Manchester City and Liverpool are back in Champions League action this week for the second legs of their round-of-16 ties.
City take on Leipzig at the Etihad Stadium and Liverpool travel to Real Madrid. Porto v AC Milan and Napoli v Eintracht Frankfurt complete this week’s fixtures.
Here, the PA news agency looks at five of the main talking points.
Reds must scale mountain
Blockbuster ?#UCL pic.twitter.com/mLM7dSWLqE
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 21, 2023
Liverpool face a Herculean task in their bid to overturn a 5-2 first-leg deficit after falling to their record European home defeat three weeks ago. They have pulled off some stunning Champions League comebacks, hitting back from three-goal deficits in the 2005 final against AC Milan in Istanbul and in the 2019 semi-finals against Barcelona, but if Jurgen Klopp’s side could turn their last-16 tie around at the Bernabeu, it would arguably top the lot.
Will Real hoodoo be broken?
Pressure all on City
?️ Leipzig recover to rescue a draw against Man City#UCL
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 22, 2023
Manchester City are big favourites to reach the quarter-finals for a seventh time in the last eight seasons after returning from Leipzig with a 1-1 draw. A Champions League triumph with City remains Pep Guardiola’s driving force, but his side must stay focused on the here and now against dangerous opponents. Leipzig beat City at home in the group stages last season and the pressure is all on the English champions to progress.
A night made for Haaland?
Napoli juggernaut rumbles on
