Champions League Round of 16: Top-tier showdowns

The UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 officially kicks off with highly exciting first-leg matches. A series of notable fixtures will take place in the early morning of March 11 and 12 (Vietnam time).

In the earliest match, Galatasaray will host Liverpool at their home stadium. The Turkish representative returns to the Champions League Round of 16 for the first time since the 2013/14 season and aims for their first quarter-final appearance since 2013. Meanwhile, Liverpool have reached the 16-team round in 8 of the last 9 seasons but were eliminated in the two most recent appearances at this stage. Galatasaray have a fairly good record against English clubs at home and defeated Liverpool 1-0 in this season's league phase thanks to a goal from Victor Osimhen.

Another notable fixture is the clash between Atalanta and Bayern Munich. The Italian side recently staged an impressive comeback against Borussia Dortmund in the playoff round and also hold a fairly good record when facing German clubs. However, Bayern are still rated higher due to their stable form in the Champions League. The "Gray Tigers" have won 13 of their last 14 Round of 16 matches, while striker Harry Kane is approaching the milestone of 50 goals in Europe's most prestigious competition.

In England, Newcastle United will face Barcelona again after a 1-2 loss to the Spanish representative in the league phase. Barcelona have an impressive record against English teams in the Champions League knockout rounds, while young talent Lamine Yamal has the opportunity to set a record as the youngest player to reach 30 matches in the competition.

Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid will meet Tottenham Hotspur in an unpredictable matchup. The team under coach Diego Simeone has a fairly good record against English clubs in Champions League history, but Tottenham are also showing stable form by frequently scoring early and keeping clean sheets in many recent matches in the competition.

On March 11, Bayer Leverkusen will host Arsenal at their home ground. The Bundesliga representative has previously performed well against English teams, while Arsenal are currently in extremely high form with a streak of 8 consecutive wins in this season's Champions League and consistently scoring three or more goals in many recent matches.

Another noteworthy match is the encounter between PSG and Chelsea. The two teams have met 8 times in Champions League history with a fairly balanced record, although PSG have won two of the three knockout meetings. The French side are on a streak of 5 consecutive two-leg wins in the Champions League, while Chelsea also enter the Round of 16 in good form, having won 13 of their last 16 two-leg matches in the European arena.

The focal point of the Round of 16 is undoubtedly the grand battle between Real Madrid and Manchester City. The two teams have met in the Champions League knockout rounds for five consecutive seasons, creating one of Europe's most notable rivalries. Real Madrid have won 13 of their last 15 Round of 16 matches, while Manchester City also maintain stable form against Spanish teams. Star player Erling Haaland continues to be a major hope for the English side, having scored 56 goals in 56 Champions League matches.

Additionally, Bodø/Glimt will meet Sporting CP in the first Champions League encounter between these two clubs. The Norwegian representative is making an impression with 4 consecutive wins in the competition, while Sporting have previously overcome Nordic opponents multiple times in continental tournaments.