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Liverpool will face RB Leipzig, who halted Manchester United's advancement at the group stage. PA Images

Fitting draw for Liverpool but English sides handed tricky ties in last 16

The Reds will square off with RB Leipzig, a club which owes much of its recent success to former Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier, who has passed away aged 73.

LIVERPOOL WILL FACE RB Leipzig, one of the group of clubs at which their former manager Gérard Houllier had until recently been head of global football since 2012, in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Houllier’s passing at the age of 73 was confirmed on Monday morning and the draw will give both sides the opportunity to commemorate the Frenchman, who to varying degrees has contributed to their respective recent success.

Houllier for eight years oversaw global football operations at Red Bull, and so was also involved with Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg, American club New York Red Bulls, and the the since-dissolved Red Bull Brasil and Red Bull Ghana academies.

Leipzig, who reached the semi-finals for the first time last season, put paid to Manchester United’s Champions League aspirations just last week, beating Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men 3-2 and eliminating United at the group stage.

Elsewhere in the last 16, Chelsea will square off with La Liga heavies Atletico Madrid, while Manchester City will face Borussia Monchengladbach.

In arguably the pick of the ties, Barcelona and PSG — and the French club’s talisman, Neymar — will reunite for the first time in the knockout stages since 2017 when PSG’s 4-0 first-leg lead was overturned in a dramatic 6-1 defeat at the Nou Camp.

Holders Bayern will meet Lazio, Europa League champions Sevilla are up against Borussia Dortmund, Cristiano Ronaldo will return to Portugal to face Porto with Juventus, while Real Madrid will face last season’s upstarts Atalanta in the round of 16.

The ties are due to be played from mid-February.

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Gavan Casey
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