FC Barcelona, still sluggish in the championship, travels to Naples on Wednesday in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League to try to show a new face, while the 2023 finalist Inter Milan calmly welcomes Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
Naples-Barcelona: a sick duel
Still unconvincing this weekend and saved at the last minute from a new poor performance by Robert Lewandowski against Celta Vigo (2-1), the Catalans, 3rd in Liga, continue to show a face that is far too pale and far from their European status.
Xavi’s men, who have already announced his departure at the end of the season due to his team’s poor results, can recover in Italy, in Naples in the round of 16 first leg of C1.
Because Naples is not the same team as last season: the reigning Italian champion is currently 9th in Serie A, held to a draw this weekend against Genoa. And technician Walter Mazzarri is in turmoil.
His Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, returned from the African Cup of Nations (CAN), should make his return on Wednesday (9 p.m.).
It could already be decisive against a Barcelona defense which has conceded 34 goals in the league this season, and which will have to be much less feverish than currently.
Inter calm before Atletico
The other poster for the round of 16 is the clash on Tuesday (9:00 p.m.) between Inter and Atletico Madrid, with a distance duel between Marcus Thuram and Antoine Griezmman.
Atletico reassured itself this weekend by inflicting a “manita” on Las Palmas (5-0).
A great success which can give confidence to the Colchoneros – whose star Griezmann was left to rest this weekend – before the perilous trip to the pitch of Inter, leader of the Italian championship by nine points and finalist of the competition. last year.
Facing Diego Simeone’s men, who will play his 100th match at the helm of Atletico in the Champions League, the Italians will be full of confidence after having pocketed 12 points out of 12 in Serie A.
Serious and focused, the teammates of Marcus Thuram, again a scorer this weekend against Salernitana (4-0), seem calmly turned towards this shock at San Siro and towards their other objective of the season, the C1, in addition to a 20th championship title.
In the group stage, Inter did not lose a single match, although they finished second behind Real Sociedad.
Arsenal, favor to Porto
In England, Arsenal continues to impress, with its 2nd place and 55 points, two points behind leader Liverpool. Mikel Arteta’s players have piled up goals (21) in the last five league matches, including five at Burnley (5-0) and six against West Ham (6-0).
Led by captain Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, they seem well above FC Porto, third in the Portuguese championship and whom they meet on Wednesday (9 p.m.).
Dortmund clings to the C1
In the other match on Tuesday, two teams in full progress will face each other in Eindhoven.
On the one hand PSV, which has only lost one match this season (4-0 against Arsenal in the group stage of the Champions League).
On the other, Dortmund, which got out of the complicated group with PSG, Milan and Newcastle and which has four wins and four draws in the Bundesliga (4th) since the European “break”.
Borussia also strengthened in January with the return of English playmaker Jadon Sancho and Dutch left-back Ian Maatsen, on loan from Chelsea, who was voted best player in the Bundesliga last month.
PSV coach Peter Bosz will return to BVB, which he left after his dismissal in 2017. PSV is aiming for its first Champions League quarter-final since the 2007-2008 season.
The program
Mardi:
(21h00) PSV Eindhoven – Borussia Dortmund
(21h00) Inter Milan – Atletico Madrid
Wednesday:
(9:00 PM) Naples – Barcelona
(21h00) FC Porto – Arsenal
2024-02-19 16:01:51
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