UEFA Champions League - The favorites

The most prestigious competition in club football, the UEFA Champions League is down to the last 16 teams, and the playoffs stage starts this evening. The defending title holders and one of the favorites to win the cup, Real Madrid, holds the record of most titles, winning the competition 11 times,  Los Blancos did not play very convincingly in the group stage, winning only three of their six games, but with a squad including Christiano Ronaldo, you can expect this team to advance all the way to the final again if they can knock out their opponent Napoli from the competition. Napoli lost just one game in the group stage, and are well equipped to challenge Real Madrid. Last year's runners-up tea, Atletico Madrid will face Bayer 04 Leverkusen, and should most likely advance to the next stage from this match. Winning five of their six games in the group stage, Atletico should find it easy to get to the quarter-finals.

Real Madrid would be looking to win the title for record twelfth time (AFP)

Arsenal's terrible luck in the Champions League playoffs draws continues this year, as they are matched up against Bayern Munchen. Both teams have had a decent season so far, Bayern on top of the Bundesliga table and Arsenal currently fourth in the Premier League. The Gunners won the Group-A and have not yet lost a game in the Champions League this season, but can they continue their unbeaten run against Bayern Munchen, who also played very well in the group stage, losing only once against Atletico Madrid. Can Arsene Wenger finally lead Arsenal to the quarterfinals after six consecutive failed attempts?

The other Spanish giant, 5-time Champions League winners, Barcelona are matched up against the French giant Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). PSG winning the French Ligue-1 last season has not lost a game in Champions League this season, and look mentally prepared to challenge Barca who won the Group-C despite their loss against Manchester City back in November. For years, PSG has been underperforming in the European competitions; getting knocked out in the quarterfinals in their four last campaigns, but this season could be different, although they have to play against Barcelona without their captain and key defender Thiago Silva and Thiago Motta who are suspended for tonight`s game. The French pride PSG has proven that they did not rely on Zlatan Ibrahimovic too much, and are capable of advancing all the way to the final this year.

Nobody believes in Porto`s chances against the Old Lady, Juventus. Juve has not managed to win the Champions league since 1996, losing to Barcelona in the final two years ago, but with Higuain in their line-up, they are up for the challenge against the giants this season.

Sevilla has won the Europa League twice in the previous 3 years, but never advanced past the first playoff round in the Champions League. They are playing against Leicester City who are currently on their first Champions League campaign. Leicester has been good in the competition this season, but considering Sevilla`s advantage in the experience of playing in European competitions for so much longer than Leicester, the Spanish team is favorite to advance to the quarterfinals.

Another team from Portugal in the playoffs, Benfica will be facing the German team, Borussia Dortmund. While Benfica barely made it to the playoffs stage finishing second in Group-B, Borussia Dortmund won their group over Real Madrid. Dortmund won the Champions League in 1997 and made it all the way to the final in 2013 in an all-German final where they lost to Bayern Munchen, and are hungry for the title again. Benfica is expected to have a tough time beating the Germans.

Manchester City seeks redemption from being losing semifinalists of the last season, as they play against the winner of Group-E, AS Monaco in the first playoff round. With Pep Guardiola as their new manager, they aim high in the competition this season, and reaching the final is possible with Manchester City`s experienced squad. Pep Guardiola has won two Champions League titles so far and is looking for his third.

The final is played at the beginning of June at Cardiff`s National Stadium of Wales until then we get to watch some interesting games in the playoffs for sure.