Champions League last 16 lowdown, team news, stats: Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland set to star?

The Champions League is again however who’s in form for the final 16 as a bunch of star names go head-to-head?

Porto vs Juventus

First leg: February 17, Estadio do Dragao (8pm)
Second leg: March 9, Juventus Stadium (8pm)

The crew information:

Porto are set to be with out attacking midfielder Otavio once more however Jesus Corona returned from suspension towards Boavista final outing and may maintain his place alongside Mateus Uribe within the center.

Juventus will probably be with out injured duo Paulo Dybala and Leonardo Bonucci however Aaron Ramsey has returned to health in time to function.

The shape:

Juventus missed the possibility to shut the hole on the prime of Serie A after a 1-0 defeat to Napoli, whereas Porto have been held to 4 successive attracts in all competitions.

What to look out for:

Porto had been Cristiano Ronaldo’s first opponents within the knockout levels of the Champions League, 17 years in the past. He final confronted them for Manchester United in 2009, scoring the one purpose of the sport to take his facet by means of to the semi-finals. That in truth has been his solely strike in six conferences with Porto; you possibly can wager the evergreen star will probably be out to finish a mini purpose drought again in his homeland.

View from the camps:

Porto defender Pepe: “Juventus have top-class gamers. For my part, they have one of the best participant on this planet, Cristiano Ronaldo. We realise it’ll be very powerful however I count on to win.”

Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo: “The Champions League is a singular competitors. There are such a lot of groups preventing to win, everybody desires it, and it actually will depend on which second you are in while you face groups. It is vital to be mentally prepared. Porto are completely different to us. Within the league they’re extra attacking, whereas in Europe they’re extra cautious. We attempt to play one other method, however typically we additionally must defend.”

Sevilla vs Borussia Dortmund

First leg: February 17, Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan (8pm)
Second leg: March 9, Sign Iduna Park (8pm)

The crew information:

Sevilla will be capable to name upon Jesus Navas, who has been handed match after a fortnight on the sidelines with a hip drawback.

Borussia Dortmund have Thomas Meunier again of their squad after the participant missed the final 4 video games as a result of a knee damage. Thomas Delaney didn’t fly to Spain with the remainder of the squad on Tuesday, along with his spouse anticipating the beginning of their first youngster.

The shape:

Sevilla’s relentless run continued with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Huesca – their ninth successive win in all competitions. Borussia Dortmund proceed to stutter domestically against this. Their title hopes have lengthy been dashed however a 2-2 draw towards Hoffenheim final outing means their Champions League qualification probabilities stay in peril.

What to look out for:

Can Erling Haaland sustain his stellar Champions League goalscoring report? The Dortmund hotshot has netted in all of his appearances within the competitors to this point this season and has bagged 16 targets in 12 video games in Europe’s prime membership competitors general, simply surpassing the 20 video games it took Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roberto Soldado to succeed in that mark.

Haaland was the person who snatched some extent towards Hoffenheim however he berated himself afterwards for lacking a number of first-half probabilities and warned of his intent to make amends. Sevilla, beware.

View from the camps:

Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui: “That is the most important sport of the season to this point. It is the knockout levels of the Champions League and we’re up towards an ideal crew with considered one of Europe’s most prodigious attacking skills. Dortmund are able to attacking in some ways, each in possession and in transition.”

Dortmund coach Edin Terzic: “Our clear purpose is to succeed in the subsequent spherical, we are going to do every part we will. When issues do not go effectively, we now have to stay collectively – like a household.”

Developing…

Borussia Monchengladbach vs Manchester City

First leg: February 24, Puskas Area, Budapest (8pm)
Second leg: March 16, Etihad Stadium (8pm)

What to look out for

Prepare to listen to quadruple and Manchester Metropolis in the identical sentence once more. Streaking clear on the prime of the Premier League, within the EFL Cup remaining and FA Cup final eight, it is time for the highlight to show again onto the trophy that has to this point eluded Metropolis however Pep Guardiola’s facet are purring with 16 wins in a row in all competitions.

Kevin De Bruyne may return towards a Gladbach facet in effective type themselves; how will Guardiola match the Belgian and in-form Ilkay Gundogan in the identical midfield? “It is not going to be an issue, I promise you!”.

Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea

First leg: February 23, Nationwide Area, Bucharest (8pm)
Second leg: March 17, Stamford Bridge (8pm)

What to look out for

There will probably be no Diego Costa – the previous Chelsea ahead continues to be searching for a brand new membership after leaving Atletico in January – however Luis Suarez is one other acquainted face with earlier with regards to the Blues. The ex-Liverpool participant, who infamously bit Branislav Ivanovic throughout a 2013 conflict with Chelsea through which he additionally scored a late equaliser, has been the impetus behind Atletico’s title tilt, scoring a league-high 16 targets.

Chelsea had been the final crew to beat Atletico on their very own turf in European competitors – again in September 2017 – however to repeat the trick, they might want to maintain Suarez quiet.

Lazio vs Bayern Munich

First leg: February 23, Olimpico (8pm)
Second leg: March 17, Allianz Area (8pm)

What to look out for

Bayern warmed up for the knockout stage of their Champions League title defence by lifting one other trophy on the Membership World Cup. The holders have gone virtually two years with out defeat within the Champions League, have failed to attain solely as soon as of their final 27 matches and have gained 16 of their final 17 video games within the competitors with an general purpose distinction of +48.

That appears ominous for Lazio, however each side have forwards in lethal type. Robert Lewandowski has scored 31 targets in 33 Champions League video games because the begin of the 2017/18 season – greater than another participant – however Lazio’s Ciro Motionless has eight in his final 9 Champions League begins and outscored Lewandowski throughout Europe’s prime leagues final time period.

Atalanta vs Real Madrid

First leg: February 24, Gewiss Stadium (8pm)
Second leg: March 16, Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium (8pm)

What to look out for

Actual Madrid are 5 factors behind La Liga leaders Atletico (having performed two video games extra) and are out of the Copa del Rey and Spanish Cup. It is crunch time now for Zinedine Zidane. Zidane’s facet got here again from the brink to succeed in the final 16 as Group B winners however all eyes are actually on their European problem, with reviews in Spain claiming the Frenchman’s job is on the road.

One other man beneath scrutiny, Eden Hazard, may return after his newest damage setback. His boss will hope he can lastly discover health and type.

Final 16 outcomes to this point…

RB Leipzig 0-2 Liverpool: Salah, Mane put Reds in control

Liverpool broke a run of three straight defeats and put one foot in the last eight of the Champions League with a 2-0 victory over RB Leipzig.

Barcelona 1-4 PSG: Mbappe hits hat-trick in big win

Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick impressed Paris Saint-Germain to an emphatic 4-1 victory at Barcelona within the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.