Arsenal, Liverpool, and Aston Villa are all prevented from facing a specific team in the Champions League until the final.

With the Champions League play-off round concluded, the remaining Premier League teams now have a clearer idea of their potential paths to the final.

Manchester City exited the tournament after a 3-1 defeat (6-3 on aggregate) to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick sealed their fate.

Arsenal, Liverpool, and Aston Villa are the only English clubs left in the competition. However, they are yet to learn their round of 16 opponents, with the draw scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. in Nyon, Switzerland.

UEFA’s new seeding system has made the knockout stage pathway more predictable. Liverpool will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Benfica in the round of 16, while Arsenal will play PSV Eindhoven or Feyenoord. Aston Villa, meanwhile, could be drawn against Borussia Dortmund or Club Brugge.

The seeding system ranks teams based on their group stage performance, with Liverpool finishing first, Arsenal third, and Villa eighth. UEFA pairs clubs based on these rankings, ensuring certain matchups won’t occur until the final. For instance, Liverpool and Barcelona, as a seeded pair, can only meet in the final, which is set for May 31 at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena. Similarly, Arsenal cannot face Inter Milan until the final, and Villa won’t encounter Lille before the last match.

The draw will feature a ‘blue side’ and a ‘silver side,’ determining each team’s route to the final.

Possible Paths to the Final:

Liverpool

Round of 16: PSG or Benfica

Quarter-finals: Club Brugge, Lille, Aston Villa, or Borussia Dortmund

Possible semi-finals: Real Madrid, PSV, Inter Milan, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, or Feyenoord

Arsenal

Round of 16: PSV Eindhoven or Feyenoord

Quarter-finals: Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, or Real Madrid

Possible semi-finals: PSG, Liverpool, Barcelona, Club Brugge, Lille, Aston Villa, Benfica, or Borussia Dortmund

Aston Villa

Round of 16: Borussia Dortmund or Club Brugge

Quarter-finals: PSG, Benfica, Liverpool, or Barcelona

Possible semi-finals: Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Feyenoord, Inter Milan, Arsenal, Real Madrid, or PSV

Clubs in the Round of 16 Draw:

Liverpool

Arsenal

Aston Villa

Barcelona

Inter Milan

Atletico Madrid

Bayer Leverkusen

Lille

Bayern Munich

Benfica

Club Brugge

Feyenoord

Borussia Dortmund

Paris Saint-Germain

Real Madrid

PSV Eindhoven