It is then that FC Barcelona's next opponent will be determined. Let's take a quick peek at each possible opponent. Right now they are the best side in Italy, and are the three-time defending champions of the Serie A.
And the glue holding it all together is midfielder Andrea Pirlo. In European matches, though, they've been a bit of a mixed bag. But in the end this defensive-minded team finished second, thus winning a date with a first-place side. The Swiss always produce a team with good clockwork. Paulo Sousa's team have once again overcome the loss of some key players in the offseason and continue to lead the Swiss Super League while staying competitive against European competition.
This isn't their first time as in the past they did well when dealing with the losses of players like Shaquiri and Salah. This year has been especially good to them in the Champions League, having taken four points from English giant Liverpool in the group stage, celebrating their trip to the round of 16 at Anfield.
They also beat Ludogorets twice while falling twice to Real Madrid. Discreet and serious, Bayer Leverkusen has been lurking in the Bundesliga shadows of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund for years waiting for their moment to break out. If not for some unlucky late game collapses, they would have several more points would be closer to Bayern than the 13 points that currently separate them. This is a team that are always around at this time of the year. However, they haven't looked bad against European competition, clearly besting Anderlecht and Galatasaray while managing a first-place tie in the group with Dortmund, but falling to second place on a tiebreaker.
Their big challenge is to get to the quarterfinals, something they haven't done since Manchester City got two big wins to just get by. Schalke 04 has virtually been a lock for the round of 16 in recent years.
