Ikhlas Patel
Have you ever wondered if there was a tournament where the best soccer teams in the world could come together, and play against each other for the ultimate, grand trophy? Well, there is one, and it’s called the Champions League. It first started in 1955 and has been going strong ever since. On February 16 of 2021, the first leg of the round of 16 will start. Over 32 teams have already been eliminated from the tournament and these are the remaining few.
I will first start off by talking about the Liverpool vs RB Leipzig game. Ever since the now Chelsea forward Timo Werner left RB Leipzig, they haven’t been able to produce as many goals as they normally would which could hurt their chances against a very talented Liverpool team. In order to win this game, their captain, Marcel Sabitzer, will need to get shots on goals and put pressure on the Liverpool left and right backs, Trent Alexander Arnold and Andy Robertson. The transition moments for both teams will make a huge impact on the final score. Though Liverpool looks better on paper than RB Leipzig, their 3 best strikers, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmiono, and Mo Salah, haven’t scored in the last 4 games. This could be concerning going into this big game. However, their midfield is getting stronger through Shaqiri and Thiago, which will benefit them offensively and defensively. Defensively speaking, injuries to Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, and Joel Matip puts the team’s coach, Jurgen Klopp, in a bit of a stressful situation, as he is having to put his midfielders in the center back role. Matip should be back in time for the game, which should help them drastically. In conclusion for this game, my prediction is that Liverpool will come out on top.
Next up, Barcelona vs PSG, likely one of the most entertaining games to watch. This will be a huge game for both teams starting off with PSG. With them getting Pochettino as their new manager, they will need to make sure they know how to stop both Messi and De Jong Barcelona from making an impact on the game. With Kylian Mbappe from PSG finally recovering from his right hamstring injury a month ago, it might be interesting to see whether he can continue to play at his highest potential or not. On the other hand, this will also be a hard game for Barcelona. Having just gotten a new coach, Ronald Koeman, it will be a tough game to come into. Losing to Juventus on the road before this game, Barcelona’s confidence will be at rock bottom. With Grizeman finally showing what he can do, the team’s peak form will be needed against this PSG defense. My ultimate prediction is that Barcelona will come out on top.
The Sevilla vs Dortmund game seems to be an easier game for Dortmund on paper, however, that could be misleading. This will be the first time in 3 years that Sevilla is reaching the Round of 16 (the last 16 teams left in the tournament), a big accomplishment for them. However, throughout the group stage, Sevilla has shown that they can hang with the big clubs. With impactful players like Ivan Rakitic and Luuk De Jong, they will need to score on the transition moments, and their set-pieces will be vital. Dortmund has some outstanding players, but having them in their A-game against Sevilla could be a challenge. Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland are finally clicking, which is great for the team and for their matchup ahead. 18-year-old American Gio Reyna has become a playmaker for them, with loads of assists. He has gotten himself on the score sheet in recent games as well. Their defense will be the biggest factor in this game, as in recent games, they have made several mistakes that have led to goals being conceded for the opposition. In the end, my prediction is that Dortmund will be victorious.
Following the Sevilla vs Dortmund game, Porto vs Juventus will be up next. It was a big shock for a lot of people watching at home to see Porto go through, but after drawing with Man City 0-0 it was clear, they were ready to play. Stopping the attacking sensation of Ronaldo, Dybala, and Morato will be the hardest thing for the defense of Porto. Between Ronaldo’s heading, Dybala’s playmaking, and Morato’s finishing touches in the final third, it will be very hard to contain them. However, Porto also has different playmakers, like Felipe Anderson and Luis Diaz, that they should be able to rely on to create most of their chances. With national Portuguese star, Pep, in the back for Porto, Juventus will need some creativity to get behind the backline. Ultimately, my prediction is that Juventus will take home the trophy.
Next, Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea will surely be an entertaining game for viewers. Athletico sold Morato to Juventus last season, but it has helped them, due to the fact that Joao Felix has hit an all-time high in his career. For such a young player, he has the potential to become a great asset at any time through his knowledge of the game and being able to score under pressure. With Luis Suarez joining the Athletico side, he has paired well with Felix. With Torreira back into the lineup, the defense is finally taking place. It looks promising to stay stable and help out for key set pieces. On the other side, Chelsea does not look too bright. While spending over 200 million dollars over the summer to acquire new players, it definitely seems they didn’t get their money’s worth. They barely got to the Round of 16! Many fans, including me, are eagerly watching to see if they can sustain themselves against other big clubs, such as Atletico Madrid. Their money isn’t even the main point for them at the moment, it’s just that the people they spent the money on are not performing as well as they should be. Kai Havertz was a big topic when he first got to Chelsea, but he has kept quiet, scoring only one goal through the Champions League group stages. However, in the end, I predict that Chelsea will be triumphant against Atletico Madrid.
Lazio vs Bayern is the next game up, and it’s a bit underwhelming. The defending champions, Bayern Munich, cruised through the group stages and are looking like favorites to win the trophy again this year. They have many key players, such as Lewandowski, Kimmich, and Mueller, and have also acquired a starting left-winger from Man City’s Leroy Sane. With him as a threat in the attacking role, it could be a real danger for Lazio. Lazio will surely have a tough matchup against Bayern, but if they take advantage of their chances and get in front of the goal, they will have a good chance of winning. My prediction is that Bayern will come out on top.
Atlanta vs Real Madrid could be a test for both teams. Last year, for the first time ever, Atlanta made it to the Round of 8. Many sports analysts from ESPNFC and viewers, including myself, think they can repeat it again this year. They don’t have much depth compared to the other teams, and their top midfielder, Josip Ilicic, was injured last year when they got to the Round of 8. This time, he should play a huge part in the flow of the game. Real Madrid has got many players that can impact the game but have not done that so far in this tournament. For example, Eden Hazard came to Real Madrid just over a year ago and has missed more games to injury than games he has actually played. If he can get back into the form he had when he first joined Real Madrid, Atlanta could be in trouble. My final prediction is that Real Madrid will come out on top.
The last game of the Round of 16, Leg 1, is between Manchester City and Monchengladbach. My opinion is definitely biased here since Manchester City is my favorite team. The city’s defense has gotten much better since the group stage, through John Stones coming back and Ruben Dias improving his game. That could be the difference in this game. Other players who can impact the game for Man City include their two attacking midfielders, De Bryne and Gundogan. If they can get touches on the ball and find the gaps in between Monchengladbach’s defense, it may be a big blowout of a game. For Monchengladbach, they have not been in the Champions League Round of 16 games in a few years, but definitely have the potential for viewers. In order to win this game, they will have to break down the left and right backs for Manchester City and then attack in the space behind them. To finish off my analysis I predict that Manchester City will take home the trophy for this game.