Brest v PSG, Tuesday 5.45pm
Acquainted foes face off within the first Champions League playoff sport this week as Brest tackle PSG on the Stade de Roudourou in Guingamp. Brest’s floor didn’t meet Uefa’s necessities, so they are going to proceed to play on the house of their native rivals. The Bretons will hope to increase their advantageous debut run within the Champions League, they usually have gained their final two matches, beating Troyes within the Coupe de France and Nantes in Ligue 1.
The draw back, although, is that they’ve misplaced back-to-back house video games, the latest of which was towards PSG, who eased to a 5-2 win at first of the month. Éric Roy is with out the companies of left-backs Bradley Locko and Jordan Amavi, so count on Massadio Haidara to start out. Jonas Martin can also be anticipated to overlook out, whereas Romain Del Castillo has a knee concern, with Romain Faivre and Mama Balde battling to deputise on the best.
Warren Zaïre-Emery is lacking for the Ligue 1 leaders however PSG have ample power in depth to cowl for his absence. Osumane Dembélé can be hoping to proceed his rampant kind. He scored twice in PSG’s 4-1 win towards Monaco on the weekend, that means he has scored 13 objectives in 2025, already matching his tally for everything of 2024. Prediction: PSG to progress
Manchester Metropolis v Actual Madrid, Tuesday 8pm
The powerhouse tie of the playoffs. One European big will fall by the wayside earlier than the month is out as Manchester Metropolis tackle Actual Madrid. Metropolis got here from behind to guide a spot within the subsequent spherical of the FA Cup on Saturday at Leyton Orient’s expense, a significant victory to construct momentum and confidence following their 5-1 mauling at Arsenal the week earlier than.
Nico González, Ederson, Nathan Aké and Jeremy Doku have all skilled this week, leaving Rodri as Metropolis’s solely confirmed harm absentee. The Ballon d’Or winner has been named within the membership’s Champions League squad for the second half of the season, prompting hypothesis that he might return earlier than anticipated.
The playoff draw, although, has not been sort to Metropolis. Actual Madrid, the reigning European champions, boast a entrance three of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappé that has amassed 59 objectives this season. As Pep Guardiola stated within the buildup to the sport, containing the Actual assault for the entire tie can be “inconceivable”.
The difficulty for Carlo Ancelotti is on the again. Actual are with out defenders Antonio Rüdiger, Éder Militão, David Alaba, Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vázquez, that means midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni is prone to accomplice Raul Asencio on the coronary heart of the defence with Fede Valverde at right-back. Actual are weak on the again however they’re horrifying going ahead. Prediction: Actual Madrid to progress
Juventus v PSV, Tuesday 8pm
The Outdated Woman has a spring in her step as Juve gear as much as welcome PSV to Turin. After a three-game winless run, Juventus have claimed back-to-back victories, beating Empoli and Como to get their top-four pursuit again on observe. January signing Randal Kolo Muani has been a breath of recent air, scoring 5 league objectives in simply three outings for the Italian aspect; solely Dusan Vlahovic (eight) has netted extra for Thiago Motta’s aspect this season.
Kolo Muani, together with fellow January arrivals Lloyd Kelly and Renato Veiga, have been added to the membership’s Champions League squad, and the trio could also be wanted from the outset. Left-back Andrea Cambiaso, who was linked with a transfer to Manchester Metropolis final month, is a doubt, whereas fellow defenders Bremer, Juan Cabal and Pierre Kalulu all miss the assembly with Eredivisie leaders PSV.
The Dutch aspect have their justifiable share of issues. Defenders Oscar Boscagli and Richard Ledezma are lacking attributable to harm, with the absence of the previous an enormous blow. Ahead pair Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi are additionally sidelined, although Peter Bosz can ultimately name upon Ivan Perisic after he joined too late to be included of their Champions League squad for the league part. Mortgage signing Tyrell Malacia can also characteristic at left-back following Matteo Dams’ transfer to Saudi aspect Al Ahli. Prediction: Juventus to progress
Sporting v Borussia Dortmund, Tuesday 8pm
Sporting have struggled since Ruben Amorim’s departure. They continue to be prime of the Primeira Liga however their 1-1 draw with Porto on the weekend means their lead has been lower to only 4 factors. They’ve been inconsistent below Rui Borges, successful simply two of their final 5 matches.
Sporting have points in midfield. Morten Hjulmand misses the primary leg assembly with Borussia Dortmund attributable to a ban, and João Simões was compelled off on the weekend, that means Zeno Debast ought to accomplice Hidemasa Morita in the midst of the park. Nuno Santos, Pote and Geny Catamo are additionally injured, however star striker Viktor Gyökeres is again.
Borussia Dortmund have been crushed by Stuttgart on the weekend, persevering with a poor run of kind. They’re eleventh within the Bundesliga, having misplaced as many matches as they’ve gained this season. The excellent news is that centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck is again after a ban. New arrival Carney Chukwuemeka should wait somewhat longer to make his debut attributable to harm, and he’s joined by Felix Nmecha and Niklas Sule on the sidelines.
Dortmund face an uphill job in Lisbon this weekend; they’ve misplaced 9 of their final 13 away matches. That stated, two of their 5 away wins this season have come within the Champions League. Prediction: Sporting to progress
Membership Brugge v Atalanta, Wednesday 5.45pm
Membership Brugge completed twenty fourth within the group part and snuck into the knockout spherical on purpose distinction. The excellent news is that they haven’t any harm or suspension issues; the dangerous information is that they bought Andreas Skov Olsen to Wolfsburg in January, additional weakening an assault that solely scored seven objectives of their eight group video games.
They’re going through Atalanta at a tough time. Gian Piero Gasperini’s aspect go to the Jan Breydel Stadium on the again of a powerful 5-0 win at Verona, a sport by which their star striker Mateo Retegui scored 4 instances. Atalanta have scored loads of objectives this season – 15 greater than Serie A leaders Napoli – however they are often open on the again.
Gasperini travels to Belgium with a number of harm issues. He can be with out star ahead Ademola Lookman, first-choice goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi, and defenders Sead Kolasinac and Odilon Kossounou. The previous Wolves keeper Rui Patrício is ready to deputise between the sticks, whereas January arrival Stefan Posch could also be required in defence alongside Isak Hien and Berat Djimsiti. Daniel Maldini can also be out, becoming a member of Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini within the physio room. Prediction: Atalanta to progress
Monaco v Benfica, Wednesday 8pm
It’s been a testing few months for Monaco. After a fantastic begin within the group stage – they gained three of their first 4 video games, together with a memorable victory towards Barcelona – they misplaced three of their final 4 and needed to accept a spot within the knockout spherical. Their 4-1 defeat to PSG on the weekend means they’ve misplaced 5 of their 9 matches in 2025. The one excellent news is that their three wins – towards Aston Villa, Rennes and Auxerre – have come at house.
Adi Hütter can be and not using a few key gamers when Benfica go to the Stade Louis II on Wednesday. Folarin Balogun, Jordan Teze, Wilfried Singo and George Ilenikhena are injured, and are joined on the sidelines by the suspended Christian Mawissa.
Benfica, who’ve closed the hole on the prime of the Portuguese league to 4 factors, have already performed in Monaco within the Champions League this season. Bruno Lage’s aspect got here from behind to win that sport in November 3-2, though their resurgence solely arrived when Monaco have been decreased to 10 males. If their kind within the group stage is something to go by, this needs to be an in depth tie. The groups completed sixteenth and seventeenth within the desk and have been solely separated by purpose distinction. Prediction: Benfica to progress
Feyenoord v Milan, Wednesday 8pm
Feyenoord sacked their supervisor Brian Priske on Monday, simply two days earlier than going through Milan within the Champions League. The Danish supervisor signed a three-year contract final summer time when he changed Arne Slot, however he has been below strain in current weeks after a string of poor outcomes. Feyenoord did beat Sparta Rotterdam 3-0 on the weekend nevertheless it was their first win in 5 league video games and they’re fifth within the Eredivisie, 12 factors behind leaders Ajax.
The Feyenoord gamers will at the least see one acquainted face on Wednesday night time. Santiago Giménez returns to Rotterdam simply 9 days after leaving the Dutch aspect for Milan, and the Mexican is anticipated to guide the cost towards his former employers. Giménez has made an instantaneous influence for the Rossoneri, offering an help for his fellow new arrival João Félix on his debut, earlier than following that up with a purpose towards Empoli on the weekend.
Kyle Walker is ready to start out however Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a doubt for Milan, who’re additionally with out the suspended Yunus Musah and injured right-back pair Emerson Royal and Alessandro Florenzi. Prediction: Milan to progress
Celtic v Bayern Munich, Wednesday 8pm
A 1-0 win over Younger Boys of their penultimate group sport assured Celtic’s spot within the playoff stage of the Champions League. Nevertheless, they might not have been given a harder take a look at within the knockout spherical. Bayern Munich are unbeaten of their final 13 matches towards Scottish sides in Europe; the final Scottish staff to beat them have been Hearts within the Uefa Cup in 1989.
In fact, Bayern ought to have certified routinely for the final 16. They scored 20 objectives within the group stage (solely Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund scored extra) they usually had extra photographs (185) and photographs heading in the right direction (69) than another staff. Bayern have been let down by their away kind within the group stage, successful simply one among their 4 matches on the highway.
Celtic Park can be rocking nicely earlier than kickoff on Wednesday night time and the staff will want their followers. Daizen Maeda can be lacking as he serves the second of a two-match ban for his pink card within the aforementioned win over Younger Boys, with the returning Jota set to start out on the left flank. His return is a lift for Celtic within the wake of Kyogo Furuhashi’s transfer to Rennes. Prediction: Bayern Munich to progress
