- First leg at Allianz Arena, 8pm BST kick-off
- Previews and predictions | Email Niall here
After the thrills and spills of the “league phase”, the Champions League playoff and last-16 ties have churned out a more familiar pattern. Six of last season’s quarter-finalists – Dortmund, PSG, Barcelona, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich – have made it back to the last eight this time. The two newcomers are Aston Villa and Internazionale, and the team from Milan don’t feel like outsiders.
Since returning to the tournament in 2019, Inter have gradually found their feet, reaching the final in 2023 and running Manchester City very close in Istanbul. The aim now is to maintain their place at the top table, seeking an end to Italy’s 15-year European Cup drought. Given that they beat Bayern in the 2010 final, Munich seems a good place to take that next step, after a controlled campaign with just two goals conceded across 10 matches.
