Barcelona, Newcastle intriguing second-leg showdown
Camp Nou will stage an intriguing second-leg showdown between Barcelona and Newcastle United in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday night.
A 1-1 draw was played out at St James’ Park in last week’s first leg, with an 86th-minute strike from Magpies winger Harvey Barnes cancelled out by a dramatic 96th-minute penalty from Barca sensation Lamine Yamal.
Head coach Hansi Flick was the first to acknowledge that his Barcelona side “didn’t make a good game” in last week’s first leg, despite rescuing a late draw, and he has urged his players to perform “much better” if they wish to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for a third successive season.
The Catalan giants will back themselves to score in the second leg, as they have only failed to make the net ripple in one of their last 29 Champions League games – a 3-0 away defeat to Chelsea on matchday five of the League Phase. They have not been as strong defensively, though, as they have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 12 matches in the competition.
Newcastle proved in the first leg that they are capable of competing with Europe’s elite, while recent Premier League wins over Man United and Chelsea have also boosted their confidence. However, Barca will still be regarded as favourites here and a Yamal-inspired side should find a way to outscore the Magpies.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Can Tottenham complete a turnaround when they host Atletico Madrid?
Tottenham Hotspur will look to complete a spectacular turnaround when they welcome Atletico Madrid to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the second leg of their last-16 contest in the Champions League.
Spurs suffered a 5-2 defeat to Atletico in the first leg last week and therefore have it all to do in order to be present in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Tottenham managed to end a six-game losing run in all competitions against Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, with Richarlison’s last-gasp leveller at Anfield securing a welcome point for a Spurs side that continue to be led by interim head coach Igor Tudor.
There were strong calls for Tudor to lose his job following the 5-2 loss to Atletico last week, but Tottenham refused to make a change, and there is no question that the North London outfit put in a much-improved performance against Liverpool last time out.
Tottenham are firmly locked in a Premier League relegation battle, but their attention is now on the Champions League, as the capital outfit look to perform what would be a sensational turnaround in order to reach the quarter-finals of the competition.
On paper, it is a very tough task, but football has a funny way of producing the unexpected, and it would be some story if Tudor could lead Tottenham to an unthinkable last-eight spot.
Tottenham were much-improved against Liverpool in the Premier League and will, therefore, arrive into this match with a degree of confidence, but they have simply given themselves too much to do, so we strongly fancy Atletico to advance to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Liverpool play host to Galatasaray at Anfield
Seeking to overturn a one-goal first-leg deficit, six-time European winners Liverpool play host to Galatasaray at Anfield in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday night.
Six months after losing 1-0 in Istanbul in the League Phase, the Merseysiders suffered defeat by the same scoreline in the same stadium last week, courtesy of an early goal from Mario Lemina.
Arne Slot did not celebrate his 100th Liverpool game in charge of the club as he had hoped in last week’s first leg, but he is “100% sure” that his team “can do better” in the reverse fixture and expects the Anfield faithful to replicate the hostile atmosphere Galatasaray fans created in Turkey.
The Reds were knocked out in the last 16 by holders Paris Saint-Germain last season and a second successive elimination at this stage would only increase the pressure on Slot, who has won just one of his last four games in all competitions (D1 L2).
Liverpool’s hopes of securing a top-four finish in the Premier League suffered another blow on Sunday, as they let a one-goal lead slip to draw 1-1 at home to relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur.
A 90th-minute equaliser from ex-Everton striker Richarlison means that the Reds remain fifth in the table and two points behind Aston Villa in fourth with eight games remaining.
Slot and co must now dust themselves down for Wednesday’s European return to Anfield, a stadium where they have won 15 of their last 19 fixtures in UEFA competition.
Liverpool have also won five of their last six European home encounters with Turkish teams (D1), keeping five clean sheets in the process.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Atalanta seek great comeback against Bayern
Aiming to record one of the great Champions League comebacks, Atalanta travel to Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on Wednesday for their last-16 second-leg fixture.
The Bavarians dismantled the Bergamaschi 6-1 last week, equalling their heaviest defeat in Europe, and the Italians now seek to restore some pride in the reverse fixture in Munich.
Bayern were always favourites to advance from their last-16 tie against Atalanta, but even Vincent Kompany can hardly have imagined his side would be in this position, especially with Harry Kane handed a rare rest.
Rather than being less potent with Nicolas Jackson leading the line, the Bavarians were free-scoring, netting six in Bergamo.
Michael Olise struck twice and provided one assist in the eventual 6-1 rout, while Jackson and Serge Gnabry both scored and set up one apiece.
The upshot of that annihilation of their Italian opponents is that Kompany’s men would require a collapse of previously unforeseen proportions to throw away their heavy advantage in Munich.
While Atalanta will look to exploit Bayern’s makeshift backline and inexperienced goalkeeper, the Bavarians still possess more than enough firepower to comfortably outscore whatever the Italians can muster at the other end.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Barcelona 17:45 Newcastle United
Tottenham Hotspur 20:00 Atletico Madrid
