Champions League round of 16: Arsenal, Real Madrid, PSG and Sporting face crucial first-leg clashes
Four major UEFA Champions League ties take center stage as Arsenal travel to Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid host Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain face Chelsea and Bodø/Glimt meet Sporting CP in the round of 16.
By Aurax Desk | March 11, 2026
The knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League continues with four highly anticipated round-of-16 matchups featuring some of Europe’s biggest clubs and rising challengers.
Matches see **Bayer Leverkusen hosting Arsenal, Real Madrid taking on Manchester City, Paris Saint‑Germain meeting Chelsea, and Bodø/Glimt facing Sporting CP. The ties mark the first leg of the last-16 phase as teams battle for a place in the quarter-finals.
Real Madrid vs Manchester City
One of the biggest clashes of the round takes place in Madrid as European heavyweights Real Madrid face Manchester City.
The two clubs have developed a fierce rivalry in recent years and have met repeatedly in the knockout stages of the Champions League. The upcoming tie continues a run of encounters between the Spanish and English giants that has defined the competition in recent seasons.
With world-class talent on both sides, the match is expected to be one of the most closely watched fixtures of the round.
Aspmyra Stadion
Bodø/Glimt vs Sporting CP
Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt continue their impressive European run with a matchup against Portuguese giants Sporting CP.
The Norwegian side have emerged as one of the competition’s surprise packages after defeating several strong opponents on their way to the knockout rounds.
Sporting, meanwhile, will rely on their experience in European competitions as they aim to avoid an upset and advance to the quarter-final stage.
Race for the quarter-finals
All four ties will be decided over two legs, with the return matches scheduled the following week. The winners will progress to the quarter-finals as the race for the Champions League title intensifies.
The tournament will culminate with the final set to take place in Budapest in May, where Europe’s top club will be crowned.
Sourcres: UEFA, Reuters
Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal
Premier League leaders Arsenal travel to Germany to face Bayer Leverkusen in what could be a difficult away test.
Arsenal were one of the most dominant teams in the competition’s league phase, winning all eight matches to advance comfortably to the knockout rounds. Their strong domestic form has also placed them among the tournament favorites.
Leverkusen, however, arrive with confidence after navigating a playoff round to reach the last 16. The German side will look to use home advantage at the BayArena to take a lead before the second leg in London.
Parc des Princes stadium
Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea
Paris Saint-Germain host Chelsea in another marquee showdown between two of Europe’s elite teams.
The matchup carries extra intrigue following recent encounters between the clubs, including a tense meeting in last year’s Club World Cup final. Both sides enter the tie aiming to reassert themselves as contenders for the European title.
PSG, the defending Champions League winners, will attempt to take control of the tie at home, while Chelsea hope to secure a result to bring back to London for the return leg.
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