The Champions League last-16 second legs happen this week; Benfica and Chelsea went by means of on Tuesday; Bayern Munich face PSG and Tottenham host AC Milan on Wednesday to succeed in quarter-finals; observe the entire Champions League matches on Sky Sports’ digital platforms

As the Champions League final 16 continues with its essential second-leg matches, Sky Sports’ soccer writers pick the important thing speaking factors from the standout ties.

Can record-breaker Mbappe get what he desires from PSG – and with out Neymar?

Bayern Munich vs PSG (agg 1-0), Wednesday, kick-off 8pm

It has been a great week for Kylian Mbappe, who broke the Paris Saint-Germain goalscoring document along with his 201st purpose for the membership on Saturday night.

It is a serious landmark for the 24-year-old ahead – however now the eye turns again to the Champions League, the one trophy to have evaded the Frenchman in his profession.

PSG go into Wednesday night time’s last-16 second leg at Bayern Munich trailing 1-0 from the primary encounter in Paris. The French champions will want a serious efficiency to progress and can doubtless flip to their talismanic No 7 for inspiration.

However, they are going to be with out fellow star ahead Neymar. The Brazilian has been dominated out for the rest of the season as he undergoes surgical procedure on an ankle harm picked up in February. The French facet have misplaced one among their key gamers in one of the crucial essential elements of the season – and Mbappe might want to play a good larger position.

But ought to PSG exit of the competitors at this early stage, it might open up a wave of hypothesis about Mbappe’s future in Paris. Can PSG ship Mbappe the trophy he actually desires?

The participant himself is adamant that Champions League fortunes won’t dictate his future, however Mbappe could be 25 by the point the subsequent knockout phases come round. He will likely be getting into his prime and would need to be at the very best membership to realize a number of European honours to match his stature.
Sam Blitz

Will Spurs kickstart their season once more?

Tottenham vs AC Milan (agg 0-1), Wednesday, kick-off 8pm

Tottenham haven’t received a European knockout sport in any UEFA competitors since they reached the Champions League remaining in 2019.

That shouldn’t be the one hoodoo Spurs are dealing with as they put together to host AC Milan on Wednesday night time. It has been a decade since Antonio Conte final made the Champions League quarter-finals as a supervisor, with last-16 and group-stage exits in every of his final 4 campaigns at Europe’s prime desk.

They maybe won’t get a greater likelihood to succeed in the quarter-finals of the Champions League than this yr – as they arrive up towards a facet in the same scenario to themselves: Out of the title race and within the midst of inconsistent outcomes.

Trailing Milan 1-0 from the primary leg, Conte and Spurs want a last-eight spot on this yr’s competitors to kickstart some life into their season and present this facet have improved from final season.

An exit and Spurs will likely be competing for fourth place once more, as they had been on the finish of the final marketing campaign – is that this sufficient for Conte, Harry Kane and others to remain trustworthy to this venture for an additional season?

Spurs have missed their taking pictures boots of their final two video games – however have managed massive derby wins of their most up-to-date dwelling matches towards West Ham and Chelsea. Those two matches are one thing to copy on Wednesday.
Sam Blitz

Musiala is the main man for Bayern now

Bayern vs PSG (agg 1-0), Wednesday, kick-off 8pm

Speaking to Jamal Musiala within the blended zone after the German Super Cup win in Leipzig in July, he outlined the problem of changing outgoing striker Robert Lewandowski. Musiala had been the primary of 5 Bayern Munich gamers to attain that afternoon.

“With all the goals that he scored, it is not easy to find a player like that. But we have an amazing squad and we have to spread the goals out between all of us and have to find offensive solutions apart from Lewandowski to score goals.”

As the Michael Jordan meme goes, Musiala took that personally. The 20-year-old midfielder is Bayern’s prime scorer within the Bundesliga this season, turning into maybe their most vital participant. Against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night time, the workforce will flip to him.

As nicely because the objectives, Musiala is second within the Bundesliga for assists this season. He additionally ranks fifth for essentially the most dribbles within the competitors too. His motion, on the ball and off it, is proving elusive – an unlikely feat provided that he stands six ft tall.

Julian Nagelsmann has stated that the ball sticks to Musiala’s foot like a magnet and the Bayern coach has discovered an attention-grabbing position for him on this workforce. The rotations round Musiala usually change, the formation too, however there’s a zone that he has made his personal.

“Left-side 10,” that’s how Musiala described it that day in Leipzig. “It is pretty open,” he explains. “You can always rotate to go out wide or come inside, there is space inside for me to turn and dribble into and create chances. It all depends on the opponent how we play.”

PSG will likely be doing their very own factor in Munich with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to name upon, however don’t be too stunned whether it is Musiala who’s the decisive determine on this Champions League tie. The man who has stepped up since Lewandowski’s departure.
Adam Bate