Arsenal will face holders Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the Champions League. The Premier League leaders, beaten by Bayern at the same stage last year, have paid a heavy price for a final-day defeat at Napoli which relegated them to runners-up in their group.
And Manchester City, who finished second to Bayern in their group, have been similarly punished with a tie against Barcelona on their first appearance in the knockout stages.
Elsewhere Chelsea will be up against Galatasaray and Didier Drogba, the man whose penalty won them the competition in 2012.
And Greek champions Olympiakos stand between Manchester United and a place in the quarter-finals.
City’s draw is all the more galling given the circumstances: needing a two-goal victory at Bayern to finish top, Manuel Pellegrini’s misreading of the mathematics led him to defend a 3-2 lead rather than chase a fourth goal.
City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain, who joined the club from Barcelona, admitted the draw “could be maybe better”.
But he told Sky Sports News: “For the people it’s a great, great match. Two big teams, one with a lot of history, the other a new one also trying to win the trophy and be there in Europe.
“And the game in Munich, winning against the champions, will give us a lot of confidence going away to Barcelona.
“The way that we are playing, we’re showing we can score in all matches. This is the most important thing in the Champions League.”
