B/R Experts: Big-Game Predictions, February 21-23
The Champions League is back in full swing and there are tasty ties in Europe's premier club competition to whet the appetite.
Our team of experts have been doing their homework in a bid to point you in the direction of the winning formula.
Will Manchester City overcome Monaco, are Leicester capable of putting their domestic woes behind them and can Bayer Leverkusen stun Atletico Madrid?
Read on for our thoughts on these ties and some intriguing games in the Europa League and La Liga.
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Atletico Madrid
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On paper, Atletico Madrid have to be considered heavy favourites in their Champions League round-of-16 tie with Bayer Leverkusen, who are a disappointing eighth in the Bundesliga table after 21 rounds of matches.
However, Los Colchoneros have often struggled more than anticipated against supposedly inferior opposition in Europe's premier competitions, having to rely on penalty shootouts to make it out of the last 16 in the two previous campaigns.
One of those shootout wins came against Leverkusen, who are a much stronger side than in March 2015 thanks to additions such as Chicharito and Kevin Kampl, and the continued emergence of Karim Bellarabi and Julian Brandt. That said, Leverkusen have been inconsistent this season and seem to alternate between impressive results (a 3-0 win over high-flying Monaco in the group stage comes to mind) and inexplicable duds.
Which of Bayer's two faces will show up should go a long way in deciding their chances in the tie with an Atletico team that seems to not have the same edge to it one has come to expect from a Diego Simeone side.
Given their recent uptick in performances in the Bundesliga, a home win for Leverkusen would not be too surprising.
Prediction: 2-1
First goalscorer: Chicharito
Manchester City vs. Monaco
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This is the trophy that Manchester City really crave. It would be the ultimate achievement that cements them among Europe's elite. But this is a potential banana skin.
On first look, a tie against Monaco in the knockout stages seemed like a good draw for Man City fans. A closer look at their results from this season quickly showed a different story.
Monaco are the goal kings of Europe, blasting their way to the top of Ligue 1 with displays of pace, power and precision. Valere Germain and Kylian Mbappe are among the names establishing themselves as more than worthy of the Champions League stage.
We never know quite what we will get from Man City these days. They are unbeaten in six but have also suffered bad spells that has left a Premier League title assault unlikely.
City can expect to score against Monaco, but the same can be said the other way around. Monaco have not failed to score since December 7 at Bayer Leverkusen.
Prediction: 2-2
First goalscorer: Radamel Falcao
FC Porto vs. Juventus
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Having been eliminated at this stage by Bayern Munich last year, Juventus will hope to progress further this time and will arrive at the Estadio do Dragao buoyed by recent results.
Since Massimiliano Allegri opted to change to a 4-2-3-1 formation, the coach has been rewarded with a massive improvement from his team.
Indeed, since making the switch, the Bianconeri have won all seven games in which they have used it and outscored their opponents 15-2 over that same period.
Porto have lost much of their top-level talent in recent years but remain formidable at home having not lost there this term.
Prediction: 1-1
First goalscorer: Paulo Dybala
Sevilla vs. Leicester
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Leicester have been performing far better in Europe than domestically this season, but this time they’re up against a side performing better in both competitions than they have done for years.
Jorge Sampaoli’s Sevilla are tactically dynamic, offensive-minded and have four or five players in the final third they can switch around without affecting the quality of the XI.
By contrast, Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has begun to lose faith in his established stars and doesn’t seem to know how to get his team out of their funk. It’s Sevilla’s tie to lose, and at home, there’s no chance of that happening.
Prediction: 2-0
First goalscorer: Wissam Ben Yedder
Valencia vs. Real Madrid
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It’s almost a year since Valencia last went three matches in a row without a defeat, and they couldn’t have been handed a more difficult opponent to try and reach that mini-milestone this time.
Los Che are slowly, marginally, improving their embarrassing season and two clean sheets in succession hints at the new approach.
Real Madrid must smell blood though; one point clear of a stuttering Barcelona at the top of the table with two games in hand, a strong month or so now might kill off any challengers for La Liga.
Zinedine Zidane should go with a best XI, because Mestalla is an intimidating place when the fans are onside for Valencia, and when up against the best the home side tend to raise their game. Even so, we’ll just about tilt in Real Madrid’s favour.
Prediction: 1-0
First goalscorer: Simone Zaza
Saint-Etienne vs. Manchester United
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This tie is all over after Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted one of the most unimpressive hat-tricks in European history in the first leg.
Not that it matters how he scored them, United can afford to rest a few players on this journey to France.
Saint-Etienne must overturn a 3-0 scoreline and confidence will not be high despite the fact they have kept clean sheets in their last two home matches. They lost to Montpellier at the weekend—and are surely playing for little more than pride.
An early goal from the Ligue 1 side would at least make the tie interesting. They can take hope from Hull City's second-leg performance against United in the EFL Cup, when they threatened an unlikely comeback.
Jose Mourinho is a master of seeing out matches like this, though, so the Reds will march on.
Prediction: 2-1
First goalscorer: Kevin Monnet-Paquet
Roma vs. Villarreal
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Thanks to AS Roma's impressive first-leg performance, this tie is effectively already over with the Giallorossi already holding a 4-0 lead.
The home side are likely to rest a number of key figures as they look to keep pace with Serie A leaders Juventus, making this return clash difficult to predict.
Villarreal can be counted upon to make a strong fightback, particularly as they boast a number of players with experience of playing in Italy, and it would be no surprise to see them run out winners in front of a sparse Stadio Olimpico crowd.
Prediction: 1-2
First goalscorer: Nicola Sansone
Fiorentina vs. Borussia Monchengladbach
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Bad luck and poor finishing left Borussia Monchengladbach with a mountain to climb if they are to make it out of the round of 32 in the UEFA Europa League.
The Germans were impressive in the first leg against Fiorentina but failed to make their dominance count on the scoreboard, while it took Thursday's hosts one stroke of genius—an incredible Federico Bernardeschi free-kick—to come away with a smash-and-grab win.
Head coach Dieter Hecking's steady hand has worked wonders for a Gladbach side that had largely failed to deliver on the vast potential in the squad, despite a 2-1 defeat against RB Leipzig at the weekend.
La Viola, meanwhile, lost a six-pointer against AC Milan and saw the Serie A's top seven teams all win on Matchday 25, making it highly unlikely they will qualify for Europe at the end of the season. In turn, this could shift some focus to the Europa League, a competition Italian teams usually do not take overly serious.
With Paulo Sousa's side having already been eliminated from the Coppa Italia as well, a deep Europa League run is the most Fiorentina can achieve this season.
Prediction: 1-1
First goalscorer: Nikola Kalinic
