Champions League: Players to Watch in Action This Week

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The UEFA Champions League returns this week as the second-leg matchups for the Round of 16 hit our screens.

The excitement is palpable, with three of the four contests finely poised and capable of going in either direction on the night.

You'll be tuning in to watch Cristiano Ronaldo play his former team, but we've picked out one player to watch from each of the teams competing.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid

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Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Old Trafford is a highly anticipated prospect that millions will tune in to see.

Real Madrid rounded off their preparation for the game by fielding an almost B-team in the Liga Clasico and winning, and the Portuguese forward will be firing on all cylinders.

He was endeared by everyone connected to the club during his time as a Manchester United player, and he's sure to be given a warm, if cautious, welcome by the home faithful.

How will he respond to the occasion?

Robin Van Persie, Manchester United

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Robin van Persie hasn't scored for three games.

At the Santiago Bernabeu he missed a gilt-edged chance, and he hasn't completed 90 minutes since thanks to a run-in with a particularly ferocious-looking camera at Loftus Road.

He's due a goal, and he's the exactly the kind of player to thrive on these big nights.

Robert Lewandowski, Borussia Dortmund

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The rumours continue to swirl around Robert Lewandowski and his future, but he hasn't let it affect his game.

He was back with a bang over the weekend, scoring two against Hannover in a dominant display alongside fellow striker Julian Schieber.

Borussia Dortmund have the edge in this tie thanks to two away goals at the Donbass Arena, but don't expect anything other than an epic offensive effort on home turf.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Shakhtar Donetsk

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Shakhtar Donetsk's leading scoring in the Ukrainian Premier Liga is attacking midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Forget Luiz Adriano, forget Marko Devic. Mkhitaryan is an incredibly fruitful outlet from behind the striker and he's worth watching for a full 90 minutes.

He's not been at his goalscoring best in the UEFA Champions League, but he's capable of scoring at any time.

Lucas Moura, Paris Saint-Germain

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After surrendering a commanding position in the dying minutes at the Mestalla, Paris Saint-Germain have to put in a real performance at home to beat Valencia.

Without Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the goalscoring burden will fall to someone else. Ezequiel Lavezzi's role is difficult to predict. He usually drops deeper and links the play while pressuring the opposing defensive midfielders, but will he be asked to provide the central scoring threat instead?

Whatever happens in the forward line, many eyes will be fixed upon Lucas Moura. He's taken to Ligue 1 like a duck to water and is expected to really shine in this fixture.

Dani Parejo, Valencia

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Dani Parejo is now a permanent first-team fixture at Valencia following the departure of Fernando Gago.

He's skillful, he's quick and he's dynamic—so much so that Ezequiel Lavezzi dropped into mark him during the first leg in an attempt to nullify his influence.

Watch him again for the second round of fixtures as los Che try and claw their way back into this one.

Stephan Lichtsteiner, Juventus

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There's a million reasons to watch Stephan Lichtsteiner.

He's a passionate player who voices his frustrations on the pitch in every single game, and his antics at corners demand an eye at all times such are his odd methods of "marking".

But when he's not in the ear of the referee, he's a superb player. Working hard, he shuttles up and down the line from the right-wing-back position and puts in all-action, exciting performances for his side.

Scott Brown, Celtic

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Despite Celtic losing the first leg 3-0 on home turf, a number of their players really shone during a committed performance.

But it wasn't Emilio Izaguirre or Victor Wanyama who caught the eye. It was Scott Brown and his dogged, determined performance in shutting down Andrea Pirlo.

Juventus were pinned into their own half for long periods and the Scottish champions stopped Pirlo from playing out from the back—Neil Lennon clearly took notes from Mario Mandzukic's job on him during the European Championships.

While this game seems done and dusted, watch out for a similar performance from Brown—it's not often anyone gets close to stopping the Italian regista, so savour it.

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