Unbelievable! The top qualifiers of the Champions lose home advantage from the quarter-finals

FC Barcelona learned this Friday their path in the 'KO' phase of the UEFA Champions League, after the draw held in Nyom, Switzerland. Hansi Flick's team will face Benfica in the round of 16, with the return match at Montjuïc, according to the advantage obtained by the azulgrana team by finishing second in the league phase. The Portuguese had to play the 'play-off' against Monaco to reach the round of 16, also with home advantage favoring the 'eagles' for finishing sixteenth, while the Principality team ended the group stage in 17th place.

Initially, both Barça and Liverpool seemed to have secured playing at home for the return leg of each knockout round starting from the round of 16, but UEFA applied an unusual adjustment in the regulations of the new format of the competition. According to the draw held on Friday, the culés will lose home advantage starting from the quarter-finals, just like the 'reds'. If they advance to the semi-finals, the Catalans will also have to play the first leg at home, while Liverpool would return to Anfield for the return match.

Before the start of the league phase, UEFA implied the opposite, that is, that teams finishing in the highest positions of the overall standings could close their knockout rounds at home for the entire 'KO' phase, including the playoffs. "The seeding position determines each club's path in the knockout phase, from the playoffs to the final. The higher the teams finish in the league phase standings, the higher their seeding position will be for the knockout phase of the competition", says UEFA's official website about the new format of the Champions League.

Barça and Arsenal, 'punished' despite finishing 2nd and 3rd in the league phase

However, the top eight teams from the group stage, who advanced directly to the round of 16, lost their home advantage after the final configuration. At least this happened with Barça and Arsenal, who were 'punished' to play away in the quarter-finals and 'semis' if they eliminate Benfica and PSV Eindhoven, respectively. Barcelona will face the winner of the Dortmund-Lille tie in the quarter-finals, with the return match to be played in Germany or France.

Similarly, in the 'semis', Barça would go against the survivor of the Bayern vs Leverkusen and Feyenoord vs Inter matchups knowing that the first leg will be played at Montjuïc the last week of April, while the return will be in Germany, Milan, or Rotterdam. The same applies to Arsenal, who in the quarter-finals will have to close their tie in Madrid (against Real or Atlético) and, if they advance to the 'semis', will be away in the return against the winner of the PSG vs Liverpool and Bruges vs Aston Villa matchups.

🏆The path of Barça in the KO phase:

⚽Round of 16: FC Barcelona vs Benfica. First leg: March 5 in Lisbon. Return: March 11 at Montjuïc.

⚽Quarter-finals: FC Barcelona vs Dortmund/Lille. First leg: April 8 or 9 at Montjuïc. Return: April 15 or 16 (to be defined).

⚽Semi-finals: FC Barcelona vs Bayern/Leverkusen/Feyenoord/Inter. First leg: April 29 or 30 at Montjuïc. Return: May 6 or 7 (to be defined).

🏆The path of Arsenal in the KO phase:

⚽Round of 16: Arsenal vs PSV Eindhoven. First leg: March 4 in Eindhoven. Return: March 12 in London.

⚽Quarter-finals: Arsenal vs Real Madrid/Atlético. First leg: April 8 or 9 in London. Return: April 15 or 16 in Madrid.

⚽Semi-finals: Arsenal vs PSG/Liverpool/Bruges/Aston Villa. First leg: April 29 or 30 in London. Return: May 6 or 7 (to be defined).

Inter and Aston Villa got lucky in the draw

In contrast, the case of Inter Milan (4th) and Aston Villa (8th) was different. Despite finishing below Barça and Arsenal in the overall standings, the Italians and English will retain home advantage throughout the KO phase. Inter will close the round of 16 match at home against Feyenoord and, if they qualify, will also play the quarter-finals return leg at Giuseppe Meazza (against Bayern or Leverkusen) and 'semis' (against Barça, Benfica, Dortmund, or Lille).

The same goes for Unai Emery's team. Villa will be at home for the return of the round of 16 against Bruges and, if they advance to the quarter-finals, will close the tie in Birmingham against PSG or Liverpool. If they survive the tough matchup against the 'reds' or Parisians, Aston Villa will also have home advantage in the 'semis' against PSV, Arsenal, Real Madrid, or Atlético. In the case of the group stage leader, Liverpool will only have the possibility to play the return leg at home in the round of 16 (against PSG) and in hypothetical semi-finals. Such is the unusual and unfair nature of the new Champions format.

🏆The path of Inter Milan in the KO phase:

⚽Round of 16: Inter Milan vs Feyenoord. First leg: March 5 in Rotterdam. Return: March 11 in Milan.

⚽Quarter-finals: Inter Milan vs Bayern/Leverkusen. First leg: April 8 or 9 in Germany. Return: April 15 or 16 in Milan.

⚽Semi-finals: Inter Milan vs Benfica/Barcelona/Dortmund/Lille. First leg: April 29 or 30 (to be defined). Return: May 6 or 7 in Milan.

🏆The path of Aston Villa in the KO phase:

⚽Round of 16: Aston Villa vs Bruges. First leg: March 4 in Belgium. Return: March 12 in Birmingham.

⚽Quarter-finals: Aston Villa vs PSG/Liverpool. First leg: April 8 or 9 (to be defined). Return: April 15 or 16 in Birmingham.

⚽Semi-finals: Aston Villa vs PSV/Arsenal/Real Madrid/Atlético. First leg: April 29 or 30 (to be defined). Return: May 6 or 7 in Birmingham.