The Champions League knockout playoff round begins on Tuesday evening, with 16 teams vying to join the best eight-performing teams of the league phase in the round of 16.
A chaotic, overstimulating Matchday 8 delivered in spades, and we’re expecting a little more serenity at the start of the playoffs. The two-legged action is set to get underway, with teams potentially feeling one another out before the more decisive returns legs.
Still, the draw-makers have provided narratives in abundance and a rematch that simply had to happen. Here’s how Sports Illustrated predicts the upcoming playoff games will play out.
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- Galatasaray vs. Juventus
- Benfica vs. Real Madrid
- Borussia Dortmund vs. Atalanta
- Monaco vs. Paris Saint-Germain
- Matchday 2/17 Predictions
Galatasaray vs. Juventus
- Kick-off time: 5:45 p.m. GMT / 12:45 p.m. ET / 9:45 a.m. PT
Juventus have been beaten on their two trips to Istanbul, and former Inter hero Wesley Sneijder was the match-winner late on in their previous duel back in 2013.
RAMS Park is a tough place to visit, although Union Saint-Gilloise stunned Gala on their patch in the league phase. Luciano Spalletti’s side will feel if they avoid defeat on Tuesday evening, a place in the round of 16 beckons.
However, they enter the first leg dispirited off the back of a crushing defeat in yet another thrilling Derby d’Italia. Manuel Locatelli thought he’d rescued a point for the undermanned visitors, but Piotr Zielinski subsequently struck for the Serie A leaders to tighten their grip on the title race.
The hosts, meanwhile, have won four on the bounce since losing 2–0 at Manchester City, and they’ll hope star man Victor Osimhen continues his fine record against the Bianconeri. The Nigerian has won five of seven meetings, recording four goal contributions.
Prediction: Galatasaray 1–1 Juventus
Benfica vs. Real Madrid
- Kick-off time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
Three weeks after Anatoliy Trubin’s strike thrust Benfica into the next phase, Real Madrid return to Lisbon with revenge at the forefront of their minds. A 4–2 defeat to José Mourinho’s side saw them relinquish a top-eight finish and a place in the round of 16.
They’ll now have to reconvene with the Portuguese side in the aftermath of a statement domestic victory. Madrid cruised past one of Europe’s form teams, Real Sociedad, in some style on Saturday, and Álvaro Arbeloa didn’t even need to call upon leading scorer Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman, who scored in their recent memorable meeting, should thus be fresh for the first leg.
Benfica’s form since Trubin’s heroics has been somewhat inauspicious, but that’s been the case for much of Mourinho’s reign. They’ll just want to still be in the tie by the time the “special one” returns to the Bernabéu.
Prediction: Benfica 1–2 Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund vs. Atalanta
Kick-off time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
Only two points and places separated Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta in the league phase table, and a mightily competitive playoff tie is in store between the two teams.
They meet at Signal Iduna Park with three domestic wins in succession behind them, but the pair did also finish the league phase with successive defeats.
This is their first duel since 2018, when Dortmund earned a 1–1 draw in Bergamo to advance into the last 16 of the Europa League. Gian Piero Gasperini was merely at the start of his journey in evolving La Dea into a relevant force on the continental stage back then, and they’re now aiming to reach the last 16 of the Champions League for a second time—having reached the quarter-finals in 2019–20.
They’re re-emerging under Raffaele Palladino and are taking on a rather uninspiring Dortmund team, but Tuesday’s hosts have a superb track record in this competition. BVB have qualified for the last 16 in six of the previous seven iterations.
Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 2–1 Atalanta
Monaco vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Kick-off time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
After surging late during last season’s league phase, Paris Saint-Germain faced domestic opposition in the playoffs. Brest were ruthlessly cast aside and this time around, Monaco will be hoping to put up more resistance.
They did win the previous meeting back in November 1–0 and are finally starting to show signs of life under Sébastien Pocognoli, winning two of their previous three in Ligue 1. Moreover, this PSG side are yet to discover an imperious groove, despite threatening to do so on a couple of occasions.
A 3–1 defeat at Rennes last time out means Luis Enrique’s side trail Lens at the top of the table, and they flattered to deceive at times during the league phase. Two draws and a defeat to conclude saw the holders slip out of the top eight.
Monaco, meanwhile, drew half of their eight games and squeezed into the playoffs with a ten-point haul.
Prediction: Monaco 0–1 PSG
Matchday 2/17 Predictions
|
Kick-Off Time |
Fixture |
Prediction |
|---|---|---|
|
5:45 p.m. GMT / p.m. ET |
Galatasaray vs. Juventus |
1–1 |
|
8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET |
Benfica vs. Real Madrid |
1–2 |
|
8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET |
Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta |
2–1 |
|
8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET |
Monaco vs. PSG |
0–1 |
