The Champions League returns on Tuesday and Wednesday with the second leg of the round of 16. Four teams will finally find out if they will be destined for a quarterfinals berth while the remaining four will return home with the hopes of returning to the competition in 2014-15. Three of the matchups seem to be finalized while one still has some suspense.
Atletico Madrid vs. AC Milan
The Spanish side enters the game with a narrow 1-0 win. However, the single goal was scored on foreign soil, so Madrid has a huge advantage. The Italian side needs two goals to have any chance of making it to the round of 16.
While AC Milan has been horrid in the domestic league all year long, the team has looked decent at times in the UCL and was particularly good in the first leg when some luck (aka posts) and gorgeous saves from Thibaut Courtois were the difference between a AC Milan win and the eventual 1-0 loss.
This is the closest matchup and should provide for some interesting suspense if it lives up to the excitement of the first leg.
Bayern Munich vs. Arsenal
This tie is essentially over. Or at least one would imagine it is after Munich took home a 2-0 win at the Emirates. Of course Arsenal has been down this road before. The team lost 3-1 at home against Munich in the first leg a year ago and bounced back to win 2-0 in Munich. Moreover, the team was down to 10 men for most of the first leg and still managed to keep the Bavarians in check for most of the game; if the team can take some of that confidence into this game then Arsenal can certainly hope to tie the aggregate.
More importantly, the team dominated the opening 20 minutes at home with its pace and ability to break Arsenal's high line. The big turning point of that game was the penalty shot stop by Manuel Neuer against Mesut Ozil; expect Ozil to look for redemption if he gets a chance to play for Arsene Wenger's side. This should still be an entertaining tilt, especially if Arsenal scores the opener. If Munich scores the opener, then this matchup is as good as finished.
Barcelona vs. Manchester City
This match is identical to Arsenal-Munich game; Barcelona holds a 2-0 lead heading into the game. However, unlike Bayern Munich, Barcelona looks increasingly fragile. The team is coming off a 1-0 loss against Villarreal and has shown time and again that it can be beat. However, City has also looked weak and was eliminated from the FA Cup by Wigan Athletic.
City can make things interesting with a goal early in the game, but if Barcelona scores first, then the remainder of the game will simply be a required ceremony.
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Of all the matchups, this is the one with virtually no stakes. PSG holds a 4-0 aggregate lead and, barring a catastrophe (or miracle for Leverkusen), has already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals. All that stands in the way is 90 minutes; Leverkusen would need to win 5-0 to knock off PSG. Judging from their play in the first leg, that is not going to happen.
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