Jurgen Klopp looking forward to 'something special' against Real Madrid

Liverpool drawn against Spanish rivals in Champions League last 16

Real Madrid celebrate after beating Liverpool to win the Champions League final at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, May 29, 2022. Reuters

Real Madrid celebrate after beating Liverpool to win the Champions League final. Getty

Luka Modric kisses the trophy. Getty

Marcelo lifts the trophy for Real Madrid. Getty

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring the only goal of the Champions League final against Liverpool. AP

Real Madrid players celebrate after their victory in Paris. Getty

Dejected Liverpool player Fabinho after the match. AP

Real manager Carlo Ancelotti celebrates after the match. Getty

Dejected Mohamed Salah of Liverpool after the match. Getty

Real Madrid players celebrate after the match. Getty

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois celebrates winning the Champions League. Reuters

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saves from Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah in the second half. Getty

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior scores the opening goal. PA

Karim Benzema scores for Real Madrid late in the first half but the goal was ruled out by VAR for offside. PA

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah fires a shot past Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric. AFP

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho is shown a yellow card. AP

A first-half shot from Liverpool's Sadio Mane beats Real keeper Thibaut Courtois but hits the post. Getty

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates with teammates after scoring. PA

Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane sees his shot hit the post. Getty

Vinicius Junior scores for Real Madrid. EPA

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois catches a cross. AP

Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring for Real Madrid. Getty

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on the sidelines. EPA

Liverpool's Luis Diaz shoots at goal. Getty

Real attacker Karim Benzema scores but the goal was disallowed. Getty

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah sees a shot saved in the first half by Real goakeeper Thibaut Courtois. Getty

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois makes a save from Mohamed Salah. Reuters

Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold goes to cross the ball. Getty

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti. AFP

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois screams at his defence after Liverpool hit the post in the first half. PA

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois under pressure from Liverpool's Jordan Henderson. EPA

Liverpool's Sadio Mane reacts to a challenge from Real midfielder Casemiro. EPA

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said he is expecting "something special" when his team take on Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League after last season's finalists were drawn to face each other again.

Real beat Liverpool 1-0 in May to win Europe's elite club competition a record-extending 14th time, having also beaten the Merseyside club in the 2017-18 final.

Klopp, whose side qualified second from Group A behind Napoli and have struggled for form in the Premier League, said the match against Real was a "proper Champions League" tie.

"I know we have played Real Madrid in a couple of recent finals but it is not so often that our two clubs have met in a two-legged tie so now we can look forward to this happening," Klopp told Liverpool's website.

Liverpool, who host the opening leg at Anfield in February, won their sixth European crown in 2018-19 and only Real and AC Milan (seven) have won more. Bayern Munich have also won six.

"Real's European record is the best around. We know this," said Klopp. "But we also know that ours is not too bad. On top of this, we know that we have Anfield and everyone knows what this means.

"The games themselves are still a few months away but it does not take a great deal of imagination to think what the atmosphere will be like at both games.

"There is a lot of football to be played before this, of course, so we will focus on each game as it comes but yes, this draw has given us something special to look forward to."

In other fixtures, Premier League champions and 2021 Champions League finalists Manchester City have been drawn to face German side RB Leipzig in the last 16.

Tottenham, who sealed top spot in their group with a last-gasp winner from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg away at Marseille, have been drawn to face Italian champions AC Milan with the first leg at San Siro.

Chelsea, winners of the competition in 2012 and 2021, will be up against Bundesliga runners-up Borussia Dortmund. German champions Bayern Munich will face French league champions Paris Saint-Germain, who they beat in the 2020 final of the competition.

Inter Milan face Portuguese champions Porto while Club Brugge take on Benfica.

The first leg ties will be played on February 14, 15, 21 and 22, with the second legs on March 7, 8, 14 and 15.