The Champions League draw can be just as kind to some teams as it is cruel to others and with the Round of 16 underway, there is no shortage of intriguing storylines to look at. Bayern Munich dominated arguably the strongest group in the competition but a number of injuries have really hurt their form of late. That adds another wrinkle to their Round of 16 showdown with Shakhtar Donetsk. Meanwhile, the latest draw may have been very kind or very cruel to Paris St. Germain, depending on the way you look at it, as they get their rematch with Chelsea. Here is a quick look at the two Champions League games next Tuesday.
Paris St. Germain vs. Chelsea – Tuesday, 2:45 p.m. ET
Champs League Odds: Paris St. Germain +154, Chelsea +180, Draw +214
Paris St. Germain didn’t have to wait long for its chance at redemption versus Chelsea in the Champions League. One year ago, PSG took a commanding 3-1 lead at home in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinals against the Blues, only to blow it when they surrendered a goal to Demba Ba in the 87th minute. That made the scoreline 2-0 in the second leg and resulted in them being eliminated based on the lone away goal scored by Chelsea. The offseason additions that Jose Mourinho made have helped the Blues climb to the top of the Premier League table and this year’s side is actually a lot more dangerous than the one that mounted the comeback versus PSG a year ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcDUQGFUkZA
That means that the Ligue 1 side that already emphasizes possession and controlling the tempo will put even more stock in playing a style that keeps the ball away from Chelsea’s attacking players in order to avoid conceding another fateful road goal. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is capable of creating on his own opportunities and with Edison Cavani and Lucas Moura on his flanks, this team is best suited for a possession game that features heavy pressure on the ball and relies on the counterattack for scoring. Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas sat out last weekend’s Premier League game against Manchester City in an effort to rest nagging injuries ahead of a very important stretch. If the latter can’t make it back in time for this game, then the club’s latest big name addition Juan Cuadrado could get his chance to shine. In the end, this should be a very close battle that ends up even on the score sheet. Pick: Draw
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Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Bayern Munich – Tuesday, 2:45 PM ET
Champs League Odds: Bayern Munich -317, Shakhtar Donetsk +903, Draw +377
Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez will not be back for the round of 16 while David Alaba and Philipp Lahm aren’t expected to rejoin Bayern until the end of February. It certainly won’t help Bayern’s situation that they now have to travel to Ukraine where the winter weather won’t make this match any more convenient for them.
Pep Guardiola has done his best with the pieces at his disposal and he will need his stars to step up in this match led by Arjen Robben up front. Shakhtar has been forced to play away from their home stadium because of the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine but it could serve as a rallying cry with a legitimate chance at a major upset. Alex Teixeira has shown flashes of his brilliance throughout this season but has lacked consistency. He will really need to shine to give the home side a chance in this game. Shakhtar can’t afford to concede an away goal before making the trip to Germany, so look for them to focus on possession and try to wear down Bayern in a battle to see which team will blink first in the winter conditions. Bayern is a big favorite but the road trip should even up the score. Pick: Draw
