What’s the most exciting Champions League matchup?
Ranking the the knockout stage matchups.
The Champions League round of 16 is set, which mostly just means we can have a good time and speculate on the tasty matchups that are in front of us. The knockout rounds of the Champions League provide some of the best memories a soccer fan can have in a given season, and this year’s first knockout round might be one of the most interesting in a few years.
If you aren’t sure which matchups to prioritize in your mind’s excitement index, I’m here to help. Let’s rank the eight knockout round matchups in terms of the least exciting, to the most exciting.
8. Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Roma
Wake me when this one is over.
7. Bayern Munich vs. Besiktas
Besiktas will provide a tougher then expected challenge to Bayern. With a fun away fixture at Besiktas likely being the highlight of this matchup. Turkish stadiums can be insane, and Besiktas’s home venue is no exception.
6. Basel vs. Manchester City
Good for Manchester City. The pressure is really on for the Citizens in this one. They’re going to be favored and theoretically they should ease into the next round, theoretically.
5. FC Porto vs. Liverpool
Liverpool grab FC Porto with their draw. A matchup that looks decent on paper for the Reds, but going to Porto will be a brutal fixture. This one may come down to away goals.
4. Sevilla vs. Manchester United
Sevilla are currently fifth in La Liga, and certainly not the team that they’ll likely be in a few weeks. They’re continuing to come into form and United should still be wary.
All that to say, that if this were setup for Manchester United to advance easily into the next round, Sevilla would be one of the best choices to make that happen. This is mostly just interesting because of the likelihood that United could blow this, or that the story will be that they’re in the final eight of the Champions League once again.
3. Juventus vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Poor Spurs. They do all this work to beat out Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund in their group. Only to rewarded with facing Juventus. I’m gutted for Spurs fans but also delighted. What a Spursy draw.
2. Chelsea vs. Barcelona
As a Chelsea fan, I went through a few stages of emotions when I first woke up to this news. At first I was scared because it’s Barcelona, and nobody wants to draw Lionel Messi in the round of 16.
Then I recalled how odd Barcelona looked in the group stage, and how despite being first in La Liga appeared slightly off centered, so I felt a bit better.
It was at this point that I remembered that Ousmane Dembele would be returning shortly and have a chance to help Barcelona’s attack where they need it, in the speed department. It was at this point that I got scared all over again.
Winner winner, chicken dinner: Real Madrid vs. Paris Saint-Germain
What more could you want from the round of 16. Frankly I’m disappointed one of these two teams will be out so early in the tournament. The amount of star power in this game is just jaw dropping.
Real will have to face the wonder child they missed out on in Kylian Mbappe, Neymar will be facing his future club in Real Madrid. This matchup actually presents a real threat for Real. PSG are still figuring out their midfield and defensive schemes, but with their front three they’ll be able to score goals.
If PSG are going to advance, it could be one of those scenarios where they score a ton of goals in one of the two games and simply advance on the back of one stellar performance.
