Who are the Champions League favourites?
Arsenal finished top of the league phase having been the only team to win all eight games, while Bayern Munich were three points behind in second.
If they get past Leverkusen, Arsenal will face either Sporting or Bodo/Glimt in the quarter-finals and Opta rate Mikel Arteta’s team as favourites to win this season’s competition – by some distance.
They give the Gunnners a 27.40% chance of being crowned European champions for the first time, with Bayern ranked next best at 14.28%.
Liverpool (12.83%) are third favourites with Man City (10.79%) seen as having a far better chance of wining the Champions League than record 15-time winners Real Madrid (2.78%).
Chelsea (6.86%) are also deemed to have a better chance than their last-16 opponents PSG (4.64%)
“You can look at the bracket but you can’t take things for granted,” added Chelsea’s director of football Barnard.
Tottenham, who qualified for the Champions League by winning last season’s Europa League, could face north London rivals Arsenal in the semi-finals and are seen as outsiders to go all the way (1.22%).
“At this stage, anything can happen and every game is winnable,” said former Tottenham defender Gary Mabbutt.
“I was here this time last year and we were drawn for the Europa League. We got through to the final last year and became champions, so who knows.”
‘It will not be about revenge’ – what they said
Liam Rosenior, who left PSG’s Ligue 1 rivals Strasbourg to become Chelsea boss in January, said: “[I’m] so excited. PSG are a fantastic team. I have experience of playing against them in France. I have always admired them. Luis Enrique has done an incredible job.
“These are the games you live for, games that you come into football for. It’s going to be a great tie.”
PSG coach Luis Enrique said: “It will be fascinating to play against one of the best English teams, who we know well, but it will not be about revenge. These are two different competitions.”
The Ligue 1 leaders knew they would play either Chelsea or Barcelona, and La Liga leaders Barca will instead face Newcastle.
“We are not celebrating not getting PSG,” said Barca coach Hansi Flick. “We must respect our opponents. Everyone wants to reach the final and Newcastle will also be eager to win the Champions League.”
Leverkusen’s sporting director Simon Rolfes described their opponents Arsenal as “perhaps the top favourite for the title in both the Champions League and the Premier League”.
“Everything has to go right, but then we’re capable of making life difficult for them,” he added.