1. Ligue 1 table-toppers gunning for Man City
MANCHESTER CIYY AVOIDED Europe’s heavyweights in the Champions League last-16 draw but Pep Guardiola’s side must instead beware an in-form Monaco, the leading scorers in Europe’s top divisions this season.
City host the French league leaders at the Etihad Stadium in the first leg tonight looking to extend a nine-game home unbeaten run in the Champions League.
The Premier League side enjoyed their best European performance in club history as they reached last year’s semi-finals before losing to eventual champions Real Madrid.
But Monaco’s youthful, goal-laden squad will present a formidable challenge as Guardiola tries to keep intact his perfect record of seven victories in as many last-16 ties.
City last week lost Gabriel Jesus to a broken bone in his foot that could rule the Brazilian teen sensation out for the rest of the campaign, but Guardiola was more upbeat over the status of captain Vincent Kompany.
Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim hailed Radamel Falcao, talking up the “great striker” and his importance. After failed stints at Manchester United and Chelsea, Falcao has rediscovered his goal scoring form this season.
Falcao is back to his best — the Colombia international has scored 22 goals in all competitions and shapes as being a major threat to Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie between the clubs on Tuesday. Jardim is thrilled with how Falcao has returned to form, saying Monaco’s hard work had paid off.
“I knew Falcao before he came to England because he was playing in Porto, in Portugal,” he told a news conference. “He’s still a great striker, a great goal scorer. It’s easy to work with him.”
2. Atleti head to Germany
Atletico Madrid, twice runners-up to city rivals Real in the past three years, renew acquaintances with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany on Tuesday after meeting at the same stage in 2014-15.
Atletico prevailed on penalties on that occasion and received a huge boost with goalkeeper Jan Oblak cleared to return from a dislocated shoulder that had sidelined the Slovenia international since December.
Defensive pillars Diego Godin and Juanfran are ruled out through injury, while Lucas Hernandez, who has deputised for Godin recently, is due in court the day of the game on domestic violence charges involving his girlfriend.
Kevin Gameiro made his case to partner fellow Frenchman Antoine Griezmann in attack after coming off the bench to net a five-minute hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Sporting Gijon on Saturday.
3. Free-falling Leicester face tough task
Sevilla warmed up for the visit of struggling English champions Leicester City with a 2-0 victory over Eibar on Saturday.
Montenegro international Stevan Jovetic set up both goals in the win and the only question mark over Jorge Sampaoli’s line-up is whether the on-loan Inter Milan man is deployed as a lone striker or alongside Wissam Ben Yedder.
“We have it all to play for on Wednesday. It is a very important game in the history of the club,” said Sampaoli, with Sevilla having only once reached the European Cup quarter-finals, in 1957-58.
Leicester have yet to score a single league goal since the turn of the year and manager Claudio Ranieri demanded his players show their resolve after slumping to a 1-0 defeat at 10-man Millwall in the FA Cup.
“Now we have to fight every match. I need soldiers. I need gladiators,” said the Italian.
4. Two former winners lock horns
Juventus could be without Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini for Wednesday’s trip to Porto.
The 2015 finalists romped to a 4-1 win over Palermo on Friday — Paulo Dybala struck twice with Gonzalo Higuain also on target — to stay seven points clear in Serie A.
Two of the game’s goalkeeping greats, Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon, will face off for perhaps the final time over the two-legged encounter.
“In Europe and around the world, he’s considered one of the best of all time. Ours is a healthy, positive rivalry: we really appreciate each other and playing against him is always a pleasure,” Casillas told Uefa.com while speaking about fellow World Cup winner Buffon.
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