Nearly six months after four dozen or so starry-eyed and hope-filled teams set out on the European Champions League trail, the final 16 survivors have been identified. By the end of May, Europe's new soccer champion will be known, just in time to start the process all over again in June.
England's Arsenal and Italy's AS Roma on Wednesday secured their places in the knockout rounds with a victory and a tie, respectively, in London and in the somewhat less salubrious surrounds of Cluj-Napoca in northwest Romania.
The Champions League final is in London on May 28, and two other London teams in the last 16, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, won their respective groups. Arsenal, on the other hand, made difficult going of it after a fast start to the group phase. It had lost its previous two games on the road and its game against Partizan was tied, 1-1, going into the final 20 minutes.
The knockout stages guarantee some great and spectacular games, with no fewer than seven former winners in the field, including reigning champion Inter Milan.
For more: Champions League: Field is set for European Champions League knockout stage - latimes.com
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