UEFA Champions League 2018/19, Round of 16: Predictions

Every year football fans around the globe are treated with the thrilling UEFA Champions League as Europe's finest clubs collide in a battle to become the best in the continent. Often considered as the biggest club trophy, the competition is given much importance by clubs.

Often teams are rotated, players are rested, and tactics are made just to get the right balance in the Champions League ties simply because the magnitude is pretty darn high.

Legends are made in the elite competition as the prestigious Ballon d'Or award is often tilted towards the current champions league winner. Having a champions league winner profile is what all players dream of.

This brings us to the 2018-19 UCL. The group stage is done and dusted, and we have our top 16. The draw took in Nyon, Switzerland.

This edition of the tournament has entered into the knockout phase as we have the list of matches to be conducted in the Round of 16. The draw is done, and the world is excited for some fantasy encounters to come in February 2019.

Here's how these enticing battles could turn out:

#1 Manchester City vs FC Schalke

The German powerhouse battle the English giants - Manchester City in the Round of 16 clash. The Citizens have been the team to beat under Pep Guardiola and the Spanish manager will look to break his Champions League jinx this season.

This matchup is interesting but we’ve got to give it to the current Premier owing to their tremendous form heading into the knockout stage of the tournament.

Pep Guardiola's men did suffer a shock defeat at home against the French side Lyon but the citizens came back well and topped Group F with 13 points. Manchester City’s attacking prowess is well known by the clubs in Europe and their fearsome midfield can rip apart any side’s game plan.

While Schalke had an impressive group round where they finished behind Porto in the Group A, Pep Guardiola's fierce game plans will be too much to handle for the German outfit

Prediction: Manchester City to proceed

#2 Atletico Madrid vs Juventus

This is one of the most thrilling ties of the round as Italian champions-Juventus go head to head with Spanish giants, Atletico Madrid. Atletico might consider them unlucky as once again they are up against the mighty Cristiano Ronaldo but seeing the style of play and their form heading into the knockout phase of the tournament, Atletico do hold a slight edge over The Old Lady.

Juventus added the services of the Portuguese superstar to their already star-studded squad but The Bianconeri have looked vulnerable in the group stage and haven't looked like a side favourite to win the tournament.

On the other hand, Atletico have been a rampant side and have been impressive so far. Apart from their shock drubbing at the hands of Borussia Dortmund at Westfalenstadion, the Spanish club has been rock solid. Diego Simeone is the driving force behind this great team and his sheer desire might get Atletico Madrid over the line this season.

Prediction: Atletico Madrid to beat Juventus

#3 Manchester United vs Paris Saint-Germain

The Red Devils finished second in their group behind Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus and thus have ended up in a tough draw that pits them against the Ligue 1 champions- PSG.

The French club played in two enthralling encounters against Liverpool in the group stage and boast a squad full of world-class talents. Names like Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe can wreak havoc on their day and Manchester United will be wary of the attacking potential of the dynamic front 3 PSG have at their exposure.

The Red Devils have had a disappointing campaign so far and have looked far from impressive. Stars like Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku have failed to deliver and thus United find themselves outside the top-4 in the premier league.

With all that said, the favourites at this moment are Paris Saint-Germain but with Manchester United, you never know! Under a new manager, the Red Devils might pull out a surprise and proceed to the latter stages of the tournament.

Prediction: PSG to go through

#4 Tottenham Hotspur vs Borussia Dortmund

2 teams with exciting young talent,2 sides filled with a lot of energy, 2 clubs with tremendous fans! Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund do put on a juicy tie on paper.

With Harry Kane on one side and Marco Reus on the other, goals are bound to come in this enticing fixture. What makes this tie so thrilling is the exciting playing style of both the sides.

Tuchel has been terrific for the German outfit and his presence is a major reason why Dortmund sit on top of the Bundesliga rankings. But the Dortmund side face an adaunting task of going past the spurs if they are to reach the last 8.

Mauricio Pochettino is a genius and the world knows it but it might too much to ask of this Spurs side to go on and win the tournament. This contest will be a close one but Dortmund might take the cake in a thrilling encounter.

Prediction: Borussia Dortmund to reach the quarterfinals

#5 Barcelona vs Lyon

This one is tipped as the battle of undefeated ones as Barcelona take on Lyon in a bid to secure a quarterfinal berth.

La Blaugrana have had a rampant campaign so far as they won 4 out of 6 group stage ties while drew the other 2. The Catalan giants have been a force to reckon courtesy of their star man- Lionel Messi.

The Argentine has been in sensational form and will surely hurt any opposition given the form he is in. Messi has scored 6 goals so far and will look to add to his tally when Barcelona face the French side in the round of 16.

Lyon, on the contrary, have had a confusing and strange campaign as the French side won 1 and drew rest 5 on the course of qualifying for the round of 16. Things like these are strange but so is the level of unpredictability of the champions league.

Prediction: Barcelona to proceed to the last 8

#6 Roma vs Porto

The group D winners-Porto meet the group G runners-up, Romo in the round of 16. While the Portuguese club eased their way through to the knockout phase, the Italians scratched and clawed to reach the last 16.

Porto has been one of the most impressive sides of the tournament, winning 5 and drawing 1 in the group stage while Roma won 3 and lost 3 and merely looked like favourites for the prestigious trophy.

The Italian outfit have a pretty impressive squad and the club from Rome had a commendable performance in the previous edition, where they defeated Barcelona in a thrilling encounter and did come inches close to beating Liverpool in the semi-final.

This fixture might turn out to be a close one but Porto are heads-on favourites to proceed. This Porto side has an energetic squad and it won't be wrong to expect them to replicate the heroics of 2004 when the side from Portugal became the champions of Europe.

Prediction: Porto to reach the quarterfinals of this edition

#7 Ajax vs Real Madrid

Los Blancos are the undisputed kings on the Champions League! Real have won the last 3 editions of the tournament in succession and have looked at ease in each and every one of those campaigns. However their domestic form might be, Europe's prime club competition gets the best of the 13-time champions.

Santiago Solari's side have been drawn against Ajax in the round of 16 and it might take some doing from the Dutch side to go past the defending champions. Real Madrid boasts one of the best squads in Europe and despite losing the services of Cristiano Ronaldo, the Spanish giants have a formidable squad capable of hurting any opposition.

With that said, Los Blancos come to the round of 16 on the back of a shock 0-3 defeat at the hands of CSKA Moscow but apart from that, the defending champs have been impressive, winning the Group G and now face Group E Runners-up, Ajax.

Prediction: Real Madrid to reach the quarterfinals

#8 Liverpool vs Bayern Munich

The matchup everyone will be eagerly waiting for! Bayern Munich and Liverpool, 2legends of Europe's finest club competition, having won the prestigious Champion’s League title 5 times each.

While Liverpool might have suffered 3 defeats in the group stage but they still are tipped heavy favourites of the competition courtesy of their dynamic playing style. Klopp will rely heavily on his attackers and with the addition of Fabinho in the midfield, The Reds have one of the most complete squads in Europe.

But Liverpool isn’t up against some minnows as Bayern Munich are as good as it gets and the Bavarians might have had a sloppy start in the Bundesliga but they are running on all cylinders in Europe's elite club competition as they’ve entered the round of 16 undefeated.

Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski has been in red-hot form hitting 8 goals so far, the most in this year’s competition.

Prediction: Liverpool to proceed