Champions League returns: What to look out for in 2022-23 knockout stage
Hostilities resume across various stadia in Europe as the Champions League knockout stages begin on Tuesday. Italian giants, AC Milan host Tottenham and French powerhorse, Paris St-Germain welcome Bayern Munich.
It’s time to jog your memory on who’s still in the competition – and all the reasons you should be following along.
Clean sweeps for Premier League and Bundesliga
Manchester City v RB Leipzig
Real Madrid v Liverpool
Tottenham v AC Milan
Chelsea v Borussia Dortmund
For the fifth time in six seasons there are at least four Premier League teams in the Champions League last 16.
Manchester City and Chelsea won their groups, Liverpool advanced with a game to spare, while Tottenham put their fans through the wringer, snatching qualification from the jaws of elimination on matchday six.
England’s top tier isn’t the only league excelling in Europe. There are also four German Bundesliga team in the knockout stages, including Bayern Munich – the only side to boast a perfect group-stage record.
Italy are represented by three clubs, Portugal have two, Belgium, France and Spain have one. Speaking of Spain…
Liverpool seek Real revenge
Liverpool
La Liga may only have one side in the last 16 for the first time since the tournament was expanded in 1999-2000, but you can’t do much better than the holders and record 14-time winners Real Madrid.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side take on Liverpool in a repeat of the 2018 and 2022 finals – and Los Blancos have fond memories of both, winning 3-1 and 1-0.
Liverpool’s best chance of Champions League qualification might be through winning the competition. They sit nine points off the top four in the Premier League.
They will have to end their rotten run against their Spanish rivals to progress, having lost six of the past seven meetings against Real.
Another final repeat
Paris St-Germain face Bayern Munich who have reached the last 16 for the 15th successive season. If you like final repeats, you’ll love the prospect of Bayern Munich against PSG.
The pair played each other in the 2020 final with Bayern winning 1-0.
A year later and things got even tighter with their quarter-final finishing 3-3 and the Parisians advancing on away goals – a rule that has now been scrapped.
Can World Cup winner Lionel Messi, alongside losing finalist Kylian Mbappe – if fit- pull off another statement win over the six-time champions?
Parker’s Bruges out to make history
Scott Parker’s Club Bruges are the first Belgian team to reach the last 16 in seven years. Maybe you’re a romantic and would rather follow the history making underdog.
If so, then Club Bruges could be your second team.
The Belgians advanced ahead of former finalists Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid to reach the knockout stages for the first time since the European Cup became the Champions League.
Ex-Bournemouth and Fulham manager Scott Parker has been at the helm at Jan Breydel Stadium since New Year’s Eve and will be in charge when they face Benfica in the last 16.
As a player Parker made nine appearances in the Champions League, all with Chelsea, playing in five knockout matches in 2004 as the Blues lost to Monaco in the semi-finals.
Frankfurt look to make up for lost time
In the fifth season of the competition Frankfurt made it all the way to the final where they were beaten 7-3 by Real Madrid at Hamden Park.
The German side had defeated Rangers 12-4 over two legs in the last four and 62 years later they beat the Scots on penalties in the Europa League final to qualify for Europe’s premier competition after a six-decade hiatus.
More teenagers than ever before
In October Jude Bellingham became the youngest-ever captain to score in the Champions League.
Bellingham
Over the age of 24 and still dreaming about your Champions League debut? You might want to skip this next section.
During this season’s group stage, 30% of starting places were filled by players aged 23 or under and a record 89 starts were made by teenagers, according to entertainment data analysts Nielsen Gracenote.
Benfica’s Antonio Silva and Red Bull Salzburg’s Maurits Kjaergaard, both aged 19, began all six of their team’s matches.
Few would look past Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham as the best teenager left in the Champions League right now.
The Stourbridge-born 19-year-old, who was superb in midfield for England at the World Cup, netted four goals in five games in the Champions League group stages.
Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, 19, is also carving up the Champions League, with the midfielder crafting two assists in five group games this season.
If you’re good enough you’re old enough and both will be hoping to make a big impact in the knockouts.
Is it finally Man City or PSG’s year?
Manchester City are favourites to win this season’s Champions League, according to Gracenote. Their Euro Club Index simulations give City a 25% chance of lifting the trophy.
Bayern Munich (17%), holders Real Madrid (14%) and Liverpool (11%) are the other main contenders – with Paris St-Germain next on 6%.
Chelsea have a 5% chance, with Tottenham on just 3%. Club Bruges are the rank outsiders with… a 0% chance, according to the data experts.
City and Benfica are the most likely teams to reach the quarter-finals, each with an 80% likelihood of progressing.
Culled from BBC sport
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