Eight teams will officially book their spots in the round of 16 this week as the UEFA Champions League’s knockout phase playoffs come to a close with high stakes for a batch of Europe’s top teams.
Heavyweights Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain each carry a slender one-goal advantage as they return home to face Benfica and Monaco, respectively. Both teams have plenty of work to do in order to ensure a return to the last 16. Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, are deadlocked with Club Brugge after an entertaining 3-3 draw in Belgium last week, each side with a reasonable chance to advance.
This week’s action will also be a consequential week for Italy, as each of its remaining clubs is in danger of dropping out of the competition. Inter’s clash with Bodo/Glimt will take center stage on Tuesday, while Atalanta will host Borussia Dortmund, each side carrying a two-goal disadvantage into their home legs. Juventus, meanwhile, host Galatasaray on Wednesday and are tasked with reversing a three-goal deficit after their unraveling in Istanbul last week.
Here’s what the CBS Sports team is predicting for a busy week in Europe’s top club competition.
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Tuesday’s Champions League matches
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Wednesday’s Champions League matches
Underdogs who will make it through
James Benge: Atalanta — As will become apparent when you read on, the underdogs in this tie are really in the eye of the beholder, but what certainly can’t be argued is that Atalanta are the outsiders after their 2-0 defeat in Dortmund. And yet their win over Napoli at the weekend was a sign of the cocktail of composure and quality that should give this team a fighting chance.
Pardeep Cattry: Bodo/Glimt — While last week’s 3-1 win over Inter came as a surprise, Bodo/Glimt have gone from strength to strength over the last year, learning how to navigate the challenges of European competition along the way. They have frazzled the likes of Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and now Inter in a matter of a few short weeks, creating a comfortable advantage as they travel to Milan and take on a team in desperate need of goals, but one may not be able to count on their top goalscorer to pitch in. The odds may still be in Inter’s favor, but there’s more than a small chance that Glimt can see things out in Italy, teasing an upset for the ages.
Francesco Porzio: Borussia Dortmund — I expected Atalanta to be the favourites in the playoff against the German side, but Borussia Dortmund claimed a 2–0 victory in the first leg at home, shifting the balance of the tie. It will now be a significant challenge for Raffaele Palladino’s team to come back at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo on Tuesday. Despite their weekend Serie A win over Napoli, overturning a two-goal deficit against a side of Dortmund’s caliber will require an outstanding performance.
Chuck Booth: None? — While technically Galatasaray should advance as underdogs, they never should’ve actually been considered to be underdogs in my opinion. The knockout stages are usually where feel-good stories come to an end, which brings us to Bodo/Glimt facing Inter. On the turf of their home stadium, Bodo have one of the biggest advantages of any European side at their home stadium, and even without Lautaro Martinez available, Inter will be able to turn this around.
Favorites who will crash out
James Benge: Inter — Even as Bodo/Glimt were celebrating perhaps the greatest European win in their history, you could feel the skepticism bubbling up inside yourself. Sure, Kjetil Knutsen’s side did what they so often do on (artificial) home turf, but it would all fall apart under the bright lights of the San Siro. I’m not so sure. Bodo/Glimt are a decent counterattacking team and might have the energy and organisation to disrupt Inter. Also, as I understand it, Norwegians have been quite successful in the Milan area lately.
Pardeep Cattry: Juventus — Last week was not a great one for Italy, and while Inter can still plot a path to the round of 16, Juventus may have dug themselves into a hole that’s too deep to get out of. Luciano Spalletti’s tactical innovations in attack have helped Juventus over the course of the season but it may not be enough against Galatasaray, who have a three-goal advantage and boast two talented goalscorers in Victor Osimhen and Mauro Icardi. The tie is now officially Galatasaray’s to lose, and with their first round of 16 berth in 12 years within their reach, they probably won’t throw it away now.
Francesco Porzio: Juventus — The Bianconeri were expected to advance against Galatasaray despite playing the first match away, and that clash became a nightmare for the team coached by Luciano Spalletti, that lost 5-2. It will be a big challenge for Juventus to make a comeback in the second leg in Turin on Wednesday with Turkish talent Kenan Yildiz in doubt to play the second leg due to a minor injury.
Chuck Booth: Juventus — No Gleison Bremer, no party. While there’s a chance that the Brazilian defender may be available for this match, he’s the heartbeat of the Juventus defense and needs to be at the peak of his powers for them to have a chance. Needing to win by three goals to even force extra time, this is a mountain that will be too high to climb, even with the match taking place in Turin.
Game of the week
James Benge: Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge — Yeah, it might not have the superstar talent or the European Cup-winning pedigree, but Diego Simeone’s side against a team they’re expected to beat in this competition tends to mean one thing over these last few years: gripping psychodrama. This one is going to be tense and potentially error-prone. Secretly, that’s what we all want.
Pardeep Cattry: Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge — If last week’s 3-3 draw in Belgium was anything to go by, Atletico Madrid and Club Brugge’s meeting in the Spanish capital just might be the most fun match of the week. Each side has a well-documented ability to score goals and will come to the matchup with a vulnerable defense that should be easy for the opposing attack to take advantage of. Add to that the fact that both teams actually need to score on Tuesday, and, fingers crossed, we may just end up with a jam-packed match.
Francesco Porzio: Real Madrid vs. Benfica — All the eyes will be on the Bernabeu where Real Madrid will host Benfica for the second leg after the disgraceful incident that occurred last week in Lisbon between Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni and Vinicius Jr. The two will meet again on Wednesday in Madrid for what will be one of the most awaited clashes of the season, while Benfica manager and former Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho will be suspended after receiving a red card last week in Lisbon.
Chuck Booth: Real Madrid vs. Benfica — Some of the intrigue around this game may be for unfortunate reasons, considering the events that took place in Portugal, but given the performances on the pitch by Vinicus Junior as of late, he’s box office viewing at this stage. With Goals in four consecutive matches, he’s in his best form of the season and has a point to prove facing Benfica, even if Jose Mourinho won’t be on the sidelines. This is one where Real will absolutely look to run up the score even if they can advance to the round of 16 with a draw.
