LIVERPOOL FACE TASK OF GETTING BEYOND BAYERN
▶ Following the Uefa Champions League last-16 draw, Ian Hawkey runs his eye over the eight fixtures
Liverpool v Bayern Munich
A resonant tie for any number of reasons, not least for the nostalgics, who recall how Bayern dominated the European Cup in the middle 1970s – three titles from 1974-76 – and how Liverpool - champions in 1977, ’78 and ’81 - took on that baton.
It should be a fine time to play the German champions, who have struggled at times under new coach Niko Kovac.
But Jurgen Klopp will beware, especially with central defender Virgil van Dijk out of the first leg with a suspension, of the enduring threat of Robert Lewandowski as the Premier League leaders seek to follow up on last year’s run to the final.
Prediction: Liverpool to win
Ajax v Real Madrid
Seventeen European Cups between them, but these clubs are worlds apart in terms of the resources they can command. Ajax’s first appearance in the group phase for four years is deserved.
The likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie De Jong, the coveted youngsters, should relish the opportunity to take on Europe’s reigning champions.
Madrid, seeking a fourth successive Champions League title, will be wary. They have an inconsistent, troubled campaign so far.
Prediction: Real prevail
Manchester United v PSG
Paris Saint-Germain, 10 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 with two matches in hand, can only look clear favourites against a United 19 points behind Liverpool. What role for Paul Pogba, born some 10km from the French capital, a world champion with France in July and lately an unused substitute with United?
Or for Anthony Martial, another from the outskirts of Paris, who was once a feted prodigy, just like PSG’s Kylian Mbappe, and who now drifts in and out of the United side?
Prediction:
PSG to progress
Atletico Madrid v Juventus
Atletico had the bad luck to bump into a resurgent Borussia Dortmund in the group phase. That made them vulnerable to a last-16 tie against a heavyweight.
Juventus are certainly that, and will match Atletico for pent-up motivation to at last go on and win a Champions League final. They missed out in the 2015 and 2017 finals while their Spanish opponents lost in 2014 and 2016. With Cristiano Ronaldo in their line-up following his summer move from Real Madrid, they will expect to go through. Prediction: Juventus triumph
Tottenham v B Dortmund
Not a tie to turn up late for, if it is anything like the Wembley meeting between these two clubs in the group phase of last season’s competition.
There were three goals in the first quarter of hour of that one, Tottenham opening up Dortmund with speed and swagger.
They went on to a 3-1 win, which effectively eliminated the German club once Spurs had followed up with a 2-1 victory at the Westfalen Stadium. Tottenham will hope to repeat that, but they will know this Dortmund, top of the Bundesliga and having changed the coach twice in the last 14 months, are an upgrade on last season since appointing Lucien Favre in May. Prediction: Joy for Dortmund
Schalke v Manchester City
On the face of it, this looks the most lob-sided tie of them all. Schalke took six matches to gain their first points of the Bundesliga season and are still in the bottom side of the table in Germany. Manchester City went 16 matches before suffering their only loss in defence of their Premier League title. And yet Schalke, where City’s Leroy Sane began his senior career, will detect encouragement from continuing signs of City’s tendency to show vulnerabilities in Europe that they keep concealed for most of the time in their domestic displays, having been troubled by Lyon in the group stages of the competition. Prediction:
City to march on
Lyon v Barcelona
Barcelona’s grip on a trophy they have won three times in the last decade has loosened alarmingly since 2015.
Not so much as a semi-final since then, which is way beneath expectation for a club of Barca’s pedigree and budget and something manager Ernesto Valverde will hope to change.
Barca know there are hazards in the French team. Like the attacking zip of Memphis Depay, and the craft of Nabil Fekir and Ndombele.
The hope is that Barcelona, unbeaten in the group games, have their former Lyon defender, Samuel Umtiti back from knee surgery by the time they take on the French club. Prediction: Barca too good
Roma v Porto
Given that Roma might have been confronted with the champions of Germany (Bayern Munich), France (PSG), Spain (Barcelona), or England (Manchester City) in the last 16, you could understand why senior executive Francesco Totti seemed to smile broadly when the name Porto was paired with his club’s. But Porto are on a bit of a roll. They dropped only two points in reaching the knockout phase – and they are top of the Portuguese league.
This tie may well be settled by most tuned-in of the centre-forwards: Edin Dzeko, of Roma, and Porto’s Moussa Marega are tied on five goals each so far in the competition. Prediction: Victory for Roma