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So much has happened since the last round of Champions League matches. We’ve had a World Cup, a transfer window and the fortunes of many teams completely changing during the three-month hiatus.
The biggest club competition in the world is back, though. And with it, we’ve ranked the last 16, prioritising form against expectations above all.
Apologies in advance, Chelsea fans.
Nos. 16-13
16. Chelsea (Facing Dortmund)
Chelsea’s form is somehow worse than it seems. The Blues have just four wins from 18 games, stretching back to a good run at the end of October.
New boss Graham Potter is struggling to implement ideas that successfully stick, but he has been aided by a stunning amount of spending in the January transfer window. The 1-1 draw with West Ham last time out highlighted two things: João Félix is very good, and Potter needs to stop his team only playing well in short spells.
It has to come right, soon, surely?
15. Club Brugge (Facing Benfica)
Club Brugge lit up the Champions League early this season, securing memorable wins over Bayer Leverkusen, Porto and Atlético Madrid. That is a world away now. The Belgian champions sit fourth in the domestic league and have just a single win from their last 10 games.
Benfica is a great chance to get back on track.
14. Liverpool (Facing Real Madrid)
Jürgen Klopp is going through arguably the toughest moment of his Liverpool career right now, despite the 2-0 Merseyside derby win over Everton. Sitting ninth in the Premier League, with four wins in 11 games since the World Cup, a top-four finish is looking unlikely. As such, the Reds need to target this competition with everything they’ve got if they’re to return next season.
Old foes Real Madrid stand in their way, a tie that could completely define Liverpool’s season when May arrives.
13. Milan (Facing Tottenham)
The World Cup break seems to have broken Milan. A run of just two wins in nine matches across all competitions since the restart has the rest of the season looking bleak—particularly their title defence of Serie A, which is all but over.
Stefano Pioli’s side were recently whupped 4-0 by Lazio and then 5-2 by Sassuolo, results bookended by defeats to rivals Inter. They head into the Tottenham Hotspur clash on the back of a 1-0 win over Torino and will be hoping Spurs’ often inconsistent form dovetails with their own to advance.