Diaz after he bundles the ball into Jose Sa's net

But with the returns legs now to be played this week, when is the Champions League round of 16 draw?

When is the Champions League round of 16 draw?

As the play-offs conclude, attention turns to the Round of 16 draw.

It is scheduled to take place on Friday, February 21, at 11:00 AM UK time, at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.

The draw will be streamed live on the UEFA website, allowing fans worldwide to witness the moment when the paths of Europe’s top clubs are decided.

The Round of 16 draw will bring together the top eight teams from the league phase with the winners of the play-off ties.

Without country protection, the draw could potentially pair teams from the same nation, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the competition.

Seeding System Explained

Top Seeds: Teams like Liverpool and Barcelona, who finished first and second in the league phase, are seeded to avoid each other until the final.

This means they will not meet until the championship match if both teams advance that far.

Credits: UEFA

Second Tier Seeds: Teams like Arsenal and Internazionale, who finished third and fourth, are also seeded to avoid the top two seeds until the semi-finals.

This setup ensures that the competition remains exciting and unpredictable, with potential blockbuster matches saved for the later rounds.

Once the Round of 16 draw is completed, the entire knockout bracket is set through to the final.

The winners of each match will progress to the next round based on the predetermined bracket

Due to this structure, Liverpool are aware they will face one of PSG, Benfica, AS Monaco or Brest in the round of 16.

The Round of 16 matches is scheduled to take place on March 4-5 for the first legs and March 11-12 for the second legs.

The Reds will play their second leg at home.

Want to get the latest Liverpool news direct to your phone?
For more news relating to Arsenal, visit our sister site AFC Latest Live.