THE Champions League starts for “real” on Tuesday with the initial first last 16 first leg games in Milan and Paris.
All four English sides negotiated their way through the group stage with Liverpool the only ones not to finish top of their section and earn the advantage of playing at home in the second leg.
But much has changed since November 2 when Joao Mario’s injury-time goal completed Benfica’s 6-1 win at Maccabi Haifa to steal top spot from PSG, with the winter window allowing teams to beef up their squads and a number of managerial switches.
SunSport looks at the eight ties and the feast of football about to kick off.
AC Milan v Tottenham (First leg Tuesday, second leg March 8)
Key men: Rafael Leao, Harry Kane
Antonio Conte could get no better boost for his recovery from that gallbladder operation than a triumph in his homeland against a club for whom he has little love.
READ MORE ON CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Milan’s wretched run saw crushing defeats by Lazio and Sassuolo but they beat Torino on Friday.
Injuries and suspension mean Spurs’ midfield options are distinctly limited.
Tottenham fans will remember the 1-0 aggregate win – courtesy of a San Siro goal by Peter Crouch – at the same stage in 2011 and even older ones may recall Steve Perryman’s 1972 Uefa Cup double at White Hart Lane.
PSG v Bayern Munich (First leg Tuesday, second leg March 8)
Key men: Lionel Messi, Jamal Musiala
Most read in Champions League
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK
The French champions and their Qatari owners have not even attempted to hide how much they crave the Champions League crown but PSG have been the masters at turning victory into defeat, including against Real Madrid last season.
Munich’s inconsistent form has even turned the Bundesliga campaign into a genuine contest and put unexpected pressure on coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Bayern, without Sadio Mane, have a score to settle after losing on the now-scrapped away goals rule in 2021.
Borussia Dortmund v Chelsea (First leg Wednesday, second leg March 7)
Key men: Jude Bellingham, Enzo Fernandez
Bellingham could not have a better stage to lay out his credentials for this summer’s mooted blockbuster move in what is, surprisingly, the first competitive meeting between the clubs.
Graham Potter will know that winning the Champions League might prove the easiest route back into the competition next season with Chelsea off the Prem pace but he is still working on integrating his January signings, with the spotlight on Fernandez and Joao Felix.
Dortmund have been on fire since the Bundesliga restart with five straight wins.
Club Brugge v Benfica (First leg Wednesday, second leg March 7)
Key men: Ferran Jutgla, Joao Mario
Belgian champions are the biggest outsiders left in the competition but Scott Parker has helped steady a sinking ship after being parachuted in on New Year’s Eve to replace axed Carl Hoefkens.
Benfica cashed in on Chelsea’s determination to land Enzo Fernandez but look weaker as a result.
Portuguese giants are flying at the top of the league after losing just once all season including an unbeaten group stage which saw them oust PSG for top spot.
They will be strong favourites to progress.
Eintracht Frankfurt v Napoli (First leg Feb 21, second leg March 15)
Key men: Randal Kolo Muani, Victor Osimhen
Frankfurt would have finished top of the group without Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s last-gasp winner for Spurs in Marseilles but their qualification celebrations will have been lessened by drawing the runaway Serie A leaders.
Winning a first domestic crown since the days of Diego Maradona is Naples’ main target but they have a claim to be the best team in Europe this season with Osimhen in stunning form and a thrilling and goal-laden approach.
Watch out for Georgian star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Liverpool v Real Madrid (First leg Feb 21, second leg March 15)
Key men: Mo Salah, Karim Benzema
The real glamour tie of the last 16, between two teams with 20 previous wins between them.
Liverpool are up against it with injuries and a major plunge in form meaning they probably have to go back to Istanbul and triumph again to retain their place in Europe’s elite next term, starting with this Final revenge mission.
Madrid rode their luck all the way through last season’s knock-out stage but they always seem to be able to find a way to win, with Benzema and Vinicius Junior a constant threat and midfield strings pulled by Luka Modric.
Inter Milan v Porto (First leg Feb 22, second leg March 14)
Key man: Lautaro Martinez, Mehdi Taremi
Reaching the knock-out stage for the second season running was key for the Nerazzurri and with Napoli out of sight in Serie A and Juventus deducted 15 points the San Siro outfit can target going deeper in Europe.
Inter last made the quarter-finals in 2011.
Porto showed mental strength by topping their group despite losing their opening two games and they will call on the fire and fury of the Dragao for the second leg next month.
Iranian Taremi’s goals may prove decisive.
Leipzig v Manchester City (First leg Feb 22, second leg March 14)
Key men: Christopher Nkunku, Erling Haaland
City will aim to ignore the fall-out of the Prem charges against them by finally landing the one trophy that has eluded them in the Pep Guardiola era, with Norwegian goal machine Haaland bought as the final piece in the Champions League jigsaw.
Leipzig scored three in defeat at the Etihad last term and won the reverse group stage fixture.
They now have Timo Werner back after his Prem struggles although a 12-match unbeaten run in the Bundesliga was ended by surprise title contenders Union Berlin on Saturday.
Read More on The Sun
Chelsea-bound Nkunku is a serious threat – but is just returning from fitness.
If the Frenchman can’t feature, Andre Silva will step up to the plate.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
