The draw for the knockout stages of the Champions League, Monday, December 13, was marked by a big mistake. And this, from the start of the ceremony. L’Atlético Madrid say they have requested “explanations” to UEFA, in a press release. The body was forced, quickly, to announce that the first draw was invalidated and that a new one would be redone in the afternoon.
Following a technical problem with the software of an external service provider that instructs the officials as to which teams are eligible to play each other, a material error occurred in the draw for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
– UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 13, 2021
The ball containing the name of Manchester United was indeed placed in the pot of the second poster, to face Villarreal, which should never have happened. Indeed, the two clubs had faced each other during the group stage, which prevents any confrontation between these two formations. The fault was recorded and corrected immediately, since it was the neighbor, Manchester City, who inherited the match against Villarreal.
#UCLDraw
Incredible !!! Several errors in the draw for the knockout stages of the Champions League!
Bad balls have been added, especially for the Atlético draw … pic.twitter.com/jISUob9s3R– beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) December 13, 2021
However, this error caused a second blunder. Because Giorgio Marchetti, the general secretary of UEFA, then explains that, for the next match, where Atlético Madrid has already been drawn, there can be “neither Liverpool, as the two teams were in the same group, nor Manchester United who have already been drawn“From the footage it seems very clear that the person responsible for collecting the balls of the teams likely to face the Spaniards is not taking the one in the Manchester United pot.
Estamos en conversaciones con UEFA para pedir explicaciones y una solución después de los errores cometidos en el sorto de octavos de Champions League
– Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) December 13, 2021
At the time of the draw for Atlético’s opponent, the ball containing the name Manchester United was therefore not added. And it was Bayern Munich who were drawn to face Antoine Griezmann’s teammates. Either one of the most feared teams in these round of 16.