RB Leipzig vs Real Madrid

Real Madrid’s perfect Champions League campaign continues at the Red Bull Arena as they face RB Leipzig in the first leg of their mouth-watering last-16 tie.

Keen to do one better than last season’s woeful last-16 elimination to Manchester City, Leipzig head into proceedings amid an embarrassing start to the new calendar year (W1, D1, L3). If it’s any consolation, Marco Rose’s men have gone unbeaten in their last two Bundesliga outings, albeit spurned a lead twice in a 2-2 draw with Augsburg at the weekend. After losing ground on the Bundesliga top four, ‘Die Roten Bullen’ turn their attention toward the Champions League, where they’ve emerged victorious from four of their last six home games (D1, L1). Connoisseurs of action-packed football will hope both teams can get on the scoresheet in a European fixture at the Red Bull Arena for an 11th consecutive time (W5, D2, L3).

Losing Jude Bellingham to an ankle sprain overshadowed Real Madrid’s overwhelming 4-0 home win against Girona in their La Liga top-table six-pointer at the weekend. However, Carlo Ancelotti won’t lose confidence in his side following a flawless Champions League group stage campaign (W6) as he looks to steer ‘Los Blancos’ to a 15th title in Europe’s most prestigious club competition. Despite slumping to a 3-2 defeat at Leipzig in the 2022/23 group phase, the Spaniards remain in the driver’s seat to make it out of this tie, especially considering that was their only loss across their last 13 European clashes against German opposition (W8, D4). It’s also worth noting they’ve not lost a single competitive match outside of Madrid this season!