Real Madrid v Roma
Roma face the unenviable task of reversing a 2-0 first leg defeat when they make the trip to the Bernabéu on Tuesday. Mission improbable according to the bookies, who have Roma at 25/1 to qualify for the quarter-finals, though it is doable. Two teams have overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit to progress in the knockout stages of the Champions League: Barcelona against Milan in 2013 andManchester United against Olympiakos in 2014. The Italians would, however, be the first team to qualify from a 2-0 defeat in their home leg.
Nevertheless, Luciano Spalletti has had a galvanising effect since his return to the capital – though not if you ask Francesco Totti – with the Giallorossi now the form side in Serie A. A 4-1 victory over Champions League hopefuls Fiorentina at the weekend was the most eye-catching result since Spaletti’s return, extending their league winning streak to seven – a record currently bettered only by Barcelona (11) among Europe’s top five leagues.
Meanwhile Real Madrid come into the game off the back of a huge win of their own in La Liga, though a 7-1 drubbing of Celta Vigo papered over the cracks of what had been a patchy period under Zinedine Zidane by comparison. They have bounced back from a draw at Malaga and defeat at home to local rivals, Atlético, with their bid to reach a sixth successive Champions League quarter-final further boosted by the return of Gareth Bale. While Cristiano Ronaldo stole the show withfour goals at the weekend, the Welshman scored on his comeback and has outperformed his team-mate for much of the season when fit, earning the highest rating for Madrid this season (8.08).
An early goal for the visitors would make this a very interesting tie but their chances of keeping Bale, Ronaldo and James Rodríguez out at the opposite end are remote. They are not quite dead and buried after a relatively even contest at the Stadio Olimpico, but Roma will need a minor miracle to cause Real Madrid’s ninth consecutive two-legged defeat to Italian opposition.
Chelsea v Paris Saint-Germain
On Wednesday night Chelsea will be out for revenge for last season’s exit at the hands of PSG, with the tie very much in the balance after the first leg in Paris. At the weekend Chelsea rested Cesc Fàbregas and Diego Costa, the two pivotal figures in the club’s revival under Guus Hiddink. Costa has been their highest rated player since the turn of the year (7.49), with eight goals and six assists in that time, but he will need to overcome a tendon injury to fire Chelsea into the quarter-finals.
The reverse fixture in Paris remains Chelsea’s only defeat under Hiddink since his return and only the second the Dutchman has suffered in two stints at the club. The home fans will also cling on to the knowledge that they have come back from greater adversity in the past against Wednesday’s opponents. They secured a 2-0 home win after a 3-1 defeat at Parc des Princes two years ago and progressed at the same stage en route to winning the title in 2012 after a loss by the same scoreline in Naples.Like their hosts, PSG could only manage draw at the weekend, failing to break down a resilient Montpellier side having also made changes in preparation for the trip to England. Laurent Blanc left Zlatan Ibrahimovic, David Luiz and Thiago Silva out of his starting XI, while key midfield pairing Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi were sidelined. The duo may feature but fitness concerns in such key positions and the team’s uncharacteristic wobble offers Chelsea real cause for optimism.
Only two sides have managed to keep PSG at bay all season on the road though, with the Ligue 1 champions scoring in nine successive away games. That will be a priority for the home side, so it’s unlikely to be as open an affair as the first fixture, with a nervy night ahead for those at the Bridge.
Borussia Dortmund v Tottenham Hotspur
With both sides entering this match at the Westfalenstadion after gruelling derbies at the weekend, they will be looking to bounce back from ultimately disappointing draws. A stalemate in Der Klassiker was not ideal for Thomas Tuchel’s side as it leaves them in limbo. Defeat to Bayern would have allowed Dortmund to focus all of their energies on the Europe League, while a victory would have given the league priority. Staying five points adrift of Bayern Munich means Dortmund still have to balance their efforts.
It’s an almost identical dilemma for Spurs, who also sit second in their domestic league, five points off the lead. Mauricio Pochettino has been more conservative with his Europa League selections than his opposite number thus far – with Kieran Trippier and Toby Alderweireld the only Tottenham players to start every game in the competition – but he will surely field a full strength side in Dortmund. Erik Lamela has been the star man for Spurs in Europe, with a rating of 7.87 having scored six goals in as many games, while Son Heung-min has also impressed having been used sparingly in the league.
For the hosts, playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan has thrived since the arrival of Tuchel. He is the top rated player for the club in the Bundesliga (7.86) and Europa League (7.87), with 10 goals and 13 assists across the two competitions this season. Mousa Dembélé and Eric Dier will be key to keeping the Armenian in check in what looks an even and exciting match-up on Thursday.
Liverpool v Manchester United
In what is the first ever meeting between these two sides in Europe, in-form Liverpool will be favourites to gain an advantage in the first leg. They recorded their third successive league victory at the weekend – managing that feat for the first time this season – defying the odds with 10 men against Crystal Palace whileLouis van Gaal’s side failed at West Brom.
Van Gaal has his critics but he also has a perfect record in this crunch fixture.Manchester United have come out on top in all four meetings with Liverpool under the Dutchman. Where this fixture has offered relief for his manager, European action has proven to be a godsend for Memphis, who dazzled in victory over Midtjylland last time out and is the visitors’ top scorer in continental football this season with a modest three goals – one clear of Marcus Rashford following a brace against the Danes in his only European outing for the club.
While the away side again look likely to field an inexperienced side, it seems Jürgen Klopp has found his favoured system. Roberto Firmino has been the focal point of the attack this year, scoring eight goals in eight league games to earn the second highest Premier League rating of 2016 (7.98), though Daniel Sturridge looks likely to return after being rested at Selhurst Park. Despite a few teething problems in the Capital One Cup final, Liverpool look set to turn to Philippe Coutinho, Firmino and Sturridge, hoping for an attacking performance akin to that at Villa Park.
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