Which team will Real Madrid face in the Champions League round of 16? | OneFootball

Real Madrid have already identified two potential opponents they could face in the round of 16 of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League.

After securing an impressive victory over Manchester City in the second leg of the play-offs, the Spanish giants remain firmly in the hunt for their sixteenth Champions League title.

With the draw for the next stage scheduled for Friday, Carlo Ancelotti and his team are looking ahead with optimism.

The group stage had its ups and downs, making their qualification more challenging, but their resilience against Pep Guardiola’s side has kept them in contention for European glory.

Two potential opponents

One of the teams that could stand in Real Madrid’s path is Bayer Leverkusen. The German side was one of the biggest surprises last season and has continued to impress this year.

Under Xabi Alonso, they have emerged as a strong force in German football, closely following Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.

Real Madrid will either face Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Leverkusen’s attacking style and well-structured gameplay make them a formidable opponent, and facing them would be a true test of Madrid’s strength in the competition.

Another possibility is a high-stakes showdown against city rivals Atletico Madrid, which would add another chapter to their intense European rivalry.

Diego Simeone’s squad displayed great consistency in the group stage and would undoubtedly be motivated to exact revenge for past eliminations at the hands of Los Blancos.

A Madrid derby in the Champions League always brings added drama, with previous clashes shaping the history of the tournament—most notably the finals in 2014 and 2016.

This season, neither Real Madrid nor Atletico Madrid have been able to claim victory over one another.

Their first La Liga meeting at the Metropolitano ended in a draw, and just two weeks ago, at the Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid salvaged a point thanks to a crucial goal from Kylian Mbappe.