How are 3rd place round of 16 fixtures decided?

[Bundesliga Boy]

The four best 3rd placed teams will make up the numbers for the round of 16.

 

But how is it decided which fixture these teams get allocated to.

 

For example, the winner of group D (say Spain) will play the 3rd best team from either group B, E or F.  But the winner of group C (potentially Germany) plays third best in A, B or F........so two of the groups have been mentioned as possibilities for both fixtures.  This continues elsewhere.  So is it decided based on their overall ranking.......ie if Spain were ranked number 1 in world, would they then be placed against the lowest ranked nation from whomever third in group B, E or F to make is seeded in a way, and so on and so forth for the remaining fixtures?

 

Can't think of any other logical way of doing it.

[Mr Bairn]

Wikipedia has a full explanation of it

[Mr Bairn]

The draw is set up such that each quarter contains 1 third placed team, 1 or 2 winners and 1 or 2 runners up. Each half has 2 third placed teams, 3 winners and 3 runners up.

 

The winners of groups A, B, C and D will play third placed sides.

 

Winner of group E plays runner up of group runner up of group D (Perhaps Italy v Croatia)

 

Winner of group F plays runner up of group E (Perhaps Portugal v Belgium) 

 

Runners ups of groups A and C play (perhaps Switzerland v Poland)

 

Runners ups of groups B and F play (Perhaps Wales v Hungary)

 

Then you have the winners of A-D: France, England, Germany, Spain

 

They play 3rd placed sides according to a table given on wikipedia

[Bundesliga Boy]

Yeah I've seen who is scheduled to play who in next round.

 

But for example.....how was it decided that the winners of the first 4 groups should theoretically get an easier tie in the round of 16 than the winners of groups D and E who must face a runner up instead.

 

On reflection, it appears that the first 4 groups contain the hosts (France), and the three highest seeded teams (Germany, Spain, and England) and that is why they have been rewarded with playing 3rd placed sides in next round, and subsequently the winners of the final two groups must then face runners up.

 

As for which third placed team they face, that seems a tad more complex.

[Mr Bairn]

Yeah I've seen who is scheduled to play who in next round.

 

But for example.....how was it decided that the winners of the first 4 groups should theoretically get an easier tie in the round of 16 than the winners of groups D and E who must face a runner up instead.

 

On reflection, it appears that the first 4 groups contain the hosts (France), and the three highest seeded teams (Germany, Spain, and England) and that is why they have been rewarded with playing 3rd placed sides in next round, and subsequently the winners of the final two groups must then face runners up.

 

As for which third placed team they face, that seems a tad more complex.

 

 

AFAIK it's just luck of the draw. France are pre-drawn to play in group A, but it's just by chance that Germany, Spain and England were drawn into groups that face 3rd place teams

[Officer Barbrady]

If the OP is asking about the breakdown of third placed sides, then its taken as read that the four best will qualify. They are then allocated as per the draw, and with three groups selected as containing possible opponents, there is no way any of the best four will not progress. Its not automatic that winner of A plays the best 3rd in C, D or E, as for example, the team 3rd in D may be the only ones available to face the winner of B, even if they were the best overall 3rd. Primarily its a good thing in avoiding skullduggery of teams trying to pick their next oponents.