'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The UEFA Champions League fever is running high with eight scintillating clashes awaiting us in Europe’s most prestigious cup competition’s Round of 16 starting from Tuesday. Current holders Liverpool face a daunting task against Atletico Madrid whilst Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain will lock horns in a mouth-watering encounter.
Continuing their fairytale run in a first-ever Champions League appearance, high-flying Atalanta will face Spanish opponents Valencia whilst Spurs and Leipzig go head-to-head in the other exciting match on Wednesday. Round of 16 action will continue into next week when 2011/12 finalists Chelsea and Bayern Munich clash alongside Barcelona’s trip to a struggling Napoli side. In the last set of matches, Lyon host Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus and Pep Guardiola reunites with his old foes Real Madrid, this time with Manchester City.
The return fixtures will again be played over two weeks starting from March 10th. In this section, we preview and predict each and every 2019/20 Champions League Round of 16 tie.
Atletico Madrid v Liverpool
Liverpool have shown no signs of stopping since the start of last season as they look set to secure their first Premier League trophy in three decades. Jurgen Klopp’s men already laid their hands on a first Champions League trophy after 14 years last season when they beat league rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the final and are currently on course to retain that feat, potentially becoming the first English team to do so in 39 years.
But the relentless Reds do not have a straightforward task of going through to their third consecutive Champions League quarter-final because Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid will not go down easily. The Spanish heavyweights are not having their best season so far, currently placed fourth in the La Liga table, 13 points behind their cross-town neighbours Real Madrid. However, Atleti are one of Champions League’s most-feared giant-killers, knocking out the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the knockout stages of recent seasons.
Both teams are excellent defensively and have two of the world’s best goalkeepers in Alisson and Jan Oblak in their respective goals. However, Liverpool’s attack is much more potent than their Spanish counterparts having scored 61 times in 26 league games compared to the latter’s 25 in 24. Both sides have some quality players on display, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk comprising of Liverpool’s go-to men while Diego Costa, Saul Niguez and highly-rated teenager Joao Felix constituting the Spanish outfit’s creme-de-la-creme.
In what should be a fascinating encounter between two tactical maestros, it would not be a surprise if Jurgen Klopp gets the better out of Diego Simeone over two legs.
Prediction: Liverpool
Borussia Dortmund v Paris Saint-Germain
Many are calling the clash between Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain to potentially be the Round of 16’s most exciting and explosive tie. Thomas Tuchel will return to the Signal Iduna Park to get a much-needed result following the French champions’ unfortunate exit at this stage against Manchester United last season.
It won’t be an understatement to say that the teams boast two of Europe’s most deadly trio of attackers. Whilst the returning Neymar Jr., talismanic Mauro Icardi and the red-hot Kylian Mbappe will lead the line for Paris Saint-Germain come Tuesday night, captain Marco Reus, in-form Jadon Sancho and new-boy Erling Haaland will don the Black and Yellow on the other side of the pitch.
The Ligue 1 leaders have also been solid at the back, but their German opponents have been all over the place defensively. Tuchel’s back four only conceded two goals in the Champions League group stage compared to Dortmund’s eight. Lucien Favre’s side have also been equally inept at the back in the Bundesliga, having let in 32 goals in just 22 games.
Paris Saint-Germain have been the dominant force in the French top-flight in the past decade or so, however, their inability to perform at the Champions League’s biggest stages has attracted heavy criticism. Dortmund’s young squad is capable of pulling a major upset given their in-house talents, but the Parisian juggernaut will prove to be too much for them.
Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain
Atalanta v Valencia
The 2019/20 Champions League surprise packages Atalanta, who qualified for the knock-out stages in the most incredible circumstances on the final match-day in December, could not have asked for a better tie in their first-ever Round of 16 appearance.
The Italian club have not only impressed in Europe but are also excelling domestically, currently sitting fourth on the Serie A table. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side are also the highest scorers in the division with 61 goals, above the likes of Juventus, Inter Milan and Lazio.
Atalanta’s opponents Valencia have also had a splendid group stage campaign, eclipsing European heavyweights Chelsea and Ajax to secure top spot in Group H. The Spanish club are also going strong in La Liga, being only two points adrift off the Champions League places.
Both teams have impressed with their performances in the group stages, and the tie should be well-balanced and intriguing. Perhaps, other heavyweight Round of 16 encounters will overshadow this game, but if Atalanta’s fairy-tale run continues into the quarter-finals of the competition, several heads will turn.
Prediction: Atalanta
Tottenham Hotspur v RB Leipzig
Jose Mourinho and Tottenham Hotspur face high-flying RB Leipzig in their Round of 16 excursions in what promises to be two fascinating clashes. Last season’s Champions League finalists will hope to proceed in the tournament’s latter stages again but the German outfit will definitely pose a lot of questions.
Spurs have had a largely inconsistent run under Mourinho but their recent results against Manchester City and Aston Villa will provide them with much-needed confidence going into the massive game against Leipzig. The North Londoners are four points below fourth-placed Chelsea, with a Champions League spot still up-for-grabs. However, their fluctuating form coupled with Harry Kane’s long-term injury might mean that they will have to resort to Europa League next season.
RB Leipzig are writing a completely different story altogether, with Julian Nagelsmann’s side challenging Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title. Sitting only one point behind the Bavarians, Leipzig could finally end Bayern’s monopoly in the German top-flight.
Timo Werner is having another sensational campaign and new-signing Dani Olmo has provided the side with another dimension going forward. Without Kane, Mourinho will turn attention to his attacking trio of Heung-min Son, Dele Alli and recently-arrived Steven Bergwijn to exploit the Leipzig defence.
In what should be an end-to-end encounter comprising of Europe’s top talents on-show, we could see dark horses RB Leipzig edge through to the Champions League quarters.
Prediction: RB Leipzig
Chelsea v Bayern Munich
Frank Lampard’s youthful Chelsea side narrowly qualified for the knockout stages as Group H runners-up leaving last season’s semi-finalists Ajax behind. The Blues surprised many with their attacking brand of football in the initial months of the Premier League campaign, however, their season has somewhat fallen apart in recent weeks. Chelsea have only managed to win 6 out of their last 13 games in all competitions and face a gruelling task to remain in the top-four.
On the contrary, Bayern Munich had a shaky start to the season but have found their feet since the turn of the year, returning to their preferred top-spot in the Bundesliga. The German first division is witnessing one of its greatest title races in recent times, with the first and fifth-placed teams only divided by a mere six points.
Eden Hazard’s departure from Stamford Bridge last summer left Chelsea short-handed in attack. Christian Pulisic has been promising on the left-flank but the American has had troubles with injuries, as has been the case with starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi. Both Willian and Pedro are now in their early 30s and do not have the legs to start every three days. This leaves Lampard with Tammy Abraham as his only reliable attacking outlet, who has been Chelsea’s top-scorer and most consistent performer this season.
Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry were on top-form in the Champions League group stages and will hope to continue their goalscoring exploits against a defensively-weak Chelsea side. Winger Kingsley Coman is also back from a knee injury he suffered against Spurs in December and will wish to play a definitive role in Hansi Flick’s set-up for the remainder of the campaign.
Chelsea and Bayern Munich have been involved in what was one of the most exciting Champions League finals in the past decade. And we can surely hope for that level of drama and anxiety to kick through in this encounter. Frank Lampard will hope to take this Chelsea side to the latter stages, but their inexperience and rawness could make them bleed against a strong Bayern Munich side.
Prediction: Bayern Munich
Napoli v Barcelona
Serie A strugglers Napoli have an almost impossible task of toppling Spanish giants Barcelona in their Round of 16 tie, but the La Liga champions have shown vulnerabilities in the knockout stages of the competition before.
Napoli currently find themselves in 8th position on the league table, only a year after they were locked in a title battle with Juventus. The Italian club have had off-the-pitch issues which led Carlo Ancelotti to leave the club and join Everton. Other notable stars like Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne and Kalidou Koulibaly are also on the verge of departing the San Paolo Stadium this summer. Napoli have featured in the Champions League every year since 2016 but will now need a miracle to even attain Europa League qualification.
Barcelona, on the other hand, are not having the easiest of seasons themselves, trailing bitter rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish league and having already been knocked out of the Copa Del Rey at the hands of Athletic Bilbao. Their Spanish Supercup semi-final defeat against Atletico Madrid led to the end of manager Ernesto Valverde’s tenure at the Camp Nou, with former Real Betis boss and renowned Cruyffist Quique Setien taking up the job.
Barcelona have attracted constant scrutiny over the years over their lack of Champions League success, especially when Real Madrid have won four in the last six years. The Spanish champions have not tasted European success since the treble-winning 2014/15 season but look to make things straight this time around.
Lionel Messi will once again be the centre of attention when Barcelona travel to Napoli and the Argentinian superstar will hope to continue his Champions League goalscoring form in what should be a one-sided affair in Naples and a fortnight later in the Catalonian capital.
Prediction: Barcelona
Lyon v Juventus
Only few will fancy Olympique Lyonnais to rack up a result against Italy’s mightiest Juventus. The French outfit are in the bottom half of the Ligue 1 table but managed to see off Benfica and Zenit in Group G to qualify for the Champions League knock-out stages. However, they must be pulling their hair when Juventus’ ball was pulled out in the draw in December.
The Serie A champions are themselves are in search for a first UEFA Champions League triumph in two dozen years having coming extremely close recently in 2015 and 2017. Maurizio Sarri’s side are well-equipped to lift the trophy come May with star-man Cristiano Ronaldo back among the goals since the turn of the year.
Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain have also been in decent goalscoring touch, with Juventus extremely capable of blowing away Lyon, who are without talisman Memphis Depay.
Manager Rudi Garcia, who has immense experience against Juventus during his three-year stay at Roma, will resort to in-form striker Moussa Dembele and highly-rated midfielder Houssem Aouar to give them any hope in qualifying for the next stage. As things stand, Juventus look like they will wrap up the tie in France itself.
Prediction: Juventus
Real Madrid v Manchester City
Perhaps, the Round of 16’s most-anticipated tie is that of Real Madrid and Manchester City, with the two European giants clashing for only the fifth time in the competition’s history. And Pep Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane will go head-to-head for the first time as the Catalan will hope to inflict damage on his old rivals.
City have lost their Premier League crown to Liverpool, who look set to lift the trophy in May. The Blues will now look to make headway in the Champions League, a competition they still have not been able to crack. Guardiola’s appointment in 2016 was largely due to the lack of European trophies in the blue half of Manchester and the former Barcelona boss will look to bring some international glory before he potentially departs at the end of next season.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, know all about winning Europe’s grandest prize but have themselves looked short-handed in the past one-and-a-half seasons without the ever-reliable Cristiano Ronaldo. However, Zidane’s men have turned it up in the second half of this season and are looking favourites to win the La Liga title.
Both teams boast two of the world’s most supreme squads with superstars like Sergio Ramos, Kevin de Bruyne, Karim Benzema, Sergio Aguero, Luka Modric and Raheem Sterling a small quintet of the twenty-two galacticos on-show in this encounter. Both sets of fans will hope that Eden Hazard, Leroy Sane, Gareth Bale and Aymeric Laporte will also return to full fitness ahead of the game.
Given City’s inconsistencies this season and Real’s resurgent form, many will predict the latter to bring back their Champions League mojo in this tie. However, Pep Guardiola could might as well bring a few rabbits out of the hat as Manchester City hunt for their inaugural Champions League title before their two-year ban from the competition.
Prediction: Manchester City
