Chelsea sweat it out ahead of draw
Switzerland Dec 13 2021
The reigning Champions League Cup holders Chelsea are the only one among the four English Premier League sides in the competition who will be in pot two when the draw for the round of 16 is made tonight.
The Blues shot themselves in the foot by failing to top their group after conceding a late equaliser during the 3-3 draw with Zenit St. Petersburg in their final group match last week.
The unexpected two dropped points allowed Juventus to pip Chelsea to the top spot in the group.
As the runners-up, the London-based club will now have to face one of the group champions in the next round.
As teams are not allowed to face opposition from the same country or those they played against during the group stage, Chelsea will not be drawn against the Manchester clubs, Liverpool or Juventus.
This leaves them with just four potential opponents – Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Ajax Amsterdam or Lille.
To be drawn against the current leaders of the German or Spanish leagues will be disastrous for Thomas Tuchel’s side. Even being pitted against an on-form Ajax side, who finished their group campaign with a 100% win record, is a tough challenge.
The best Chelsea can hope for is to take on the reigning France champions Lille, whose squad are not as solid as their Ligue 1 title-winning side which shamed Paris Saint Germain last season.
And speaking of PSG, the French giants are the strongest team in pot two, after finishing behind Manchester City in Group A.
The team featuring Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Gianluigi Donnarumma and a host of other stars will be the team to avoid by the group champions.
PSG cannot be drawn against City or Lille, but could face the likes of United, Liverpool, Bayern, Real or Juventus in a mouthwatering last 16 clash.
Besides PSG,
the other strong contenders in pot two who are able to give the group champions
a tough time are the reigning Spain and Italy domestic title holders.
Atletico Madrid, who have blown hot and cold this season, and Inter Milan, who are able to take on any team on their day, will provide the highlights alongside PSG when the draw is made.
The biggest absentees in the last 16 cast are Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund.
Barca’s fall from grace continues when they were dumped out at the group stage for the first time in 21 years.
It is no coincidence that the Catalans have not missed a single Champions League knockout stage when Messi was playing for them over the last 20 years, but sank the moment their talisman left.
Barcelona lost out on a last 16 place after finishing third behind the impregnable Bayern and Benfica, scoring a dismal two goals in six matches. In contrast, their former darling Messi has fired in five goals in Europe for his new club PSG.
Dortmund, last year’s semi-finalists, crashed out of the group stage after going through a slump when their young hotshot striker Erling Haaland got injured.
Although the Norwegian returned to bang in the goals during their final group game, it was too late to save the German club.
The round of 16 will be played on a home and away basis, with the away goals rule being scrapped from this season.
Pot One: Ajax Amsterdam, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Lille, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Juventus.
Pot Two: Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Paris Saint Germain, Salzburg, Sporting Lisbon, Villarreal.
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