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Follow UsThe draw for the Champions League last-16 was quite some spectacle, with UEFA deciding that the event was so good they would hold it twice. In truth, they were backed into that corner by some technical gremlins.
Paris Saint-Germain were, however, front and centre on each occasion, with there no stopping the French title holders when it comes to making headlines around the world. If anyone was capable of shifting some of the attention away from the gaffes that led to a redraw, it was a star-studded side from Parc des Princes.
First up they were paired with Manchester United, allowing the watching world to get excited – albeit briefly – about a Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo reunion. That contest was soon wiped out as efforts were made to ensure that the right balls ended up in the right pots.
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The second time around, PSG were lined up alongside Real Madrid. If anything, that contest whets the appetite even more than a meeting with Red Devils from Old Trafford. There are intriguing subplots aplenty to be found in a contest that pitches Les Rouge et Bleu into combat with Los Blancos.
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Picking a winner at this stage is almost impossible, given the obvious qualities of two star-studded outfits, with online betting markets focused on the Champions League at William Hill making PSG slight favourites at 8/11 to progress, against the evens offered on Madrid.
Round of 16 draw ✔️
Which tie are you most excited for?#UCLdraw | #UCL pic.twitter.com/QvZoT0yxqi— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 13, 2021
Somebody will, over the course of two legs, be required to step up and make a match-altering contribution, allowing a place in the quarter-finals to be secured.
Who will star?
Plenty of eyes will be on Messi again, with the mercurial Argentine having proven to be a serious thorn in Real's side down the years. Those in the Spanish capital will still have nightmares about the South American following his record-setting stint at Clasico foes Barcelona.
He does, however, boast a supporting cast in Paris that shifts some of the focus away from him. The likes of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar will not be happy to slip into the shadows. The latter is another ex-Barca superstar, meaning old rivalries will be rekindled, while there is plenty to suggest that the former will be turning out at Santiago Bernabeu next season.
It is, however, the presence of Sergio Ramos in PSG's squad that really captures the imagination. The World Cup-winning centre-half spent 16 years with Real prior to making a move to France as a free agent in the summer of 2021.
? @SergioRamos pic.twitter.com/0PZXnV0z3a
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) August 14, 2021
He took in 671 appearances, scored over 100 goals and won 22 major honours, with the captain's armband held for six campaigns. A modern-day great gave blood, sweat and tears to the Madrid cause and severing such strong ties will be tough.
Ramos has, however, vowed to "die for PSG" as he prepares to encounter familiar faces. He has never been one to back down from a challenge and will look to put all friendships and pleasantries to one side once he crosses that white line.
It may be down to Messi and Co to sprinkle attacking magic dust over the most prominent of continental stages, but Ramos has history when it comes to delivering on the big occasion and – given his past allegiances to Real – it is safe to assume that he will be stealing a large chunk of the spotlight.