Champions League last-16: the ties to watch and the upsets brewing
The draw has served up a heavyweight clash, a grudge match and at least one tie where the underdogs will fancy their chances.
Ties that will define the round
The Champions League last-16 draw rarely disappoints, and this edition is no exception — a fixture list that pairs two of the tournament's most decorated clubs and hands several underdogs a genuine route to the quarter-finals.
The standout tie pits European royalty against a side in the form of their lives, with the fitness of the hosts' talismanic striker likely to decide the contest.
Elsewhere, a former champion's fragile defence faces the tournament's most clinical counter-attacking side — a mismatch that could produce the shock of the round.
- The heavyweight clash: two former winners meet over two legs
- The grudge match: a reunion with history between two rivals
- The upset alert: the group-stage minnows nobody wants to face
In the knockout rounds, form goes out of the window. Moments decide everything.
Written by
Brian Ochieng
Football correspondent covering the English Premier League and the Champions League.
View all articles by Brian


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