5 Things To Watch Out For In The Champions League Last 16

Well, that was fun. The first-ever Champions League playoffs gave us a bit of everything, and there are some intriguing encounters on the horizon, with the draw for the last 16 completed on Friday in Nyon, Switzerland.

Here are some things to know before the next series of games kicks off in March.

Real Madrid Peaks When It Matters

15-times winner Real Madrid trounced Manchester City 6-3 over two legs, setting up a mouth-watering local derby with Atlético Madrid in the next round. If there were any concerns over Los Blancos’ abilities during the league phase, where they lost three games, those have now evaporated spectacularly.

Real shows up when it matters. As well as hat-trick scorer Kylian Mbappé shaking off the cobwebs, the forward line is starting to gel. After nearly capping off a glorious sequence of passes against the English side on Wednesday, Movistar’s Plus+’s commentary suggested an eventual goal would have looked good in the Prado, the famous art museum in Spain’s capital.

If there’s a doubt, it’s that Real has survived an extra round (compared to some) to advance. However, fatigue shouldn’t be a hindrance. Instead, it seems emboldened by the experience and will be fired up to defeat an Atlético side unbeaten in four versus coach Carlos Ancelotti’s team.

Beware Of PSV Eindhoven

One name to watch out for is PSV Eindhoven. The 1987/88 champ, scraping past Juventus to keep its hopes intact, has been a dominant force in the Netherlands lately, accruing 91 points to win the Eredivisie last campaign and only recently overtaken by a resurgent first-place Ajax this domestic season.

While the Eredivisie doesn’t provide the stiffest competition, this is a side used to winning, especially at home. Its last competitive defeat within 90 minutes at the Philips Stadion came against AZ Alkmaar in November 2022. On the evidence to date, upcoming opponent Arsenal will struggle to tame PSV’s dynamic forwards, including 36-year-old Ivan Perišić.

Liverpool Seeks Another Gear

Arne Slot has seen Liverpool excel in the Premier League and Europe this season, but the Reds will need to raise their level against Paris Saint-Germain—hardly a reward for coming first in the Champions League table.

Goalscoring phenom Mohamed Salah has often proved the difference in a stubborn—if not swashbuckling—team. Meanwhile, perhaps unburdened by expectations and a band of superstar individuals on this occasion, PSG appears more complete and will test the Reds’ defense.

The Anfield factor will be decisive here, with the second leg taking place on Merseyside—a massive plus for Liverpool.

Barcelona Senses A Comeback

Last reaching the semifinals in 2018/19, Barcelona hasn’t threatened in the Champions League for a while. This season might be different, though. Battling rival Real Madrid and Atlético in Spain, the Blaugrana has endured the odd freak result in La Liga but could be made for this competition.

In the previous meeting against its next challenger, Benfica, Barça won the best game of the tournament 5-4 away from home, overturning a two-goal deficit in the second half. Winning the trophy would be the ultimate comeback, and avoiding the favorites in the next two rounds will aid its cause.

All Or Nothing For Villa And Dortmund

In the Premier League, Aston Villa has struggled to hit the heights of last season, and being involved in an expanded Champions League helps explain why: Villa’s squad is not used to so many demanding games.

On the bright side, it’s performed strongly in Europe, which is no shock. Coach Unai Emery is a specialist on the continent, winning the Europa League three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal. He also took Villarreal to the Champions League last four in 2022.

Villa can focus all its energy on the European dream. And the same goes for Borussia Dortmund. The losing finalist in 2023/24, Dortmund underwhelms in the German Bundesliga yet hits form in the Champions League, likely to define its season once again.