Champions League briefing: all you need to know this week
Bayern Munich vs Arsenal
When is it and what time is kick-off?
The match takes place at the Allianz Arena, and kicks off at 7.45pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2017.
What TV channel is it on?
It will be shown live on BT Sport 2 from 7pm.
What is the team news?
For Bayern, Franck Ribery and Jerome Boateng are both expected to miss out with injury, while for Arsenal Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey, Mathieu Debuchy and Yaya Sanogo are all sidelined.
Carlo Ancelotti's main decisions are whether to start Douglas Costa or Thomas Muller on the left of Bayern's front three, and whether to opt for Joshua Kimmich or Arturo Vidal in central midfield.
For Arsenal, Granit Xhaka is available and could return to the starting line-up after missing four domestic matches through suspension. Arsene Wenger hinted on the weekend that Mesut Ozil may be dropped, but it would be a major surprise if the German did not start on Wednesday.
Wenger must also decide whether to keep faith with Kieran Gibbs at left-back, after bringing in the defender to replace Nacho Monreal against Hull on Saturday.
David Ospina is expected to start in goal ahead of Petr Cech as Arsenal continue their policy of playing their second-choice keeper for Champions League matches.
Bayern's expected XI (4-3-3): Neuer; Lahm, Martinez, Hummels, Alaba; Alonso, Vidal, Alcantara; Costa, Robben, Lewandowski.
Arsenal's expected XI (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Elneny; Walcott, Ozil, Iwobi; Sanchez.
Three key stats
Arsenal were unbeaten during the group stage. The last time they accomplished this, in 2005/06, they reached the final.
Bayern Munich have won their last 15 home Champions League games, the longest winning run in the history of the competition.
Olivier Giroud has scored in three of his last four Champions League games against Bayern Munich, including in two of his last three away against them.
What are they saying?
Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski has predicted a tough challenge for his side against Arsenal.
Carlo Ancelotti's side lead the Bundesliga table by seven points after Saturday's 2-0 win at Ingolstadt, but expect a much trickier assignment against the Gunners.
Poland international Lewandowski told his club's website: "The win in Ingolstadt was very important. Now we're focused on the Champions League.
"Everyone's waiting for this game. It will be a big challenge for us. I hope we can deliver a good performance and play really well here in Munich.
"Arsenal have very good footballers. They know what it means to play in the Champions League. We need to concentrate on ourselves. If we play our game then Arsenal probably won't get many chances. But we must play well from back to front."
Ribery, who has been out for two weeks with a thigh injury he suffered in training, could be back on the Bayern bench for the first leg of the last-16 tie, but Ancelotti has cautioned against taking a chance on France midfielder's fitness.
The Italian told the club website: "It's a difficult one. We won't take any risks."
Arsenal manager Wenger said of facing Bayern:
"You have to enjoy football.
"At the end of the day you have to keep that as well. It's true that it's not always easy but it's important that you feel happy. So what we want is to do well and qualify against Bayern Munich."
The Frenchman said of Ozil:
"It's time for him to score again.
"Maybe he will find confidence back as well, because he misses chances. He has chances and he misses the chances that don't look not feasible for him.
"I felt he did not feel confident (against Hull). It's always a problem because you think he can deliver something special but it's true that technically he missed things that he is not used to."
What are the odds?
Bayern win - 1/2
Arsenal win - 13/2
Draw - 7/2
What's our prediction?
Bayern to win 3-1.
Paris Saint Germain vs Barcelona
When is it and what time is kick-off?
The match kicks off at 7.45pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2017.
What TV channel is it on?
It will be shown live on BT Sport 2 from 7pm.
What is the team news?
Thiago Motta is suspended for PSG, while Javier Pastore and Grzegorz Krychowiak are also unlikely to be involved due to injuries. Thiago Silva was rested for the recent victory over Bordeaux, but will return to the starting XI.
Barcelona have confirmed that Aleix Vidal's season is over after dislocating his ankle at the weekend, which should see Sergio Roberto start at right-back. Javier Mascherano is due to miss out through injury, while Rafinha could play in a mask after suffering a facial injury. The likes of Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets were all rested at the weekend.
Three key stats
PSG have lost only one of their last 42 home games in European competition. That defeat was against... Barcelona in 2015, a 3-1 reverse in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Neymar has scored five goals in four games against PSG, his highest tally in the Champions League. He has assisted seven goals in this season's tournament, more than any other player.
Barcelona have progressed past the round of 16 in each of the last nine seasons, the longest current run in the competition.
What are they saying?
Paris Saint-Germain winger Lucas Moura says the only way to stop Lionel Messi is "to tie him up."
Aware of the scale of the task facing the French champions, the Brazilian said: "No team is unbeatable, but of course for me they are the favorites. They are the best team in the world, you have to respect them."
Asked how to stop Messi - the Champions League topscorer this season with 10 goals in five games - Lucas joked: "Legally? For me it's impossible to stop him. You have to tie him up."
Lucas, who has 34 caps for Brazil, also revealed his pride about his fellow countryman Neymar.
"It's great for our country to see him doing well there, and me doing well here," said Lucas, who is enjoying his fifth - and best - season with PSG.
"He's a great example. I'm happy for him, for everything he's doing there and in the national team as well."
Neymar, who already has 50 goals for Brazil, is touted as Messi's eventual successor by many observers.
"I don't think he can be like Messi, because every player has their own style and their own history," Lucas said. "But I think that, after Messi, he can become a great, great player as well and write a great history for Barcelona."
Meanwhile, Marco Verratti says facing Barcelona is not a nightmare draw and he wants his PSG team-mates to relish the opportunity to take on one of Europe's finest teams.
"We are in a good moment," he said. "In recent years we have played a lot against Barca but every opportunity to do so I think is very beautiful. We know it is difficult."
What are the odds?
PSG win: 5/2
Draw: 5/2
Barcelona win: 11/10
What's our prediction?
An entertaining score draw. We'll go for 2-2.
Real Madrid vs Napoli
When is it and what time is kick-off?
This coming Wednesday, 15 February 2017. At 19.45 GMT, as ever for the Champions League.
What TV channel is it on?
You can get your Eurokicks live on BT Sport, specifically BT Sport 3.
What is the team news?
Both sides have relatively few fitness concerns. Gareth Bale will not make it for Real Madrid, as he is still recovering from an ankle injury, although Zinedine Zidane hopes the Welshman will be back in contention for the second leg on 7 March.
Napoli are likely to be without centre back Lorenzo Tonelli, who has been out of action since the end of January.
Three key stats
Real Madrid have never failed to score in their last 33 Champions League home games, longest ever run in the competition.
Napoli topped their Champions League group for the first time, after finishing, however they have never gone further than the round of 16.
Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to score in his last 433 minutes of Champions League action, his longest drought in the competition at Real Madrid.
How's did Real get on at the weekend?
Real Madrid returned to the top of La Liga after winning a testing away clash against Osasuna 3-1 on Saturday thanks to goals from talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, midfielder Isco and substitute Lucas Vazquez.
Osasuna striker Sergio Leon cancelled out Ronaldo's 24th-minute opener in the 33rd after defender Tano had been carried off with a sickening double leg break.
Isco restored Real's lead in the 62nd and Zinedine Zidane's side added a third through Vazquez with the last kick of the game.
Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas needed to produce a string of quality saves to preserve their advantage before Vazquez sealed only a second league win in seven visits to the perennial La Liga strugglers.
Real top the standings on 49 points, leapfrogging Barcelona on 48 after the champions thrashed Alaves 6-0 on Saturday.
Zidane's side have two games in hand on their arch rivals as they bid to win the title for the first time since 2012.
What are the odds?
Real Madrid: 4/7
Napoli: 5/1
Draw: 7/2
What's our prediction?
A comfortable home win. Let's say 3-0 to Real Madrid? Agree? Why not tell us?
Benfica vs Borussia Dortmund
When is it and what time is kick off?
Tuesday Feb 14, 2017, at 7.45pm (GMT).
What TV channel is it on?
BT Sport 3 will be broadcasting all of the action from Lisbon with their programme starting at 7pm.
What is the team news?
Benfica will be without Andrija Zivkovic, the Serbia international midfielder, who is suspended, while Lisandro Lopez will miss the game through injury. Jonas, meanwhile, could miss the game as the Brazilian recovers from a back complaint.
Thomas Tuchel has no players suspended, though the German will go into the game without the injured Sven Bender while Mario Götze, Nuri Sahin, Marcel Schmelzer and Sebastian Rode are all injury doubts.
Three key stats
Benfica have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League for the second season in a row – this hadn’t happened before for the Lisbon side.
Dortmund have lost six of their last eight games in the Champions League knockout stages
Borussia scored 21 goals in the group stages this season, the record in a Champions League group campaign, whilst Benfica conceded 10 goals, the joint-highest tally among teams left in the competition.
What are the odds?
Benfica win: 2/1
Borussia Dortmund: 7/5
Draw: 23/10
What's our prediction?
We are expecting a closely fought first leg, but the Germans are struggling with form so how about a nice 2-1 win for the hosts?
