The draw for the last 16 phase of the world’s biggest club football tournament was made in December and football fans across Europe have some mouth-watering ties to look forward to when the ties kick off in the second week of February.
The 16 teams hoping to be in the pot for the March 15 draw for the quarter-finals are:
Arsenal (England), Barcelona (Spain), Bayern Munich (Germany), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Celtic (Scotland), Galatasaray (Turkey), Juventus (Italy), Malaga (Spain), Manchester United (England), Milan (Italy), Paris Saint Germain (France), Porto (Portugal), Real Madrid (Spain), Schalke 04 (Germany), Shaktar Donestk(Ukraine), Valencia (Spain).
The online betting averages site Oddschecker has FC Barcelona as favourites, followed by their great rivals Real Madrid. Next up are the German pair of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund with the last of the surviving Italian giants Juventus in fifth. Manchester United are only sixth favourites in Oddschecker’s averaged list.
Galatasaray and Celtic, making their first appearance at this stage of the tournament for five years after a famous victory against Barca at Celtic Park, are the outsiders, although no team can take a victory at either of these two famously-hostile grounds for granted.
Many bookmakers have Barca priced as short as 2/1, which in a 16 horse race shows how highly the Catalan side are rated despite the departure of inspirational coach Pep Guardiola.
The mastermind of Barca’s incredible recent run of trophies, including two Champions League wins, was on a year out this season, but will take over the reins at Bayern, last season’s defeated finalists, next season. The announcement of Guardiola’s long-awaited decision has put Bayern’s current boss Jupp Heynckes’ nose out of joint. He’s concerned that news of the arrival of the most sought after coach in world football will distract his team who are currently flying high at the top of a Bundesliga that looks there’s to throw away.
If the pre-Champions League European Cup is disregarded, among the final 16 are three time winners Real Madrid and Barcelona; Manchester United, AC Milan and Barcelona with two Champions League trophies each and four clubs – FC Porto, Bayern, Juventus and Dortmund – who have each won the tournament once.
And of those who haven’t yet achieved the ultimate goal, two have come agonisingly close. Arsenal FC lost out to Barca in 2005 and Valencia CF have twice held the runners up spot losing out to Bayern in 2000 and Real in 2001.
Here’s a guide to these eight wonderful matches :
Celtic Glasgow vs Juventus
Valencia CF vs Paris Saint-Germain
FC Shakhtar Donetsk v Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid CF v Manchester United FC
Arsenal FC – FC Bayern München
FC Porto v Málaga CF
Galatasaray A.S. v FC Schalke 04
AC Milan v FC Barcelona