UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs: What to look out for in Wednesday's second legs

Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain both hold three-goal advantages while PSV Eindhoven face a first-leg deficit and the stage is set for another thriller between Real Madrid and Manchester City as the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off ties conclude.

UEFA.com previews all the action as the round of 16 line-up is finalised.

All kick-off times are 21:00 CET unless stated.

Wednesday 19 February

Dortmund vs Sporting CP (18:45 CET)

First leg: 3-0

Dortmund equalled their record margin of victory in the first leg of a knockout tie as they prevailed in Lisbon but, given his side's recent issues, new coach Niko Kovač will not be planning too far ahead just yet. "We were determined to keep a clean sheet and you need victories," he said. "I hope that has an impact for us going forward but we also don't want to blow everything out of proportion. There are definitely things we can improve."

Sporting can take some slender hope from the way they started against Dortmund: they felt they had the better of the first half but buckled after Serhou Guirassy's 60th-minute opener. "It's more complicated now, but we're going to Dortmund with the same ambition," said defender Eduardo Quaresma. "They scored three goals [in Lisbon] and we can do it there in Germany. We have to believe because we are Sporting."

Did you know?
Serhou Guirassy has matched the Dortmund record of Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski by scoring ten goals in a single Champions League campaign.

Paris vs Brest

First leg: 3-0

No team have ever let a three-goal advantage from the away leg be overturned in a home return in Champions League history but Vitinha, a scorer in the resounding Paris victory in Brittany, is taking nothing for granted. "We are in the lead, we have a good margin but we know – and people who know football know – that that means nothing," said the midfielder. "We will go into the game at the Parc des Princes in the same way and we know we are going to have a tough game."

Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot, who was also beaten by two Ousmane Dembélé efforts in the first leg, knows the magnitude of the task his side are facing in the French capital. "Paris are on the same level as Real Madrid and it is tough to play against a team like this," he said. "But it is fantastic for the players to experience this level of games. We are going to give our all [in the second leg]. We will go there with pride, try to do everything we can and see where we end up."

Did you know?
Dembélé's first-leg double took his hot streak to 18 goals in his last 11 matches in all competitions for Paris.

Real Madrid vs Manchester City

First leg: 3-2

After scoring Madrid's added-time winner in the first leg, Jude Bellingham said: "It's not just a technical, tactical battle, it's a psychological contest as well." With City having led 2-1 until the 86th minute, the tie is certainly mentally tilted towards Carlo Ancelotti's side as the focus switches to Spain. "It's nice to take a lead back home," added Bellingham. "I'm sure the Bernabéu will turn out for that one – we've got to give them a performance that they deserve again."

"We had a great opportunity to maybe go to the Bernabéu 2-1 up, and we've come away now needing a goal to get level when we go there," said City's John Stones, but hope remains. Madrid have been beaten at home in this season's competition (3-1 by Milan), and City won 2-1 at the Bernabéu in 2020. Pep Guardiola looked unhappy after the first-leg defeat, but has not given up yet. "We will try in the second leg," he said. "We will see what players come back fresh."

Did you know?
The first-leg victory was Real Madrid’s 300th win in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League (all rounds). They are the first team to reach that landmark.

PSV vs Juventus

First leg: 1-2

PSV trail to Samuel Mbangula's 82nd-minute goal in Turin, but midfielder Jerdy Schouten spoke for his team-mates when he said. "At home we are a very strong team, so we are confident ahead of the return match." The Dutch club are unbeaten in their last 14 European games in Eindhoven (W9 D5), and scored ten in their final three league phase home fixtures. Coach Peter Bosz was disappointed about the first-leg reverse but has plenty of belief, telling UEFA.com: "There is still another game to play."

Juventus have not lost in the Netherlands since the turn of the millennium (W2 D2), but they have also never played at the PSV Stadion. Coach Thiago Motta is well aware that his charges have plenty to do to win this tie. "We have to be at our best against a team that plays very good football," he said. First-leg match winner Mbangula agreed, telling UEFA.com: "We have to go to the home of a team that plays very well and is supported by a very warm crowd. It will not be easy."

Did you know?
PSV have not won a Champions League knockout phase tie since a 2-1 aggregate victory against Arsenal in the 2006/07 round of 16 (1-0 h, 1-1 a).

Further ahead

• Arsenal, Aston Villa, Atleti, Barcelona, Inter, Leverkusen, Lille and Liverpool have already qualified for the round of 16 after finishing in the league phase top eight.
• The draw for the round of 16, quarter-final, and semi-final match-ups will follow on Friday 21 February.
• The round of 16 matches start on 4/5 March with the second legs the following week.

Where is the 2025 UEFA Champions League final being played?

UEFA via Getty Images

The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League final will take place at Munich's Fußball Arena München on 31 May 2025.