The 2019/20 UEFA Champions League knockout stages are finally upon us, with eight first leg fixtures set to be played out across the next two weeks.
The Round of 16 kicks off in Madrid as Liverpool look to overcome the defensively frugal Atletico on their way to consecutive UCL titles.
Elsewhere, PSG attempt to crack into the quarter finals for the first time since 2015 when they take on Dortmund, while Tottenham hope to find their wings against Red Bull Leipzig.
I’ve previewed the first four UCL Round 16 Fixtures and provided my best betting plays along the way.
The Top team in Europe, nay the World, fly over the English Channel to take on the second best team in Madrid.
Atletico finished 2nd in Group D behind Italian Champs Juventus, four points clear of 3rd placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
Atletico are currently sitting in forth position in the La Liga, 12 points behind their neighbours Real Madrid.
Diego Simeone’s men have won just once in their last six matches in all competition and have struggled to find a regular avenue to goal since the departure of Antoine Griezmann.
Liverpool topped Group E, one point ahead of Napoli who went through the pool undefeated,
The Reds have literally been unstoppable in the Premier League this season, currently sitting 22 points clear of second place Man City.
Liverpool carry the superior form into this clash, but Atletico have proven to be extremely hard to break down at Metropolitano Stadium, conceding just once in their last five home games.
I’m backing a low scoring affair with the Reds likely to take and advantage back to Anfield.
Two of the most exciting teams in Europe are set to go toe-to-toe in front of the loudest supporter base in World Football at The Westfalenstadion.
Borussia Dortmund finished 2nd in Group F, four points behind Barcelona and three points ahead of Inter Milan in 3rd.
BVB are sitting in 3rd spot on the Bundesliga table, four points behind league leaders Bayern. Dortmund have lost at home on just one occasion since August 2018 and have piled on the goals in the domestic competition, finding the back of the net 20 times in their last five fixtures!
PSG finish first in Group A, a comfortable five points clear of Real Madrid in second.
Paris has unsurprisingly dominated the French domestic scene, sitting pretty in first position, which is 12 points clear of Marseille.
Domestic success have translated to European success for PSG in the past, with the Farmers League heroes crashing out in the Round of 16 during their past three UCL campaigns.
Borussia are currently playing without fear and seemingly scoring for fun, for this reason I’ll be taking them at the extremely attractive H2H price of $2.90.
*Googles – “Who the hell are Atalanta?”
– Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly referred to as Atalanta, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.
Atalanta got off to a slow start in Group C, picking up just one point from their opening four matches before claiming six in their final two, qualifying in second place seven points behind Man City and just one ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk.
Atalanta are currently occupying fourth spot on the Serie A table, 12 points adrift of joint league leaders Inter and Juve.
Valencia pinched top spot in the highly contested Group H, equal on points with the second place Chelsea and one point ahead of last season’s surprise package Ajax.
The Los Ches are currently battling away in seventh place on the La Liga table and are without a win in their last four league away fixtures.
Atalanta are currying more momentum into this contest following big wins over Torino, Fiorentina and Radomiak Random and should have an edge over Valencia in Italy!
The Spurs are light years away from the side that finished runners up to Liverpool in the 2018/19 UCL final in Madrid last year, Mourinho is now at the wheel of a side who is serious need of a tune up.
Tottenham finish second in Group B, eight points adrift of Bayern and six points ahead of Olympiacos. The Spurs had their pants pulled down by the German champions in a 7-2 belting in London.
The North Londoners are sitting in 6th position in the PL, a thousand points behind league leaders Liverpool and four points adrift of Chelsea in fourth.
RB Leipzig topped a weak Group G, finishing three points ahead of Lyon in second place.
Leipzig are traveling nicely in the Bundesliga, currently sitting in second place just one point behind Bayern Munich, recently holding the German Giants to a nil-all draw at Allianz Arena.
Tim Werner has had a breakout season, with the young striker netting 20 goals domestically just two behind scoring machine Robert Lewandowski!
RB Leipzig have a golden opportunity to capitalise on a Tottenham side who are missing several key players and are lacking any sort of true identity.
I’m backing in a high scoring affair, with young Timo Werner reeking havoc in London.