The Champions League last-16 continues on Wednesday with four more first-leg ties.
Liverpool face a tricky assignment away at French giants Paris Saint-Germain, there’s an enticing all-German showdown between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen, while Inter Milan travel to Feyenoord and Barcelona go to Benfica.
Here are four selections to consider ahead of another big night in Europe’s premier club competition.
- PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN VS LIVERPOOL - DRAW
- INTER MILAN TO WIN TO NIL VS FEYENOORD
- BAYERN MUNICH TO BEAT BAYER LEVERKUSEN
- BARCELONA TO BEAT BENFICA
Paris Saint-Germain vs Liverpool
Liverpool would not have been expecting such a difficult last-16 tie when they finished top of the table in the revamped League Phase, but Arne Slot’s side must go to French champions PSG for what will be a big test of the Reds’ Champions League credentials this season.
The Ligue 1 leaders who, like Liverpool, are 13 points clear at the top of their domestic table, will be desperate to avoid defeat before going to Anfield next week and this has the makings of a tight first leg.
PSG are on a brilliant 10-game winning run in all competitions, and Luis Enrique‘s side have scored an impressive 40 goals in that period - a spell that features two 7-0 victories - over Brest in the play-off round and lower league Stade Briochin in the French Cup.
With those recent results in mind, the hosts will not be short of confidence for Liverpool’s visit and, with the Merseysiders delicately trying to balance their title bid with a tilt for glory in Europe, PSG look ready to claim a draw on Wednesday.
Slot’s side didn’t play at the weekend, so they will be fresh heading to the Parc des Princes, while PSG kept themselves ticking over very nicely with a 4-1 home league win over Lille - another of the Champions League last-16 teams.
Les Parisiens beat Manchester City 4-2 at home earlier in the competition and are likely to be difficult opponents for the Premier League leaders, too.
DRAW
Feyenoord vs Inter Milan
Italian champions Inter are expected to get the better of Eredivisie side Feyenoord in their last-16 tie and the visitors should be able to secure a fairly comfortable away victory in the first game.
Inter are top of Serie A again this season and qualified automatically for the last 16 when finishing fourth in the table in Europe, as opposed to Feyenoord, who ended up down in 19th after winning just four of their eight fixtures.
The Dutch side came through a play-off against Inter’s city rivals AC Milan, winning 2-1 on aggregate, but taking on the Nerazzurri is a much tougher assignment.
There is a big gap between the two Milan rivals at the moment. Inter are a huge 17 points and eight places better off in Serie A, so Feyenoord will have to step it up significantly if they are to test Inter in the first game.
However, they do not look capable of getting a positive result and an away success to nil appeals.
Inter have the best defence in the competition this season, unbelievably conceding just one goal in eight games, and they have had shutouts in two of their last three games leading up to the last-16 clash as well.
Furthermore, Feyenoord have failed to score in two of their last five matches in all competitions and have only scored four goals in that period.
INTER MILAN TO WIN TO NIL
Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen
An all-Bundesliga affair at the Allianz Arena sees current leaders Bayern entertain reigning German champions Leverkusen.
This should be a very watchable tussle between two sides who know each other very well, with little to choose between them.
However, the hosts might just edge the first leg.
Leverkusen finished with just a point more than the Bavarian giants in the league phase, but that was crucial as it saw them finish in the top eight to avoid a play-off, while Vincent Kompany‘s side had to overcome Celtic last month in order to set up the Leverkusen showdown after they ended up 12th.
Xabi Alonso’s side have a great recent record against Bayern, avoiding defeat in their last six meetings and winning three times, but they may be on the wrong end of the result in Munich this time.
Bayern are unbeaten in their last nine matches, and while Leverkusen have not lost for eight games, Kompany‘s men have a formidable recent home record going into the tie.
They have won eight of their last nine matches in front of their own fans, scoring 31 goals in the process, and they can stay on course for what would be an emotional final at their Allianz Arena home later this year by picking up a narrow first-leg lead over their domestic rivals in the round of 16.
BAYERN MUNICH TO WIN
Benfica vs Barcelona
Barcelona moved to the top of La Liga over the weekend and Hansi Flick’s side are chasing glory at both home and in Europe this season.
Barca impressed in the league phase, finishing second, and have been presented with a decent tie in the last-16 against a Benfica outfit that they have already beaten once in the Champions League this term and one that could only finish 16th in the table.
This should be another away win on Wednesday. Barca are on a 15-game unbeaten run in all competitions and, while the Eagles have not lost for eight matches, they have only won once at home in the Champions League this season and will have very bad memories of their dramatic 5-4 home defeat at the hands of Wednesday’s opponents in Lisbon in January.
That game was a disastrous outcome for Benfica, considering they were initially 3-1 up on the night and then 4-2 ahead with just 12 minutes to go before they capitulated.
BARCELONA TO WIN
