Barcelona faces Arsenal, Chelsea plays PSG again

Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey and Laurent Koscielny applaud the fans at the end of the team's last match in the UEFA Champions League Group Stage. Arsenal will face defending champions Barcelona in the first knockout stage. [Photo/Agencies]

NYON, Switzerland - Holders Barcelona will play Premier League leaders Arsenal in the last 16 of the Champions League, 10 years after the sides faced each other in the final, following Monday's draw for the first knockout stage.

Spanish league leaders Barcelona, chasing a sixth title, prevailed 2-1 in the 2006 final at the Stade de France in Paris and also triumphed in the knockout phase in 2010 and 2011.

Chelsea, who are enduring a torrid time in the Premier League, will face French league leaders Paris St Germain in the knockout stages for the third year in succession after the French champions triumphed at the same stage last season and the London club had the upper hand in the quarter-finals the previous year.

"There is not much we don't know about Paris," said Chelsea general secretary David Barnard.

"You only know if it's a good draw after the tie. We are ambitious, we have two and a half months to prepare," PSG sports director Olivier Letang said.

Another clash between big guns will feature former winners Juventus and Bayern Munich, while 10-times champions Real Madrid were drawn against AS Roma.

"Everybody wanted to avoid Barca and Bayern so we are not so lucky but Bayern will not be glad they drew Juve," said Juventus ambassador Pavel Nedved.

PSV Eindhoven will take on Atletico Madrid, Dynamo Kiev will play Manchester City and Benfica will be against Zenit St Petersburg.

Gent, in their first participation in the competition, will take on Germany's VfL Wolfsburg.