2024-25 UEFA Champions League: Round of 16 B/R Football Staff Predictions

The heavy hitters of Europe's premier club competitions enter the business end, as the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 gets underway on Tuesday.

It is a round featuring tantalizing ties all across the content, including Liverpool vs. Paris Saint-Germain, a Madrid derby and a clash of German football's top teams.

Will Liverpool get by an exciting young PSG side? Can Atletico finally get the better of their city rivals in the Champions League? The B/R Football staff tries to answer those questions and more with their predictions for the Round of 16.

Disagree with our team's picks? Submit your thoughts now in the comments section of the B/R app!

Club Brugge crept into the knockout stage by the finest of margins—a goal difference that was three better than Dinamo Zagreb allowed them to progress from the League Phase.

Incredibly, they then beat Atalanta (who only just missed qualifying for the round-of-16 automatically) comfortably over two legs by an aggregate score of 5-2.

And here they are, against the odds, set for a matchup against Aston Villa. On paper, that's perhaps the kindest opponent they could have drawn if their quest to keep the adventure going. 

After the Atalanta upset, Villa will be especially wary of the underdogs. While the Premier League side's domestic form has been a bit rocky, in Europe, they've looked right at home. 

They only lost twice in the League Phase, to Monaco and…Club Brugge.

Could the Belgian side do it again? They'll be brimming with confidence after Atalanta and will have the belief that they can topple the English side because, of course, they've already done it.

Over two legs, though, Villa—newly bolstered with reinforcements after the winter transfer window—will be just too much, ending the fairytale run with a narrow aggregate victory.

Prediction: Villa to advance

- Leo Collis

If you’d asked me a month ago, I would have been pretty confident on Aston Villa getting through this unscathed. Club Brugge’s brilliant takedown of arguably a better side in Atalanta, combined with Villa’s inconsistent form, has put doubt in my mind, though. These are two really evenly matched teams and it’s going to come down to individuals doing something special. 

With that in mind, I still think Villa still have the edge. Unai Emery has a squad crammed with attacking talent to rotate. So much so, in fact, that new signing Donyell Malen wasn’t even included in the Champions League squad. Injuries have hampered other positions but there’s still a formidable side here when they’re on form. This is not an easy pick and I could come to regret it. 

Prediction: Aston Villa to advance 

- Nick Akerman

If this matchup was put in front of you at any time in the last 10 or 15 years, you're probably picking Borussia Dortmund without hesitation. It's not such an easy pick in 2025.

Lille have lost just four league games all year, while Dortmund have had nine Bundesliga defeats on their plummet towards mid-table.

In European action, the Ligue 1 side only came away with losses against Sporting CP and Liverpool, and they picked up huge wins against both Madrid sides. 

There is something to be said for Die Schwarzgelben toppling Sporting in the knockout playoffs, perhaps suggesting they have the upper hand over their French foes. But that comparative logic hits a bit of a roadblock when you see that Dortmund were hammered by Real 5-2 in the League Phase and were also beaten by Bologna, who Lille triumphed against.

Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy will likely add to his competition-leading goal tally, but Lille—with fresher legs and less pressure—will have just about enough to squeeze through. 

Prediction: Lille to advance

- Leo Collis

I’ve got this marked as potential upset territory for those who follow Dortmund. Lille have proven steely in this year’s Champions League, beating Atletico 3-1, whooping Feyenoord 6-1 and giving Liverpool a decent game in a 2-1 defeat. BVB are the type of side that could succumb to this in a competition that is proving respite to an awful Bundesliga campaign. 

Dortmund have conceded 38 so far in Germany this season, more than relegation-threatened St. Pauli in 15th. Although they didn’t concede in the two legs against Sporting, the Portuguese side played poorly and were without the prolific Viktor Gyökeres.  

Lille has Jonathan David and the newly added Chuba Akpom ahead of a solid base that will pose the German side real questions. If Dortmund is to progress, Serhou Guirassy simply needs to carry his Champions League form into this round.

I’ve picked the obvious favourite through the rest of the ties so far…I’m going to go against the grain here. 

Prediction: Lille to advance 

- Nick Akerman

Arsenal—the third-placed finishers in the League Phase—will be fairly happy with their round-of-16 opponents, PSV Eindhoven, who progressed from the knockout playoffs thanks to a 4-3 aggregate win over Juventus.

Both teams are second in their domestic leagues, and each will be looking forward to taking out their frustrations in European action.

The Gunners are the clear favorites and will more than likely move on, but there's an interesting element to the fixture: Neither side is having the best of luck when it comes to their forwards.

Arsenal's Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are likely out for the season, while PSV's Ricardo Pepi will probably not suit up for the rest of 2024-25 because he needs knee surgery. Out of two teams, that leaves the Dutch side's 34-year-old Luuk de Jong as the only recognized senior striker.

They are also each without other key goalscoring talents, with the Gunners' Bukayo Saka (five Premier League goals) absent since December after hamstring surgery and USMNT star Malik Tilman (seven Eredivisie goals) out for PSV since January with a leg injury.

So, this could be a fairly low-scoring affair. But Arsenal have greater strength in other areas to push them through to the next round.

Prediction: Arsenal advance

- Leo Collis

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are a wounded beast, but they still have enough to get through this one, especially as PSV will be without the considerable goal-scoring talents of Ricardo Pepi.

I don’t think this will be an easy fixture for the English side; Arsenal are struggling for goals and relying on multiple players out of position. They’re also up against a team that has goals packed throughout, with multiple threats behind Luuk De Jong in the shape of Guus Til, Johan Bakayoko, Malik Tillman, Ismael Saibari and Noa Lang.

Arsenal are still a difficult side to break down and my gut is telling me there’s a William Saliba-Gabriel masterclass to be had across the two ties. Both defensively and potentially, in the opposition’s box from corners. When you’re playing a midfielder up front, it might be the only way to get through. A fully fit Arsenal would walk this, a half-broken Arsenal will limp through.

Prediction: Arsenal to advance

- Nick Akerman

This is simply too delicious. 

Local rivals—who are separated by just a point in the La Liga title race—set to battle it out for a place in the Champions League quarter-final? Surely this should come with a health warning.

We don't need to talk about Real Madrid's history in the competition, but there is one aspect of it that bears note: Los Blancos beat Los Rojiblancos in both the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals. In 2014, it was Carlo Ancelotti who cooked up an extra-time victory over Diego Simeone.

Those are all just extra ingredients in an already mouth-watering dish.

In 2025, there's little to separate the sides. Both league meetings this season ended in 1-1 draws. Real have scored the second-highest goals in La Liga action (54), but Atleti have conceded the fewest (16). Did someone order an unstoppable force and an immovable object?

This will be spicy, but Atleti will handle the heat.

Prediction: Atletico to advance

- Leo Collis

History tells us to side with Real Madrid. This is the team of superstars. The side with Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham. They know how to get it done, and even when they aren’t playing their best, they are still in contention for every major trophy. Atletico haven’t been able to slay their rivals in this competition in the recent past, and despite them having a stunning campaign so far, I expect Real to go through once more. 

There’s so many reasons why this is an interesting match-up. Atletico will fight until the very end and Diego Simeone will believe he can produce a gameplan to stifle Real’s attack. The 1-1 draw at the beginning of February did only see Atletico have one shot on target, which was Julián Alvarez’s penalty. I think that’s where they may fall down a little across the two legs, although this week’s 4-4 draw with Barcelona did show if there’s space, they are capable of doing damage.  

When it comes to the Champions League, picking against Real Madrid is arguably the boldest move one can make. And I shan’t do it, yet. 

Prediction: Real Madrid to advance 

- Nick Akerman

Internazionale are in a closely fought Serie A title race, while Feyenoord are all but out of contention in the Eredivisie. 

But with the Champions League being Feyenoord's last (albeit still unlikely) chance at silverware this season, and having dispatched another Milan side in the knockout playoff, Feyenoord will be a difficult out. 

It's definitely a long shot for the Dutch side. Inter are undoubtedly the stronger and more capable side (and also better than their Milanese neighbors), but we've seen some strange things happen in the competition this season, and we could have another surprise in store. 

Inter might have one eye on domestic matters, with Napoli and Atalanta one and three points back, respectively, in Serie A. In the quest to remain the Italian top-flight title holders, they might just let Europe stray from their view.

Feyenoord will go all out to keep their season alive just a little bit longer, but when all is said and done, it simply won't be enough.

Prediction: Inter to advance

- Leo Collis

One Milan side have already succumbed to Feyenoord, but it won’t be two.  

Inter are a far better unit than their city rivals and have gotten used to winning lots of football matches this season. Feyenoord do have some great quality; Igor Paixão is a superstar in the making, but Simeone Inzaghi’s side have grown very adept at providing answers to potential issues. 

A large part of that comes down to the complicated tactical system we see from the Italians. Feyenoord simply wouldn’t have faced a side that transitions like Inter do, with players using their brains to fill space on the attack, plug gaps and retrieve the ball. It’s hard to work out and may make the Dutch side’s fairly rigid system come unstuck if they don’t play with considerable energy. 

I think this will be one of the simpler ties to call when it’s all said and done. Inter to move on. 

Prediction: Inter to advance 

- Nick Akerman

Bayern Munich might be favorites for the Bundesliga crown this year—which would see them snatch the title away from holders Bayer Leverkusen—but they might not be the pick for Champions League progression in this all-German matchup.

Bayern finished 12th in the League Phase compared to Leverkusen's sixth-place finish, and the six-time European Cup winners only just managed to get past Celtic on the way to the last 16.

With the final on home turf this season, Bayern will be giving it everything to progress in the competition. But those extra minutes from the knockout playoff will catch up to them, and Leverkusen will make them pay.

In league play this season, both meetings between these sides have ended in draws. The upcoming match at the Allianz Arena will finish in a stalemate, too, but Leverkusen will rely on those extra energy reserves to come out on top at the BayArena. 

Prediction: Leverkusen to advance

- Leo Collis

Eight points separate these two teams in the Bundesliga title race, with Bayern currently sat top. Both sides only have one loss in the domestic league, but I really like Leverkusen in this tie. 

I have them far more likely to put on a big performance in knockout football, as Vincent Kompany’s Bayern are prone to sub-par displays when expectation is high. Bayern have got way more to lose and I think that makes this an extremely tricky couple of matches for them.  

Kompany’s side didn’t have a shot on target when the teams met a couple of weeks ago and even struggled to get hold of possession. The presence of Jeremie Frimpong and Álex Grimaldo down Leverkusen’s wings meant Michael Olise and Kingsley Coman played within themselves, afraid of the ridiculous attacking threat the two versatile full-backs offer.  

I’m also uncertain of Bayern’s defensive quality, with centre-backs Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae capable of a stinker when under pressure. It just feels set up perfectly for some kind of Kompany disaster moment followed by a lot of anger from everyone at the club. 

Prediction: Leverkusen to advance 

- Nick Akerman

In any other year, a few of these round-of-16 fixtures would stand out more on paper than Barcelona vs. Benfica. 

But after their thrilling League Phase meeting, this one will definitely be drawing plenty of eyeballs. 

Nine goals, three penalties, one hat-trick, one red card, one own goal, and a 96th-minute winner has nearly everything you could possibly want from a Champions League classic.

The neutrals will be hoping for more of the same. But if we all just close our eyes and picture the side that we believe will come out on top, we're likely all thinking of the same team.

Barcelona should secure victory in this battle between clubs from the Iberian Peninsula. La Blaugrana have not lost a game since December, and while the Eagles might be on a solid run of form as they chase down Sporting CP in the Primeira Liga, there's a lot to be said for the comparative quality of opponents. 

Prediction: Barcelona to advance

- Leo Collis

We are so lucky to have these two clubs facing off again. January’s 5-4 win for Barcelona was everything a Champions League fixture should be: exciting, endlessly attacking and dramatic until the final seconds.  

Both teams made a mockery of each other’s defence and committed numbers forward to produce a truly special night, with Raphinha’s heroics in the last second deciding it for the Blaugrana. I would wager similar happening again, although with more Barca control at the back. 

Hansi Flick is an adaptable manager and he’ll know his side allowed Benfica far too much time on the ball last time out. Vangelis Pavlidis is in confident form and scored a hat-trick through his smart running and ability to force Barca defenders into committing to situations they’d rather not be a part of.  

There’s a potential shock on the cards here, but as with many of the other ties, I’d expect the better side to rise to the top across 180 minutes or more. Just. 

Prediction: Barcelona to advance 

- Nick Akerman

This was not supposed to be the deal for the winners of the League Phase. 

Liverpool will be fuming after topping the group but still getting Paris Saint-Germain in their first knockout matchup, with the Ligue 1 side one of the strongest teams left in the competition.

There isn't any major history between the pair, with only four prior matches — which they split evenly with two wins each.

But for those who take stock in omens, the last time the Reds played Les Parisiens was in the 2018-19 Champions League group stage. 

Liverpool won their home game 3-2 and PSG took the return match in Paris 2-1, helping the French side on the way to finishing first in Group C. 

Liverpool, of course, went on to win the whole thing. 

It'll be a similar story again. Ousmane Dembele will continue his scintillating form to earn PSG a win in the French capital. Still, Liverpool will secure another famous European victory at Anfield, scoring enough goals to seal progression. 

However, whether they can go on to claim the trophy from there is a prediction for another time. 

Prediction: Liverpool to advance

- Leo Collis

I have Liverpool down as the overall winners of this tournament when it’s all said and done. I like what Paris Saint-Germain are doing right now; the emphasis on younger, hungrier players has made them far more likable and gutsy.  

But it won’t be enough to get beyond Arne Slot’s side across two legs, particularly as Mohamed Salah and the Liverpool attack will fancy taking advantage of the gaps left by PSG’s attacking full-backs. 

The first leg in Paris should tell us everything we need to know. PSG simply have to be in the lead before heading to Anfield if they’re to stand any chance. The Merseyside stadium can swallow teams whole on big European nights and will power Liverpool on should they need the lift. An exciting couple of ties, but ultimately, Slot’s team should progress without too much trouble. 

Prediction: Liverpool to advance 

- Nick Akerman