The UEFA Champions League resumes this week with 16 teams kicking off their two-legged playoff matches in midweek, seeking to book a place in the quarterfinals.
The knockout round playoffs kick off on Tuesday evening with record winners Real Madrid and French champions PSG headlining the action.
With the new Champions League format, the top eight teams are already lying in wait for the next eight that will make it past this round after the second legs scheduled for February 24 and 25.
English Premier League sides dominated the top eight with Group winners Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham finishing inside the top five. Chelsea and Manchester City finished in sixth and eighth place respectively.
With four matches scheduled for Tuesday, we have a look at all games and their current form as we weigh their strengths ahead of kickoff. Our predicted outcome follows based on key match stats and head-to-head history.
Galatasaray vs Juventus – Tuesday, 8:45PM
Both these sides managed three wins out of their eight league phase matches in this seasons Champions League. This is the first time Galatasaray have made it past the group stage since the 2013/14 season.
The hosts are confident they can get a result here after losing just once in their last six UCL matches against Juventus. They come into the game on a four-match winning streak in all competitions, scoring 15 goals in the process.
They welcome a Juventus side who are without a win in their last three matches. Juve have also failed to beat Galatasaray in their last three attempts, their last win coming in the 2003 edition of the tournament.
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Mauro Icardi has been the hosts top performer in recent weeks, the Argentine forward scoring a hat-trick over the weekend in a 5-1 win against Eyupspor.
Despite being winless in their last three games, Juve have scored five goals in that run and remain very capable of edging this encounter.
Prediction – Over 1.5 goals – CLICK HERE TO PLACE YOUR BET ON THIS GAME!
Benfica vs Real Madrid – Tuesday, 11PM
Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s 98th minute goal secured Benfica’s spot in the knockout rounds. His heroics saw him become just the fifth goalkeeper in UCL history to score a goal.
Benfica were 4-2 winners against Real Madrid on January 28, with Jose Mourinho hoping he can make it back-to-back wins against his former employers. Adding onto the 5-2 victory Benfica enjoyed the last time these sides met in the UCL in 2012.
Madrid responded well to that defeat, winning their last three games while scoring eight goals in the process. Despite injuries to top players such as Jude Bellingham and Rodrigo, the visitors remain favorites to make it into the last 16.
They face a Benfica side who are unbeaten in their last five matches – winning four of them. The only stalemate was a barren draw against Tondela in the Portuguese league.
Just like their most recent match, both teams have shown the attacking prowess they possess and we can expect goals in this match as well.
Prediction – Both teams to score – CLICK HERE TO PLACE YOUR BET ON THIS GAME!
Dortmund vs Atalanta – Tuesday, 11PM
Two teams on rather identical runs of form lock horns here in the first leg of their knockout tie. Both have lost just once in their recent run of five matches, coincidentally the defeat came in both their final UCL league phase matches.
Dortmund has since gone on a three-match winning streak, most recently beating Mainz 4-0 in a Bundesliga match at the weekend. Atalanta were also impressive in a 2-0 away win against Lazio in Serie A.
These two sides have not faced each other since the 2018 Europa League, where Dortmund edged Atalanta 4-3 on aggregate over two legs. The German outfit have however only won one of their last seven UCL games against Italian opposition.
Atalanta have enjoyed recent success over German clubs in the competition this season, beating both Frankfurt and Stuttgart with a combined 5-0 scoreline.
Prediction – Borussia Dortmund to win or draw – CLICK HERE TO PLACE YOUR BET ON THIS GAME!
Monaco vs PSG – Tuesday, 11PM
We have an all-French affair to look forward to as heavyweights Monaco and PSG lock horns for a place in the last 16.
The title-holders PSG have been far from convincing over the course of the UCL this season and need to put all that behind them if they are to get past their local rivals. PSG are coming off a humiliating 3-1 defeat to Rennes in Ligue 1.
Monaco ended a five-game winless run against PSG to win 1-0 last November, proving they have what it takes to get one over their opponents. The hosts are also coming off a comfortable 3-1 home win against Nantes.
The home team have won just two of their last five matches in all competitions and need to find their footing to avoid defeat against the Champions. Monaco need to at least avoid defeat in the first leg to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Prediction – Both teams to score – CLICK HERE TO PLACE YOUR BET ON THIS GAME!
