After an enthralling commencement of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 last week, eight more teams resume play this week in another set of first-leg matchups.
While powerhouses like Manchester City succeeded and others, like Bayern Munich, stumbled last week, this week's action will witness additional European giants making significant strides in the first leg.
A highlight of this week's matches is Barcelona's clash against Napoli on Tuesday, promising to be one of several closely contested ties. Last season's finalists Inter take on an attack-minded Atletico Madrid, and Arsenal continue their first Champions League campaign in seven years against the prolific Porto.
Here's what you need to know about this week's fixtures.
At what time will the UEFA Champions League Round 16 matches start?
The UEFA Champions League 2023 Round 16 matches will start at 8:00 pm GMT.
When and where to watch the UEFA Champions League Round 16 matches?
Spain: Telefonica
Portugal: DAZN, TVI
Germany: DAZN, Prime Video
France: Canal+, beIN, RMC Sport
United Kingdom: TNT Sports
Italy: Mediaset, Prime Video, Sky Italia
Netherlands: RTL, Ziggo Sport
Middle East/North Africa: beIN
United States of America: CBS, TUDN
Canada: DAZN
Australia: Stan Sport
New Zealand: beIN
Indian Sub-Continent: Sony
Schedule of this week's first-leg fixtures
Tuesday, 20 February 2024
Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid (8:00 pm GMT)
PSV vs Dortmund (8:00 pm GMT)
Wednesday, 21 February 2024
Porto vs Arsenal (8:00 pm GMT)
Napoli vs Barcelona (8:00 pm GMT)
Wednesday's match between Napoli and Barcelona sees a clash of the Italian and Spanish champions, typically indicating a high-calibre encounter. Despite potential competitiveness, these two giants are currently not at their peak, adding an intriguing dimension to this fixture.
Italy is the latest destination in Xavi's farewell tour, following his announcement of departure at the end of the season due to a series of disappointing results. With three months remaining and several prominent matchups ahead, Barcelona aim to avoid concluding Xavi's managerial tenure with a lackluster performance. They remain undefeated in the four games since the announcement, but defensive issues persist, having conceded five times during this period.
Meanwhile, after a seven-year absence from Europe's premier club competition, Arsenal swiftly re-established themselves as one of the continent's top teams with a first-place finish in Group B. They have started 2024 in strong form, trailing by just two points in the Premier League.
They will get a chance to answer that question against Porto, a team with attacking prowess but considered underdogs in this tie. Arsenal may have to navigate the match without impactful players like Gabriel Jesus and Oleksander Zinchenko.
Still, the recent performances of Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard should be sufficient to keep Arsenal in control on most occasions. As Arsenal embarks on another season filled with hope, this tie presents a significant opportunity for them to demonstrate not only their upward trajectory but also their ability to secure a place among Europe's elite.
