The Uefa Champions League knockout stage is in full swing, with exciting clashes lined up for Tuesday. Liverpool remain the overall favourites to lift the trophy this season (18.7 per cent), while Barcelona (14.7 per cent) have moved into second place following the last 16 draw.
Among the teams most favoured to advance, Inter Milan (78.8 per cent) hold the biggest edge against Feyenoord, just ahead of Barcelona (74.9 per cent), who take on Benfica. Meanwhile, all three remaining English teams—Liverpool (59 per cent v Paris SG), Arsenal (71.4 per cent v PSV), and Aston Villa (54.8 per cent v Club Brugge)—are tipped to progress.
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CLUB BRUGGE V ASTON VILLA
Aston Villa and Club Brugge meet again in what is only their second European encounter. The Belgian side edged the first meeting 1-0 earlier this season in the league phase.
Historically, English clubs have troubled Brugge, who have won just one of their last 16 European games against English opposition (D3 L12). Ironically, that lone victory came against Villa. The Premier League side will look to overcome their poor record against Belgian teams, having won just once in five previous encounters (D1 L3).
DID YOU KNOW? Aston Villa will be the fourth different team Unai Emery has managed in the knockout stages of the Uefa Champions League, following Valencia, Paris SG and Villarreal. Only three managers have ever done so in charge of more than four: Carlo Ancelotti (6), José Mourinho (6) and Claudio Ranieri (5).
REAL MADRID V ATLÉTICO MADRID
A familiar rivalry takes centre stage as Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid meet for the 10th time in the Champions League—the most ever between teams from the same country, alongside Chelsea v Liverpool.
History favours Real Madrid, who have eliminated their city rivals in all five previous knockout-stage meetings, including two finals (2014, 2016). However, Atlético have won their last two European matches against Los Blancos, including a 4-2 triumph in the 2018 Uefa Super Cup.
DID YOU KNOW? Atlético Madrid have lost each of their last three away games in the knockout stages of the Uefa Champions League (0-1 v Manchester City, 0-1 v Inter Milan and 2-4 v Borussia Dortmund); their longest losing run away from home in the knockout rounds of the European Cup/Champions League since 1959-1971 (5), which included a defeat at Real Madrid (1-2 in April 1959).
PSV V ARSENAL
Arsenal have a strong home record against PSV (W3 D2), but they will be wary of their last knockout-stage meeting in 2007, when the Dutch side eliminated them in the last 16.
The Gunners have been in fine form, winning their last four Champions League matches, scoring 13 goals while conceding just twice. A fifth consecutive win would match their best-ever streak in the competition, set during their run to the 2006 final.
DID YOU KNOW? Arsenal have been ahead on the scoreboard for 57 per cent of their minutes played in the Uefa Champions League this season; the highest per centage of any side. Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta’s side have trailed for just 65 of their 770 minutes of match time in the competition this term (8 per cent).
BORUSSIA DORTMUND V LILLE
This tie marks just the third European meeting between Borussia Dortmund and Lille, with their last clash ending in a 1-1 aggregate draw in the 2001-02 Uefa Cup, where Dortmund advanced on away goals.
While Dortmund have struggled in previous knockout ties against French clubs, they did eliminate Paris SG in last season’s Champions League semifinals. Lille, on the other hand, will play their first European knockout tie against German opposition in over two decades, hoping to build on their 3-1 win over Wolfsburg in 2021.
With history, form, and key battles in play, Tuesday’s action promises high drama. Which teams will take a step closer to Champions League glory?
DID YOU KNOW? Based on the quality of shots on target faced (using xG), Lille’s Lucas Chevalier has prevented the third-most goals of any goalkeeper in the Uefa Champions League this season (+3.8 – 10 conceded from 13.8 xG on target). Chevalier is also the youngest goalkeeper remaining in the 2024-25 Uefa Champions League who already made an appearance (23y 118d on the day of this game).