Champions League: two heavyweights collide in Cidade Luz | Video

The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 kicks off this Tuesday with a highly anticipated meeting between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, as well as the match between Milan and Tottenham Hotspur.

At Parque Príncipe, Parisian fans are confident in the return of their great personalities Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé to smooth the French team’s course against a Bayern Munich transformed into the Argentine’s personal ‘black beast’.

PSG and Bayern Munich They have clashed four times in the last four seasons, with three Bavarian triumphs for a Parisian. Among these last duels of 2020, the German team won by a single goal against Frenchman and former Parisian player, Kingsley Coman. That is why this crossing is interesting.

Yes, indeed, the last game It was in the quarter-finals of the 2020/21 season and then PSG already demanded revenge and eliminated Bayern. Well, in a 2023 that didn’t start well for a PSG that was defeated in Ligue 1 Monaco (3-1) and Marseille (2:1) in the last 16 of the French Cup, Parisians want to dream big.

For its part, Bayern emerge as leader of the Bundesliga, but in better form after winning against Bochum and Wolfsburg and leaving the draw series behind them. An improvement that, combined with their Champions League experience, makes the German team a formidable rival to PSG, who are once again in the hunt for their first ‘Orejona’.

PSG coach Christopher Galtier warned in the preview that Bayern Munich are a “good side” who have won everything while his colleague Julian Nagelsman pointed out that the Paris side are a “tough rival”. Cross salutes before the verbal fight turns into a fight for the ball and goal.

At the same time, AC Milan welcomes Tottenham to San Siro. Rossoneros and Spurs are fifth in Serie A and in the Premier League, entering this European event with the ambition of winning to put the country in the middle with the rival and approaching the quarter-finals. Definitely, the best air possible before they return to their national leagues.

At the moment Stefan Pioli’s Rossoneri, they forgot their poor run in Serie A and hit Turin, are confident that this improved mood will continue. Yes indeed, it is a different Milan to the one that won the Scudetto last year and is so far in the irregularity rules of the campaign and is 18 points behind leaders Napoli.

Up front they have Tottenham through Antonio Conte, who has known the stadium well since he coached his perennial rival and partner in contention, Inter Milan. But Spurs are also not far behind in the Premier League, fifth, 12 points behind leaders Arsenal with games to play.

It’s not his “league” nor his real goal, but the truth is that the difference is big and the last round defeat to him City of Leicester (4-1) could do damage that would be repaired with a good game and result in the San Siro.

Milan coach Stefano Pioli assured Harry Kane’s Tottenham will be an “exciting” rival but foresees an “equal” game. For his part, Antonio Conte also sees him as open and “balanced” in the run-up to Milan who will be an “important opponent”.

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Round of 16 / First Stage
PSG against Bayern Munich
Stadium: Parc des Princes
Referee: Michael Oliver (England)
Opening hours: 2 p.m. local time in central Mexico
Second leg: March 8 (Allianz Arena, Munich)

likely setups
PSG
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Achraf Hakimi
marquis
Sergey Ramos
good guys
Fabiano Ruiz
Danielo Pereira
Marco Verratti
neymar
Kylian Mbappe
Lionel Messi
DT: Christophe Galtier

Bayern Munich
january summer
yes cancel
Benjamin Pavard
Mathias de Ligt
Alfonso Davis
Joshua Kimich
Leon Goretzka
Leroy Sane
jamal musical
Kingsley Coman
Thomas Muller
Trainer: Julian Nagelsmann

Round of 16 / First Stage
Milan against Tottenham Hotspur
Stadium: San Siro
Referee: Sandro Schärer (Switzerland)
Opening hours: 2 p.m. local time in central Mexico
Second leg: March 8 (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)

(With information from Europa Press)