Arsenal tipped to triumph over Leverkusen in Champions League round of 16
Wednesday's Champions League fixtures include Paris Saint-Germain facing off against Chelsea for the first time since last years Club World Cup final, while Real Madrid welcome Manchester City in the opening leg of their round of 16 matchup, marking the fifth straight season these teams collide in knockout play.
Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal
Arsenal, sitting atop the Premier League and yet to claim a European title, are pushing for a quadruple this term as they seek their first significant trophy since 2020.
Mikel Artetas squad dominated the league phase with eight straight victories to advance directly to the last 16, and beating Leverkusen would pit them against either Bodo/Glimt or Sporting next.
Defender William Saliba sat out Arsenals last two games due to an ankle problem but might return for this one.
Leverkusen, who sit sixth in the Bundesliga, are in recovery mode following a chaotic summer that saw them lose manager Xabi Alonso along with key talents like Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, and recent Arsenal signing Piero Hincapie.
We are solid on our home turf. We have an opportunity there we can take the win, Alejandro Grimaldo commented on Saturday.
Strikingly, Leverkusens triumph over Olympiacos in the playoff was their initial success in a Champions League knockout match since 2002, when they made the final only to fall to Real Madrid powered by Zinedine Zidane.
PSG v Chelsea
As defending European champions, PSG face a shaky test putting their crown at risk versus Chelsea, the sides first encounter since the London clubs 3-0 victory in last Julys Club World Cup decider.
Luis Enriques side scraped by Ligue 1 foe Monaco in the playoffs and dropped points to them on Friday, narrowing their lead over Lens at the French summit to just one point.
The French capital outfit are far from the dazzling performances of late last season, with Ballon dOr recipient Ousmane Dembele among those battling form issues though he should be ready for this game.
PSG must also respect Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior, who fared well against them during his 18 months leading Strasbourg.
Estevao Willian and Jamie Gittens are close to fitness for Chelsea, yet they were not involved in Saturdays 4-2 FA Cup success over Wrexham, leaving doubt over their involvement here.
Chelsea boosted their bid for next seasons Champions League spot last week thanks to Joao Pedros treble sparking a 4-1 away win at Aston Villa.
Real Madrid v Man City
Under Alvaro Arbeloa, the 15-time European kings faltered at home to Manchester City during the league stage, back in Xabi Alonsos tenure.
Chances of prolonging their continental rule have barely improved, especially amid injuries to stars like Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, both likely absent for the opener at least. Vinicius Junior, crucial in the playoff win over Benfica, holds the key for Madrids hopes.
Citys head coach created 10 opportunities in Saturdays FA Cup clash with Newcastle United, yet they eased to a 3-1 victory regardless.
Erling Haaland missed that outing because of an ankle knock, and the Norwegian forwards status is still uncertain.
City and Real have clashed 15 times before in Champions League action. Madrid eliminated City in the previous two campaigns, prevailing 6-3 overall in last terms playoffs and edging a quarterfinal penalty lottery in 2023/24.
Bodo/Glimt v Sporting
Bodo/Glimts dream campaign rolls on as they host Portuguese title holders Sporting at the Aspmyra Stadion, nestled within the Arctic Circle.
Kjetil Knutsens group wrapped the league phase with triumphs over Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, then dispatched Inter Milan both home and away in the playoffs. This was even more impressive considering Norways top flight is just emerging from winter break.
Winger Jens Petter Hauge poses the biggest threat for Glimt, netting six times across 10 Champions League outings this year. Sporting, travelling from Lisbon, ended seventh in the league phase with a standout win over PSG. Rui Borgess squad boasts a 12-game unbeaten streak but drew 2-2 at Braga on Saturday, staying four points adrift of league frontrunners Porto. Their primary danger comes from Colombian forward Luis Suarez, who has tallied 31 goals across all tournaments this season.