Ranking the Champions League Round of 16 fixtures

With the Champions League Round of 16 ties set, we rank all eight matchups to determine which will be the most fun for neutral fans.

After six group stage matches, tons of goals and drama, we now know the eight ties that will kick off the Champions League knockout phase in February.

Memories, pleasantries and storylines all converge once the games are played, with first legs scheduled for Feb. 18-19/25-26 and second legs set for March 10-11/17-18.

For now, let’s have some fun. Instead of doing the usual analysis, “who’s got the advantage” type stuff, let’s rank these ties based on expected enjoyment. Form, players and tactics can change, so let’s sink our teeth into how fun each of these knockout matchups should be.

8. Lyon vs. Juventus

Rudi Garcia’s Lyon will have their hands full against Italy’s best team – a Juventus side that’s been primed and ready to win the Champions League for some time now. Garcia has previous experience against them from his days as Roma boss. “It’s always good to play against the best players on the planet. Juventus have one of the best defences in Europe,” Garcia told Lyon’s official Twitter account.

However, two key absences will make this task extremely difficult. Both Memphis Depay and Jeff Reine-Adelaide recently suffered ruptured ACLs and will miss the rest of the season. That alone erases some of the excitement, making the Old Lady huge favorites to advance. The last time the sides played was in the 2016-17 group stages, when Juventus also reached the final in Cardiff.

The first leg is in Lyon, the second in Turin. Cristiano Ronaldo and co. will be geared up for the chance to win that elusive trophy, they’re not getting any younger. It’s now or never for Ronaldo and Juventus.

7. Barcelona vs. Napoli

After last season’s collapse in this competition, Barcelona are fixated on reaching the Champions League final. And while the players on display makes this tie pretty intriguing, it’s the managers, Ernesto Valverde and new Napoli boss Gennaro Gattuso, that could have the biggest influence. Everybody knows about Valverde’s struggles the past two seasons, while Gattuso will find struggles in managing to topple the Spanish giants.

“Barcelona are a great team and it will be a big challenge across two fascinating games. We’ll show no fear,” Gattuso said on Napoli’s official Twitter account.

Barcelona’s defense has had its share of struggles, which Napoli can exploit with it’s potent front three in attack.

Two Argentine names dominate the regions of both squads: Messi and Maradona. The latter played for both teams but made his biggest impact with Napoli. Messi playing in the house Maradona was revered in will be a sight to behold. Ties between Italian and Spanish sides are always fun to watch, and this one will be no different.

6. Atalanta vs. Valencia

This is gonna be really fun to watch for those who like an open game. Just take a look at the talents on display: Carlos Soler, Rodrigo, Papu Gomez, Duvan Zapata, just to name a few. Two attack-minded teams who will play their game no matter the opposition, fearlessly.

The second Italian-Spanish knockout tie could be even better than Napoli-Barcelona. Valencia got off to a slow start to the season and have already sacked their manager, but have been resurgent as of late and will see themselves as the stronger side against Atalanta. However, as evidence by their famous victory over Shaktar Donetsk, you can’t count out the side from Bergamo.

Losing their first three group stage games and still finding a way to advance is a testament to Gian Piero Gasperini’s team.

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It says a lot about them to come out of a tough group, but that also applies to Valencia who were faced with Chelsea and last year’s semifinalists in Ajax. On paper, these two teams appear to be very similar and this one could be decided past the 180 minutes.

5. Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich

These teams played out one of the best Champions League finals of the decade. Chelsea boss Frank Lampard will no doubt have memories of that famous night back in 2012, but now faces Bayern for the first time as a manager. And the task remains difficult, gearing his young squad as underdogs to face the Bavarians.

Bayern won’t think of Chelsea as a stepping stone either. Despite boasting talents like Serge Gnarby, Philippe Coutinho and the world’s best striker in Robert Lewandowski, this team still allows too many cheap goals and need to sort out their defense. Thomas Muller can prove to be the team’s X-factor in this tie and beyond, should they advance.

Tactically, this matchup is fascinating to behold.

Chelsea’s X-factor could come in the form of Tammy Abraham, and it really depends on No. 9’s form. The young striker has taken over games at times while also fluffing his lines in other games, as evidence by Chelsea’s home defeat to Bournemouth. Considering where the two teams stand in their respective leagues, Bayern should be able to win out via talent and depth alone. Lampard will have to deliver a tactical masterclass in the first leg in order to stand a chance in the second leg.

4. Tottenham vs RB Leipzig

Can Jose Mourinho do for Spurs what Mauricio Pochettino couldn’t: win the Champions League? A third success in that regard could be his greatest achievement since winning the treble with Inter Milan. But in facing RB Leipzig, they face one of the best young sides with one of the best young managers in all of Europe.

RB Leipzig are proving to be the real deal this season, atop the Bundesliga table while also winning their Champions League group. Timo Werner is one of the world’s best strikers while Patrick Schick is very capable alongside him. Emil Forsberg is fun to watch on the wing and a player Mourinho will need to counter.

Last year’s finalists will see this as a chance to make another cup run. Week after week, they are becoming more resolute and are taking Mourinho’s messages to heart. His experience in this competition will be valuable, and he looks to have the sort of squad that’ll fight for him. This will be a litmus test for the German outfit, while Spurs could see this tie as a path to bigger things.

3. Paris Saint-Germain vs. Borussia Dortmund

Defenses beware, two of the best attacking units in all of Europe will square off. Paco Alcacer, Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus lead the Dortmund line against PSG’s embarrassment of attacking riches that includes Mauro Icardi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani, Angel Di Maria, etc.

At the center of it all is manager Thomas Tuchel, the former Dortmund boss now in charge of PSG would no doubt enjoy knocking out his former side.

Paris are favorites, and should see themselves as such, but they have a history of crashing out of the Champions League and have had some bad losses this season, which is cause for concern against Dortmund. The German side have had head-scratching results of their own, which may see both sides play cautiously in the first leg. Then again, it could also be goal fests in both games with all of that firepower.

No lead is safe and everything is possible in this tie. Something tells us Thomas Tuchel will decide who advances.

2. Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid

This is the most intriguing tie of the round, if not necessarily the most fun. Liverpool will be back to the scene of last year’s triumph, this time playing Diego Simeone’s men. In terms of managerial battles, Jurgen Klopp versus Simeone is as interesting as it gets. Liverpool’s 4-3-3 attack against Madrid’s 4-4-2 defense will be a fun chess match to watch.

Atletico Madrid will want this one bad after being eliminated at this exact stage last season. Simeone’s side has been up and down so far this season, but will no doubt see this as a genuine opportunity to topple arguably Europe’s best team. Liverpool are undefeated in the Premier League and are on the fast track to finally win the league. Klopp has taken this team to another level this season and they will want to defend their Champions League title.

This tie has it all: two strong defenses, battle-tested midfields, and exciting attacking units. But what I’m looking for in this tie are the two men between the sticks: Allison and Jan Oblak. The two best goalkeepers in the world on show, with the two of the very best managers in the world. It’s a shame there has to be a loser in this tie, but that’s what makes this game beautiful.

1. Real Madrid vs. Manchester City

The soccer gods have answered, and they have delivered the tie of the round. Real Madrid, the club that has won more Champions League titles (13) than any other, against a Manchester City side that have soared to historic heights in England but have yet to capture European glory.

The eyes of the sport will see some of the best play on the field and meet on the touchline. No doubt Pep Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane have lots of respect for each other, and no doubt they will both want to get this one over each other.

There have been questions around Guardiola’s City this season, as they have faced a new set of challenges after two historic campaigns. But as long as he’s there, what he says will go, and his men will go in search of the trophy that has eluded them thus far. Real Madrid are the boss level of the Champions League, a club where it’s seemingly a mandate to win this competition every season.

The pressure is on for both sides. Real Madrid have paid the price for finishing second in their group, and will need this one after being bounced out by Ajax last season. Guardiola came to Manchester City with the hope of bringing his vision to England, job accomplished. He was also brought in to deliver them the Champions League, and it doesn’t get any more daunting than facing Real Madrid.