Champions League : High fives as English clubs create record

Liverpool's victory over Spartak Moscow on Wednesday night means that a record five English teams will go through to the Champions League Round of 16, and here Mike Norman updates the latest odds and draw possibilities for the Premier League clubs...

Liverpool were the only English club not guaranteed a place in the last 16 of the Champions League going into Wednesday night's final batch of Group Stage fixtures, but that was resolved in emphatic style as the Reds thrashed Spartak Moscow 7-0 to secure top spot in Group E.

The victory for Jurgen Klopp's men also created a Champions League record, as for the first time in the tournament's history five clubs from the same nation will be represented in the knock-out stage of the competition.

The Reds joined Manchester clubs City and United, plus Tottenham, in winning their groups, while Chelsea also qualified virtue of finishing second behind Roma in their qualifying group.

European giants Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and PSG are all safely through to the knock-out stage, making for a mouthwatering Round of 16 draw which will take place on Monday 11 December.

Round of 16 Possibilities

The important thing to remember ahead of next Monday's draw is that teams that have already faced each other in the Group Stage can't meet in the first knock-out round, and clubs from the same nation are also kept apart at this stage.

So that means that Manchester United for example, can't be drawn against Basel who they have already faced. United also can't be drawn against Chelsea, but they can be drawn against either Bayern Munich, Juventus, Sevilla, Shakhtar Donetsk, Porto, or Real Madrid - some reward for finishing top of their group!

Below is a list of the clubs each of the five English teams can be drawn against;

Man City: Basel, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Sevilla, Porto, Real Madrid
Man Utd: Bayern Munich, Juventus, Sevilla, Shakhtar, Porto, Real Madrid
Tottenham: Basel, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Sevilla, Shakhtar, Porto
Liverpool: Basel, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Shakhtar, Porto, Real Madrid
Chelsea: PSG, Barcelona, Besiktas

Given the possibilities for the English clubs, a best case last-16 draw would look something like this;

Man City v Sevilla
Man Utd v Porto
Tottenham v Basel
Liverpool v Shakhtar
Besiktas v Chelsea

While a worst case last-16 draw would look something like this;

Man City v Real Madrid
Man Utd v Bayern Munich
Tottenham v Sevilla
Liverpool v Juventus
PSG v Chelsea

PSG remain the 4.90 favourites on the Exchange in the Champions League Winnermarket, just ahead of Man City, 6.40, Real Madrid and Barcelona, both at 7.80, and Bayern Munich, 9.00.

United are the next most fancied English team, available to back at 19.00, while Liverpool can be backed at 20.00, Tottenham at 22.00, and Chelsea at 25.00.

The first legs of the last-16 will take place week commencing 12 February 2018.