SO here we go again.
It’s the last 16 of – cue the music – the Champions League and, for the first time in the event’s history, there are five teams from the same country still involved.
As luck would have it, that country happens to be England.
See, it’s not all bad news at the moment, is it?
It all kicks off this week with Spurs, Manchester City and Liverpool in action before Chelsea and Manchester United enter the fray next week.
What price all five making the quarter-finals?
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13 – 7.45pm
JUVENTUS v SPURS
REMARKABLY, this is the first time that these two historic clubs have met competitively and having beaten Real Madrid and eliminated Borussia Dortmund in their group, Spurs now face a Juventus side riddled with injuries.
The Old Lady will be without Andrea Barzagli, Juan Cuadrado, Douglas Costa and Blaise Matuidi and, crucially, there’s also a big doubt as to whether striker Paulo Dybala will be fit in time too.
And while Spurs will still be without Toby Alderweireld at the heart of the defence, it all points to an excellent opportunity for Tottenham to get a positive result, especially as Juve scored just seven goals in their six games in Group D.
Certainly, Juve’s vast experience in this competition will stand them in good stead as will their domestic form – they’ve won their last 11 on the spin – while Spurs have only been here once before when the played AC Milan back in 2010-11.
Mind you, that didn’t turn out too bad as Peter Crouch struck the only goal over the two legs to send the North Londoners through to the quarter-finals.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: DRAW
FC BASEL v MANCHESTER CITY
ANOTHER first-time meeting here and it will be a shock comparable to the end of The Sixth Sense if Pep Guardiola’s side don’t progress.
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While Basel may have upset the apple cart with a home win over the other Manchester side in the group stages, this is going to be an altogether taller order, not least because the Swiss have never been beyond the last 16 of the Champions League in the their two times of trying.
Still no Sane, Jesus, Mendy or Delph for City as they all recover from injury and David Silva is a doubt too.
That said, City should have more than enough to put this to bed without much trouble.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: CITY WIN
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 – 7.45pm
REAL MADRID v PSG
NARROWLY pipping Shakthtar Donetsk v Roma to the title of ‘Match of the Round’ comes a truly top-drawer tie as reigning champions Real Madrid host the pretenders to their throne, Paris Saint-Germain.
The Parisians are all but home and hosed in Ligue 1 and have won 14 of their last 15 games.
Round of 16 - all the fixtures
ALL kick-offs at 7.45pm unless stated.
FIRST LEGS
February 13
Basel vs MAN CITY
Juventus vs SPURS
February 14
Porto vs LIVERPOOL
Real Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain
February 20
Bayern Munich vs Besiktas
CHELSEA vs Barcelona
February 21
Sevilla vs MAN UTD
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Roma
RETURN LEGS
March 6
LIVERPOOL vs Porto
Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Madrid
March 7
MAN CITY vs Basel
SPURS vs Juventus
March 13
Roma vs Shakhtar Donetsk
MAN UTD vs Sevilla
March 14
Besiktas vs Bayern Munich (5pm)
Barcelona vs CHELSEA
Much of that is down to the prolific pairing of Neymar and Edinson Cavani.
Even though they might not be the best of buddies, they have scored over 50 goals between them this season, including six apiece in the Champions League.
The hosts, meanwhile, are enduring one of their most inconsistent seasons in years.
Knocked out of the Copa del Rey by little Leganes and lying fourth in La Liga, a colossal 17 points off the leaders Barcelona, their struggle has coincided with what many see as the demise of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo.
That’ll be the same Cristiano Ronaldo who recently picked up his fifth Ballon d’Or and who is currently the Champions League leading scorer this season with nine goals.
You have been warned.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: PSG WIN
FC PORTO v LIVERPOOL
LIVERPOOL may not have made it to the last eight since 2009 but they’re unbeaten in the four games they’ve played against Porto (W2, D2) and they were, by some distance, the most prolific side in the group stages as they went unbeaten in topping Group E, scoring a bewildering 23 goals in their six games.
It’s not all sunshine and lollipops though as the Reds will have to make do without Emre Can – he’s suspended for a game.
Porto booked their place in the last 16 with a 5-2 win over Monaco in their final group game but the 2004 winners were less than impressive in getting here, losing twice in Group D, at home to Besiktas and away to Leipzig.
Assuming they don’t capitulate in the way did against Sevilla, Liverpool should be eyeing up a place in the quarter-finals.
Lump on.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN
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