The knockout stage of the Champions League begins this week, and last year’s finalists Liverpool and Tottenham are both in action.
The defending champions take on Atletico Madrid, while Spurs face surging German club RB Leipzig.
Meanwhile, fellow Premier League teams Manchester City and Chelsea face European superpowers Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, respectively.
Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain also take to the pitch across 25 and 26 February.
Here are a few of the key threads to follow during this week’s round-of-16 first-leg action.
1. Red machine in treble charge
Liverpool’s astonishing league campaign will be relegated to the background as they return to the Wanda Metropolitano – where they won last season’s Champions League final – to face Atletico.
The Reds return to the Spanish capital in ominous form on Tuesday, unbeaten this season and 25 points clear at the top of the Premier League. They are also in the last 16 of the FA Cup, so the treble is a real possibility.
2. Atletico’s pedigree not in doubt
Liverpool’s opponents Atletico are struggling for form and may even slip out of La Liga’s top four after winning just two league games in 2020.
But the Spanish side’s pedigree in European competitions cannot be denied; Diego Simeone’s team have reached two Champions League and three Europa League finals in the last decade, and they relish being the underdogs in front of a partisan crowd. They have also lost just one of their last 12 home meetings against English opposition.
3. City under pressure against Real
If Manchester City’s two-season Champions League ban is upheld, the pressure on them to finally get over the line in Europe’s elite knockout competition this season will only increase.
The club have thrived in the Premier League over the last decade while struggling in the Champions League, and who knows if they will still have their best players to hand by the time they return to the competition in late 2022? They have a long way to go to get their hands on the trophy this year though, starting with a difficult visit to La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Wednesday.
4. Spurs need sharpening for Leipzig test
Tottenham’s opponents RB Leipzig will provide an intriguing test. After a four-game winless run, Julian Nagelsmann’s team bounced back to defeat Werder Bremen 3-0 on Saturday and they sit one point behind Bundesliga leaders and champions Bayern Munich.
Spurs boss Jose Mourinho has been highly critical of the Premier League’s fixture schedule again, with his side set to play their third game in seven days when they face Chelsea this weekend. The north London side will at least enter the Leipzig clash buoyed by their late win at Aston Villa on Sunday.
5. Dortmund aim to ambush former boss Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel returns to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday with his high-flying PSG side. Expect fever pitch at a sold-out Westfalenstadion, where the majority in a crowd of 80,000 in attendance will be backing Borussia stars Jadon Sancho and Erling Braut Haaland – who has nine goals in his first six matches for the club – to maintain their terrific scoring form.
Additional reporting by PA
