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The much-awaited second legs of the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 games have finally arrived and are set to enthral viewers across the world. The Champions League is arguably one of the most exciting competitions in the world and is defined by its ability to put the best teams in Europe in the same ring.
The round-of-16 fixtures in March were abruptly interrupted by the worldwide pandemic and the remainder of the competition will be held in August. There are a few round-of-16 clashes that are yet to be resolved, however, and will take place in stadiums across Europe this weekend.
The UEFA Champions League returns with massive fixtures this weekend
The likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea are set to take the pitch this weekend and will want to come away with convincing victories. Bayern Munich already has one foot in the door with a 3-0 victory in the first leg and has a massive upper hand over Frank Lampard's Chelsea side.
Barcelona faces a tricky test against Napoli at the Camp Nou and Real Madrid will have to overcome a 2-1 deficit against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side at the Etihad Stadium. Atalanta, RB Leipzig, Atalanta, and Atletico Madrid have already booked their places in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League.
The group stages of this edition of the Champions League have seen a flurry of goals with plenty of free-flowing football on offer. Here, we take a look at the five most prolific teams in the UEFA Champions League so far.
Note: RB Salzburg has also scored 16 goals in the UEFA Champions League (all hail Erling Braut Haaland!) but failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition and does not make it to this list.
#5 Atalanta - 16 goals
The fifth place in our list of top-scoring UEFA Champions League sides is occupied by everyone's favourite Italian team, Atalanta. The Bergamese shape-shifters have revolutionised attacking football in Italy and in Europe and are arguably the dark horses of the Champions League this season.
Gian Piero Gasperini's side has scored an astonishing 98 goals in the Serie A this season but surprisingly managed only 8 goals in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League. In the round-of-16 clash against Valencia, however, Atalanta doubled its tally over two games and tore the Spanish side's defence to shreds with 4-1 and 4-3 victories.
The likes of Alejandro Gomez, Luis Muriel, and Duvan Zapata can be lethal in the final third and have adapted to Gasperini's revolutionary tactics. Atalanta will face Paris Saint-Germain in the quarterfinals and will have to be at its best to overcome the French champions.
#4 Tottenham Hotspur - 18 goals
Tottenham Hotspur is generally not known for scoring heaps and bundles of goals but the North London side has managed to surprise its own fanbase with its performances in the UEFA Champions League this season.
The Spurs scored 18 goals in the six group games in the UEFA Champions League with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min scoring 11 goals between them to secure comprehensive victories over the likes of Red Star Belgrade and Olympiacos.
Jose Mourinho's side crashed out of the UEFA Champions League after losing by an aggregate margin of 4-0 against RB Leipzig. The Spurs also suffered a humiliating defeat against Bayern Munich in the group stages and would have gone a lot further in the Champions League with better defensive performances.
Also check out: the Champions League Winners by season
#3 Manchester City - 18 goals
Manchester City has scored the same number of goals in the UEFA Champions League as Premier League rivals Tottenham but has played a game less and occupies the third position on this list. Pep Guardiola's side is lethal at the Etihad Stadium and can add a few more to its tally against Real Madrid this weekend.
Manchester City did not have the most difficult of groups but still had to get a better of an in-form Atalanta side. Pep Guardiola outclassed Gasperini's side at the Etihad Stadium and won by an astonishing 5-1 margin to make a massive statement in the UEFA Champions League.
Despite its underwhelming defensive record this season, Manchester City is yet to lose a single game in the UEFA Champions League and is a legitimate contender for the coveted trophy this year. Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling have shared the goalscoring burden in the absence of the talismanic Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne can be devastating on his day.
#2 Paris Saint-Germain - 20 goals
Paris Saint-Germain has disappointed on several occasions in the UEFA Champions League in the past but seems determined to win this edition of the competition. The French champions have a relatively easy route to the final and will be disappointed if they do not make it to the showpiece event.
The French giants have scored 20 goals in the UEFA Champions League so far and successfully beat Real Madrid to the top spot in the group stages. Paris Saint-Germain defeated the Spanish champions by a resounding 3-0 margin to make its intentions clear in the competition.
Neymar inspired his side to a 3-2 aggregate victory against a formidable Borussia Dortmund side in the round-of-16 stage of the competition. Kylian Mbappe is currently the top scorer for Paris Saint-Germain but his ankle injury will have increased the pressure on the likes of Neymar and Mauro Icardi to deliver against Atalanta next week.
#1 Bayern Munich - 27 goals
Bayern Munich has been the best team in the UEFA Champions League by a country mile. The Bavarian juggernaut has been unstoppable in Europe this season and has scored an astonishing 27 goals in only 7 games. Under Hansi Flick, the German champions have morphed into arguably the best team in the world at and may well win the UEFA Champions League this season.
Bayern Munich made a massive statement of intent with a 7-2 victory over a stunned Tottenham Hotspur in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League. Robert Lewandowski is virtually unplayable at the moment and has already scored 11 goals in the competition.
Bayern Munich faced a tricky test against Frank Lampard's talented Chelsea side in the round-of-16 but managed to thrash the Blues by a 3-0 margin in their own backyard. The German giants have also conceded only five goals in the UEFA Champions League so far and will be disappointed if they fail to win the coveted trophy this season.
Also Read: Premier League 2019/20: Team of the season
