The Champions League is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world, where the best European clubs face off to crown the king of Europe. After the conclusion of the new league phase system, the round of 16 has been set, and the stakes are set high for the matchups ahead.
Arsenal Vs. Leverkusen: Arsenal is seen as the best team in the world, with their world-class defending and a top spot in the Champions League giving them a favorable matchup against Leverkusen, who have struggled under this new system. After barely making it into the round of 16, winning even one game in the two-game series will be a miracle in itself. My pick is for Arsenal to win 5-1 aggregate (over both games).
Bodø/Glimt Vs. Sporting CP: After a surprising group stage run, the Norwegian team Bodø/Glimt has made headlines by beating some of the biggest clubs in the competition. Being the only team in the Arctic Circle, they will also have home-field advantage, as they are the only team to play on artificial grass due to the cold. I have Bodø/Glimt winning this matchup 3-0 on aggregate.
Atletico Madrid Vs. Tottenham: Tottenham’s form has been horrid of late, with 0 wins in 2026. Also, in a relegation battle in the Premier League, if relegated, they will be the first of the Big 6 in England to do so. Atletico Madrid has been solid, beating Barcelona 4-0 in a recent matchup. My pick is Atletico Madrid 3-2 aggregate, with Tottenham still finding a way to keep it interesting.
Newcastle Vs. Barcelona: This is one of the matchups where it can go either way, with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal form being impeccable for the team, scoring a hat-trick against Villarreall becoming one of the youngest this decade to accomplish this feat. But the high line that Barcelona plays is my only concern with this team moving forward. It seems almost impossible for them not to concede, even with their offensive powerhouse. Newcastle have been the definition of mediocre this season, and their lack of risk in the transfer market is what I think will make them fall short. I have Barcelona winning 2-1 aggregate.
Now, on the other side of the bracket, we have a lot more powerhouse teams and games that could go down to the last minute.
Paris Saint-Germain Vs. Chelsea: Last year’s champions of Europe, PSG, face off against the Club World Cup champions, Chelsea. In the Club World Cup final, both teams met, and Chelsea put on a masterclass led by captain Cole Palmer, who had 2 low driven goals and a wonderful assist to win the game 3-0. But since then, Chelsea have fired their manager Maresca and are fighting for contention in European competitions. While PSG have been battling many injuries to Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and young star Desire Doue. Both teams are in tough situations, but I think a healthy PSG barely takes the cake with a 4-3 aggregate score.
Galastray Vs. Liverpool: Liverpool has had a down year in terms of efficiency. After winning the Premier League last May, they haven’t been able to succeed in close games even against a bottom-table team like Wolverhampton, who beat them 2-1 with a 94th-minute winner from the Wanderers. Galastray (Turkey) is coming off a controversial win against Juventus (Italy) after a red card was called on Lloyd Kelly. A key defender to that Juventus squad was called for a red card after going up for a ball and accidentally landing on a Galastray player. Even after playing with 10 men, Juventus were still able to keep it close, but the lack of defense just wasn’t enough. My pick is for Liverpool to win 3-1 aggregate.
Real Madrid Vs. Man City: This will be the Spanish and English clubs 5th consecutive year playing each other in a knockout stage round. With both teams being 2nd in their respective leagues, a Champions League run might be the only way they can come out of this season with a trophy. Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe has had a knee injury, and his return is still unknown as of now. This is a key factor in their goal scoring and ability to open up the field. Man City have had some low moments, but other than that, have still stayed consistent in both Premier and Champions Leagues. I have Manchester City winning in what could be the best set of games in the tournament, 5-4 aggregate.
Atalanta Vs Bayern Munich: With a miraculous comeback by Atlanta, morale is high for the Italian side after barely sneaking into the round of 16. But Bayern Munich is looking like one of the best teams in Europe, with them dominating the Bundesliga as usual, and the star power of Harry Kane and Michael Olise will end up being too much for this Atlanta team. My prediction is 4-0 aggregate.
With expectations set to the roof for teams like Arsenal expected to take it all home, and teams like Bodø/Glimt trying to make a name for themselves, this round of 16 games should be one to remember. The first 4 games of the round of 16 are set for March 10, with Galastray hosting Liverpool at 1:45 ET.