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Testing trips for Liverpool and Bayern, Tudor scrutiny mounting and Toon host Barca - Tuesday's Champions League talking points
The Last-16 of the Champions League gets underway tonight as six-time European champions Liverpool and Bayern Munich travel to Galatasaray and Atalanta respectively.
Interim boss Igor Tudor is already feeling the heat as his Tottenham Hotspur side head to Atletico Madrid and Newcastle United host Barcelona.
Here, DAZN News reporter Ross Heppenstall casts his eye over tonight’s four first-leg ties.
Reds aiming for Turkish delight
Liverpool might need to win the Champions League if they are to play in it again next season.
Arne Slot’s men lie sixth in the Premier League and their chances of finishing in the Champions League places appear touch and go.
They head to Istanbul tonight to take on Turkish champions Galatasaray, who have already beaten them this season.
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen scored the only goal when the sides met in Istanbul in the league phase in September.
The Turks are top of their domestic league and will be overflowing with confidence after dumping Juventus out of the Champions League play-offs last month.
Osimhen and Baris Yilmaz scored in extra-time of the second leg in Turin as Galatasaray held off a stirring fightback from 10-man Juve to win 7-5 on aggregate, having claimed a stunning 5-2 first-leg win in Turkey.
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Kane poised for return
Bayern Munich finished second in the league phase and now face an Atalanta side who were 15th after eight games before beating Borussia Dortmund in the play-offs.
Atalanta have plenty of quality in their ranks, as evidenced by their stunning 4-1 second-leg win over Dortmund, which sealed a 4-3 aggregate victory.
Now they host another German giant in Bayern, who are 11 points clear at the Bundesliga summit and hope to have Harry Kane passed fit to play in Bergamo.
The England captain, who has been in incredible form this season, missed Bayern’s 4-1 home win over Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday with a calf strain.
Bayern boss Vincent Kompany said: “Hopefully [Kane will return]. If he makes it then great. Otherwise we'll do it with the guys we have.”
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Last-chance saloon for Tudor?
It says everything about the crisis engulfing Tottenham right now that Igor Tudor is already being tipped for the sack – just three games into his reign.
Even by modern football standards, it feels crazy but at least tonight’s trip to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League offers some respite from their Premier League relegation scrap.
After three defeats in his first three games, though, Tudor may well need a result to stay in a job.
His men looked drained of confidence and the Croat has so far been unable to inspire any kind of upturn in form.
In fact, Spurs have got worse since he arrived and now they face an Atletico side who are no mugs, having beaten Club Brugge 7-4 on aggregate in their recent play-off.
Julian Finney/Getty Images
Barca back in Toon
La Liga leaders Barcelona head to St James’ Park tonight for the second time this season, having beaten Newcastle United there in the league phase.
That 2-1 success on Matchday 1 in September came courtesy of two goals from England striker Marcus Rashford, who is on a season-long loan at Camp Nou.
Hans Flick’s men, four points clear of their domestic league, finished fifth in the league phase and boast some of the finest talent in world football in Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski.
Newcastle, who needed to win a play-off against Qarabag to reach the Last-16, are blowing very hot and cold right now.
They beat Manchester United at home last week but were then dumped out of the FA Cup by Manchester City on home soil three days later.
With a daunting second leg in Barcelona next Wednesday, the Magpies need a result in front of their own supporters this evening.
@FCBarcelona_es
Watch the Champions League on DAZN
Every Champions League match this season can be watched on DAZN in Canada and New Zealand.
For US soccer fans watch Atletico Madrid vs. Tottenham, and Real Madrid vs. Manchester City in the Last 16 exclusively on DAZN, in Spanish language.
