Possible Champions League Encounters in the Knockout Phase

We take a look at some of the possible matches that might take place between the best European sides in the knockout phase of the competition.

Now that the Champions League group stage is over, sporting fans will not see any European football action until February when the competition resumes with the round of 16. A total of 8 matches will be played in this round as 16 sides will take on one another in some spectacular games that will see only the best emerge as the victors of this round.

UK gambling news reports that on Monday (December 15), UEFA will hold a draw in Nyon, Switzerland at 12:00 CET, and will announce the pairings of the clubs in the round of 16. But until then we will explore some teams that might face each other in a fight to reach the final in Berlin to lift the Champions League trophy.

Chelsea might once again face PSG

Jose Mourinho was instrumental in transforming Chelsea into serious contenders for the Champions League trophy this season. The Blues have accumulated 14 points in Group G without losing a single game. Whoever comes up against them will surely have a troubled time finding a way to beat them. The potential sides that may be paired with them are the following: Juventus, Shakhtar, PSG, Basel and Bayer Leverkusen.

Considering the level that Chelsea are on at the moment, it is safe to assume that Basel, Shakhtar and Bayer Leverkusen are all among the teams that should be easy for the Blues to beat. Juventus on the other hand has some incredible players that could inflict serious damage to Jose Mourinho’s men if given the chance. PSG are the ones that pose a serious threat to their further progress, should they put against them at the draw.

• Barcelona may face old foes Arsenal in the round of 16
• Chelsea may be paired with PSG, Shakhtar, Juventus and others
• Manchester City may once again go up against Barcelona

The club from the French capital are lead by Ibrahimovic, one of Mourinho’s former players, and he will surely pose a considerable threat to Chelsea’s defenders. There are also a plethora of other great players that can at any moment create chances and dim the Blues’ hopes of reaching the final on June 6th, 2015.

As per UK gambling laws, many sportbooks offer a range of betting options to punters including the Champions League bets that feature numerous exciting matches and great rewards. Taking into account the fine form that Chelsea are currently enjoying they should be able to pass the round of 16 and make further progress in the elite competition, unless PSG comes manages to surprise everyone.

Barcelona may face a challenge against Manchester City or Juventus

According to UEFA rules and regulations, clubs that are from the same country or even qualifying group cannot face each other in the round of 16. This means that teams will go up against sides that come from different nations than their own, which will make way for some entertaining football.

FC Barcelona, who have topped Group F with a total of 15 points, may come across any of the following teams: Arsenal, Manchester City, Juventus, Basel, Shathktar, Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke. Although all of these clubs maintain a certain degree of potency as they have managed to reach the following stage of the competition, objectively speaking, it is fair to say that some of them are more fearsome than others.

Basel, Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke, Shakhtar and even Arsenal are all among the teams that would probably experience a difficult time against the Catalan side. The only clubs that seem to have the power to hold Barcelona down are Manchester City and Juventus, according to UK mobile betting sites. The Sky Blues have not relished in the Champions League this season, however they are a still a force to be reckoned with. While Juventus also maintains some incredible talent within their squad.

Looking at their potential opponents, Barcelona don’t have too much to worry about except for Manuel Pellegrini’s side and the current Italian national champions. Should Luis Enrique’s men face any of the weaker teams they will most likely pass the round of 16 without much difficulty. However, should they be paired with Manchester City or Juventus, the encounters would produce more entertaining football as the challenge would be greater for the 4-time Champions League winners.