Manchester City and Schalke grabbed the final spots on offer in the knockout stage of the Uefa Champions League on Wednesday night, ahead of the draw for the last 16 on Monday.
The big three
The draw is dominated by Europe’s three biggest leagues as teams from Germany (4), Spain (3) and England (3) make up 10 of the 16 qualifiers. City, pictured, along with Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, will be the sides that most group winners want to avoid after advancing for the second straight season, thanks to wins over Bayern and Roma in their last two games.
Problem for PSG
Barcelona came from behind to beat PSG 3-1 on Wednesday and leapfrog them to the top of Group F. Barcelona have won their group for eight straight years, while PSG suffered their first loss in their 23rd game of the season. PSG now have to worry about being draw against Real Madrid, Chelsea or Bayern Munich.
How does it work?
The draw will take place at 3pm (UAE time) on Monday in the Swiss city of Nyon. The teams are split between two pots – group winners and runners-up – and no teams that progressed from the same group or are from the same country can be drawn against each other.
When is the next round?
Games take place during the days of February 17/18 and 25/26. The final this season will take place at Berlin’s Olympiastadion on June 6.
The seeds
Pot 1 Atletico Madrid (ESP), Real Madrid (ESP), Monaco (FRA), Borussia Dortmund (GER), Bayern Munich (GER), Barcelona (ESP), Chelsea (ENG), Porto (POR).
Pot 2 Juventus (ITA), Basel (SUI), Bayer Leverkusen (GER), Arsenal (ENG), Manchester City (ENG), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Schalke (GER), Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR).
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
The view from The National
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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