Manchester United will now face Diego Simeone’s men, Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, while Paris Saint-Germain will lock horns with Real Madrid.
The draw for the last 16 of the Champions League had to be “entirely redone” after an embarrassing technical error left clubs angry, European football’s governing body UEFA said on Monday.
“Following a technical problem with the software of an external service provider that instructs the officials as to which teams are eligible to play each other, a material error occurred in the draw for the UEFA Champions League round of 16,” a chastened UEFA announced.
The re-draw took place three hours later, and Liverpool now face Serie A champions Inter Milan, Chelsea drew Ligue 1 winners Lille – having done so in the first draw as well – while Manchester City will take on Sporting Lisbon.
Real Madrid will feel the most unfairly treated by the “technical error” as they were drawn against Portuguese Benfica in the morning but are now set to face a strengthened Messi’s PSG instead.
See below the revised last 18 draw
Last 16 match-ups in the UEFA Champions League following Monday’s revised draw:
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
First legs to be played on February 15-16 and February 22-23 and the second legs on March 8-9 and March 15-16.