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Leverkusen face herculean task, Liverpool to hold on?

Gulf News highlights the key storylines ahead of Tuesday's second-leg last-16 ties

Associate Editor

3 MIN READ

Harvey Elliott scored the winner against PSG in the first leg

AFP

From Bayer Leverkusen aiming for a historic comeback to Anfield hosting a heavyweight clash between Liverpool and PSG, Gulf News highlights the key storylines ahead of Tuesday's second-leg Champions League last-16 ties.

Barcelona in the driver’s seat against Benfica

Barcelona will aim to secure their spot in the quarter finals, with the Catalan side holding a slender advantage over Benfica after a gritty 1-0 win in Lisbon last week, achieved despite playing with ten men for over 70 minutes.

Hansi Flick’s men enter this fixture unbeaten in all competitions in 2025 (W13, D3), a remarkable record that highlights their resilience. Their temporary home has been a fortress, with Barcelona unbeaten in seven matches there (W5, D2), averaging a formidable 3.43 goals per game. With the weekend La Liga fixture against Osasuna postponed, Barça will be well-rested for this crucial clash.

Benfica face a daunting task, having never won at Barcelona in four previous visits (D2, L2). The Portuguese side have also struggled historically against Spanish clubs, winning just three of their last 24 UEFA games against such opposition (D8, L13).

However, Bruno Lage’s team has shown strength on the road, winning four of their five away games in this season’s competition, including three by narrow one-goal margins—a result that could force extra time.

While Benfica’s recent domestic form inspires confidence, Barcelona’s unbeaten streak and dominant home performances make them strong favourites to advance.

Leverkusen face herculean task

Trailing 3-0 from the first leg, Bayer Leverkusen must produce one of the most remarkable comebacks in the competition’s history to progress agasint Bayern Munich. Only four teams have ever overturned a three-goal first-leg deficit in the knockout stages, highlighting the scale of the task ahead.

Leverkusen’s recent form provides little encouragement. A 2-0 weekend defeat to Werder Bremen not only extended their losing streak but also saw star midfielder Florian Wirtz forced off with an injury. However, Alonso’s men can take heart from their strong home record against Bayern under his leadership, with two wins and a draw in their last three meetings at the BayArena.

Bayern Munich, meanwhile, are aiming to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the 35th time, a feat bettered only by Real Madrid. Despite a shock 3-2 loss to Bochum in their last outing, in which they played much of the game with ten men, Vincent Kompany’s side remains the clear favourite to advance. Key players were rested at the weekend, ensuring the squad is fresh for this crucial clash.

While Bayern have been less dominant in away games this season, suffering two heavy defeats in the group stage, their commanding first-leg advantage and wealth of experience make them strong contenders to move on.

Liverpool set to defend slim lead

Liverpool hold a slender 1-0 advantage heading into the second leg clash with Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield, with the Reds capitalising on their only shot on target in Paris, surviving relentless pressure to claim a hard-fought win.

Now, with their impeccable record of progressing from all 37 previous European ties after winning the first leg away from home, Liverpool are firmly in the driver’s seat.

Recent form adds to the hosts’ confidence. Despite a first-half scare against Premier League strugglers Southampton at the weekend, Arne Slot’s side rallied to secure a 3-1 victory. Anfield has been a fortress against French opposition, with Liverpool winning their last five home encounters against teams from France.

For PSG, history is not on their side. French clubs have failed to win their last 15 visits to England in European competitions (D1, L14), with PSG themselves losing on their last four trips. However, Luis Enrique’s men are no strangers to dramatic turnarounds. The Parisians have overcome a first-leg deficit in two of their previous five UCL knockout ties, including an extraordinary comeback against Barcelona last season.

PSG will arrive on Merseyside with renewed confidence after an emphatic 4-1 win at Rennes, where they rested their star players, but overturning Liverpool’s advantage at Anfield remains a daunting task.

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