Bodo/Glimt on the brink, Gunners ready to fire and failure looms for Chelsea and Manchester City

Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt stand on the brink of reaching the last eight as they travel to Sporting CP with a 3-0 advantage from the first leg.

Premier League leaders Arsenal enjoy home advantage as they look to progress past Bayer Leverkusen while Chelsea and Manchester City face elimination with both teams three goals behind to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid respectively.

When will Bodo tire of causing upsets?

Bodo/Glimt’s debut season in the Champions League has been nothing short of sensational.

They failed to win any of their first six league phase matches, but amazingly have since won five on the spin.

Their stirring run includes victories over Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan (twice) and Sporting.

They thumped Sporting 3-0 in last week’s first leg, making them huge favourites to reach the quarter-finals.

Bodo goalscorer and player-of-the-match Sondre Fet was outstanding against the Portuguese giants and believes Kjetil Knutsen’s men can finish the job this evening.

The midfielder said: “It will be a really difficult game in Lisbon, but if we just continue the way we defend and attack as a team I think we can also make trouble for them there.”

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Gunners need to fire to seal quarter-final spot

After a perfect eight wins from eight in the league phase of the competition, Arsenal finally hit a bump in the road in Germany last week.

They needed a late penalty from Kai Havertz to salvage a 1-1 draw away to Bayer Leverkusen and make them favourites to progress at the Emirates.

Having finished top of the league phase, Mikel Arteta’s quadruple-chasers will enjoy home advantage in the second leg of the quarter-finals and semi-finals should they continue to progress.

Despite being held in Germany, few would bet against the Gunners advancing into the last eight this evening.

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Blues need to tighten up

Chelsea were level with Paris Saint-Germain at 2-2 with 16 minutes remaining of their first-leg tie in Paris last Wednesday.

But instead of heading home with the tie still alive, they shipped three late goals to lose 5-2 and make Luis Enrique’s men huge favourites to progress into the quarter-finals.

Even heading into the closing stages, Chelsea trailed only 3-2 but left themselves wide open in the last few minutes as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s double put PSG in form control.

It will take a special effort from the Blues to turn this one around and it looks a bridge too far.

Liam Rosenior’s side have goals in their armoury, but at both ends of the field, having kept just one clean sheet in their last 13 games.

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Pep’s last Champions League hurrah as City boss?

Much like Chelsea, Manchester City have it all to do in the second leg of their Champions League tie at home to Real Madrid. And then some.

Pep Guardiola’s side were thumped 3-0 in Madrid last Wednesday and only the most optimistic City supporter will believe they can overturn Los Blancos’ commanding advantage.

As speculation mounts that Guardiola will leave City at the end of the season, a Champions League exit tonight could mark his final game in the competition. For now at least.

The Catalan, who memorably led City to Champions League success in 2022-23 as part of a glorious treble, is approaching the end of his 10th season in charge at the Etihad.

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 Tottenham vs Atletico Madrid and Manchester City vs Real Madrid in the Last 16 exclusively on DAZN, in Spanish language.