Each team will play two matches, one away and one at home. The winner on aggregate will advance with ties being decided by away goals. All data is accurate as of February 8th.

Chelsea FC v Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid versus Chelsea shapes up to be possibly the second-best match in the round of 16 on paper. The new-look blues lead by Thomas Tuchel has a draw and win under their belt so far and a premier league record with the most passes connected in a game (879). Atletico Madrid is in the lead for La Liga with 50 points, ten points clear of second place. Ultimately, I think this game will come down to form. With Chelsea having played just two games played under their new coach, it’s tough to say whether Chelsea will be better or worse than previously. With Chelsea as too much of a wildcard, I have to give this one to Atletico Madrid, who have won their last 13 of 15 and have conceded just five goals in their previous 13.

Prediction: Atletico victory 4-3 

Atalanta v Real Madrid

Another great matchup with a potential upset is Real Madrid, who Vegas odds favor at 16/1 versus Atalanta’s 33/1. Real Madrid has been struggling as of late, winning just 2 of their last 5. To have their losses come against mediocre la Liga teams isn’t a great sign heading into the round of 16. Real also have had a tough time escaping the round of 16 with losses to Manchester City and Ajax in recent years. Atalanta has shown promise on the big stage, beating Liverpool 2-0 and winning 1-0 against Ajax in what was known as a do-or-die game. They also were mere minutes away from beating PSG last year before a choupo moting brace during injury time.

Prediction: Atalanta victory 3-2

FC Porto v Juventus FC

It looks like a shoo-in for Juventus, who have won their last 7 of 8 led by Cristiano Ronaldo. Other Bright spots include American Weston McKennie and dutch defender De Ligt who show a bright future. However, Porto is in the best form they could be in, with their last loss in October. They will put up a fight but have a deficit of talent and experience. Juventus takes this one.

Prediction: Juventus victory 4-2

Manchester City v Borussia Monchengladbach

Perhaps the most lopsided game in the entire round of 16, City has the best odds to take this victory home. They stand atop the premier league, one of the top leagues in the world, and haven’t looked this good in years. They are even arguably, one of the hottest clubs in the world as of now. They are regularly breezing through premier league giants, knocking out top clubs left and right such as Manchester United, Chelsea, and arsenal. They haven’t lost a match since November and have been undefeated thus far in the competition. Monchengladbach made it through by surprising everyone and leading the group through three games. However, their next three matches in the group were very forgettable, with two losses and a draw. Now that teams are ready for them expect Manchester city to dink and dunk their way down the field many times and score with ease. They might not even play their starters in the second leg if they are far enough ahead, which is why I pick a less lopsided victory.

Prediction: Manchester City victory 5-1

Paris Saint Germain v FC Barcelona

The headline of this matchup is the reuniting of former teammates Messi and Neymar. It will be their first time playing each other in competitive play. Even though history tells us this matchup will be very entertaining, both sides have been underperforming to expectations as of late. PSG is under a new manager and has only won 3 of their last five league games, a disappointing record considering their competition’s ease. Meanwhile, Barca stands 2nd (9 points behind 1st) in a disastrous LaLiga table. Barca also has a history of upsets in the Champions League, blowing aggregate leads against Liverpool and Roma and getting blown out by Bayern Munich 8-2 last season. Both teams’ losses have come from poor decisions defensively, but PSG has shown some improvement in that department, maintaining clean sheets in their past two games. This being said, FC Barcelona has the most chances created and second-most goals scored in this year’s Champions League, and on the other side, Neymar has been explosive, holding the title for most goals scored. The results of this matchup will heavily depend on Messi’s performance. If he’s able to rip apart PSG’s backline like he’s done to so many others’ Barca will see their way through, but if he can’t live up to his high standards, PSG’s deadly front three will make quick work of Barca’s shambolic defense.

Prediction: PSG 4-3 FC Barcelona

Liverpool FC v RB Leipzig

This draw is interesting considering Liverpool’s current form. Last season, Liverpool was arguably the best team globally, winning the Premier League for the first time in 30 years. This season, they suffer from injuries, the most prominent being star defender Virgil Van Dijk’s torn ACL. They see themselves as the worst defending champions in Premier League history, losing to multiple bottom table teams and snapping their 78 home game unbeaten streak. On the other hand, RB Leipzig has conceded the least amount of goals and finds themselves 2nd in the Bundesliga. Despite their youth, RB Leipzig is experienced in the Champions League, having gone to the semi-finals last year. This matchup will be decided by the production of RB Leipzig’s attack. The Leipzig defense should be able to hold the notorious Liverpool attack to no more than two goals, leaving the fixture up to the Leipzig front line, who have the perfect opportunity to take advantage of Liverpool’s injury-ridden defense.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-3 RB Leipzig

Borussia Dortmund v Sevilla

We can expect to see a goal-packed matchup here, with both teams having the 4th (Sevilla) and 5th (Dortmund) most shots on target in this year’s Champions League. Dortmund is not in form, winning only 1 of their last five games. Star, Jadon Sancho, has been underperforming, but his counterpart, Erling Haaland, has stepped up, joint-leading (with Neymar) the Champions League in goals scored. Sevilla usually does not make it this far in the competition, but they seem to have turned a new leaf, conceding the least amount of goals in LaLiga and holding a four-game winning streak. Despite Sevilla’s recent form, their lack of experience will be exposed to Dortmund’s overpowering attack.

Prediction: Dortmund 4-1 Sevilla

Bayern Munich v SS Lazio

This is a rather lopsided matchup between the defending champs and a rather average side. Lazio has shown great form recently, losing only 1 of their last 10 Serie A games. Unfortunately for them, this means nothing to Bayern Munich, who have been considered the best team in the world ever since their Champions League victory last August. Bayern is Champions League experts, winning twice in the previous seven years and having the most goals in this year’s competition, so it’s safe to say that their confidence won’t be affected by a streaky Italian side. 

Prediction: Bayern Munich 5-1 Lazio