Blue Christmas /Morelos and Defoe-ho-ho help Rangers spread festive cheer
● Ben Saunders looks at the tasks facing the Premier League’s finest in the last 16
Rangers players and manager Steven Gerrard yesterday made their annual Christmas visit to see patients at Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children. The squad handed over a donation of £10,000, and the visit came after the club learned that Portuguese side Braga will be their opponents in the last 32 of the Europa League.
ATLETICO MADRID V LIVERPOOL
A name that won’t get Liverpool fans feeling super-comfortable, but on current form Atletico fans should be far more worried. And is there one Liverpudlian who isn’t relishing the chance to go back to the Wanda Metropolitano, where they hoisted the European Cup for a sixth time? Atletico sit fifth in La Liga and managed to sneak through their Champions League group, despite failing to beat Juventus and losing at Bayer Leverkusen. Leading goalscorer Alvaro Morata won’t give Liverpool nightmares, and European Golden Boy Joao Felix has endured an injury-riddled start after his ninefigure move from Benfica. Kieran Tripper seems to have settled in well to Diego Simeone’s defence and Jan Oblak is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. REAL MADRID V MANCHESTER CITY
The 13-time champions of Europe are at least making a push for a Spanish title they didn’t win in the previous two seasons. But this version of Madrid isn’t at all galactico-ish. Karim Benzema has been in fine form with 16 goals this season, but Eden Hazard’s injury has been a blow. Having said that, the Belgian failed to score in a group-stage campaign in which they were decisively second best to Paris Saint-germain. Rodrygo is poised to be their next superstar, the 18-year-old having scored within a minute of his La Liga debut and becoming the secondyoungest player to score a Champions League hat-trick in the 6-0 win over Galatasaray. Barcelona icon Pep Guardiola should get an interesting Bernabeu reception. CHELSEA V BAYERN MUNICH
Chelsea’s opponents are not having it their own way in the Bundesliga for a change but, as Tottenham fans will attest, they are rampant in Europe. Their poor league start, culminating in a 5-1 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt, cost manager Niko Kovac his job last month. But he did oversee the 7-2 thrashing of Spurs in the Champions League in a group campaign during which they won six out of six. Robert Lewandowski has been in outrageous form, with 29 goals already. In midfield Serge Gnabry has made a mockery of Arsenal getting rid of him and Philippe Coutinho hit a hat-trick in their 6-1 win over Werder Bremen at the weekend. Nevertheless, they are unthinkably fifth in the German league.
SPURS V RB LEIPZIG
This is a much trickier prospect for Spurs than it looks on paper. Leipzig are two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga (and remember what Bayern, languishing in fifth, did to Tottenham) and in the middle of a six-game winning run. If it wasn’t for the sensational form of Robert Lewandowski, everyone would be talking about Timo Werner, who also averages more than a goal a game domestically. Marcel Sabitzer has also popped up with 11 goals from midfield in all competitions this season. How Jose Mourinho counters Julian Nagelsmann’s pacy pressing game will be fascinating to watch. Expect plenty of passing from the back and all-out attack by Leipzig, which could make them vulnerable if Harry Kane and Son Heung-min are on form.