Remember the date, Tuesday 14 February 2023, the day the knockouts start. We all know the drama, emotions, and beauty of the game truly start in the knockout phase. Over the past years we have had some amazing journeys such as, Karim Benzema’s late extra-time epic comebacks on multiple occasions last season to guide Real Madrid to lift the Champions League trophy for the 14th time. The round of 16 draws are out and some teams have the firepower to cause a few upsets.
RB Leipzig will take on defending Premier League champions Manchester City. The combination of Timo Werner and Christopher Nkunku certainly have the ability to cause some trouble for the Man City backline, but it’s fair to assume Manchester City should comfortably go through. Topping group G and unbeaten in the group was a display of dominance and strength. Erling Haaland is in the form of his life and as experts have said he and Manchester City are highly likely to complete the impossible quadruple this season. The Man City team only conceded 2 goals in 6 matches and scored 14 themselves, and if it weren’t for Karim Benzema’s brilliance last season they should have lifted the trophy last season.
Speaking about Karim Benzema and Real Madrid, they are due to face Liverpool. Sorry Liverpool fans but I think “Merengues” will just edge out. It is important to keep in mind that Liverpool are facing an injury crisis but Liverpool have had a disappointing start to the season and have been terrible throughout the season. They came 2nd in Group A behind Napoli on goal difference, obtaining 15 points out of the possible 18 points. The numbers sound amazing but they had drawn a relatively easy group. The same can be said for Real Madrid that topped Group F by 1 point. Madrid fans can admit that they’re performances at certain stages have been concerning but we all know Madrid are at a different side during the knockout stages and will bring momentum from last year's victorious campaign where they were considered underdogs in every fixture. But Liverpool will certainly make them fight for the next round and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
AC Milan, one of the most dominant teams in the competition's history, hosts Tottenham Hotspur. Danish international, Pierre Emile Højbjerg left it late, scoring in the 95th minute against Marseille to secure their spot in the round of 16. AC Milan are defending champions of Serie A and have played some excellent football finishing 2nd in Group E behind Chelsea. However, I think Spurs should fancy their chances and I expect them to proceed to the Quarterfinals. Yes, one can argue that they are not playing convincing football, but in the league we see Antonie Conte is picking up points even if it may be in a ugly fashion. Harry Kane is yet to find his form in the Champions League but he and Son Heung-min should be able to find the next against a defensively weak AC Milan who conceded 5 goals in the 6 group stage matches including a embarrassing defeat of 3-0 and 2-0 to Chelsea.
Borussia Dortmund will host London-side Chelsea. Dortmund finished second in group G behind Manchester City. However three consecutive draws is a worrying sign for the German team. They lack a goalscorer and the departure of Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho can be seen by the team’s struggle for goals and points in both the Champions League and Bundesliga. Jude Bellinham has certainly been impressive but Chelsea’s midfield and defence has been extremely strong throughout the competition. Aubameyang and Sterling are struggling for goals, however, Kai Havertz and Mason Mount have been taking care of that problem. Therefore, Chelsea should be set to advance to the quarterfinals.
Lastly and most important, Paris Saint Germian will take on Bayern München. Bayern München were placed in Group C which was commonly referred to as “the group of death”. Bayern, Inter Milan, and Barcelona all competed in fierce encounters in order to advance to the knockout stages. Bayern topped the group winning all 6 games which was astonishing. Eric Choupo Moting has been amazing and is one of the best strikers in this year's competition. We can’t forget Serge Gnabry and Sadio Mane who should also be praised for their performances. Paris Saint Germain also showcased their quality by coming 2nd in a difficult group H which consisted of Juventus and Benfica. However, I just don’t think they will be able to beat this Bayern team. Yes, they have the best players in the competition and are title contenders but they don’t play as a team. They have individual brilliance but this Bayern team will be very hard to break apart. For example, we saw them having a difficulty playing through a compact and physical Benfica team where they were only able to pick up a draw on two occasions. There is not a weakness in this Bayern team and I don’t see PSG being able to compete physically and play at the same tempo of Bayern.
By Baasil