Tuesday sees Inter Milan play host to Atletico Madrid. As the league’s undisputed leader, Inter Milan appears to be a stronger contender than it did during their 2023 run to the final against Manchester City.
The squad with the best record in any of the top European leagues this season, the champion of Italy and Spain, and the defeated finalist from the previous season are the opponents in the four first-leg matches that remain this week in the round of 16.
Tuesday sees Inter Milan play host to Atletico Madrid. As the league’s undisputed leader, Inter Milan appears to be a stronger contender than it did during their 2023 run to the final against Manchester City.
On Wednesday, Napoli will play Barcelona in a matchup of clubs that are unlikely to win their home leagues and appear to have one more opportunity to win a trophy this year.
With the fewest points lost (four, drawing two of their 22 games) and the largest goal differential (60) of any major European league, PSV Eindhoven is a strong favorite to win the Dutch league.
On Tuesday, PSV will play host to Borussia Dortmund in a matchup between two teams that have each won a European Cup.
After winning their last two away games in the Premier League by a total score of 11-0, Arsenal travels to Porto on Wednesday.
The only English team playing in Europe this week is Arsenal, although both Man City and Liverpool, the team that currently holds the title, have a midweek Premier League match.
Last season, Inter Milan surprised everyone by making it to the final without facing any English or Spanish opponents in the knockout stages. A disappointing 1-0 loss to Manchester City in Istanbul dispelled some doubts about the three-time European champion’s worth.
Inter travels to Madrid with a nine-point advantage entering the final games of the Serie A season thanks to six straight victories.
This season, both Inter and Atletico will rely on their well-established defenses to fend off successful raids. Inter’s Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram have combined for 35 goals across all competitions, while Atletico’s Álvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann have scored 37.
