The Champions League league part and play-off spherical is behind us. We are able to reheat the debates in regards to the new format subsequent yr, however for now we are able to sit up for when the competitors actually will get going.
Serie A champions Napoli couldn’t even make it out of the league part, whereas final season’s finalists Inter suffered a shock elimination. However many of the large canine stay, and issues look broad open forward of the right knockout phases.
We’ve ranked all 16 of the remaining groups within the Champions League.
16. Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen’s reward for his or her under-the-radar, skilled 2-0 job on Olympiacos within the play-off spherical? Arsenal or Bayern Munich within the Spherical of 16.
Two brief straws.
15. Atalanta
Atalanta took all these thinkpieces in regards to the demise of Serie A personally, making certain they’ll be some Italian illustration within the final 16 by producing an impressed second-leg comeback in opposition to Borussia Dortmund.
However like Leverkusen, it’ll Arsenal or Bayern within the subsequent spherical. Good luck, lads.
14. Sporting Lisbon
It’s maybe a tad harsh provided that Sporting are the reigning champions of Portugal, and completed within the high eight forward of the likes of Actual Madrid and PSG (who they beat).
However they do really feel like your basic ‘make up the numbers’ Spherical of 16 facet.
No matter occurs subsequent – both Bodo/Glimt or Actual Madrid – will likely be fascinating. They may have extra mileage but, however we’d be amazed in the event that they make it previous the final eight.
Show us mistaken, Lions.
13. Tottenham
Provided that they’re at the moment battling relegation, there’s a strong argument Spurs ought to be backside of this listing.
That feels a extra true reflection of their present stage than ending fourth within the league part desk.
However therein lies the paradox of this crew. As with ending on lower than 40 factors whereas successful the Europa League (beating Bodo/Glimt en route) final season, they’re a perplexing beast – however evidently able to elevating their recreation in Europe.
We wouldn’t put it previous Spurs to go additional, however we’d count on them to come back unstuck in opposition to superior Premier League opposition or the highest sides from the continent.
12. Galatasaray
The Turkish Tremendous Lig giants have made it to the Spherical of 16 for the primary time in 12 years.
Galatasaray boast real high quality, with Victor Osimhen the envy of Europe on the subject of centre-forwards, and Istanbul stays your archetypal ‘powerful place to go’.
However a not-great Juventus confirmed they are often acquired at, even with ten males producing a three-goal comeback that compelled the tie to further time.
Any facet with ambitions of lifting the trophy ought to again themselves to climate the storm away and get the job carried out at residence.
11. Newcastle United
There’s a possible situation wherein the Magpies’ path to the ultimate can be Chelsea within the Spherical of 16, Tottenham or Liverpool within the quarters, and Arsenal or Manchester Metropolis within the semis.
What an anticlimax that might be, after such a non-event walkover over Qarabag, for Newcastle’s first-ever look within the knockout phases of Europe’s premier cup competitors.
The choice to Chelsea can be Barcelona, who gained pretty comfortably on Tyneside again in September.
However we have a look at Newcastle’s forwards, and Barca’s suicidal excessive line (uncovered badly in defeats to Girona, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and Actual Madrid this season), and there could possibly be pleasure.
Newcastle’s bottom-half standing reveals they’re not the identical drive as final season.
However the St. James’ Park issue and the odd outcome (beating Metropolis, drawing away to PSG) reveals they ought to not be taken evenly. They usually’ll be placing every part into this basket.
10. Atletico Madrid
It’s approaching 5 years since Atletico final gained silverware. So already being adrift of a not-especially-vintage La Liga title race seems like a disappointing return.
On the plus facet, with a top-four end virtually within the bag, they’ll afford to focus solely on the cup competitions.
They’ve one foot within the Copa del Rey last, whereas their 5-2 and 4-0 victories over Actual Madrid and Barcelona will give them hope of manufacturing one thing particular in Europe.
Atleti have been eradicated by Actual Madrid in knockouts as a lot as each different membership mixed within the Diego Simeone period. However the bracket has saved town rivals aside till the ultimate this yr. Gulp.
First up, they face Liverpool or Tottenham. They’d be licking their lips at Spurs, whereas they’ve kind for spoiling Liverpool’s enjoyable.
9. Bodo/Glimt
What extra is there to say about Bodo? Not to mention Glimt.
Opta gave the Norwegians a 0.3% likelihood of advancing to the spherical of 16 after they didn’t win any of their first six matches within the league part.
We are able to seldom bear in mind something extra outstanding than following that up with 4 successive victories over Manchester Metropolis, Atletico Madrid and Inter (twice).
You recognize all in regards to the plastic pitch and the Arctic Circle, however successful on the Metropolitano and San Siro are feats even Europe’s conventional large canine would hold their hat on.
The truth that they have been properly value all of these wins, in quite a lot of methods, is proof that this fairytale nonetheless has legs to run. They’re already our second favorite Champions League underdogs ever
8. Barcelona
The truth that the three sides Barcelona confronted within the knockouts final season (Benfica, Dortmund and Inter) have didn’t make the Spherical of 16 takes a few of the shine off final season’s eye-catching run to the semis.
This crew nonetheless has a lot to show, together with leaping the hurdle of the real European elite.
Intuitively, we nonetheless really feel as if any critical crew will be capable to exploit Hansi Flick’s daring tactical method. At their worst, they are often made to seem like Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham.
And but, they lead La Liga, are monitoring for 90+ factors, gained a home treble final season, and got here inside a whisker of reaching the Champions League last.
When the likes of Pedri, Raphinha and Lamine Yamal are clicking at their good finest, stopping them turns into lots simpler in concept than in follow.
No matter occurs, we hope the Camp Nou ambiance is extra cauldron and fewer Disneyland.
7. Chelsea
The Blues cemented their ‘darkish horses’ standing early, fully outplaying freshly-crowned European champions PSG in final summer time’s Membership World Cup last.
They adopted that up with a equally emphatic win over Barcelona on this yr’s league part.
It’s been an odd season, they usually’re adapting to one thing a bit totally different below Liam Rosenior. However we nonetheless wouldn’t put it previous Chelsea to take some large scalps on this yr’s knockout phases.
The place we might see Chelsea coming unstuck is when going through fellow Premier League opposition.
They have been outplayed by Arsenal within the League Cup semis and their report in ‘large six’ outings within the league is decidedly blended.
6. Liverpool
The reigning Premier League champions have proven enchancment since their disastrous run of defeats again within the autumn.
However whereas outcomes have picked up, their performances stay distinctly unconvincing. They have been honking in opposition to Nottingham Forest final day trip.
Nonetheless, this squad possesses each the expertise and high quality to go on and make one thing of this season. The 4 factors they’ve taken from Arsenal this season present they’re able to edging any two-legged tie if correctly locked in.
5. Actual Madrid
As ever when judging Actual Madrid in Europe, we’re throwing logic out of the window and going with vibes.
The TNT Sports activities’ commentary crew of Darren Fletcher and Steve McManaman might scarcely imagine how extraordinary Los Blancos regarded as they accomplished the job in opposition to Benfica. And we share in that opinion. This isn’t an excellent crew. They’re patently unconvincing.
However how usually would now we have stated precisely that at this stage of the season within the years they went on to carry the trophy? By no means write them off.
4. Manchester Metropolis
It’s 5 successive wins in all competitions, they usually’re very a lot alive on 4 fronts, however this nonetheless doesn’t really feel just like the classic Man Metropolis juggernaut that’d take most factors come the spring.
Hear us out, however possibly that may go well with them in Europe. Pep Guardiola’s perfect Metropolis sides that performed with most management, suffocating the opposition, normally discovered themselves coming unstuck, usually in stunning methods, within the Champions League.
Possibly leaning into the chaos will work for them this time. Or possibly they’ll get dumped out by Actual Madrid once more within the subsequent spherical. Both sounds believable to us.
3. PSG
Not since Pep Guardiola’s era-defining Barcelona crew has a crew gained the Champions League so comprehensively. Luis Enrique’s PSG have been excellent final season.
You’d assume that’d be sufficient for them to have a lock on the highest spot, however each passing month raises extra questions.
They have been carried out by Chelsea within the Membership World Cup. They’re barely forward of Lens in Ligue 1, and have been dumped out of the French Cup at residence to minnow neighbours Paris FC.
They didn’t even end within the high eight of the league part, having didn’t beat Athletic Bilbao, Sporting Lisbon or Newcastle. They usually solely squeaked by means of in opposition to a mean Monaco within the play-off spherical.
All of that’s fairly compelling proof they gained’t turn into solely the second facet (after Actual Madrid) to retain the trophy within the trendy Champions League period.
However we all know how good this crew may be, and we’d think about Luis Enrique to get them clicking when issues actually begin to matter.
2. Bayern Munich
Issues couldn’t conceivably have gone higher for Bayern to this point this season.
Prime two within the league part, what ought to be a beneficial path to the ultimate, and on observe to win a home double and break all types of data within the course of.
It’s no fault of Vincent Kompany’s – you possibly can solely beat who’s in entrance of you – however the Bundesliga tax does apply right here.
Their 3-1 loss to Arsenal in November leaves the query of whether or not they’re fairly on the stage to beat the perfect of Europe. That’s to not say they aren’t; it’ll be enjoyable to search out out.
1. Arsenal
It was solely per week in the past that the phrase “bottlers” led a thousand headlines. Responsible, your honour.
The query over whether or not Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have the minerals to make it over the road will outline the approaching months.
However surprisingly sufficient, provided that Arsenal have by no means gained the Champions League, the anxiousness psychodrama that threatens to envelop their Premier League marketing campaign doesn’t appear to use in Europe.
They have been good within the league part. Eight wins from eight, 23 targets scored and simply 4 conceded. However most putting of all, there was a refreshing breeziness, nearly wanting pressure-free, that stood in stark distinction to home issues.
Topping the league part desk should bear fruit, too. Their Spherical of 16 draw seems to be very beneficial, and having the second leg at residence all the way in which to the ultimate could possibly be large.
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