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The play-off matches in the Champions League have been played, now all eyes in European football are on the final draw of this season. Thanks to a strong second-place finish in the league phase, FC Bayern qualified directly for the round of 16. On Friday (from 12:00 CET) in Nyon, Switzerland, Vincent Kompany’s side will discover not only their opponents in the last 16 but also what their possible route to the final in Budapest on 30 May will look like.
Bayern’s potential last-16 opponents
Will they be going to Italy or to the west of Germany? Either Atalanta or Bayer 04 Leverkusen await FC Bayern in the round of 16. The first leg on 10/11 March will be away from home, with the return leg taking place on 17/18 March at Munich’s Allianz Arena.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
History could repeat itself as FCB met Leverkusen in the round of 16 last season – the only encounter between the two Bundesliga rivals in European competition to date. Although Leverkusen were the seeded team then, Bayern asserted themselves and eased through with a 3-0 win at home and 2-0 victory at the BayArena. This year it was Leverkusen who had to go through the play-offs, where they beat Olympiacos 2-0 on aggregate.
Atalanta
The team who are currently seventh in Serie A have already pulled off one minor upset; now Atalanta could also take on Bayern. Despite a 2-0 deficit from the first leg, the Bergamo outfit edged past Borussia Dortmund with a last-gasp 4-1 win in the second leg and could now meet the German record champions competitively for the first time.
How the rest of the tournament works
At Friday’s draw, the potential match-ups in the quarter- and semi-finals will also be determined, which are based on the Champions League bracket. To this end, FC Bayern, who finished second in the league phase, were paired with the first-placed team, Arsenal. A draw will first be made to decide which of the two teams are placed on the left and which on the right side of the bracket. This means the two sides cannot meet again until the final. If Bayern are allocated the left side, they will meet Atalanta in the last 16, otherwise it will be Leverkusen. This arrangement was already determined in the draw for the play-offs.
The same procedure will also be applied for the teams who finished the league phase in positions three and four, five and six as well as seven and eight. Each team therefore have a certain path ahead of them for the rest of the tournament and can only face opponents on the same path. As a reward for their outstanding place in the league phase, Bayern will always have home advantage in the second leg.
The remaining round dates
- Quarter-finals: 7/8 and 14/15. April
- Semi-finals: 28/29 April and 5/6 May
- Final: 30 May 2026 (Budapest)
FC Bayern must already travel to Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the DFB Cup semi-finals:
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