City, Real in top form ahead of CL restart
THE CHAMPIONS League (CL) narrative is so often about Manchester City and Real Madrid.
The past two champions of Europe were the only teams to sweep through the group stage with six wins. They also are first in action tomorrow when the most-prized competition in club football resumes in the round of 16.
Man City are away to a Copenhagen team playing in the knockout stage for the first time in 13 years, and Madrid are at Leipzig for the first leg.
The two teams favoured to lift the trophy warmed up with comfortable wins on Saturday and goals from signature players.
Erling Haaland confirmed his return to form after a foot injury with both goals in Man City’s 2-0 win over Everton, his first since November 28, when Leipzig were beaten 3-2 in their Champions League group.
Haaland has a Premier Leagueleading 16 goals and Madrid’s Jude Bellingham has a La Liga-best 15 after also scoring twice in a 4-0 rout of second-place Girona.
But Bellingham has an ankle injury, having asked to be substituted on Saturday, and is a doubt to face Leipzig.
At the same time, Madrid were imperious in their domestic titlechasing clash, Bayern Munich were falling to an embarrassing 3-0 loss at Bayer Leverkusen in their tabletopping game.
The 2020 Champions League winners visit Lazio on Wednesday with its aura dimmed, despite Harry Kane’s 28 goals this season and coming through the group stage unbeaten for the sixth straight year.
Also on Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) host Real Sociedad, the surprise winners of a group ahead of last season’s beaten finalists Inter Milan.
PSG are the in-form team, though they was edged for first place in a tough group won by Borussia Dortmund.
The French champions –with Kylian Mbappé in the last few months of his contract – are unbeaten in all competitions for three months, since a 2-1 loss at AC Milan.
The first-leg games continue on February 20 when Inter goes to Atletico Madrid and PSV Eindhoven host Dortmund. On February 21, Napoli host Barcelona and Porto host Arsenal.
Second-leg games are played from March 5-13. UEFA draws pairings for the quarter-finals and semi-finals on March 15.