Here are the eight clubs we expect to progress to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League as fixtures commence today, Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
Following the conclusion of the high-intensity Champions League round of 16 knockout stage playoffs, the round of 16 of one of Europe’s biggest club football tournaments is about to kick off today, Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
With some of the diciest fixtures scheduled to be played in this round of the competition, the excitement of the new format of the tournament has reached a new peak.
Clubs in the round of 16 of the UCL have been forced to undergo a rigorous test to secure a spot in this round of the tournament making fixtures to be played in this knockout stage a must-watch for all football fans.
Champions League round of 16 fixtures to be played
Here are all the UEFA Champions League knockout stage playoff fixtures which will be played across two legs (Home and away):
- Club Brugge vs Aston Villa
- Borussia Dortmund vs Lille
- PSV Eindhoven vs Arsenal
- Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid
- Feyenoord vs Inter Milan
- Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen
- Benfica vs Barcelona
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Liverpool
Champions League round of 16 fixtures today
- Feyenoord vs Inter Milan
- Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen
- Benfica vs Barcelona
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Liverpool
Clubs expected to qualify for the 2025 UCL quarter-finals
After looking at the current forms of all clubs in the round of 16 of the Champions League, we have been able to analyse clubs we expect to qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2025 tournament. Here are the clubs below:
Club Brugge
Arguably the best defensive side in the 2025 Champions League, Club Brugge is our first pick to secure qualification to the quarter-finals of the tournament. Club Brugge is expected to take on Aston Villa in the round of 16 of the UCL and the only edge the Portuguese side has over the English side led by the experienced Unai Emery is their defensive set-up, a key aspect of the game Aston Villa seems to lack.
Things are expected to be tight which is one factor that makes this fixture tough to call but with a competition like the Champions League, the tiniest of margins matter a lot and given how compact Club Brugge have shown themselves to be in the round of 16 knockout stage playoff fixture against the Europa League champions Atalanta, it is expected that they step into this fixture with an extra limp to their walk and with a sharper and stronger confidence.
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund have managed to salvage their season and turn things around in the Champions League especially and with nothing other than the UCL title to fight for, we expect the German giants to put up a tough fight and secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Dortmund still riding on the wave of the new manager bounce will be expected to leverage on their attacking power and secure the much-needed result to ensure qualification.
PSV Eindhoven
Given the speed and agility PSV possesses, we expect them to leverage on the lapses of the Mikel Arteta-led Arsenal and secure a Champions League quarter-finals qualification. Arsenal have continued to struggle with injuries denting their attack in the second half of the 2024/2025 season. PSV will be looking to exploit that weakness and take their chances where it matters the most and that’s in front of goal.
Although Arsenal possesses a strong defensive side we can not rule out the possibility of them being hit with more than what they can handle. This would be a test of patience and resilience for Mikel Arteta’s side most especially.
Real Madrid
If there is one side that knows how to play the Champions League it is Real Madrid which is why the Los Blancos side is our pick to qualify for the quarter-finals of the tournament. Although they face an uphill task in the form of a revitalised Atletico Madrid side, many can not bet against Carlo Ancelotti’s side to get the job done with the weapons in the form of players they have in their arsenal.
The current champions are currently looking likely to defend their title to at least the semi-finals of the UCL so we expect them to go all out in this fixture.
Inter Milan
One of the biggest underdogs of the 2025 Champions League, Inter Milan is our pick for qualification into the quarter-finals of the tournament. Inter Milan have gradually found themselves in the round of 16 of the UCL and are perfectly poised to secure one of the eight tickets in the round of 16 of the competition.
Their opponents, Feyenoord, will be looking to mitigate the attack power of Inter going into this fixture. We see them playing for pride at home leaving Inter Milan with a draw or suffering a defeat by the narrowest margins with Inter Milan picking up the ticket at San Siro.
Bayer Leverkusen
Since Xabi Alonso took charge of Bayer Leverkusen, German giants Bayern Munich have struggled to see a favourable result against them with Leverkusen coming up on top with either a win or a draw.
The same pattern has continued under the club’s new coach Vincent Kompany and we do not see any change to this pattern happening in the Champions League as well. Bayer Leverkusen is our sixth pick for the UCL quarter-finals 2025.
Barcelona
It is no surprise that Barcelona has been identified as one of the clubs we expect to secure a quarter-finals qualification ticket in the Champions League given how Hans Flick has built a winning and goal-scoring machine with the Catalan’s current squad.
Barcelona are ruthless in front of goal and even though they might be lacking in the defense and goalkeeping aspect the fact that their attack can outscore that of other clubs makes them hard to ignore.
Benfica will have their hands full going into this fixture and we expect them to implement a defensive set-up to mitigate the risk or threat Barcelona poses in front of goal. The question should not be “Will Barcelona score?” but more like “How many will Barcelona score to win?”
Paris Saint-Germain
In a battle of the wits and a tussle on the field of play involving two of the most in-form clubs in the 2024/2025 club football season, PSG is the club we see picking up the final quarter-finals slot of the UEFA Champions League.
Their fixture against Liverpool is one many are looking forward to but with a little bit of coaching experience in this competition as well as a squad flexibility Liverpool can not currently afford we see the Luis Enrique side having a little edge over the Slot-led Liverpool.
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