Assessing who the Premier League's 'big four' can get in the last-16 of the Champions League
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp waves to the fans after the UEFA Champions League, Group B match at the San Siro, Milan. Photo credit: Fabrizio Carabelli/PA Wire.
They will be the teams the rest of European football will want to avoid when the draw for the last-16 of the competition takes place next Monday and now England's 'big four' have a better idea of who may lie in wait.
Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United wrapped up top spot in their groups, which will give them home advantage for the second leg of their knock-out clashes in ties that will be played in February and March.
Now the four sides who are among the six fancied teams for the Champions League can reflect on what comes next, with the three group winners eyeing up enticing clashes in the next round.
The postponement of the Atalanta vs Villarreal game due to snow in Italy on Wednesday means one place still needs to be filled in the Champions League draw, but the picture has been crystalised after the final round of group games across Europe.
The English teams will not be drawn against each other until the quarter-finals at the earliest, so it means Liverpool will get one of the following sides:
Paris Saint-Germain
Sporting Lisbon
Inter Milan
Benfica
Red Bull Salzburg
Villarreal/Atalanta
Champions League favourites Manchester City could get one of these teams:
Atletico Madrid
Sporting Lisbon
Inter Milan
Benfica
Red Bull Salzburg
Villarreal/Atalanta
Meanwhile, Ralf Rangnick's Manchester United will face one of these opponents:
Paris Saint-Germain
Atletico Madrid
Sporting Lisbon
Inter Milan
Benfica
Red Bull Salzburg
Chelsea's fate as group runners-up will be helped by the fact they will not face English opposition, so they can only be drawn against one of these sides:
Real Madrid
Ajax
Atletico Madrid
Bayern Munich
Lille
Achange to the format of the knock-out phase this season has seen the away goals rule been removed, so ties level after 180 minutes will go to extra time. If the teams still cannot be separated after the additional 30 minutes then it goes to a penalty shoot-out.
The revised odds from Paddy Power for the Champions League have Manchester City as 3/1 favourites, Bayern Munich at 7/2, Liverpool at 5/1, Paris Saint-Germain at 13/2, defending champions Chelsea at 9/1 and Manchester United at 14/1.
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