Top seeds Arsenal to face Bayer Leverkusen challenge in Champions League last 16

Top seeds Arsenal will play Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League round of 16 while Manchester City will take on record winners Real Madrid.

The draw, which took place at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon on Friday morning, saw Liverpool drawn against Galatasaray, with Chelsea to face holders Paris St Germain.

Tottenham will play Atletico Madrid and Newcastle have been drawn to play Barcelona as six Premier League clubs bid to reach the quarter-finals.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said: “We are very excited to play the next round. We have earned the right to be in a strong position, what we’ve done in the group stage, and that’s it.

“And now we need to start to analyse them and find ways to be better than them, to try to go through the tie.”

The first legs will be played on March 10-11, with the second legs scheduled for March 17-18.

The draw also mapped out the route through to the final at The Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 30.

A quarter-final tie against Atalanta or second seeds Bayern Munich awaits Pep Guardiola’s City if they overcome 15-time winners Real Madrid and if Newcastle can upset Barcelona, they could face Tottenham in the last eight.

Eddie Howe’s side were beaten 2-1 at St James’ Park by Barca in the competition’s league phase.

Arsenal, who face City in the Carabao Cup final next month, are in the hunt for a quadruple and have a favourable path through to the final in their half of the draw as they will avoid PSG, Liverpool, Real, City, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.