Champions League knockout rounds: bracket, format, fixtures - ESPN

The draw for the round of 16 of the new-look UEFA Champions League was made on Friday, Feb. 21.

But how does it all knit together? And why were those final league phase positions so important?

Here's how it all works.

The clubs that finished in the top eight went directly through to the round of 16.

The 16 teams that finished in positions nine to 24 entered the knockout playoff round, with eight advancing to the round of 16.

Arsenal
Aston Villa
Atlético Madrid
Barcelona
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayern Munich (KO-PO)
Benfica (KO-PO)
Borussia Dortmund (KO-PO)
Club Brugge (KO-PO)
Feyenoord Rotterdam (KO-PO)
Internazionale
Lille
Liverpool
Paris Saint-Germain (KO-PO)
PSV Eindhoven (KO-PO)
Real Madrid (KO-PO)

Clubs finishing 25th to 36th had already been eliminated.

The seeded teams, on the right, will be at home in the second leg.

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool

Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa

Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid

PSV Eindhoven vs. Arsenal

Benfica vs. Barcelona

Borussia Dortmund vs. Lille

Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen

Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan

First legs: March 4-5
Second legs: March 11-12

Each club plays once on a Tuesday and once on a Wednesday.

As of this season, there is no draw to create the quarterfinal and semifinal fixtures. It's all been set by the final league positions (see more below), plus the limited draws to place teams into the bracket.

It means every team now knows their possibility opponents — and who they can't come up against — right through to the final.

The top half of the knockout playoff round bracket looks stronger, with Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, PSG and Real Madrid in it.

Arsenal would play the winners of the Madrid derby in the quarterfinals,

The bottom half, on paper, appears much weaker with