Cristiano Ronaldo, free-scoring PSG, Harry Kane and more: 10 things to look out for in the Champions League
With plenty of action to get stuck into, here we take a look at 10 talking points ahead of the return of Champions League football
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Champions League is back after a lengthy break and with 16 of Europe’s best sides left in the competition, things are set to heat up over the coming months.
All five Premier League sides have reached the knock-out stages, with Manchester City favourites among the group to challenge for the title.
Reigning champions Real Madrid meanwhile head into the round of 16 looking to rediscover their European form after an underwhelming group-stage campaign.
With plenty of action to get stuck into, here we take a look at 10 talking points ahead of the return of the Champions League:
Goals, goals and more goals
Champions League viewers are in for a treat with six of the competition’s seven top scorers featuring in this week’s knockout stage – PSG (25), Liverpool (23), Real Madrid (17), Porto (15), Tottenham (14), and Manchester City (14).
All of these sides set up to play on the front foot and, as they say, the best form of defence is attack.
That old adage has rarely been more apparent and these clashes are *guaranteed* goals (cue the commentator’s curse)…
New acquaintances to be made
Champions League knockout stages often pits old rivals against each other, adding to a list of historic and memorable clashes.
But this week the competition has thrown up a great range of first-time match-ups, with new friends and enemies set to be made.
Manchester City will take on Basel for the very first time while Juventus and Tottenham clash in their first-ever competitive clash, having faced each other during the previous two summers.
Liverpool, meanwhile, meet Porto for the first time in 10 years after playing them in the group stages of the 2007/08 competition during which they draw 1-1 in Portugal before going on to win 4-1 at Anfield.
Galacticos Part I vs Galacticos Part II
Real Madrid were popularised as the galacticos under the presidency of Florentino Perez in the 2000s following their annual summer purchase of a world-class footballer.
While that policy has mellowed recently, Madrid remain a star-studded team, and are still the two-time reigning European Champions.
But their galacticos are now being challenged by free-spending, free-scoring Paris Saint-Germain who were the early tournament favourites.
And given their form in the group stages, who can blame the bookies for tipping them so strongly?
Two of the top five goalscorers in the competition play in Paris – Neymar and Edinson Cavani who have six goals apiece.
Meanwhile, they still have Kylian Mbappe on four goals and a bench featuring the likes of Angel Di Maria, Julian Draxler and Javier Pastore.
Can Ronaldo and Real put league form behind them?
Apparently, Cristiano Ronaldo is struggling this season and yet, following his hat-trick against Real Sociedad in La Liga last weekend, he has scored more goals by this point of the season than he did last year.
Although the Portuguese star might be doing better than people think, there’s no denying that his club aren’t enjoying their finest season.
Despite being champions, they’re currently floundering in La Liga, 17 points behind leaders and arch rivals Barcelona.
And in the Champions League, which they also won last season, they finished second in their group behind Tottenham Hotspur – the reason for their tough knockout stage clash.
Whether they can put their inconsistent form behind them for this crunch clash remains to be seen.
Will City find it as easy as we all think?
When the draw was made, most will have seen City’s tie and thought: ‘easy win.’
Some may have even gone as far to predict a cricket scoreline but will it actually be as simple as everyone is suggesting?
Basel impressed in the group stages, defeating Manchester United at St Jakob Park for the second time in a row while also dismantling European giants Benfica 5-0.
They have a keen goalscorer in Dimitri Oberlin, a quick and skilful attacker on loan from Red Bull Salzburg who has netted four goals in his six Champions League appearances.
While City have an incredible array of talent, nothing is a given.
Kane to be the scourge of another major European side?
Harry Kane is the Premier League’s top scorer and he’s been the scourge of many a top team across Europe.
This season alone he impressed at the Bernabeu, pressuring Raphael Varane into an own-goal, while also netting at Signal Iduna Park in Spurs’ 2-1 victory against Bourssia Dortmund.
And only this weekend he took his goalscoring tally against Arsenal to seven, one away from equalling Emmanuel Adebayor’s eight-goal record in the north London derby.
He and the rest of Tottenham’s charges face the difficult task of taking on another European giant in the shape of Juventus with Mauricio Pochettino and his men hoping to upset another major unit.
The atmospheres…
The return of the Champions League means that the famous anthem will greet our screens once again with some fantastic sporting venues and atmospheres hosting the festivities.
This week’s stadia sees the raucous Juventus Stadium, claustrophobic St Jakob Park, fiery Estadio do Dragao and famous Bernabeu hosting the affairs and there’s no doubt about a wonderful atmosphere at all four midweek clashes.
Hopefully the football on show will reflect the fantastic noise being made all around Europe.
Portugal’s only hope
Elimination for Benfica and Sporting Lisbon mean that Portugal’s only hope in the competition rests with 2004 competition winners Porto.
The Dragons face a tough task, though, as Jurgen Klopp’s attacking Liverpool side will look to take the game to Porto from the first minute.
Lisbon faced a tough group stage but were eliminated with their reputation intact, acquiring seven points from a group that included Juventus and Barcelona.
Two-times Champions League winners Benfica, on the other hand, were totally humiliated in group A without winning a single point and scored only one goal which came on matchday one against CSKA Moscow.
Can Klopp replicate Dortmund successes?
The enigmatic German revitalised Borussia Dortmund and got them playing some of the most exciting football in Europe during his tenure at the club.
He led them to the Champions League final in 2013, where they were narrowly defeated by German rivals Bayern Munich at Wembley.
Klopp has now replaced that daunting yellow wall of Dortmund for the Kop at Anfield and he’ll be hoping the fans can help steer the players towards European success.
Anfield is known for its famous European nights and only last year it witnessed one of the most fantastic comebacks as Liverpool returned from 3-1 down to defeat Klopp’s old side en route to the Europa League final which they ultimately lost to Sevilla.
Juventus conceding a goal…maybe
The Old Lady are embarking on an incredible run of form, culminating in stats which show one goal conceded in 16 matches in all competitions.
Frighteningly, they only allow their opponents an average of two shots on goal per game.
Tottenham, though, play with little fear and will believe they have the attack ready to open Juventus.
It is the first ever competitive clash between the two sides and it is set up to be a marvellous affair with two very well drilled sides coming together.
Whether or not Alli, Eriksen, Son and Kane find the key to really unlock the Juventus defence, we’ll find out over the next two legs.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments