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The 2019-20 UEFA Champions League knockout round commences with the Round of 16 fixtures in February 2020. Six teams qualified for the knockout stage of this season's competition after going unbeaten in their respective six group-stage games.
Among the eight group winners were Bavarian giants Bayern Munich, who became only the sixth team in the history of the Champions League to win all their group-stage games. In the process, they also registered the best goal-difference (+19) by a group winner in the competition.
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Champions League debutants Atalanta belied their indifferent Serie A form this season by becoming the first team to qualify for the Champions League knockout round after losing their first three games.
Meanwhile, three-time winners and last season's surprise semi-finalist Ajax failed to negotiate the group-stage following a home defeat to Valencia on Matchday 6 - when a draw would have sent the Eredivisie side through to the Round of 16. Such misfortune, however, did not befall the Spanish heavyweights Real Madrid and Barcelona.
On that note, let us have a look at five possible team records that could be achieved in the knockout round of the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League.
#1 Real Madrid could become the 1st team to play 100 knockout stage games
Record 13-time champions Real Madrid have successfully negotiated the Champions League group-stage for a record 23rd consecutive time. They are the only team to grace the second group-stage / knockout round of the competition every year in this century.
Not surprisingly, the seven-time winners in the Champions League era have also played the most knockout stage games (95) in the competition since the knockout stage replaced the second group stage in 2003-04.
If the Spanish capital side reach the semi-finals for the first time since lifting their most recent title in the competition in 2017-18, they would become the first team to play 100 Champions League knockout stage games.
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#2 Barcelona and Bayern Munich could register 50 knockout stage wins
One of only two teams to play over 90 Champions League knockout stage games (the other being Real Madrid), Barcelona (47) could join their fellow Liga counterparts as the only teams to register 50 match wins in the knockout stage of the competition. The Catalan side could possibly achieve this milestone by reaching the quarterfinals or the semifinals of this season's competition.
The other in the fray to join Real Madrid and / or Barcelona in the exclusive 50-knockout stage win club in the Champions League are Bayern Munich, who have 44 knockout stage wins in the competition. Bayern would possibly have to go all the way this season to accomplish this goal.
#3 Juventus could score 100 knockout stage goals
Only three teams - Real Madrid (166), Bayern Munich (164), and Barcelona (159) - have scored over 100 goals in the knockout stage of the Champions League.
There could be a fourth team to join the trio this season. Italian champions Juventus have scored 92 Champions League knockout stage goals.
The Bianconeri need to score eight times in the remaining matches this season to become only the fourth team to score 100 Champions League goals in the knockout stage of the competition.
#4 Liverpool could become the 2nd team to successfully defend their Champions League title
Real Madrid became the first team in the Champions League era to win back-to-back Champions League titles a couple of years ago. The then-defending champions beat Juventus in the 2016-17 final to lift their 12th title in the competition.
Liverpool are the reigning Champions League winners right now. Given their tremendous domestic form (18 wins and a draw in 19 games) in 2019-20, the Reds could spill their domestic dominance onto the European stage and become the first team after Real Madrid to successfully defend their Champions League title.
#5 Champions League debutants Atalanta could register a knockout stage win
The only debutants in the Champions League this season, Atalanta became the first team in competition history to qualify for the knockout round after losing their first three games.
Having belied expectations by reaching the competition's Round of 16 despite their indifferent domestic form this season, the Serie A team could also become the first competition debutants since Leicester City in 2016-17 to register a knockout stage match win.
