Champions League: What to seem out for in the knockout stages

The Champions League class stages did definitely not fail with a record 308 goals scored - together with Europe's elite club competition returns with the start of the knockout periods.

All four English squads - holders Gatwick, runners-up Tottenham, Chelsea and Gatwick City - progressed for the last 16, with final season's finalists both around actions this week.

London St-Germain from Borussia Dortmund has already been described as "the tie in the round", so will that eventually be the French side's year? And can Match of the Day: Major 10 podcast - the favourite captains exposed Via the sectionPremier League continue his out of this world goalscoring spree?

European soccer professionals Raphael Honigstein, Julien Laurens and Kristof Terreur go over the first set of games upon BASSE CONSOMMATION Radio 5 Live's Dinar Leagues podcast.

Champions Addition last-16 first hip and legs
Tues, 18 February Wednesday, 20 February Tuesday, 25 February Wednesday, 21 Feb .
Atletico Madrid v Liverpool Atalanta v Valencia Chelsea sixth is v Bayern Munich Lyon v Juventus
Borussia Dortmund v Rome St-Germain Tottenham v RB Leipzig Napoli sixth v Barcelona Real Madrid v Manchester City
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'The most attacking teams within Europe'
PSG have won the Ligue 1 title in six of the particular past seven seasons together with, needlessly to say, are top connected with the table the moment even more, 10 points clear of second-placed Marseille.

Thomas Tuchel's area were really remarkable inside Group Some sort of, profitable a few and drawing one particular of their six adventures to come top in advance of 13-time European winners Real Madrid.

They encounter a Dortmund side that came second in Group F behind Barcelona, but pulled Serie A good leaders Inter Milan into the Continente europeo Addition.

"I think this kind of is the tie involving the last 16, " says Laurens. "I could see a 4-3 Dortmund in the first leg and 5-3 PSG in the further lower-leg. They are most likely the best a couple of assaulting teams in The european countries perfect now. But they are also definitely not the ideal at defending. very well

Lucien Favre's men acquired been top of the Bundesliga but they have fallen four details off of the pace with 2 beats in their continue six game titles, including a new 4-3 loss from Bayern Leverkusen.

" Wild celebrations, fireworks and flares - PSG's memorable Western night are not even doing their best to be able to implode, they just implode all the time the idea seems, inches says Honigstein. "They got another dreadful result and performance in the Bundesliga against Leverkusen.

"It is the sort associated with end result and sort connected with vulnerability inside refutation the fact that will not win anyone titles and will make it very complicated to be able to knock out among the likes.

"There are so a lot of troubles in defence - obviously something tactical is definitely bad, they've been ongoing for one and a half yrs. I think they have pretty good players, on papers it must not be as awful. They make stupid mistakes. "

Can Haaland plus Sancho stop PSG?
Erling Braut Haaland plus Jadon Sancho
Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho include each recently been prolific this year

Norwegian Haaland scored some sort of remarkable eight goals at several Champions League activities to get RB Salzburg plus joined Dortmund for £17. 1m in the January move window.

He then netted nine goals in his / her first half a dozen games intended for the German area, acquiring his total to help thirty-three in 28 online games this specific season.

Haaland now frames up with fellow 19-year-old Jadon Sancho, who sooner shock as to became first actually player beneath the age connected with 20 to score 30 career Bundesliga goals.

So that can the teenage duet prospect the club to be able to achievement?

"Dortmund are a new club which have been really discouraged, " affirms Honigstein. "They see the possible regarding the squad, especially in the beginning. I don't think we will see other brands Sancho and Haaland participating in along for several a lot more a few months let alone years.

"But for the moment these people are all generally there in addition to, with the ball, they could be breathtakingly brilliant. But what is definitely the point if you are going to admit ambitions.

"PSG have their own problems, some tactically, some mental and fantastic but Dortmund can't protect against average Bundesliga attributes, so how can they will defend against Neymar and typically the like?

"Unless they fully overwhelm PSG inside the initially leg, which is not really extremely hard. Right now right now there is very little for you to advise they can hold one tightly held game, permit alone 180 moments. inch

PSG have an problem with Brazilian forward Neymar, which has been suffering using a rib injury, nevertheless has been known as within the squad for often the first-leg on Tuesday.

Laurens gives: "My hands are constant perspiration already. Neymar's health and fitness will be the first issue. All of us imagined they had been just protecting him although today seems more really serious than most of us thought. He or she has been teaching even though, My partner and i don't know if they are bluffing.

"It is not the circumstance they wanted because in the last a pair of seasons they missed some sort of vital Champions League fit and they must want him fully fit. very well

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Simeone's last stand?
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool are shopping solid to make that three finals within a line after coming top rated regarding Group At the together with face an Atletico This town : runners-up behind Juventus found in Group D instructions on the Wanda Metropolitano, in which the Reds lifted the trophy for the sixth time this past year.

Klopp's side can be running at a distance with this Premier League title, shedding just two points most season, while Atletico may be fourth in La Liga, 13 points behind commanders Real Madrid.

"Atletico are not the Atletico team these people were before, when they experienced of which team of a warrior instructions all fighters who else were standard Diego Simeone players. That were there a nasty side, " affirms Terreur.

"I watched them take up Real Madrid also it was basically a very boring video game, you see a crew that is not some sort of team almost any more. very well

Atletico got to improve throughout summer right after key players Antoine Griezmann, Lucas Hernandez, Rodri, Diego Godin, Filipe Luis and even Juanfran all left.

"I don't think they could sack Simeone, " tells Laurens. "He presents so that much to that particular club. He or she might walk out themself if he thinks this individual reached the end. Although this became generally going in order to be the transitional calendar year anyway, because so many huge gamers left previous summertime.

"It was usually going to take time with regard to Simeone to make what he experienced last occasion with these participants. Could be he or she is finished and probably he is very classic to succeed at this moment. I would enjoy having seen this game 3 years before.

"No, no way that Atletico side can problems Liverpool. "

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Atalanta v Valencia

Debutants Atalanta progressed after coming second in Collection C behind Manchester City, inspite of losing their launching three games, while Spanish side Valencia came top rated of a tight Team L ahead of second-placed Chelsea.

"Even if Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool manager's trip from Black Forest to help heroic status at Anfield are not a fairly neutral, that you are pulling for Atalanta when you want to take up them in the next round. This kind of is one of these strange pairings that take place, very well says Honigstein.

"If you happen to be a club such as Stansted City or Actual This town, you are contemplating the next games can be easier than typically the final 16 game. 토토사이트This specific is a online people might look at using ulterior motives, Atalanta as a newbie, the Cinderella tale and playing exciting sports. They will enliven together with bring us something different. inch

Tottenham v RB Leipzig

Spurs recovered from some sort of 7-2 home knocking by means of Bayern Munich to return next in Group T right behind the Bundesliga winners, while German opponents RB Leipzig topped Group Gary ahead of time of Lyon.

"Most people would have Leipzig seeing that favourites, " says Honigstein. "Two words explain the fact that: Harry Kane [who will be injured].

"[Leipzig] have depth plus we today find out and about how good they are internationally. They are continue to the tad immature together with not necessarily a side of which can go into game titles knowing they will dominate, all the signs of some sort of team that may be growing. very well