(Getty)
Wednesday marks the last day of the Champions League knockout stage, narrowing the field to the final 16 teams. There are some surprises for the quarterfinals, as two teams will be making their first-ever appearance at this stage of the competition.
Manchester City and German club Wolfsburg have reached their farthest point, but they will be surrounded by Champions League veterans. In previous rounds, the rules stipulate that teams from the same country cannot be drawn together. That doesn’t apply for the quarterfinals, so Atletico and Real Madrid are just one of the possible derby matches that could be drawn later this week.
Barcelona remain the odds favorite to hoist the trophy at San Siro in May, according to odds by Bovada. Even before they take on Arsenal, the Catalans are priced at +150 to become champions of Europe. The next closest odds belong to Bayern Munich at +330, with Real Madrid still a viable option at +550.
Here is all you need to know about the next round of Champions League:
Champions League Draw Information
Date: Friday, March 18th
Time: 7:00 a.m. Eastern
Where: Nyon, Switzerland
Stream: Live stream available on UEFA.com
Qualified Teams: Benfica, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid, Bayern/Juventus, Barcelona/Arsenal
Quarterfinal Match Dates: April 5/6 and 12/13
Champions League Round of 16: Draw & Schedule