• BARCELONA v PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN: Remember Barcelona 6, PSG 1? That extraordinary turnaround of a last-16 tie that finished 6-5 on aggregate to Barcelona seems a long time in the past. It was only four seasons ago, but took place before Neymar left Catalonia for Paris, and well before Lionel Messi indicated he wanted to quit Camp Nou. Only last week Neymar was saying he would like he and Messi to share a dressing-room again. Now they meet as rivals, assuming PSG’s Brazilian recovers in the new year, as anticipated, from the injury he sustained against Lyon on Sunday. Forecast: PSG to expose a brittle, bruised Barcelona. Reuters
    BARCELONA v PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN: Remember Barcelona 6, PSG 1? That extraordinary turnaround of a last-16 tie that finished 6-5 on aggregate to Barcelona seems a long time in the past. It was only four seasons ago, but took place before Neymar left Catalonia for Paris, and well before Lionel Messi indicated he wanted to quit Camp Nou. Only last week Neymar was saying he would like he and Messi to share a dressing-room again. Now they meet as rivals, assuming PSG’s Brazilian recovers in the new year, as anticipated, from the injury he sustained against Lyon on Sunday. Forecast: PSG to expose a brittle, bruised Barcelona. Reuters
  • BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH v MANCHESTER CITY: Monchengladbach have waited 42 years to step into the last 16 of the European Cup, or, specifically, 42 years and the agonising five minutes in which their players crowded around phones and laptops last Wednesday night to see if the other match, Inter-Shakhtar, in their cliffhanger of a group would finish in the draw that pushed them through. It did, but their reward for a free-scoring campaign is brutal. City, hungry to reach a first-ever final, should have more than enough to see off the German club. Forecast: City to reach their fourth successive quarter-final. AFP
    BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH v MANCHESTER CITY: Monchengladbach have waited 42 years to step into the last 16 of the European Cup, or, specifically, 42 years and the agonising five minutes in which their players crowded around phones and laptops last Wednesday night to see if the other match, Inter-Shakhtar, in their cliffhanger of a group would finish in the draw that pushed them through. It did, but their reward for a free-scoring campaign is brutal. City, hungry to reach a first-ever final, should have more than enough to see off the German club. Forecast: City to reach their fourth successive quarter-final. AFP
  • ATLETICO MADRID v CHELSEA: Perhaps the least desired outcome for a Chelsea who may have added European experience to their squad last summer, but must now negotiate a way past the club that epitomises knockout expertise. Diego Simeone, once an iconic Atletico midfielder, has taken his warriors to four European finals in nine years. Frank Lampard, once an iconic Chelsea midfielder, is aiming for better than the last-16 stage, where his club were knocked out in 2019-20. A poignant tie for Atletico’s Diego Costa, ex of Chelsea, if he can recover fitness in time. Forecast: Chelsea to find a way through the Atletico barricades. Reuters
    ATLETICO MADRID v CHELSEA: Perhaps the least desired outcome for a Chelsea who may have added European experience to their squad last summer, but must now negotiate a way past the club that epitomises knockout expertise. Diego Simeone, once an iconic Atletico midfielder, has taken his warriors to four European finals in nine years. Frank Lampard, once an iconic Chelsea midfielder, is aiming for better than the last-16 stage, where his club were knocked out in 2019-20. A poignant tie for Atletico’s Diego Costa, ex of Chelsea, if he can recover fitness in time. Forecast: Chelsea to find a way through the Atletico barricades. Reuters
  • LAZIO v BAYERN MUNICH: A duel of thoroughbred centre-forwards. Last season Lazio’s Ciro Immobile won the Golden Shoe, the prize for the top marksman across league football in Europe. It was a startling achievement given that Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski amassed 34 Bundesliga goals. Immobile scored 36, leaving Lewandowski to take solace in his many contributions to a Treble. Bayern look well equipped to retain the most glittering prize of those three, the Champions League, and would regard Lazio as a surmountable hurdle. Forecast: Bayern to reinforce their status as Champions League favourites. EPA
    LAZIO v BAYERN MUNICH: A duel of thoroughbred centre-forwards. Last season Lazio’s Ciro Immobile won the Golden Shoe, the prize for the top marksman across league football in Europe. It was a startling achievement given that Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski amassed 34 Bundesliga goals. Immobile scored 36, leaving Lewandowski to take solace in his many contributions to a Treble. Bayern look well equipped to retain the most glittering prize of those three, the Champions League, and would regard Lazio as a surmountable hurdle. Forecast: Bayern to reinforce their status as Champions League favourites. EPA
  • RB LEIPZIG v LIVERPOOL: RB Leipzig were semi-finalists last season, effectively knocked Manchester United out already this season and are matching Bayern Munich, point for point, in the Bundesliga title-race. That’s three good reasons for Liverpool to feel apprehensive about this barrier between the Premier League champions and the quarter-finals. Liverpool’s German manager has the greatest respect for his young compatriot in charge at Leipzig, too. “Julian Nagelsmann is the future,” Jurgen Klopp says of his counterpart. Forecast: Liverpool to overcome injury absences, and fatigue, to progress. Getty Images
    RB LEIPZIG v LIVERPOOL: RB Leipzig were semi-finalists last season, effectively knocked Manchester United out already this season and are matching Bayern Munich, point for point, in the Bundesliga title-race. That’s three good reasons for Liverpool to feel apprehensive about this barrier between the Premier League champions and the quarter-finals. Liverpool’s German manager has the greatest respect for his young compatriot in charge at Leipzig, too. “Julian Nagelsmann is the future,” Jurgen Klopp says of his counterpart. Forecast: Liverpool to overcome injury absences, and fatigue, to progress. Getty Images
  • PORTO v JUVENTUS: It’s close to eight hours of action now since Porto conceded a Champions League goal. The kings of the clean sheet now confront the most successful Portuguese goalscorer of all time, and if supporters are permitted into the Estadio Dragao in mid-February, Juventus’s Cristiano Ronaldo will certainly know about it. His old ally and long-time team-mate at Real Madrid and for Portugal, 37-year-old Pepe, will not go discretely about his marking of Ronaldo either. This one could end up tight. Forecast: Juventus to impose their pedigree on a stubborn Porto. AFP
    PORTO v JUVENTUS: It’s close to eight hours of action now since Porto conceded a Champions League goal. The kings of the clean sheet now confront the most successful Portuguese goalscorer of all time, and if supporters are permitted into the Estadio Dragao in mid-February, Juventus’s Cristiano Ronaldo will certainly know about it. His old ally and long-time team-mate at Real Madrid and for Portugal, 37-year-old Pepe, will not go discretely about his marking of Ronaldo either. This one could end up tight. Forecast: Juventus to impose their pedigree on a stubborn Porto. AFP
  • ATALANTA v REAL MADRID: Atalanta is not a happy camp right now, because of a very public falling out between captain Papu Gomez and coach Gian Piero Gasperini. But the wheels of a great adventure have not come off. This is the upstart club who came within less than a minute, in August, of reaching the semi-final in their first go at the Champions League and who won 2-0 at Anfield last month. They will glimpse vulnerability in an inconsistent Madrid. “Maximum respect,” said Madrid’s head coach, Zinedine Zidane, of the Italians. Forecast: Madrid into the quarters, via some anxious moments. EPA
    ATALANTA v REAL MADRID: Atalanta is not a happy camp right now, because of a very public falling out between captain Papu Gomez and coach Gian Piero Gasperini. But the wheels of a great adventure have not come off. This is the upstart club who came within less than a minute, in August, of reaching the semi-final in their first go at the Champions League and who won 2-0 at Anfield last month. They will glimpse vulnerability in an inconsistent Madrid. “Maximum respect,” said Madrid’s head coach, Zinedine Zidane, of the Italians. Forecast: Madrid into the quarters, via some anxious moments. EPA
  • SEVILLA v BORUSSIA DORTMUND: Dortmund sacked their head coach, Lucien Favre, at the weekend, just days after he had guided the club to a seeded place in the last 16 of the Champions League. Quite what shape they are in in two months time will be up to his Favre’s successor, although they will not take a shortage of firepower to Andalucia if Erling Haaland, currently recuperating from a muscle problem, is around and keen to add to his 16 goals already from a 12-game Champions League career. An intriguing test for Sevilla’s defensive organisation. Forecast: Sevilla to keep a youthful Dortmund in check and sneak through. EPA
    SEVILLA v BORUSSIA DORTMUND: Dortmund sacked their head coach, Lucien Favre, at the weekend, just days after he had guided the club to a seeded place in the last 16 of the Champions League. Quite what shape they are in in two months time will be up to his Favre’s successor, although they will not take a shortage of firepower to Andalucia if Erling Haaland, currently recuperating from a muscle problem, is around and keen to add to his 16 goals already from a 12-game Champions League career. An intriguing test for Sevilla’s defensive organisation. Forecast: Sevilla to keep a youthful Dortmund in check and sneak through. EPA
  • And the best of the Europa League ... REAL SOCIEDAD v MANCHESTER UNITED: After their shock relegation from the Champions League, no respite for United. They must go to the current leaders of La Liga. Real Sociedad’s form may have dipped recently but they remain hard to beat even when they do not sparkle. The away leg promises emotional returns to Manchester for former United prodigy Adnan Januzaj and ex City legend David Silva. Forecast: United to turn it on for enough of the 180 minutes to reach the last 16. AP
    And the best of the Europa League ... REAL SOCIEDAD v MANCHESTER UNITED: After their shock relegation from the Champions League, no respite for United. They must go to the current leaders of La Liga. Real Sociedad’s form may have dipped recently but they remain hard to beat even when they do not sparkle. The away leg promises emotional returns to Manchester for former United prodigy Adnan Januzaj and ex City legend David Silva. Forecast: United to turn it on for enough of the 180 minutes to reach the last 16. AP
  • RED STAR BELGRADE v AC MILAN: One for the nostalgics: For three successive years, 1989 to 1991, the European Cup was owned by either Milan or Red Star, the Italians winning the first of those titles thanks to fabled quarter-final win over Red Star after the second leg had to be replayed because of thick fog in Belgrade. With Milan at the top of Serie A, that great era seems closer. Forecast: Milan to enjoy their trip down memory lane and make the next round. Getty Images
    RED STAR BELGRADE v AC MILAN: One for the nostalgics: For three successive years, 1989 to 1991, the European Cup was owned by either Milan or Red Star, the Italians winning the first of those titles thanks to fabled quarter-final win over Red Star after the second leg had to be replayed because of thick fog in Belgrade. With Milan at the top of Serie A, that great era seems closer. Forecast: Milan to enjoy their trip down memory lane and make the next round. Getty Images
  • BENFICA v ARSENAL: Just when Arsenal thought things could hardly get worse, they draw a traditional heavyweight in Europe. Benfica have had better seasons than this one, notably when they reached the Europa League finals of 2013 and 2014. They trail Lisbon rivals Sporting in the domestic table thanks to a poor November, but will be encouraged by Arsenal’s dire current form. Forecast: Arsenal, with time ahead to correct their many problems, to progress. PA
    BENFICA v ARSENAL: Just when Arsenal thought things could hardly get worse, they draw a traditional heavyweight in Europe. Benfica have had better seasons than this one, notably when they reached the Europa League finals of 2013 and 2014. They trail Lisbon rivals Sporting in the domestic table thanks to a poor November, but will be encouraged by Arsenal’s dire current form. Forecast: Arsenal, with time ahead to correct their many problems, to progress. PA

Football

PSG to get past brittle Barcelona, Chelsea to break down Atletico Madrid: Uefa Champions League draw analysis

Holders Bayern Munich take on Lazio in a battle between last season's most prolific strikers

Ian Hawkey
Ian Hawkey
London

December 14, 2020

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The draw for the Uefa Champions League last-16 took place in Nyon, Switzerland on Monday.

In the photo gallery above, Ian Hawkey analyses each fixture and predicts which teams will reach the quarter-finals. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or if using a mobile device, simply swipe.

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