We know who each UEFA Champions League knockout round contestant can draw in the Round of 16, but some would be juicier than others.
From an American angle, we’ve been deprived of a Christian Pulisic and Borussia Dortmund reunion for now, though we could see a CONCACAF young star duel if Pulisic’s Chelsea draws Alphonso Davies’ Bayern Munich.
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But let’s be honest: That’s simply a subplot for our North American audience. The big intrigue lies elsewhere.
Alas, most of Jose Mourinho’s old employers Chelsea and Real Madrid are unseeded like current club Spurs. Barcelona cannot draw Man City, another beauty.
5. Tottenham Hotspur v. Barcelona -- Jose Mourinho and Barcelona have a history, while Spurs are winless in four outings against La Liga’s storied club.
4. Juventus v. Real Madrid -- Wouldn’t it be something if Cristiano Ronaldo and his longtime buddies met up in the Round of 16.
3. Manchester City v. Real Madrid -- Guardiola v. Zidane, with a heaping helping of Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne. Pep might not be able to draw Bayern Munich nor Barcelona, but he sure wouldn’t mind tangling with a side who was involved in a number of incredible Clasicos as a player and manager.
2. Liverpool v. Borussia Dortmund -- We got Jurgen Klopp against his old Der Klassiker rivals Bayern Munich last season, and it’s only natural that the Reds could match up against Klopp’s former club and maybe future star in Jadon Sancho. The two sides met in the 2015/16 Europa League quarterfinals, but this stage -- with Klopp as a UCL reigning champ -- would be extra delightful.
1. Juventus v. Chelsea -- Maurizio Sarri went to Chelsea for one season, won the Europa League over a crosstown rival and came within penalty kicks of upending Man City for the League Cup. The Blues are doing well under Frank Lampard, but an “our guy versus the guy we didn’t like” would be a cigarette-chewing wonder, wouldn’t it?