The teams Man City could face in the Champions League last 16

For Manchester City, the Champions League group stage often feels like nothing more than a formality. This year has been no different.

The reigning European champions are looking to defend their title and have qualified for the knockout stages with a 100% record.

Having secured top spot in Group G after their comeback victory against RB Leipzig on Matchday 5, it's worth taking a look at who Pep Guardiola's side could face in the last 16 as they hunt down a second successive Champions League trophy.

Teams Man City can't face in the Champions League last 16

Despite last 16 ties being chosen via a random draw, there are several teams Man City can't come up against in the next round.

The first of those is Arsenal, with clubs from the same football association or nation unable to meet in the last 16. However, they can be drawn against one another in the quarter-final and beyond. Fellow Premier League sides Manchester United and Newcastle United finished bottom of their respective groups and so won't be taking on any team in European competition for the remainder of the campaign.

Man City also won't face RB Leipzig, as teams that played each other in the group stage cannot meet in the last 16.

Given City have won their group, they can only face second-placed sides from other groups in the next round.

Teams Man City could face in the Champions League last 16

Group A

Bayern Munich secured their spot as group winners with two games to spare, meaning Man City will initially avoid the German champions, who they met in last year's quarter-finals.

As Manchester United limply tumbled out of the first phase, FC Copenhagen grabbed the runners-up spot in Group A ahead of Galatasaray. Man City faced the Danes as recently as last season's group stage.

A week after thrashing Copenhagen 5-0 at home, City were held to a 0-0 draw in Denmark - although, Guardiola's side did play for more than an hour with ten men after Sergio Gomez's first-half red card.

Group B

With Lens and Sevilla both failing to qualify and Man City unable to face Arsenal in the next round, there is just one side the European champions could come up against in the last 16 from Group B.

That's PSV Eindhoven, who finished four points adrift of the Gunners.

Man City have never faced PSV in a competitive game but the Dutch side would be well prepared for a meeting with Guardiola's team. Manager Peter Bosz once revealed that his favourite book was Pep Confidential, Marti Perarnau's behind-the-scenes account of Guardiola's first season as manager of Bayern Munich.

Group C

While Man City could face them in the latter stages of the competition, as they did last season, Guardiola's side will avoid Real Madrid in the last 16 after the Spanish side topped their group with a perfect record of six wins from six.

Serie A champions Napoli finished as runners-up despite off-field turmoil. Rudi Garcia emphatically failed to fill the sizeable void left by Luciano Spalletti's summer departure and was replaced mid-campaign with Walter Mazzarri. The former Watford manager faced Guardiola's City twice in the Premier League, losing both contests by an aggregate scoreline of 7-0.

Group D

There could very well be a repeat of the 2023 Champions League final in the last 16, with Inter finishing second in Group D. The Italians were narrowly edged out by group winners Real Sociedad on goal difference, leaving them at the mercy of Monday's draw.

City won the June showpiece courtesy of Rodri's crisp strike but were pushed to the limit in a desperately tight encounter against Inter. Over two legs, there's no guarantee that City will prevail again.

Group E

Group D runners-up Lazio would prove a fairly favourable tie in the next round for the current European champions, with Maurizio Sarri's side having struggled for form this season.

After Lazio's second-place finish was confirmed with a defeat to Atletico Madrid, Sarri was hopeful of another trip to Spain in the knockouts, openly admitting he wouldn't be opposed to a tie against Barcelona. Unsurprisingly, Sarri didn't offer Manchester City as an ideal opponent - the last time the Italian managed a game at the Etihad, his Chelsea side were thumped 6-0.

Group F

This year's 'group of death' eventually spat out Paris Saint-Germain as runners-up behind Borussia Dortmund.

Luis Enrique's side stuttered and stumbled through the first phase and would not have qualified had Newcastle been able to defeat AC Milan in the final round of fixtures. Nevertheless, Guardiola may be inclined to agree with his former Spain and Barcelona teammate that "there are no teams that will want to play against [PSG] in the next round".

Group H

For the third season in a row, Sergio Conceicao has steered Porto into the knockout stages of the Champions League. Only an inferior head-to-head record against Barcelona consigned Porto to second place in Group H after collecting 12 points from six games.

City and Porto were drawn against one another in the group stages three years ago, with Guardiola's side taking four points off their Portuguese foes.

All Man City's potential opponents in the last 16

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