Nyon: Friendship will be put to one side between Lionel Messi and Neymar when Barcelona face Paris St-Germain in the Uefa Champions League last-16. The former teammates at Camp Nou will face off in Spain in February before the return leg in the French capital.
Title holders Bayern Munich are up against Italy’s Lazio after Uefa’s draw was held in Nyon on Monday. Premier League champions Liverpool will play last year’s semi-finalists RB Leipzig.
The clash of Messi and Barca with last year's runners-up is a repeat of their remarkable meeting at the same stage in 2017 when Barca overcame a 4-0 first-leg loss to beat the French club 6-1 in Spain with Neymar scoring twice for the Catalans.
"We know them (PSG) well, they've got some exceptional players. Paris want to fight for the Champions League, last year they came very close to winning it and they want to go one better this time round, but weve got something to say about that," said Guillermo Amor, Barcelona Director.
Neymar on Monday received a "reassuring" prognosis after an X-ray on his injured ankle that forced him to be stretchered off in a Ligue 1 match at the weekend, PSG said. "The clinical opinion following a left ankle sprain sustained last night, is reassuring," the club said.
Bayern will start as favourites in their tie but will be wary of Simone Inzaghi's Lazio team who have reached this stage for the first time in 20 years. "Lazio are an uncomfortable opponent, you saw that in the group," said Bayern sports director Hasan Salihamidzic. "It is always uncomfortable against Italian teams."
Atletico Madrid will face a tough test when they take on Frank Lampard's resurgent Chelsea, while Pep Guardiola's Manchester City take on Bundesliga side Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Italian champions Juventus will face Porto, Sevilla play Borussia Dortmund and Serie A club Atalanta take on Real Madrid. The two legged ties will be played from February 16.
The draw
Borussia Monchengladbach (Germany) v Manchester City (England)
Lazio (Italy) v Bayern Munich (Germany)
Atletico Madrid (Spain) v Chelsea (England)
Leipzig (Germany) v Liverpool (England)
Porto (Portugal) v Juventus (Italy)
Barcelona (Spain) v Paris St-Germain (France)
Sevilla (Spain) v Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
Atalanta (Italy) v Real Madrid (Spain)
