Predicting every Champions League last 16 tie
The draw for the last 16 of the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League was made last night. There are some incredibly exciting matchups to look forward to.
Two of the best underdogs of the season, Benfica and Ajax, will go head-to-head. However, the prospect of a Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo reunion will have to wait for now. PSG had drawn Manchester United in the first draw, but the draw was done afresh due to glitches in the system.
Instead, we'll now have the Portuguese going up against a familiar rival in Atletico Madrid. Meanwhile, Messi will be up against another familiar rival - Real Madrid. The latter matchup will see a fairy-tale return to the Santiago Bernabeu for one of the club's biggest legends, Sergio Ramos. So that's another exciting prospect worth looking forward to.
Elsewhere, Inter Milan and Liverpool are set to face each other for the first time since their first meeting at the same stage of the competition in 2008. Meanwhile, Chelsea drew Lille in the first draw, and drew the Ligue 1 winners again.
Bayern Munich, who initially drew Atletico Madrid, will now face RB Salzburg. Villarreal will take on Juventus, while Manchester City will lock horns with Sporting CP.
Round of 16 draw ✔️
Which tie are you most excited for?
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The first legs are set to take place on 15,16, 23 and 24 February 2022 followed by the return legs on 9, 10, 16 and 17 March 2022. We're still some way off before these games come around. Nevertheless, let's make predictions about how these ties could pan out:
#8 Benfica vs Ajax
It's arguably the least interesting matchup on paper. However, the sheer amount of quality in both camps means you should keep an eye out for this tie.
Benfica pipped Barcelona to second place in Group E, keeping four clean sheets in six games. They also managed to trouble Bayern Munich away. Ajax, meanwhile, looked rejuvenated, producing the kind of performance reminiscent of their fairy-tale 2018-19 campaign, when they made the semis.
Powering their European charge is Sebastian Haller, who has struck ten times in the group stage. He's completely unrecognisable from the player who flopped at West Ham.
De Godenzonen, who won all six of their group games, are the obvious favourites in this tie. They are expected to progress into the last eight of the 2021-22 Champions League following an intense two-legged contest.
Prediction: Ajax to beat Benfica 4-2 on aggregate.
#7 RB Salzburg vs Bayern Munich
This is arguably the most lopsided tie of the round. Salzburg may be a dominant force in the Austrian league, but this is their first appearance in the last16 of the Champions League.
Moreover, Bayern Munich have been really impressive so far. They just became the only team after Real Madrid to win all six group games in a Champions League campaign twice. The last time they did so (2019-20), Bayern went all the way.
🇦🇹 Salzburg vs Bayern 🇩🇪
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Spearheaded by the irrepressible Robert Lewandowski, the Bavarians are among the top favourites to win their second Champions League title in three years. They should navigate through this Champions League Round of 16 tie without much hassle.
Prediction: Bayern Munich to beat RB Salzburg 5-1 on aggregate.