TUESDAY:
BORUSSIA DORTMUND V SEVILLA
Dortmund have the advantage in this tie having won the first leg 3-2 with Erling Haaland scoring twice. Haaland went off injured during Dortmund's 4-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in Der Klassiker on Sunday where he scored twice early on. The Norwegian is expected to be available for this one according to Dortmund boss Edin Terzic and they'll be hoping that he is because of how important he is to the team. Dortmund are already without one star attacker in Jadon Sancho who is out for several weeks with a thigh injury which is a big blow for the Bundesliga side because of the player Sancho is and the form he's been in since the turn of the year. If Dortmund want to make it through this tie, they'll want at least Haaland on the pitch because he's their goal getter and he'll be crucial to Dortmund's chances in this competition.
Sevilla were very unlike themselves in the first leg as they weren't as strong defensively as they usually are. They have the second best defence in La Liga this season with 20 goals conceded all season and the goals they conceded in the first leg were poorly defended. If they're to make it through to the next round, they need to defend better than they did in the first leg because Dortmund have players who can hurt them which they found out in the first leg. Sevilla's top four challenge has wobbled a bit recently after suffering back to back defeats in their last two games against Barcelona and Elche. They're just three points clear of 5th placed Real Sociedad who are in decent form themselves and with that in mind, Sevilla should be looking over their shoulders in the league. If they can turn this tie around by reaching the Quarter finals, they'll hopefully use this result to return to winning ways in La Liga.
I'm going for a Dortmund win in this tie because they have the advantage and I can see them hold on to that advantage. They can be vulnerable defensively, but I still think they'll have enough to see their way through.
PREDICTION: 2-1
JUVENTUS V PORTO
Juventus are facing another last 16 exit as they're 2-1 down in this tie. Their form in Serie A has improved since the first leg with three wins in their last four which has seen them rise up to 3rd. They're still a long way of being involved in the title as they're 8 points behind leaders Inter Milan, but their recent form will hopefully help them secure a place in the top four. I was very surprised that they lost the first leg because I thought they would have enough quality to go ahead in the tie. Instead they got outplayed for most of the game and struggled to back into it. Cristiano Ronaldo was kept quiet throughout until he had a penalty shout turned down late on. Juve will want their star man at his best for this one because he is crucial to their chances in this competition. He will not want to suffer another last 16 exit because he always wants to win this competition every year.
Porto's advantage in this tie has given them a good chance of reaching the Quarter finals because they're ahead and they know what they have to do to reach the next round. They were the better side for most of the first leg and the start they made helped them a lot. They scored after two minutes through Mehdi Taremi and they kick on from that by creating lots of chances and scoring a second at the beginning of the second half through Moussa Marega. They only need a draw to go through as they're leading the tie 2-1 and the best result for them in this one will be a goalless draw because Juventus have a crucial away goal in this tie. They'll be happy with a goalless draw, but a goal in this one could win them the tie as they have a one goal advantage.
I'm going for a Juventus win in this tie because with a player like Cristiano Ronaldo in your team, you have a chance of turning the game around. He netted a hat trick against Atletico Madrid two season ago when Juve were 2-0 down and I can see him do something similar in this one.
PREDICTION: 2-0
WEDNESDAY:
LIVERPOOL V RB LEIPZIG
Winning this competition is Liverpool's only hope of being in the Champions League next season with their chances of finishing in the top four in the Premier League looking very slim. They're 7 points behind 4th placed Chelsea and this competition is their only hope of success as they're out of both cups and their league season pretty much over. The reds suffered another defeat at home on Sunday at the hands of Fulham which was their sixth defeat at home on the trot. They looked a shadow of their former selves in that game because they weren't pressing their opponents like they used to with players mostly walking and jogging when the opposition have the ball. The players appear to look tired and clearly lacking in confidence by looking at the performances they're putting in. Jurgen Klopp will want his side to show a reaction in this one because their season is collapsing.
I though Leipzig would win the first leg because of the form Liverpool were in going in that game. With Liverpool currently struggling at the moment, the German side will believe that they can win this game and possibly make it through to the next round. Julian Nagelsman's side are still in touching distance of Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga as they're two points behind the leaders in second place. They've won all their games since losing the first leg and that will give them confidence going into this game. They may be 2-0 down from the first leg, but Leipzig will still have the belief that they can turn this game around because of the underdog mentality they have. If they use that mentality in this one, they have a good chance of turning this tie around.
I think Leipzig will this game because Liverpool are struggling and Leipzig will look to exploit their weaknesses. I don't think they'll make it through though because I think Liverpool will have enough to keep the score down.
PREDICTION: 0-1
PSG V BARCELONA
PSG must be careful in this game because they have a history of letting first leg leads slip and especially at this stage of the competition. They may be 4-1 up in this tie, but that doesn't mean that the tie itself is over which many teams have proved over the years in this competition. The French champions could have Neymar back for this one following his return to training which would be a massive boost for them because they always exit this stage when Neymar is not in the team. With him alongside Kylian Mbappe in attack, PSG will be looking to inflict more misery on Barca. Mbappe scored a hat trick in the first leg and will be looking to score again as the Parisians look to increase the margin between themselves and Barca in order to book their place in the Quarter finals. But they should still be careful that they don't blow their lead like they have done before.
Barca will need a miracle if they're to turn this tie around as they're 4-1 down and facing their first last 16 exit since 2007. They turned a big deficit around when they met their opponents at this stage in 2017 when they were 4-0 down and went on to win the tie 6-5 on aggregate. But repeating that feat this time round looks very unlikely because they don't have most of the players they had on that day like Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta. They still have the genius that is Lionel Messi, but the other players they have in their squad are nowhere near his standards. Messi has won games on his own countless times over the years by coming up with a moment of magic when his team need it most whether that is a brilliant solo goal or a free kick into the top corner. Barca have relied on him too much to produce those moments over the last season or two and they're now paying the price for it.
I'm for a PSG win in this tie because I can see them deepen Barca's misery. With Neymar possibly coming back alongside Kylian Mbappe, I can see the Parisians win this game comfortably.
PREDICTION: 3-0
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURE
MAN CITY V SOUTHAMPTON
City will be expected to bounce back in this one following their Derby defeat to Man United on Sunday which ended their 21 game winning run. The run had to end at some point and City won't be happy that it was their biggest rivals who ended it because you never want to lose your rivals. Especially when you've been on a long unbeaten run. They were not at their best on the day because they struggled to cope with United's counter attacks and some of the big players had an off day including Kevin De Bruyne. With City being the team they are, they'll hopefully put this result behind them and bounce back because they're a top side and top teams always bounce back from poor results. They'll still go on and win the title because they're 11 points clear at the top and I can't see anyone stopping them as they're so far ahead of everyone else.
Southampton picked up a much needed win on Saturday by winning 2-0 at Sheffield United which will hopefully restore their confidence. The bad news for them is that they'll be without star striker Danny Ings for a month due to the groin injury he picked up in their win on Saturday. His injury has come at a bad time because Southampton picked up a confidence boost with their win on Saturday and Ings' injury can easily dampen their confidence because he's their best player and goal scorer. He hasn't had the season he had last year because injuries have disrupted his season like they have done in the past. He's managed just 8 goals this season and if it wasn't for his injuries, he might've had more because of the amount he scored last season. Ings himself would've wanted to score more because of the standards he set himself last season.
I'm going for a City win because I can see them bounce back from their derby defeat at the weekend. It's a good game for them to put things right and I think they will because of the quality they have in their squad.
PREDICTION: 2-0
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