There are a few certainties you can always rely on with the last 16 draw of the Champions League.
A visit to the fictional town of Nyon. Faceless UEFA bureaucrats being wheeled out to explain complicated seeding systems.
A random former Champions League winner struggling to open the little balls containing the names of the clubs.
And Arsenal being drawn against Bayern Munich.
And so it proved again this morning when the Gunners were paired with the German champions again as their reward for finishing top of their group.
It will be the fourth time Arsenal be facing Bayern in the last four years – and their last seven round of 16 opponents reads like a roll call of former winners: Barcelona, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Bayern Munich, AS Monaco, FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Bad luck? Yes. But some Gunners fans think something fishy has been going on…
So, if we finished second we would've drawn Barca, finish top we drew Bayern. Haha @UEFA get in the bin.
— Sam (@samuelJayC) December 12, 2016
Think Arsenal-Bayern should get a nickname like El Classico. Maybe CL-draw-is-fixed-ico
— Daily Cannon (@DailyCannon) December 12, 2016
One fan even pointed the finger at Ruud Gullit. Because he really, really cares who Arsenal play in the Champions League. Obviously.
Like Ruud Gullit didn't know which ball was Arsenal in that pot. He saw exactly which one was pulled out of our bowl and put in the mixer.
— Charley (@TheGooonerGirl) December 12, 2016
But not everyone was calling it fixed, some were simply resigned to their fate:
@SportsJOE_UK pic.twitter.com/WHWEUEDOjL
— RA (@RAZ6ne) December 12, 2016
Obligatory Piers-Morgan-somehow-making-this-Wenger’s-fault tweet:
Only Wenger could win the group & still draw Bayern Munich. Unbelievable. #afc
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 12, 2016
And Bayern knew it was coming five days ago…
. @Arsenal @ChampionsLeague Should we just book our travel to London now? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/qkZvZZLsWQ
— 🇺🇸 FC Bayern US 🇨🇦 (@FCBayernUS) December 7, 2016
The first leg of the ties will be played on 14th and 15th, and 21st and 22nd of February.
The return legs will take place on the 7th and 8th, and the 14th and 15th of March.
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