Champions League: Bayern to face Leverkusen in R16
Chuck Penfold
February 21, 2025
The Champions League round of 16 is to feature both an all-German matchup and a Madrid derby. The two-legged ties are to be played in early to mid-March.
The UEFA Champions League trophy is to be awarded following this year's final at Munich's Allianz Arena on May 31.Image: Daniel Cole/AP Photo/picture alliance
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Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich are to face Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16 of this year's Champions League. Germany's other team in Friday's draw, struggling Borussia Dortmund , who are also last year's Champions League finalists, are to face French Ligue 1 outfit Lille.
Bayern Munich, who are looking for their first Champions League title since 2020, are eight points clear of Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and the two teams played out a scoreless draw last weekend. Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen broke Bayern's lock on the Bundesliga title last season, winning the club's first league title.
Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich have never previously met in a European tieImage: Marius Becker/dpa/picture alliance
The draw also produced a mouth-watering matchup in Spain, where defending champions Real Madrid were paired with cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid.
The first leg matches in the round of 16 are to be played on March 4 and 5, with the return legs scheduled for the following week, March 11 and 12.
Munich's Allianz Arena will host the final on May 31.
Edited by: Rob Mudge
The top 10 Champions League goalscorers
From Mbappe and Lewandowski to Müller, the top 10 all-time Champions League goalscorers list is full of stars.
Image: Manu Fernandez/AP Photo/picture alliance
Erling Haaland – 49 goals*
The Norwegian has become one of the most clinical goalscorers in the modern game. After scoring 8 goals in his first 6 UCL games for Red Bull Salzburg, he scored 15 in 13 for Borussia Dortmund. Since joining Manchester City, that rate hasn't stopped either. He has scored 26 in 29 games, taking his total to 49 in just 48 games. He also won the Champions League in 2023. *As of February 20, 2025.
Image: Mark Cosgrove/News Images/Avalon/picture alliance
Thierry Henry – 50 goals
The French striker cracked the half-century mark over his long career in the Champions League, finding the back of the net for three clubs: Monaco (7 goals), Arsenal (35) and Barcelona (8). Having won the World Cup with France in 1998, Henry would also go on to win the Champions League with Barca in 2008-09.
After bursting on the scene as a young star at Monaco and then establishing himself at Paris Saint-Germain, French superstar Kylian Mbappe is already climbing the all-time Champions League scorer list. The 25-year-old bagged a remarkable 42 goals in 64 games for PSG on the biggest European stage, and has already scored a European hat trick for Real Madrid. *As of February 20, 2025
Image: Federico Titone/Anadolu/picture alliance
Thomas Müller – 56 goals*
At 35, Thomas Müller is still rising up the ranks of the top 10. At the age of 19, Müller scored his first Champions League goals for Bayern Munich in a 7-1 win over Sporting Lisbon in March 2009. He won the Champions League twice with Bayern, in 2012-13 and 2019-20 and keeps scoring as he ages. *As of February 20, 2025.
Image: Frank Hoermann/Sven Simon/IMAGO
Ruud van Nistelrooy – 56 goals
Dutch striker Rutgerus Johannes Martinus van Nistelrooij scored for three clubs in the Champions League: PSV Eindhoven (8 goals), Manchester United (35) and Real Madrid (13). Van Nistelrooy failed to win a Champions League title, but he was the top scorer in Europe's top competition in three different seasons.
Image: Martin Rickett/empics/picture alliance
Raul – 71 goals
Raul is truly a legend at Real Madrid. The long-time captain made more appearances for Real than any other player, with 550 games in La Liga and 132 in the Champions League. He also led Real to the Champions League title three times. Raul scored five of his 71 Champions League goals during his two-year stint with Schalke in the twilight of his career.
Image: Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP/picture alliance
Karim Benzema – 90 goals
The Frenchman now plays in Saudi Arabia, but made his scoring debut in the Champions League for Lyon at the tender age of 18. Benzema left Lyon in 2009 to become one of Real Madrid's ost prolific strikers, helping them lift the Champions League trophy four times. He has a total of 90 goals in Europe's most prestigious club competition, 78 of them scored in the white of Madrid.
Image: Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP
Robert Lewandowski –103 goals*
In third place in the all-time scorer's list is The Best FIFA Men's Player of 2020, Robert Lewandowski. The Poland striker secured that honor in part by becoming the top scorer in the Champions League in the 2019-20 with 15 goals. Over his Champions League career he has scored 17 goals for Borussia Dortmund, 69 times for Bayern and currently has managed 17 for Barcelona. *As of February 20, 2025
Image: Isabella Bonotto/Anadolu/picture alliance
Lionel Messi – 129 goals
Lionel Messi might be playing for Inter Miami now in the MLS, but few can forget how good he was for Barcelona. The diminutive Argentine scored 120 goals in his Champions League career with the Spanish club, finishing the competition's top scorer six times and winning three titles. His last tournament outing was for PSG, but his nine goals were never accompanied by a title.
Image: imago images/PanoramiC
Cristiano Ronaldo – 140 goals
It's no coincidence that the Portuguese superstar has won the Champions League five times. Wherever he has played, whether it be Manchester United (21 goals), Real Madrid (105) or Juventus (14) – Cristiano Ronaldo has always found the back of the net. Although no longer playing in Europe, Ronaldo is the undisputed top scorer in Europe's top club competition.
