THE ROAD TO Wembley for the Champions League final is beginning to narrow.
The last-16 draw earlier today brings the 1 June showpiece in London into sharper focus.
Here, we assess five storylines to follow in the next round.
1. Manchester City’s sturdy defence
Pep Guardiola’s Treble winners may be struggling in the Premier League after the high of last season’s success on all fronts but they breezed through the group stage of the Champions League with a 100% record.
Continuing beyond the last-16 is something City have become accustomed to in each of the last six seasons, and they will expect more of the same after being paired with FC Copenhagen.
So far, there have been the occasional signs of weakness for City compared to last year, like falling 2-0 behind at home to Red Bull Leipzig only to recover with a second-half comeback to win 3-2.
That they had already qualified from the group prior to that meant the drama wasn’t quite as intense.
It was a result that helped ensure they secured six straight victories, with three goals scored in every game. They only kept one clean sheet, though, so concentration levels will need to be improved once the calibre of the opponent increases.
City made light work of Copenhagen in last season’s group stages, cruising to a 5-0 win in Manchester while drawing 0-0 in the Danish capital.
The first leg of this tie isn’t until 13 February (away) by which point Guardiola’s side would have returned from the Club World Championship and also come through a domestic schedule that sees them play a minimum of seven times depending on how they get on in the FA Cup.
Copenhagen progressed at the expense of Manchester United but they are unlikely to have as fond an experience in the city this time around.
2. London Calling for Arsenal?
As the luck of the draw would have it, the last time Arsenal actually emerged beyond this stage of the competition they did so by trouncing FC Porto 6-2 on aggregate.
More than a decade on from that 2010 showdown, the sides meet again. It’s so long ago, in fact, that Gunners boss Mikel Arteta was still anchoring Everton’s midfield before joining the Londoners a year later.
Nicklas Bendtner (he of Paddy Power underpants fame) netted a hat-trick to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg in Portugal.
Arteta won’t want his men chasing a similar scenario this time around, especially as Porto have everyone’s favourite pantomime villain at the heart of their defence.
Pepe – he of three successive Champions League crowns and countless skirmishes in the white of Real Madrid – is the oldest player in the history of the competition.
Not only that, the centre back became the oldest scorer, aged 40 years and 254 days old, to help beat Royal Antwerp as they finished level on points with Barcelona in Group H but had to make do with second spot due to an inferior head-to-head record.
You can be sure he’s licking his lips at the prospect of playing Enemy Number One with Arsenal dreaming of a final on their own doorstep at Wembley.
3. Bellingham has ultimate Zidane feat in sights
So much for any of that loose talk about Jude Bellingham biting off more than he could chew by taking Zinedine Zidane’s old No.5 jersey at Real Madrid.
The records continue to tumble during his early days at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The England international has scored 17 times in 20 games for his new club.
Not only did he net a brace against Barcelona in his first El Clasico to complete an impressive comeback win over Barcelona, Bellingham has been ruthless in Europe with goals against Union Berlin, Braga and in the two games with Italian champions Napoli.
RB Leipzig are first up in the knockout stages and Bellingham is part of a Madrid side – even allowing for David Alaba’s recent ACL injury – that will be vying to regain the crown City took from them in 2023.
Next year marks the 21st anniversary of Zidane’s stunning volley at Hampden Park to win the trophy for Madrid in the 2002 final against Bayer Leverkusen.
It came at the end of his first season at the club, a feat Bellingham will now hope to replicate.
4. Spotlight on Tuchel and his leading man Kane
Harry Kane said he was rewarding himself for a sensational start to life at Bayern Munich by spending Christmas with his family somewhere nice and warm.
He has, of course, been red hot since arriving in Bavaria.
His Bundesliga tally of 20 goals in 14 games (scoring in 11 of them) is a record, coming courtesy of three hat-tricks and the same number of braces. Not to mention one stunning strike from the halfway line in there for good measure.
Throw in another four group-stage goals in the Champions League and Kane’s tally for the campaign so far is 24. By contrast, Manchester United, who finished bottom of Bayern’s group, have scored just 18 goals in the Premier League this term.
The winter break in Germany will allow the England captain to recharge his batteries. When he returns – at home to Hoffenheim on 12 January – the first leg of last-16 tie with Lazio will be on the horizon on 14 February.
Bayern will trail Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen at the summit of the Bundesliga when they resume battle next month and Europe will provide another edge to their tussle.
It’s approaching one year since Bayern sacked Julian Nagelsmann and replaced him with Thomas Tuchel. Kane was the marquee signing for the former Chelsea boss during the summer.
He was the player Tuchel deemed it necessary to spend €95 million on (not to mention substantial wages on a four-year contract) in order for the German giants to rule Europe once again.
Now the spotlight shines on them both, with Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri the perfect rival to try and provide a shock.
5. Flair and poise in a tie to savour
Nacpoli and Barcelona will need a serious upturn in form and consistency if they are to cause a stir in this competition.
One of them will exit before the business end regardless, but it’s impossible to say who.
Napoli have struggled after their emotional Serie A title win last season. They’re currently 14 points adrift of leaders Inter and one off Bologna in fourth spot.
But in Victor Osimhen they have a striker who leads the line with a combination of power and poise. It’s why his latest contract renewal is reported to include a €130 million buyout clause that would be sufficient to entice
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been a revelation since last year and the 22-year-old Georgian winger continues to enthral with his sense of adventure and magnetism with the ball at his feet.
Barca, seven points off La Liga leaders Real Madrid, don’t quite operate with that same level of spark and excitement as Napoli.
Xavi has crafted a side that can still beguile but in a more methodical kind of fashion. Pedri, Frenkie De Jong and Ilkay Gundogan are masterful operators in midfield but the front line is one that has not caught fire.
Robert Lewandowksi has been an often ineffective focal point with Joao Felix, Raphinha, Ferran Torres and 16-year-old Lamine Yamal all operating either side.
Both sides will want a change of fortunes in the new year.
