Champions League crystal ball: Who will advance from the round of 16?
On Wednesday, Arsenal's 3-1 upset loss to Monaco at home and Bayer Leverkusen's 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid wrapped up the first legs of the round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League, back from its unbearably long two-month winter break. How we had missed it.
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So, because we're impatient like that, let's take an early look ahead to the second legs, which begin on March 10.
[Champions League: Scores and Schedule | Group Standings | Teams]
Here are our favorites to advance, with 90 minutes (and perhaps more) left to be played in the ties. FC Yahoo guarantees all these things will happen and recommends that you bet your house on our predictions.
Editor's note: FC Yahoo does not guarantee that all these things will happen and does not recommend that you bet your house on our predictions.
Real Madrid – Schalke 04
(First leg score: 2-0)
On some level, Schalke was just glad not to lose the first leg to Real 6-1 again, like it did last year. Especially since it went on to lose 3-1 in Madrid, making for the ignominious aggregate score of 9-2. So Schalke only lost by two goals this time around and looked a good bit more composed. Nonetheless, the German side is doomed. The defending champions will go through.
FC Porto – FC Basel
(First leg score: 1-1)
The least interesting matchup in this round yielded, well, an uninteresting game. Porto got a late-ish equalizer through a penalty for the precious away goal. And since the Portuguese seem to have the better and deeper team, they'll probably be quarterfinalists.
Chelsea – Paris Saint-Germain
(First leg score: 1-1)
In a rematch of last year's quarterfinal, Chelsea have a lot less to do in the return leg at home than it did last season. The Blues lost 3-1 in Paris then, necessitating a late and gutsy win on away goals at home. This time around, Chelsea limited the damage and are even ahead on the away goals going into the second game. Jose Mourinho's side has matured and won't give this away.
Bayern Munich – Shakhtar Donetsk
{First leg score: 0-0)
In one of the worst games in memory, Bayern, who usually dazzle and then destroy, had a horrid off day. A gamely Shakhtar pressed and unsettled the Bundesliga power all game long. As such, it travels to Bavaria having avoided the dreaded away goal for its opponents. Still, the Ukrainian side probably won't catch Bayern on a second bad day. The Germans surely go through.
Atletico Madrid – Bayer Leverkusen
(First leg score: 0-1)
Atletico, last year's losing finalists, was flat against Leverkusen, which has underperformed all season long. The Germans scored a phenomenal goal when Hakan Calhanoglu smashed home the back-heel pass from Karim Bellarabi. But they probably didn't build enough of a buffer to withstand the Colchoneros when they get to their fortress, the Vicente Calderon.
AS Monaco – Arsenal
(First leg score: 3-1)
Arsenal looked ever so dire in the first leg at home, shipping three immensely valuable away goals to a heavily diluted Monaco, which sits fourth in France. This is remarkable for a host of reasons. For one, Monaco doesn't score a lot of goals. And secondly, they concede ever fewer. So chances are that Arsenal's European campaign will once again be stranded in the round of 16.
Barcelona – Manchester City
(First leg score: 2-1)
In the most appetizing contest of the round, Barca was vintage in the first half, quickly putting two past City and proving that the glory days are far from over in Catalonia. But City was allowed back into the game in the second half, and while it bagged an important goal, Barca's two away tallies will be too much to overcome.
Borussia Dortmund – Juventus
(First leg score: 1-2)
It's a strange thing with Dortmund's season. While the domestic campaign has been a shambles for Jurgen Klopp's team – it was in 18th and last place in the Bundesliga at one point in January – the side has cruised in Europe. But just as Die Borussen are turning things around on their home soil, they go and lose to Juve. While an away goal was won, there is a lot to do at home. Still, this one is too close to call.
Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.
