Hello everyone, today I bring you the highlights of the teams that have qualified for the round of 16. Let's get started!
Group A:
Manchester City
First classified
City have taken their game to another level this season. They came so close to winning their first title last year and Guardiola has raised the bar again to win their first UEFA Champions League since 2011. When they are on form, their soccer is second to none.
Coach: Josep Guardiola
The 50-year-old, one of the most successful coaches in European soccer, won this competition twice with Barcelona. He has won three league titles with both Barcelona, Bayern and City.
Key player: Kevin De Bruyne
The 30-year-old Belgian midfielder surpassed 250 appearances for the club last season and remains a talismanic figure in their midfield despite the talent around him. He is having a somewhat inconsistent campaign, but remains key.
Did you know?
Guardiola reached his eighth UEFA Champions League semi-final last season, the most in the competition's history along with Jose Mourinho.
Paris Saint-Germain
Second place:
Despite finishing second in the group behind Manchester City, Paris remain one of the main contenders for the title. The 2019/20 runners-up have everything they need to excel this season, especially the attacking talent of Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Neymar, but they must improve their consistency in Europe and Mauricio Pochettino has to find the best way to tuck in his trident, the 'MNM'.
Coach: Mauricio Pochettino
The Argentinian, the architect of Tottenham's surprise 2019 final finish, replaced Tuchel in charge of Paris in January 2020, some 20 years after signing for the French club as a defender.
Key player: Kylian Mbappé
Competing with Messi, Neymar and Angel Di Maria, the French star has been the main source of goals for Paris so far this season, providing unstoppable runs in the final third of the field, assists and lethal finishes.
Did you know?
When Paris overcame Bayern in the quarterfinals of the 2020/21 season, it was the first instance in UEFA Champions League history of the previous season's runner-up knocking out the champions in the knockout stage.
Group B:
Liverpool
First classified
The 'Reds' have left their rivals in tatters, taking the top spot in Group B without dropping a single point. However, it has not been a bed of roses, as they have proven to have plenty of talent to fight against top quality opponents such as AC Milan and Atletico Madrid.
Coach: Jürgen Klopp
Liverpool manager since 2015, Klopp guided the 'reds to win the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League and their first league title in 30 years the following season. The striker-turned-defender at Mainz lifted two Bundesliga titles with Dortmund before arriving at Anfield.
Key player: Mohamed Salah
The Egyptian striker has been the star of this team since arriving from Roma in 2017. A star at Basel who first landed in England with Chelsea in 2014, he has truly proven to be one of the best since joining Liverpool. His pace, intelligence and finishing have helped him score 32 goals in the UEFA Champions League for the English club, and he even seems to have gone one step higher this year.
Did you know?
Liverpool have been European champions six times, more than any other English team. This is the same number of titles as Bayern, with Milan and Real Madrid the only teams to have won more.
Atletico Madrid
Second place:
Failed to reach the target until the win against Porto on matchday six. A goalless draw against the Portuguese on matchday one was followed by a last-gasp win in Milan, which did not have the momentum many expected. Back-to-back defeats to Liverpool left them between a rock and a hard place, but that's how Simeone's side likes to feel.
Coach: Diego Simeone
Simeone has led the Spanish side to two Europa League titles, two UEFA Super Cups and two UEFA Champions League finals. Last season he added a second La Liga title to prove that his powers remain intact.
Key player: Luis Suárez
Signed from Barcelona in the summer of 2020, the Uruguayan striker has proved to be a great acquisition. He scored 21 goals in the 2020/21 season, the last of which helped his side to their first league title in seven years.
Did you know?
The only time Atleti failed to advance beyond the UEFA Champions League group stage under Simeone, in 2017/18, they ended up winning the Europa League.
Group C:
Ajax
First place finisher
Another Ajax team built from the 'totaalvoetbal' mold. Every player on the team, even the goalkeeper, is comfortable with possession and is able to keep possession even under extreme pressure. They change positions effortlessly, are excellent at creating play and exploiting space. What's more, they are convinced of playing fluid and creative soccer. What's not to like?
Coach: Erik ten Hag
Ten Hag has done a superb job with a constantly evolving squad. After leading Ajax to the doorstep of the UEFA Champions League final in 2018/19, he lost many of the team's key players that summer, but has done nothing but rebuild the team - same script with different actors.
Key player: Sébastien Haller
The first player in history to score nine goals in his first five UEFA Champions League games. The Ivorian striker has adapted seamlessly to the top flight of European soccer.
Did you know?
Haller is the second player to score in all six group stage matches in a single season, following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2017/18 edition.
Sporting CP
Second place
The outlook was pretty bleak after the Portuguese started their first group stage in four years with two consecutive defeats, but three straight wins saw them reach the round of 16 for only the second time in their history. Quite a debut campaign for 37-year-old coach Rúben Amorim.
Coach: Rúben Amorim
The former Portuguese midfielder was the architect of Sporting's first league title in 19 years during his first full season as coach. The 'lions' set the longest unbeaten record in a single campaign (32 matches without defeat) and saw off Braga in the League Cup final.
Key player: Pedro Gonçalves
Before signing for Sporting in August 2020 he had scored just seven goals in his career, but finished his first season in Lisbon as the league's top scorer with 23 goals. The 23-year-old started this campaign in very similar form and has been a full international for Portugal.
Did you know?
Sporting had only progressed beyond the group stage in one of their previous eight attempts in the UEFA Champions League era.
Group D:
Real Madrid
First classified
Madrid's good away form (three wins, with nine goals scored and none conceded) underpinned their qualification. With Karim Benzema and Vinícius Júnior shining brightly, Los Blancos could afford a surprise slip-up at home to debutants Sheriff. Madrid are where they want to be, and from here they are always a threat.
Coach: Carlo Ancelotti
The coach who led Madrid to 'La Décima' in 2014 returned last summer for a second spell in charge. He is one of three coaches to have won the European Cup and UEFA Champions League three times.
Key player: Karim Benzema
Many wondered who would score Real Madrid's goals when Cristiano Ronaldo left in 2018, but the French striker has more than delivered to become the attacking reference of this team. Precisely, it was he who scored the club's 1,000th goal in competition against Shakhtar earlier this season.
Did you know?
Real Madrid have never failed to advance beyond the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
Inter
Second place
Simone Inzaghi's Inter may be less solid than Antonio Conte's version despite having the same 3-5-2 system of play. However, the Italians are certainly playing more attacking soccer compared to last season. They have missed an incredible number of chances, especially against Real Madrid and Shakhtar. If they sharpen up front, they could go a long way.
Coach: Simone Inzaghi
A Serie A and three-time Italian Cup winner as a Lazio player, the 45-year-old also gave the Romans a domestic cup during his five seasons in charge. Tactically, he is another master of the 3-5-2, like his predecessor Conte.
Key player: Nicolò Barella
Awarded the best midfielder award in Serie A last season, the 24-year-old already looks a more than complete player. Capable of playing in a creative role, playing further back or playing 'box to box', Barella continues to improve after playing a key role in Inter's winning of the 2020/21 Scudetto last season and Italy's EURO 2020 triumph. His only mistake was the red card he received on matchday six.
Did you know?
Despite being European champions in 2010, Inter now reach the knockout stage for the first time in a decade.
Group E:
Bayern
First place
For all their limitations due to injury and illness this season, results have been comfortable so far and Bayern will again be one of the top title contenders in the spring if they continue at this level. In addition, the tactical strategy being implemented by new coach Julian Nagelsmann should make itself felt as the season progresses.
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
The 34-year-old is proving to be a worthy successor to Hansi Flick after several good performances from his team and their run through the group stage. In 2016, he became the youngest coach in Bundesliga history when he took the reins at Hoffenheim at the age of 28, leading them to the UEFA Champions League by finishing fourth the following year. He continued to impress in two seasons with Leipzig before joining Bayern in the summer.
Key player: Robert Lewandowski
The relentless Polish striker reached new heights last term, scoring a record 41 goals in the German league as Bayern became champions for the ninth time in a row. This season he remains in top form, scoring nine goals in the group stage, which puts him third on the all-time UEFA Champions League goalscoring charts.
Did you know?
Bayern have extended their unbeaten away record in the UEFA Champions League to 21 matches.
Benfica
Second place
Group winners Bayern proved too strong, but Benfica, who started as clear underdogs, finished above Barcelona with the help of an impressive 3-0 win in Lisbon. Darwin Nunez's goals, Rafa Silva's pace and Nicolas Otamendi's resilience at the back got the job done for the Eagles.
Coach: Jorge Jesus
During his first stint, from 2009 to 2015, Jorge Jesus became the most successful coach in the club's history by winning ten trophies: three League titles, one Portuguese Cup, one Super Cup and five League Cups. He returned in 2020.
Key player: João Mário
The 28-year-old won the Portuguese League title with Sporting CP while on loan from Inter. He arrived at Benfica this summer, but has made an immediate impact with his ability as an organizer, his vision and his ability to carry the pace of the game. "He brings class to the team," Jesus says of the midfielder, a EURO 2016 winner with Portugal.
Did you know?
The Lisbon giants have reached seven European Cup finals, but have lost the last five (the last one against Milan in 1990).
Group F:
Manchester United
First qualifier
THE PLAYER Jadon Sancho scored his first goal for United to confirm their presence in the Round of 16 with one group stage game to play. In the midst of a turbulent Premier League campaign, United recovered from an opening-day shock against Young Boys to at least stabilize their season in Europe.
Coach: Ralf Rangnick
The 63-year-old "soccer professor" has replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjær as United's interim manager until the end of the season. Having coached clubs such as Hoffenheim and Schalke, whom he took to the semifinals in 2011, Rangnick oversaw Leipzig's meteoric rise from the fourth division to the Bundesliga and Europe's elite.
Key player: Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese veteran has justified his return to Old Trafford with six goals in the competition, scoring in each of the group stage matches. His last-gasp heroics against Villarreal and Atalanta secured United's passage to the Round of 16.
Did you know?
United have been champions of England a total of 20 times, but have only won two major trophies, the 2015/16 FA Cup and the 2016/17 UEFA Europa League, since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013 after 27 years.
Villarreal
Second place
The Yellow Submarine played some excellent soccer during the group stage, in particular dominating Manchester United for large swathes at Old Trafford. Gerard Moreno's injury meant they lacked a natural goalscorer, which cost them dearly on more than one occasion, but they got the job done.
Coach: Unai Emery
The former Almeria and Valencia coach made the Europa League his own with a hat-trick of success at Sevilla. He led Paris to the domestic treble in 2017/18 and Arsenal to a European final a year later, before joining Villarreal in the summer of 2020 and winning the Europa League again.
Key player: Arnaut Danjuma
Although his summer arrival from England's second tier didn't excite fans too much, the Dutchman has been a revelation both domestically and in Europe with Villarreal, terrorizing defenses with his skill, pace and sense of direction, as well as his nose for goal.
Did you know?
Just under half of Villarreal's 52,000 inhabitants fit into its 23,500-seat stadium.
Group G:
LOSC
First place
After taking two points from their first three games, few would have expected LOSC to reach the Round of 16. However, Jocelyn Gourvennec's side eventually found their feet at this level, winning their first group stage match in nine years on matchday four and building on that victory to book their first place in the Round of 16 since 2006/07.
Coach: Jocelyn Gourvennec
He made his name with six seasons with Guingamp, with whom he won the Coupe de France for the second time in their history in 2014. After a spell with Bordeaux, he had a second spell with the club, and last summer he returned to the dugout after a two-year absence.
Key player: Jonathan David
The 21-year-old Canadian striker was the most expensive player in LOSC history when he joined in August 2020 from Gent, and really started to perform during the final stretch of the club's French title run last season. Even more prolific this year, David has scored decisive goals on matchday 4, 5 and 6.
Did you know?
This is the second time in eight attempts that LOSC has made it past the group stage.
RB Salzburg
Second place
Salzburg looked to be going from strength to strength after taking seven points from their first three games, but faltered as they looked to take the final step towards the knockout stage. Results have been less than stellar since November, but this young and exciting team will be a force to be reckoned with once they regain their composure.
Coach: Matthias Jaissle
It was a big surprise when Salzburg announced that a 33-year-old former Hoffenheim defender, who had never coached a top-flight team before, would be their new leader last summer. He joined after two years in charge of the U-18s.
Key player: Karim Adeyemi
The striker has a lot to work on, but he could be the next top-class striker to come off the Salzburg production line after Patson Daka and Erling Haaland. The 19-year-old is quick, versatile and merciless in front of goal, and has already made a name for himself in Germany's senior national team.
Did you know?
Salzburg have reached the Round of 16 for the first time in their history. They reached the UEFA Cup final in 1994, losing 2-0 on aggregate to Inter.
Group H:
Juventus
First place
Massimiliano Allegri rejoined Juventus in May, but is still searching for the magic trick with which he led the Italian side to two finals during his first spell as coach. Juve, highly inconsistent in Serie A, performed strongly with four wins in their opening games to get their European campaign off to a flying start, but a 4-0 defeat at Chelsea on matchday five brought the Italians crashing back to reality.
Coach: Massimiliano Allegri
The 54-year-old returned to the dugout with a mission after a two-year sabbatical. He took Juventus to the 2015 and 2017 UEFA Champions League finals, but lost on both occasions.
Key player: Federico Chiesa
After reaching EURO glory with Italy, the winger continues his progression and is becoming a real leader of this Juve. He scored the only goal in the decisive win over Chelsea in Turin.
Did you know?
The Italians have reached the final five times since their last triumph in 1996, but have been unable to add a third title to their trophy cabinet. No club has lost more finals than their seven defeats.
Chelsea
Second place
This is a great team. Everything Thomas Tuchel touches seems to turn to gold and this team is a joy to watch. Apart from the matchday 2 defeat in Turin, they look as relentless and efficient as they were in last season's knockout stage. It will take something different to stop them.
Coach: Thomas Tuchel
The coach took over last January and immediately put together a 14-game unbeaten run. The former Mainz and Dortmund coach was runner-up with Paris in 2020, before excelling last season with the English side. His luck has not yet deserted him.
Key player: Jorginho
The 2020/21 UEFA Player of the Year is a key player in midfield, and more often than not sets the pace for his team and the match.
Did you know?
Chelsea had conceded just three goals in 12 UEFA Champions League games since Tuchel's arrival until the 3-3 draw with Zenit on matchday 6.
Draw for the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League
There will be two groups of seeded teams, one made up of the top 8 teams in each group (seeded) and the other of the 8 second-placed teams (unseededed). No team may play against a club of its own group or against a team of its own federation.
The draw will take place on Monday, December 13th. Good luck to all teams.
Well, this is the end of the review of the teams that qualified for the round of 16, I hope you liked and found the information useful, thank you very much, see you again!
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