The first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 was nothing short of thrilling— Arsenal ran riot with a 7-1 demolition of PSV, Real Madrid edged past city rivals Atlético in a tense derby, while 10-man Barcelona showed their class with statement wins. Inter held firm against Feyenoord, Liverpool stunned PSG in Paris, and Dortmund’s draw with Lille kept things wide open. Now, as the second leg looms, it’s do-or-die time. Can Atlético, Leverkusen, and Benfica mount a comeback? Will PSG and PSV turn their fortunes around? The road to the quarter-finals is set for fireworks!

Liverpool vs Paris

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The term ‘smash and grab victory’ could have been coined specifically for the first leg of this heavyweight tie, a match in which Paris had 28 attempts to Liverpool’s two yet fell to defeat thanks to some inspired Alisson Becker goalkeeping and a late Harvey Elliott winner off the bench for the Reds. “Today wasn’t a game based on the stats or the details. We were far superior,” insisted Paris coach Luis Enrique, while Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitted “had we got a draw, we would still have been the lucky ones.”

Speaking about the upcoming match, the coaches had this to say:

Arne Slot, Liverpool manager: “This is the most complete team we’ve faced so far [this season]. Of course, we have played Arsenal, Real Madrid, Man City but the quality Paris have [is amazing]. They have so much quality with a great coach, he let’s them play in a way that is not easy to play against, with an incredible work-rate. That is why we have to be at our best tomorrow.”

Luis Enrique, Paris coach: “We followed the course of the week as usual [after the first leg]. We did the Liverpool debrief, then we prepared for the match against Rennes. We will have training, then the match on Tuesday. My approach does not change, but what is true is that as things stand we are eliminated. We only have one option, to go on the pitch to win but that is what we would have done anyway.”

Can Paris finally take their chances in the second leg, or are Liverpool set for a fifth quarter-final in the last eight seasons?

Leverkusen vs Bayern

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Given Leverkusen’s recent superiority over Bayern domestically, a 3-0 defeat in the first leg at Fußball Arena München came as something of a surprise, with the clinical Harry Kane scoring two to punish Xabi Alonso’s side. Leverkusen are not the type of team to lie down and roll over, though, and a packed house at the BayArena will still believe in what would be a miraculous comeback. “We can’t get carried away,” warned Kane. “We know how tough a team they are, we know they can be dangerous and next week will be tough.”

Speaking about the upcoming match, the coaches had this to say:

Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen coach: “The first step is to believe. Us, and the fans that come to the stadium. They need to believe from the first second that we are able to do it. It’s a game in a different dimension for us, it can go down in our individual history for a long time – if we play with great heart, passion, aggressiveness, intensity and with a cool head. We know how difficult it is, but sometimes a difficult situation creates something epic.”

Vincent Kompany, Bayern coach: “You always want to win here. We want to get the result that sees us through. When we play a game, we go into it with the main priority of wanting to win it. We need to prepare for what we can prepare for. It’s about the duels we want to win, the goals we want to score. At the end of the day, the players’ quality will decide things. We will also have a big influence on the game.”

Barcelona vs Benfica

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Although it didn’t quite match the 5-4 thriller in the league phase, the first leg between these European giants was still an engaging watch, with Barcelona managing to come away from Lisbon with a victory courtesy of Raphinha’s low drive despite playing over 70 minutes with ten men after Pau Cubarsí was sent off early on. Benfica still have hope, though. “We believe we can go there and win,” insisted midfielder Fredrik Aursnes to UEFA.com. “We have to believe, do our best and see how far we can go.”

Speaking about the upcoming match, the coaches had this to say:

Hansi Flick, Barcelona coach: “They have a great team. Bruno Lage is doing a great job and his philosophy is evident on the pitch. The best thing for us to do is remain 100% focused and not think about the first leg. They press high up the pitch, they do it very well, and they have won many away games. We have to be aware of that. In this morning’s talk, we showed the good and bad of the first leg. No one thinks the work is done on our side.”

Bruno Lage, Benfica coach: “Our aim is to feel confident. We created many opportunities when we played them [in the league phase and the first leg], and we felt that we could have had different results in both games. We have to understand very well how we can build on those two games.”

Don’t write this tie off just yet.

Inter vs Feyenoord

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Inter’s incredible defensive solidity in this season’s competition continued in the first leg as they recorded an eighth clean sheet from nine games to win 2-0 and leave Feyenoord with it all to do in Milan. The Dutch side, however, have already recorded a positive result at the Stadio San Siro this season, drawing 1-1 with the Nerazzurri’s rivals AC Milan to secure a 2-1 aggregate victory in the knockout play-offs, and will take inspiration from that famous night and believe they can do it all over again.

Speaking about the upcoming match, the coaches had this to say:

Simone Inzaghi, Inter coach: “They will alternate, like they did in the first leg. There were moments when they were very aggressive, others when they waited in their half of the field. I think all teams in Europe do this. They will come to Milan to create difficulties for us. We will have to be good at playing a game which demands running, aggression, and determination.”

Robin van Persie, Feyenoord coach: “I’m not going to make up a nonsense story by saying that we’re just going to win here. But there is always hope and belief that we can pull something off. The 4,600 supporters with us here in Milan share that belief. It will be a big challenge. What is important to me is how we present ourselves and how we go for it. That’s what I must convey to the players.”

With the stakes at an all-time high, every moment in the second leg will be decisive. Will Liverpool’s resilience hold firm against PSG’s firepower, or will Luis Enrique’s side finally take their chances? Can Leverkusen defy the odds and pull off the impossible against a ruthless Bayern? Barcelona, despite their first-leg advantage, must remain wary of Benfica’s attacking intent, while Inter will need to withstand Feyenoord’s last-ditch push for a comeback. As the final whistle approaches in each of these showdowns, the dream of Champions League glory will either be reignited or extinguished. One thing is certain—football fans around the world are in for another electrifying night of Champions League football as Europe’s elite fight for their place in the last eight.