Bundesliga

2018-12-17T11:30:00Z

Bundesliga trio draw Premier League opposition in Champions League

Liverpool's Jürgen Klopp is set to renew acquaintances with old rivals Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool's Jürgen Klopp is set to renew acquaintances with old rivals Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League.

Bayern Munich will face Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League last 16. Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund take on English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, while Schalke have been paired against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

The first legs will take place on 12-13 and 19-20 February, with the return legs on 5-6 and 12-13 March.

As winners of Group E and A respectively, Bayern and Dortmund were both seeded for the draw. The duo will play their first legs away.

Schalke were unseeded, having finished second in Group D behind Porto. Domenico Tedesco's men play at home first.

The Klopp factor

Klopp is a familiar face to Bundesliga fans, having guided Dortmund to back-to-back Bundesliga title wins in 2011 and 2012. He also reached his first Champions League final whilst in charge of the club, losing 2-1 to Bayern at Wembley Stadium in 2013.

The 51-year-old, who spent seven years at Dortmund and also coached Mainz, has faced Bayern more than any other team in his coaching career, winning nine, drawing four an losing 16 of 29 competitive encounters.

Last season, he took current Premier League leaders Liverpool to the Champions League final, where they lost 3-1 to record winners Real Madrid.

Bayern Munich were one of three teams, along with Barcelona and Porto, to go the entire group stage unbeaten.

"They're the Premier League leaders," said Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic after the draw. "They play good football, they're very physical and they're full of energy. You need two good days. They're a top side, it's a tough one but these are the challenges that you look forward to as a player and that you have to overcome in your career."

Dortmund vs. Spurs III

Dortmund's reward for topping Group A ahead of Atletico Madrid is a two-legged tie with Tottenham.

The Bundesliga pacesetters have lost only once in all competitions this season - in Madrid - while Spurs currently sit third in the Premier League. The London outfit qualified for the last 16 behind Group B winners Barcelona, but only after bettering Inter Milan's result on the final match day.

The clubs have met twice before in UEFA competition, with Dortmund 5-1 aggregate winners in the 2016 Europa League round of 16, and Spurs winning both group games in the Champions League the following season.

Borussia Dortmund sailed through Group A, beating Atletico Madrid 4-0 along the way.

"There's no easy opposition in the last 16," said Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke. "We've got a 50-50 chance. We're on the same level. We want to progress!"

Guardiola and Sane back in Gelsenkirchen

Defending Premier League champions Man City - currently second domestically - stand in the way of Schalke and a first quarter-final appearance since 2011/12.

Both teams lost only once in the groups, although City advanced as group winners ahead of Lyon, Shakhtar Donetsk and Bundesliga side Hoffenheim.

City coach Guardiola met Schalke six times during his three-year tenure as Bayern boss, winning four and drawing two.

The game will also see former Schalke academy product Leroy Sane return to his boyhood club for the first time since moving to Manchester in summer 2016.

Leroy Sane scored 13 goals in 57 competitive appearances for Schalke.

"I'm happy that we drew Man City," said defender Matija Nastasic, who spent three years at City before joining Schalke in 2015. "They will definitely be two special games for me, as I will see a few old faces. We know we'll be playing a very tough opponent, but we will give our best and embrace the challenge!"

Last 16 draw in full

Schalke vs. Manchester City
Atletico Madrid vs. Juventus
Manchester United vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Borussia Dortmund
Olympique Lyon vs. Barcelona
Roma vs. Porto
Ajax vs. Real Madrid
Liverpool vs. Bayern Munich

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