The 2024-25 UEFA Champions League has been filled with excitement, as intense matches and unexpected twists keep fans on the edge of their seats. Following a fierce knockout playoff round, the tournament moves into the highly anticipated Round of 16, where Europe’s top clubs will clash for a spot in the quarter-finals. This season introduces a new format, with teams that finished in 9th to 24th place in the league phase competing in two-legged matches to qualify for the Round of 16. Leg 1 of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 will kick off on March 4-5, 2025, featuring the top eight teams facing off against the playoff winners. This match is crucial for each team to secure a win and gain an advantage for the second leg, making the competition even more thrilling.
A recap of what happened and how teams qualified for the Round of 16. The 15th place Paris Saint-Germain faced Stade Brestois 29. In both legs one and two, PSG’s solid defense was evident, which made Stade Brestois leave the ground without scoring a single point in both games. With an aggregate score of 10-0, PSG qualified for Round 16. Despite their leg two knockout playoffs ending up 0-0, the early victory over Sporting made Dortmund continue the game with an aggregate score of 3-0. Even though Juventus won the leg one game over PSV by a margin of one point, the second leg dominance by PSV made them qualify for the Round of 16, and, unfortunately, by a margin of one point, Juventus was out of the game.
Real Madrid faced Manchester City, but this season, Manchester City’s inconsistent performance led to a 6-3 aggregate defeat, allowing the defending champions, Real Madrid, to qualify for the next round and keep their hopes alive for the final. The 24th-place Club Brugge triumphed over 9th-place Atalanta with their balanced offense and defense, finishing with an aggregate score of 5-2. The match between Bayern Munich and Celtic was close, with Bayern qualifying for the Round of 16 by just one point. In the League Phase, Monaco and Benfica concluded with 13 points, and in the knockout stage, the first leg saw Benfica take the advantage with the help of Vangelis Pavlidis. In contrast, the second leg ended in a draw with a score of 3-3, allowing Benfica to continue in the competition due to their early triumph.
Feyenoord’s dominant leg was one of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League knockout playoffs, and it kept their dream alive. The knockout playoff featured unexpected results and an intense clash, adding another layer of excitement to the upcoming 2024-25 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 leg 1. For more updates on the upcoming matches of the Champions League and other sports, visit our website.
Club Brugge KV vs. Aston Villa
In the first leg fixture of Round 16 in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League, Club Brugge will host Aston Villa on March 4, 2025, at Jan Breydel Stadion (Brugge).
Championships Won
- Club Brugge KV: 0 Champions League title
- Aston Villa: 1 Champions League title
Club Brugge enters this match after defeating Atalanta in the playoff phase, securing their spot in the knockout stage. On the other hand, Aston Villa arrives at this Round of 16 after finishing the league phase in eighth place. Regarding performance, Club Brugge KV struggled during the league phase, finishing in 24th place. However, they fought hard to reach this point, and facing a top team has proven quite challenging for them, even though the first leg was at home. Let’s see how they perform in front of their home crowd. While Aston Villa’s performance was decent, they must elevate their game to compete effectively against Club Brugge.
This match marks their second encounter in their head-to-head history, with the first battle in November 2024, where Club Brugge won with a score of 1-0, notably at their home ground. Will history repeat here, or will Aston Villa overcome and deliver an excellent performance on the road? Chemsdine Talbi is a notable player for Club Brugge, and Marco Asensio for Aston Villa, where they led the team with their extraordinary performance, and they are a must to watch in the upcoming game. While considering both teams’ recent performance, the battle between Club Brugge and Aston Villa will likely end up in a draw.
Dortmund vs. Lille
In the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 round of 16 first-leg fixture at home, Dortmund will lock horns with Lille on March 4, 2025, at Signal Iduna Park (Dortmund).
Championships Won
- Dortmund: 1 Champions League title
- Lille: 0 Champions League title
As Dortmund finished the league phase in 10th place with 15 points, they had to go through the knockout playoffs to advance to the Round of 16. During that battle, they faced Sporting, and in both legs, their solid defense impressed, allowing them to qualify for the later rounds. In this upcoming match, they arrive with a second consecutive win over St. Pauli, winning 2-0 in their Bundesliga campaign. Meanwhile, LOSC Lille’s consistent performance led them to finish the league phase in 7th place, giving them the advantage to qualify directly for the Round of 16. They head into this match following a disappointing defeat to PSG in Ligue 1 round 24, scoring 1-4.
Since 2002, this will be their third meeting, with both teams having faced each other earlier in the Europa League, and this will be the first occurrence in the UEFA Champions League. Surprisingly, both previous games ended in a draw, so seeing who will take the upper hand in their head-to-head history is exciting. Felix Nmecha is injured and will not be a part of Borussia Dortmund’s squad. Julian Ryerson is ill with the flu and has not been cleared for the match. Lille will miss Tiago Santos, Samuel Umtiti, and Edon Zhegrova, all sidelined by injuries. While Lille has had a better overall run in the UCL this season, Borussia Dortmund has the advantage of playing at home and coming off two consecutive wins in the Bundesliga.
PSV vs. Arsenal
Arsenal will travel to Philips Stadion (Eindhoven) on March 4, 2025, to play PSV in the highly anticipated 2024-25 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 of Leg 1.
Championships Won
- PSV: 1 Champions League title
- Arsenal: 0 Champions League title
PSV won four of their eight league phase matches in the UCL, advancing to the playoff stage. They defeated Juventus to reach the Round of 16, while Arsenal finished in third place, securing their spot in the last 16. PSV Eindhoven is not performing well; they must improve significantly to compete with the Gunners. Playing at home should give them a slight advantage. They remain second in their domestic league after being eliminated from the KNVB Cup.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will be on the road, struggling to achieve positive results in their recent matches. They experienced a loss to West Ham in the Premier League and drew goalless with Nottingham Forest. A key player for PSV is Ryan Flamingo, who will try to stop Arsenal’s offense by leading their defense. On the other hand, Arsenal’s Mikel Merino is a strong presence, capable of finding the back of the net even while playing as a central or defensive midfielder. The recent performance of both teams is impressive, so this match will likely end in a draw.
Real Madrid vs. Atlético de Madrid
The defending champion Real Madrid is all set to face off against Atletico de Madrid in the Madrid Derby of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League leg 1 of Round 16 on March 4, 2025, at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid).
Championships Won
- Real Madrid: 15 Champions League titles
- Atletico de Madrid: 0 Champions League title
Atletico de Madrid had a solid UCL campaign, reaching the Round of 16. In contrast, Real Madrid had to go through the playoff phase, where they triumphed over Manchester City. Despite playing at home, they will feel some pressure. Following their victory over Man City in the last round, Real Madrid faced a defeat against Real Betis in La Liga, raising concerns for the UEFA Champions League defending champions. This loss caused them to drop third place in the La Liga standings. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid is confident after reclaiming the top spot in La Liga. Their UCL group stage performance was commendable, as they lost only two matches while winning six. This matchup marks the 10th meeting between Real Madrid and Atletico de Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, with their last three encounters ending in draws.
Notably, Atletico has lost their previous three away games in the knockout stages of the European Cup. In total, both teams have faced each other 83 times, with Real Madrid winning 42, Atlético de Madrid winning 15, and 26 matches ending in a draw. Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Daniel Ceballos, and Jesus Vallejo are all injured and unable to participate. Jude Bellingham, suspended for the last UCL match, will also miss the next UCL game. Federico Valverde is dealing with some physical issues and remains uncertain whether he will be available. Additionally, due to injuries, Atletico Madrid will have to play without Koke and Cesar Azpilicueta. While both teams are neck and neck, this battle will be intense, potentially ending in a draw or allowing Real Madrid to continue their momentum.
Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan
On March 5, 2025, we will witness the clash between Feyenoord and Inter Milan at De Kuip (Rotterdam) in Leg 1 of Round 16 of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League.
Championships Won
- Feyenoord: 1 Champions League title
- Inter Milan: 3 Champions League titles
In their Eredivisie campaign, Feyenoord entered this match after a goalless draw against Nijmegen. Their performance so far has been impressive, placing them fourth in the table with 12 wins, eight draws, and four losses. They concluded the Champions League phase with a record of four wins, one draw, and three losses, finishing in 19th position. To reach Round 16, they defeated AC Milan with an aggregate score of 2-1. Inter Milan drew their previous match against Napoli in the 2024-25 Serie A, with Federico Dimarco scoring the goal for Inter Milan. This draw against Napoli allowed them to maintain their top position in the Serie A table with 58 points, while Napoli is just behind with 57 points.
This match marks the third meeting between Feyenoord and Inter Milan, who previously faced each other twice in 2002 in the Europa League. One match favored Feyenoord, while the second ended in a 2-2 draw. Feyenoord’s offense has been quite impressive this season in the UCL, but they need to improve their defense, conceding 22 goals with an average of 2.2 points per game. Despite their inconsistent offense, Inter Milan boasts the best defense this season, conceding only one goal in total. Therefore, looking at the solid defense of Inter Milan, they will have an edge in winning this game.
Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen
At Allianz Arena (Munich), Bayern Munich will host Bayer Leverkusen on March 5, 2025, in the Leg one fixture of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 showdown.
Championships Won
- Bayern Munich: 6 Champions League titles
- Bayer Leverkusen: 0 Champions League title
Both teams are back-to-back in the 2024-25 Bundesliga, with Bayern Munich leading the table with 19 wins, four draws, and only one defeat, totaling 61 points. Bayer Leverkusen is in second place with 15 wins, eight draws, and one defeat, totaling 53 points. Their last five match results are similar, featuring three wins and two draws, showcasing the teams’ determination and resilience. Bayer Leverkusen qualified directly for the Round of 16, finishing in sixth place with 16 points.
Bayern Munich defeated Celtic with an aggregate score of 3-2 in the knockout stage, securing their spot in the Round of 16. This will be their first matchup in the Champions League and other tournaments like the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal. Their last meeting was in February 2025, which ended in a goalless draw. Both teams’ impressive offense and defense made this game intense. Due to their defensive solidity, there is a double chance that it will either end in a draw or favor a triumph for Bayer Leverkusen.
Benfica vs. Barcelona
For leg 1 of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League, Benfica will be at their home to face off against Barcelona on March 5, 2025, at Estádio da Luz (Lisbon).
Championships Won
- Benfica: 2 Champions League titles
- Barcelona: 5 Champions League titles
Previously, they faced each other in the league phase, where Barcelona triumphed with a 5-4 victory on Portuguese soil. Benfica’s home matches in the UCL are usually high-scoring, yet they have only secured one win in their last nine UCL home games. Their record against Spanish teams at home is also disappointing, with just two wins in their previous 12 encounters. Nonetheless, Benfica has shown strong form recently, winning seven of their last eight competitive matches. Conversely, Barcelona is riding a 15-match unbeaten streak in 2025, with 12 victories and three draws.
They recently defeated Real Sociedad 4-0 in La Liga and aim to reach the UCL quarter-finals for the second consecutive year. While Barcelona has lost only one of their last 10 away games against Portuguese teams, that loss was to Benfica. Furthermore, Barcelona conceded at least two goals in their previous five UCL away games, but their attacking strength is evident, as they scored 17 goals during that stretch. Looking at Barcelona’s performance in the UEFA Champions League, we see that they will have an edge to win this game over Benfica.
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool
The Champions League table-top Liverpool will take Paris Saint-Germain in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 on March 5, 2025, at Parc des Princes (Paris).
Championships Won
- PSG: 0 Champions League title
- Liverpool: 6 Champions League title
PSG comes off a dominant 10-0 aggregate victory against Brest, bringing their unbeaten streak to 22 matches. However, they have faced challenges against English clubs lately, managing only two wins in their last eight encounters. They did secure a notable 4-2 comeback against Manchester City in the league phase, demonstrating a robust home record with only ten losses in their last 80 European home fixtures. Liverpool, having topped their league phase group, are not easily daunted. They had a weekend break after being eliminated from the FA Cup by Plymouth but remained in excellent form, netting at least two goals in 11 of their last 12 fixtures.
Liverpool boasts a solid track record against French teams, winning five out of their last nine meetings. Although they’ve struggled in the previous five away matches in France, Liverpool has been strong in the UCL, winning 16 of their last 22 away games. This match promises to be tightly contested. PSG may hold a slight edge thanks to their home performance and unbeaten streak, but Liverpool’s attacking prowess and recent form present significant challenges. A draw or a narrow victory for either team appears possible.
