To say the UEFA Champions League has been anything short of dramatic would be a grave understatement. Tournament favorites Arsenal and Bayern Munich are on the brink of elimination, both needing a home by at least two goals. Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven are on level terms and will duke it out to keep their European Cup dreams alive. One club in particular that is looking to give tournament favorites Manchester City a run for their money is Inter Milan, although they will need to get the job done on the road against Atlético Madrid. In this week’s edition of Sargeant’s Orders, we will explore everything you need to know as we enter the second leg of the UCL round of 16!
Will Bayern be bounced?
While only down a goal on aggregate and a March 5 date at home, Bayern Munich finds themselves against the ropes. In their first leg match, the Harry Kane-led attack failed to do anything right, putting up 17 shots with no goals. While the 1-0 scoreline would indicate this was a close match, it never was. Lazio missed multiple opportunities to extend their lead, most notably in the 48th minute where right winger Gustav Isaksen had only goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to beat. However, the 37-year-old keeper made the stop to save the Bavarians from being down even more.
While Kane and Joshua Kimmich had early chances to do some damage, the Italian backline controlled the pace. Outside of those two chances early, Bayern never got anything going, and unfortunately, it has been like that for them lately as well. The German top flights have not fared as well as they are accustomed to, being outscored 8-3 in their last three Bundesliga competitions, including a poor 3-2 loss on Feb. 18 to VfL Bochum.
Similarly, Lazio has yet to find their footing this season, as their 12-4-10 record puts them squarely in the middle of the Serie A table. In all likelihood, they will not qualify for the UCL next season. While many pick the German top-flights to move on to the next round, both clubs have been vulnerable lately, and Bayern did not do themselves any favors in the first leg. Lazio has shown they are here to stay despite their poor domestic record. Don’t be surprised if the Italians send Bayern packing, as we do not know which version of the Bavarians we will see. Will we see the version that dominated the group stages or the team that cannot mount any sizable attack, which has not been unique to their earlier matchups?
Win or go home Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven
A match you will not want to miss takes place on the final day of the round of 16 between Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven. BVB found itself in murky waters in February, winning only one point against mid-table Bundesliga clubs FC Heidenheim, Wolfsburg and TSG Hoffenheim. While that in and of itself is bad, BVB is currently on level terms with PSV Eindhoven, a team separating itself from the rest of the Dutch Eredivisie in a big way. PSV leads all top-flight Dutch clubs by 10 points or more, with a whooping +66 goal differential in 23 domestic competitions.
While some fans will quickly point out that the German Bundesliga is more competitive than the Dutch Eredivisie, you cannot deny the Dutch club’s talent. Luuk De Jong is amidst his best season yet for PSV, scoring goals left and right, and the club has not lost a match domestically all season long. Despite Dortmund’s recent struggles, they do hold some advantages. The team advanced despite being placed in the most challenging group stage by far and will have their home supporters behind them for this elimination match. While it is a coin flip to say who will come out on top, fans can be sure their March 13 clash will be nothing short of fireworks for all 90 minutes.
Outside of City, it is Inter Milan’s tournament to win
Domestically and internationally, Manchester City is having as good of a season as they could have hoped for. Leading FC Copenhagen 3-1 on aggregate, a point behind Liverpool on the English Premier League table, and their FA Cup dreams are still alive with their latest 6-2 thrashing of Luton Town. As good as City has been, Inter Milan has been right there with them. On Jan. 22, Inter bested Napoli 1-0 in added time to claim their third straight Italian Super Cup title. The club sits nearly 10 points above second-place Juventus in the Italian Serie A table and owns a one goal advantage over Atlético Madrid in the UCL Round of 16.
Inter Milan’s success is all the more impressive when you consider how their roster changed over the summer, losing André Onana, Milan Skriniar, Edin Dzeko and Marcelo Brozovic. However, their replacements have shined. One player in particular who is stepping up is Hakan Çalhanoğlu. The midfielder has been killing it for the Italian top flights, accumulating 11 goals and seven assists in 31 matches in all competitions. There is no denying it: Inter is a step above the rest of Serie A, and they played Atlético Madrid better than the 1-0 scoreline would indicate. Don’t be surprised if Inter returns to the UCL final, as they have played at a higher level than they were last season. However, they will have to get the job done on the road, so soccer fans should expect nothing short of an all-out war come March 13.