Barcelona vs. PSG
What may be the last season of Lionel Messi in Barcelona can only be “saved” with the long-awaited continental title. Away from Atlético in LaLiga, at a disadvantage in the Copa del Rey and already without the Spanish Super Cup, Barça will start their way to the round of 16 against none other than Paris Saint-Germain, current runner-up. The French do not arrive in optimal conditions either: they will not have Brazilian Neymar, out due to injury, to accompany Kylian Mbappé and Angel Di María in attack, and they are second in Ligue 1 behind Lille. The series will start this Tuesday, from 5:00 p.m. (on ESPN), at Camp Nou and will be defined on March 10 in Paris, the city that flirts with hosting the Rosario from next semester.
Porto vs. Juventus
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With their 3-0 win as a visitor to Barça on the last date of the group stage, Juventus finished first in their zone and “dodged” to meet a cuckoo. Thus, this Wednesday, from 5:00 p.m. (on ESPN), he will be a visitor to Porto de Agustín Marchesín. With Cristiano Ronaldo on fire at 36 years old (23 goals in 26 games this season) but without Paulo Dybala, injured, Vecchia Signora will start once again the path to consecration that has been denied since 1996. Along the way, they have already lost five finals. At the local level, neither of them is a leader: Juventus is fourth and is at risk of ending its streak of seven consecutive titles, while Porto is a Sporting Lisbon guard.
Sevilla vs. Borussia Dortmund
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The Sevilla of Lucas Ocampos, Alejandro “Papu” Gómez, Marcos Acuña (out due to injury) and Franco “Mudo” Vázquez will seek to take advantage of their home this Wednesday, from 17 (on ESPN), when they receive Borussia Dortmund from the fearsome scorer Norwegian Erling Haaland, who has 23 goals in 23 games this season and 16 in 12 games in his short Champions League career. Both teams are far from contention in their respective leagues. For the Spanish, great dominators of the Europa League (six titles in the last 15 years), it will be a new opportunity to make a name for themselves in the great European continental tournament. In seven previous appearances they never made it past the quarterfinals.
Leipzig vs. Liverpool
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Early out of battle in the Premier (13 points behind leader Manchester City), Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool only has to aim all their guns at the Champions League. His rival on duty will be the German Leipzig, the Red Bull company team, who surprisingly reached the semifinals last year. Unlike the English, Leipzig does battle in the Bundesliga, positioning itself as a guard for the all-powerful Bayern Munich. On the one hand, the Egyptian Mohamed Salah stands out, with 23 goals in 32 games this season. And on the other, the French central Dayot Upamecano, in his last matches at the club since from July he will be a Bayern player. They will face each other this Tuesday, starting at 17 (on ESPN), in Germany.
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