With some huge ties in store in Europe’s elite club competition and places in the quarter finals at stake, we take a look ahead to this week’s fixtures in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
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Borussia Dortmund – Tottenham
No team in Champions League history has failed to qualify after winning their first leg 3-0 at home, and there’s no 
doubt Spurs are strong favourites to go through to the last eight in Germany tonight. With Harry Kane’s recent return to the side and the Premier League title race pulling away from them, Pochettino has said his side are going to Germany tonight to win.
However, after a disappointing first leg performance and the backing of the Signal Iduna crowd, Dortmund should not be written off just yet. The expected return of Marco Reus tonight will also be a big bonus for the home side who will be fancied by many to win the game tonight despite the overall tie looking like it is beyond them.
Players to watch: Harry Kane, Marco Reus
Score prediction: 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
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Real Madrid – Ajax
The weekend’s El Clasico defeat has left Real Madrid with a mountain to climb in the battle for the La Liga title, and 
it looks like Real will yet again be forced to put all their efforts into the Champions League. As with the majority of their season so far, Madrid were unconvincing in the first leg and it would have to be said Ajax were hard done by.
Ajax go into the game with nothing to lose and their attacking style of football could cause problems for a struggling Madrid side who will be without their suspended captain Sergio Ramos. Overall, Madrid should qualify but they will have to improve drastically if they are to be in with a chance of retaining their Champions League title.
Players to watch: Kasper Dolberg, Mathias De Ligt
Score prediction: 1-1
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PSG – Man Utd
Manchester United will go into Wednesday night’s fixture not fancied by many to go through. However, they would not be the first team to go to the Parc De Princes and get a result against a PSG side who go into the second leg with a fairly comfortable lead. With a squad full of European superstars it is hard to see past another positive result for the Parisians.
This game will probably come down to who has the stronger starting 11, with both missing fairly big names over the last few weeks. For United to go through it’ll take a huge performance from the big names like Lukaku and Pogba, but if Mbappe performs for PSG, being the game changer that he is, United could again struggle for a result.
Players to watch: Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe
Score Prediction: 2-1 PSG
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Porto – Roma
In the last 15 years, Porto have never qualified for the quarter finals of the Champions League after losing the first leg of their Round of 16 tie. This doesn’t bode well for a side that also lost track in the Portuguese league title race at the weekend after a loss to bitter rivals Benfica. However an away goal in the Italian capital two weeks ago means that the tie is far from over.
Roma, 2-1 winners in the first leg at the Stadio Olimpico, will fancy their chances in Portugal. A Roma goal will mean Porto have to score two to take the game to extra time and the Italians will set up to ensure that doesn’t happen.
Players to watch: Nicolo Zaniolo, Mousa Marega
Score Prediction: 1-0 Porto
