UEFA Champions League: Which clubs will be the likely winners in the Round of 16?
The Champions League returns today for its Round of 16 fixtures, with each team facing their respective opponents over two legs. This year's knockout round is expected to serve up some mouth-watering matchups as we're going to witness the clash of some Champions League giants.
The UEFA Champions is the most glamorous and elite club football competition in the world. It brings the biggest teams across Europe together to compete for a single trophy.
So far, Real Madrid is the most successful team in the history of the competition with a whopping 13 titles. Right behind them is AC Milan with seven titles. The Spanish giants have also made the most appearances in the tournament (46), playing 457 matches since 1955.
With the competition in its knockout stages, let's take a look at all of the Round of 16 fixtures and find out which teams are likely to make it through to the quarter-finals.
PSG vs Real Madrid
The encounter between Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid and Mauricio Pochettino's Paris Saint-Germain is arguably the most-talked about game in the Round of 16. While one of the competition favorites will be eliminated at an early juncture, it is difficult to say which team will progress to the Champions League quarter-finals. Both teams are decked out with a star-studded squad.
Neymar could play his first game for PSG since November when they host Real Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 #UCL tie on Tuesday.
However, regardless of how good both teams are, one must bow to the other. When the initial draw was made in Nyom, Switzerland, the Spanish giants were handed an easier matchup against Benfica. But the mixup in the initial draw voided the pairing.
After the draw was redone, they were furious with how it panned out for them as they were paired with PSG. There were reports that some within Santiago Bernabeu labeled the decision to include Real Madrid in the redone draw a scandal. However, there was nothing they could do as it was the final draw.
As group winners, Carlo Ancelotti's side will play the first leg of their Round of 16 tie away from home. The last meeting between the two sides was in the 2019-20 Champions League group stage where PGS won 3-0 in Paris and drew 2-2 in the return leg at the Bernabeu.
This time, the two teams are meeting in the knockout stages, where Real Madrid have a reputation for excelling. The last encounter between the two sides in the knockout stages in 2017-18 saw Real Madrid breeze past PSG, beating the Parisians 5-2 on aggregate.
PSG have not really proved themselves to be favorites for the coveted trophy this season. They are cruising in Ligue 1, but have failed to impress in Europe. Moreover, the absence of Neymar, Sergio Ramos and Ander Herrera will impact their chances. For Madrid, their star striker Karim Benzema is a doubt for the first leg due to a thigh injury.
Benzema speaking on Mbappe and Madrid 😏 https://t.co/EQChIBpo8t
They can count on the likes of Vinicius Junior and their midfield maestros - Luka Modric, Casemiro and Toni Kroos. PSG have abundant talent in the squad as well, with seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi partnering Kylian Mbappe upfront. However, their porous defense remains a concern. If Ancelotti's men can capitalize on this weakness to score a handful of goals in Paris, they should be able to secure their qualification to the quarter-finals.
Sporting CP vs Manchester City
Current Premier League leaders Manchester City are on an unbeaten run of 12 games in all competitions, which includes 11 wins and a draw. As runners-up to last season's campaign, Pep Guardiola's men will be keen to lift this year's Champions League trophy.
#UCL READY! 
🌟 #UCL READY! 🌟
#ManCity https://t.co/2H9CgengvP
Sporting CP, too, have had quite a decent run of form since their last game in the Champions League group stages (12 wins, one draw, one loss). Presently, they are in second position in the Primeira Liga table. Apart from that, they are also semi-finalists in the Portuguese cup.
City were initially drawn with Villarreal, only to set up a clash in Lisbon after the redraw. Having comfortably emerged as group winners, City are massive favorites for this tie and should progress without hiccups.
Inter Milan vs Liverpool
This is another Champions League last-16 tie that football lovers will be looking forward to watching. The tie between Jurgen Klopp's men and the Nerazzurri is expected to be quite nervy. Liverpool proved impregnable throughout their series of group stage matches. They sealed their qualification spot in the knockout stages after just four games and no one could stop them from running away with all the points.
Back in #UCL action this week, as we face @Inter 👊 https://t.co/7RxbH8f1r2
Inter Milan, on the other hand, were somewhat imperious, registering three consecutive wins from matchday three to matchday five. They also sit second, right behind AC Milan, in the Serie A table and are semi-finalists in the Coppa Italia.
Liverpool have one of the most lethal forwards in Europe in Mohamed Salah, who has already scored seven goals in this season's Champions League campaign. With Salah and Sadio Mane back from AFCON, the red-hot form of Diogo Jota and the added depth of Luis Diaz, the Reds are likely to progress to the quarter-finals.
RB Salzburg vs Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich were one of the biggest winners of the Champions League Round of 16 draw. While the redone draws made some teams happy, none would be happier than the Bavarians. Initially paired with Atletico Madrid in the draw, Bayern were handed a much easier tie against the Austrian giants in the redraw.
Nonetheless, the Red Bulls should not be underestimated as they are currently at the summit of their league table. They've only lost one in their last seven matches. Any sign of sloopiness from Julian Nagelsmann's men could cause them a few troubles in the tie.
The Bavarians, however, have a reputation for dealing mercilessly with weaker teams and should make it to the quarter-finals. With a team stocked with talent and a certain Robert Lewandowski upfront, Bayern Munich will likely see off Salzburg without much trouble.
Chelsea vs Lille
Many Chelsea fans were dispirited after the spoils were shared against Zenit on matchday 6, as Chelsea ended up as runners-up in Group H. Consequently, they were on the verge of getting a tough draw, with Ajax, Real Madrid, or Bayern Munich as their likely opponents.
However, it seems like the draw between Chelsea and Lille has been a blessing from the heavens. Not only was Chelsea paired with the French champions in the redone draw, they were also paired with them in the initial draw. As such, Thomas Tuchel's men will be happy to have avoided the top European giants at this stage of the competition.
Champions League holders Chelsea become world champions for the first time 
🥳
🔵 Champions League holders Chelsea become world champions for the first time 🏆🥳
#UCL https://t.co/jevZHtvphV
Despite their recent slump in form, defending champions Chelsea should not be taken for a weaker side. Their recent victory in the just concluded FIFA Club World Cup will boost their morale. They are tipped to overcome the Ligue 1 champions in this encounter.
Villarreal vs Juventus
Yellow Submarines, having been erroneously drawn against Manchester United in the initial draw, have nothing to be happy about as Juventus look more dangerous than Ralf Rangnick's men at the moment. However, Villarreal will pose a threat to the Italian giants as reigning Europa League champions.
It should be a close contest, despite Juventus being the more experienced side in the competition both in age and pedigree. In the past three years of the UCL knockout stages, the Old Lady displayed dismal performances that led to their exit against smaller teams. Porto eliminated them in the Round of 16 last season, while Lyon and Ajax knocked them out in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals respectively in the preceding campaigns.
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United
With both teams currently sitting in fifth position in their respective leagues, Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United should be a hard-fought affair between the two faltering sides. Manchester United have had mixed results since Ralf Rangnick came on as interim manager. They have fallen out of the top four in the Premier League after back-to-back draws against Burnley and Southampton. Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is on a six-game goalless run.
Ronaldo vs. Atlético. Again.
CR7’s hat trick in the second leg turned a 0-2 Juve deficit into a 3-2 win 😤
(via @ChampionsLeague)
https://t.co/asOZh5k4Zf
Atletico Madrid have also not been their usual selves since the start of the season. They've only won four out of their last 11 matches (one draw and six losses). They also barely managed to scrape through in the group stages, finishing second in Group B.
Cristiano Ronaldo is, however, renowned for causing havoc anytime he comes up against Diego Simeone's men in the Champions League. This tie will see Ronaldo return to the Wanda Metropolitano and serve up the chance for him to break Los Colchoneros hearts once again.
If Ronaldo can find his form, the Spanish champions could be out of the Champions League in the Round of 16. When the Portuguese was at Juventus, he helped them overturn a 0-2 away deficit with a superb hat-trick that fired the Old Lady into the quarter-finals. Ronaldo is, after all, the all-time top scorer in the Champions League. We pick the Red Devils to make it through due to the Ronaldo factor.
Benfica vs Ajax
Erik ten Hag has lost just 1 away match out of 14 in the UCL as Ajax manager.
He has played vs Bayern, Benfica, AEK, Real Madrid, Juventus, Spurs, Valencia, Chelsea, Lille, Atalanta, Midtjylland, Liverpool, Sporting & BVB. He lost vs Liverpool. https://t.co/1M8mlOILT7
When this year's Champions League campaign began, most top teams would not have minded being drawn with Ajax in the knockout stages. That might not be the case now as Ajax proved unplayable in the group stages, taking all 18 points alongside Liverpool and Bayern.
Their talisman, Sebastien Haller, leads the race in the list of top goalscorers in the Champions League this season. He also broke a remarkable record of being the second player to score in all six Champions League group games. Ajax and Benfica last faced each other in the Champions League in 2018-19, where the Dutch side won once and drew once in two meetings in the group stage.
That being said, Benfica also have a pedigree in the Champions league, with two titles to their name. Erik ten Hag's men will fancy their chances of emerging winners in this two-legged encounter should Sebastien Haller keep up his goal scoring form.