Champions League ‘Death Half’ Packed With Champions

The UEFA Champions League round of 16 draw has revealed an exceptionally tough segment of the bracket, commonly dubbed the ‘Death Half’. A glimpse at the large display during the draw ceremony made the picture clear: on the left-hand side, eight clubs collectively hold six Champions League titles, amounting to 31 trophies. In stark contrast, the right-hand side features eight clubs, but only one has previously won the prestigious tournament, with a total of five titles.

Left-Hand Side: Champions Galore

The left-hand side, shaded in light green during the draw, includes Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Chelsea, Galatasaray, Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Atalanta, and Bayern Munich. Among these, six clubs have tasted Champions League glory:

Notably, all teams that have won the Champions League in the last decade are in this section, highlighting the intensity of competition.

Right-Hand Side: Comparatively Light

The right-hand side, shaded in blue, features Newcastle United, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur, Bodø/Glimt, Sporting Lisbon, Bayer Leverkusen, and Arsenal. Only Barcelona has previously lifted the Champions League trophy, having done so on five occasions. This theoretically makes the path to the final easier for teams on this side, although nothing is ever guaranteed in Europe’s premier competition.

Manager Reactions

Pep Guardiola, Manchester City’s coach, insisted the difficulty of the draw should not be overstated. Speaking from Neuchâtel in Switzerland, he said, “It would be disrespectful to label it overly difficult. Every tie in the Champions League is tough. Other matches involving Newcastle, Barcelona, Atlético, or Tottenham could easily be challenging as well.”

Addressing the prospect of facing Real Madrid, Guardiola acknowledged the challenge: “I’m not saying playing Real Madrid is easy. Everyone knows it’s difficult. But every team has its own strengths. To progress, you have to beat the best; otherwise, you’re not worthy.”

The City-Real Madrid tie will mark the fifth knockout encounter between Guardiola’s team and the Spanish giants since he took charge in 2016. Including group-stage clashes this season, the two clubs have met 13 times under his tenure. Guardiola noted that in previous group-stage formats, such frequent encounters would have been avoided until at least the quarter-finals.

“The draw feels unusual,” he admitted. “Yes, it’s a little odd, but it’s part of football. We adapt, and that’s what we must do. Madrid is Madrid—we play the tie, and that’s it.”

The round of 16 promises intense battles, and the so-called ‘Death Half’ could see multiple former champions eliminated before the quarter-finals, making it one of the most thrilling draws in recent Champions League history.