Its iconic anthem, combined with the thrill of big European evenings, will resound: the Champions League resumes this Tuesday, February 13. To begin the round of 16, Real Madrid, winner of the event in 2022, and Manchester City, outgoing champion, launch hostilities. The Spanish giant travels to Leipzig, while Pep Guardiola’s team faces the Copenhagen Lions.
The White House, launched towards the La Liga title after the slap inflicted on Girona in the championship this Saturday (4-0), won all its group matches in C1. Against Leipzig, the Madrid club advances as favorite, buoyed by a lively attack. But the Merengues will have to do without their top scorer since Jude Bellingham is injured. Author of a double against Girona, the English midfielder should be absent for several weeks. The club’s medical services diagnosed the 20-year-old with “a high-grade sprain of the left ankle”. A type of glitch that could keep him off the lawn for two to three weeks.
“He reminds me of Zidane”
“In certain aspects, he reminds me of Zidane, for his extraordinary quality with the ball,” said Carlo Ancelotti after the success against Girona. Zidane had a superior technical level, but Bellingham complemented that with his sense of projection in the area. » However, his absence does not worry the Madrid coach: “The strength of this team is that, in difficulty, the involvement and attitude increase. »
Real Madrid must also deal with a revisited central defense. Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba are absent, all three injured. Nacho is present in the group but should be accompanied by someone new to the position. This Saturday against Girona, Dani Carvajal and Aurélien Tchouaméni made up the hinge. A good vein to dig for Leipzig? The German club can count on its striker Loïs Openda, author of 19 goals this season, including 4 in the Champions League. The ex-RC Lens player will be accompanied by other former Ligue 1 players: youngsters Xavi Simons, Castello Lukeba and Mohamed Simakan.
But the team coached by Marco Rose is not in a particularly favorable dynamic. She has only won once in her last five matches and has three defeats. On Saturday, she was held in check in Augsburg (2-2). However, she easily qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League. RasenBallsport Leipzig, its full name, finished second in its group with 12 points behind… Manchester City.
“It was horrible”
The English team, with six successes in six matches, had in fact left no crumb to their opponents. Less visible than previous seasons, Pep Guardiola’s team traces its furrow in the shadows. Runner-up to Liverpool in the Premier League, they are two points behind the Reds, with a game in hand to play. Above all, they are riding a series of 10 successes and have not lost since December 6 against Aston Villa (1-0 away). The cityzen steamroller is now well and truly launched, magnified by its individualities. Looking for a goal since November 28, Erling Haaland scored his 20th and 21st goals of the season on Saturday against Everton (2-0).
The Norwegian striker had been away from the field for several weeks after suffering a stress fracture in his foot. He only returned to competition at the end of January. “It was horrible,” he told TNT Sports this weekend. It makes you enjoy going to practice every day, meeting everyone before the game, being a little nervous before every game, and all those things. »
Against the Cityzens, a Danish surprise will present itself. FC Copenhagen indeed achieved the feat of qualifying for the round of 16. They finished second in their group behind Bayern but ahead of Galatasaray and Manchester United. Against the Red Devils, the Scandinavian club won 4-3 at home after a completely crazy match on November 8. Pep Guardiola refused to underestimate the Danes at a press conference: “They managed to qualify from one of the groups that was probably the hardest to get out of. In my experience, the first leg of the round of 16 is always tricky. »
