Business end coming closer - UEFA Champions League R16 1st leg 4 & 5 March 2025

A Madrid derby on Tuesday night may not have been what many expected at this stage of the Champions League. Yet, this type of encounter has become possible with the new structure of the competition. The whole tournament structure in the knock-out stages is based on the rankings after the league phase after all. Real had to earn the right to play in the round of 16 very hard though, beating Manchester City over two legs in the knock-out play-offs. Other teams will have to travel a bit more to go and play their round of 16 fixtures this week.

4 March 2025

Borussia Dortmund vs. Lille OSC

10th vs. 7th

21.00h CET, Westfalenstadion, Dortmund

On the pathway back to stability, Dortmund got a goalless draw to guarantee their spot in the round of 16 and now on the weekend beat St Pauli 2-0 away. Will this be enough to beat a very solid Lille side though? Lille had a tricky assignment on the weekend and lost 4-1 away in Paris against PSG. Their Champions League form however should leave them in a positive mood ahead of the trip to Germany.

ATV003H BHX 1500-1715 LIL DH8D D-AASG (03/03/25, ferry flight)

ATV131H LIL 1800-1900 DTM DH8D D-AASG (03/03/25)

ATV151H DTM 1115-1215 LIL DH8D D-AASG (05/03/25)

Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa

24th vs. 8th

18.45h, Jan Breyel Stadion, Bruges

From the worst possible position on the table, Brugge qualified for the round of 16. It took them a win in two legs over Atalanta, where they even won both legs, 2-1 home and 3-1 away in Bergamo. Now the 8th-placed Aston Villa awaits and will they be a sterner test? After all, Atalanta were the 9th seeds and are now out of the competition.

BRO36P STN 1300-1340 BHX B733 G-SWRD (03/03/25, ferry flight)

BRO36A BHX 1600-1755 OST B733 G-SWRD (03/03/25)

BRO36B OST 2300-2250 BHX B733 G-SWRD (04/03/25)

2Excel Aviation Boeing 737-300
seen at Copenhagen in July 2022

PSV Eindhoven vs. Arsenal

ZT101 LTN 1550-1800 EIN A320 G-POWK (03/03/25)

5 March 2025

Feyenoord Rotterdam vs. Inter Milan

19th vs. 4th

18.45h CET, De Kuip, Rotterdam

The favourites' role should be clearly in Inter's hands in this tie. They finished the league stage in 4th position and therefore had the play-off round off to save their legs. Feyenoord come off beating Inter's local rivals Milan, thus preventing another city derby in the round of 16.

AZ9018 MXP 1610-1750 RTM A320 (04/03/25)

SL Benfica vs. FC Barcelona

16th vs. 2nd

21.00h CET (20.00 local time), Estadio da Luz, Lisbon

After some troubled years, it seems plain sailing again for Barcelona. They finished the league phase in 2nd position and therefore also had some weeks off from the European Football. Their first opponents away are Benfica who won the previous round against AS Monaco. The first leg there was successful for Benfica while the return leg ended in an attractive 3-3 draw.

UX937 BCN 1115-1115 LIS B738 (04/03/25)

UX983 LIS xxxx-0310 BCN B738 (06/03/25)

FC Bayern München vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen

KK7004 CGN 1730-1830 MUC A320 D-ANNE (04/03/25)

KK7005 MUC 1230-1330 CGN A320 D-ANNE (06/03/25)

Paris St-Germain vs. Liverpool FC

HT2845 LPL 1600-1805 LBG B734 9H-ZAZ (04/03/25)

New Year New Luck? - UEFA Champions League MD7 21 January 2025

The first ever league phase of the UEFA Champions League is now reaching its business end. Some teams can already plan for the knock-out stages and some have not chance on that phase already. But for many of the 36 teams involved, it is now all about gathering points to make it as far as possible. Big names like Manchester City or Paris St-Germain are way down the table - not where they want to be. They will need to make the upcoming two games count to stand a chance of winning the prestigious UEFA Champions League title in spring 2025. Yet, the Road to Munich is still pretty long for everyone. Time to have a look at who needs what from these upcoming games and of course who is traveling when and how.

21 January 2025

AS Monaco vs. Aston Villa

16th/10 pts vs. 5th/13 pts

18.45h CET, Stade Louis II, Monte Carlo

Both these sides should make it into the knockout stages, but they are playing for higher ambitions. Aston Villa may not have expected to run that high in the competition. Yet they are even looking for a direct qualification for the round of 16. A win would help them a lot in achieving this particular goal on the way to Champions League glory.

LS6878 BHX xxxx-1510 NCE B738 (20/01/25)

LS6879 NCE 2300-xxxx BHX B738 (21/01/25)

G-DRTN, Jet2, Boeing 737-800
seen arriving at London-Stansted in May 2024

Atalanta Bergamo vs. SK Sturm Graz

13th/11 pts vs. 29th/3 pts

21.00h, Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo

The Austrian champions are finding life in the Champions League a bit difficult it seems. They need maximum points in Bergamo to stand a chance of qualifying for the knock-out stages. Meanwhile, the hosts are looking to consolidate their already decent outcome in the league phase with another win.

ENT568P KTW xxxx-1445 GRZ B738 (20/01/25, ferry flight)

ENT569 GRZ 1545-xxxx BGY B738 (20/01/25)

Atlético Madrid vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen

11th/12 pts vs. 4th/13 pts

21.00h, Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid

With more than two points on average per game, both teams sit nicely on the table. The visitors from Germany are up in fourth place and will definitely look to consolidate this spot in order to save themselves from the play-off round in February. The Metropolitano is not an easy place to go and play a game though. So expect Atlético to resist the German champions with everything they have. After all, the hosts still play for the direct qualification into the round of 16 as well.

PVG3992 CGN 1550-1830 MAD A321 (20/01/25)

PVG3991 MAD 1345-xxxx CGN A321 (22/01/25)

SL Benfica vs. FC Barcelona

15th/10 pts vs. 2nd/15 pts

21.00h CET (20.00h local time), Estadio da Luz, Lisbon

Visiting Barcelona have snuck through the league phase so far and worked themselves up in the table to the second spot, only behind Liverpool. Their objective for this game must clearly be to win and thereby securing the direct admission to the round of 16. Benfica will try and keep the points in Lisbon however, with the competition for the next rounds waiting in the spots behind.

UX937 BCN 1050-1100 LIS B738 (20/01/25)

UX938 LIS 0010-0310 BCN B738 (22/01/25)

Bologna FC vs. Borussia Dortmund

33rd/2 pts vs. 9th/12 pts

21.00h, Stadio Renato Dall'ara, Bologna

There are no less than 24 places between these two sides. Dortmund are right in the battle for the top 8 spots while Bologna are definitely looking for survival in the competition. Only a win will be good enough for Bologna. Anything else will mean elimination at the end of the league phase. With just two draws from six matches so far, winning against the mighty BVB may be a very tough ask however.

EW1909 DTM xxxx-1705 BLQ A320 D-AEWM (20/01/25)

EW5209 DTM xxxx-1305 BLQ A320 D-ABHF (20/01/25)

Slovan Bratislava vs. VfB Stuttgart

35th/0 pts vs. 26th/7 pts

21.00h CET, Tehelne Pole, Bratislava

As one of three teams, Slovan Bratislava are already eliminated from the UEFA Champions League this season. In six matches, they have not won a single point. German runners-up Stuttgart are not sitting that much higher on the table. In 26th position, they need points urgently to maintain their hopes about a spot in the next round. Expect Stuttgart to do everything in their power to win this game and to continue their first European season in quite some time.

LWG1314 STR 1430-1545 BTS DH8D (20/01/25)

LWG1315 BTS 1200-1315 STR DH8D (22/01/25)

Club Brugge vs. Juventus Turin

19th/10 pts vs. 14th/11 pts

21.00h CET, Jan Breydel Stadion, Brugge

These two teams are very close on the table, with notably Juventus possibly hoping for more points from the league phase so far. Yet, the Italian team must still count as favourites against the Belgian champions Brugge.

AZ9014 TRN 1530-1710 OST A20N (20/01/25)

AZ9927 OST 1800-2020 FCO A20N (20/01/25, ferry flight)

Red Star Belgrade vs. PSV Eindhoven

31st/3 pts vs. 23rd/8 pts

21.00h CET, Maksimir, Belgrade

CD1913 EIN xxxx-1115 BEG B738 (20/01/25)

CD040 EIN xxxx-1215 BEG B39M (20/01/25)

Liverpool FC vs. Lille OSC

1st/18 pts vs. 8th/13 pts

21.00h CET (20.00h local time), Anfield Road, Liverpool

VOE9240 LIL 1630-1635 LPL A320 EC-NOY (20/01/25)

ENT553 LIL 1800-1805 LPL B738 SP-ENM (20/01/25)

ZT751 LIL 1000-1000 LPL A321 G-POWN (21/01/25)

VOE9238 LIL 1015-1020 LPL A320 EC-NON (21/01/25)

Tickets for the next round looming - UEFA Champions League MD6, 10 December 2024

10 December 2024

Girona FC vs. Liverpool FC

30th / 3 pts vs. 1st / 15 pts

Already certain of a spot in the knock-out stages in 2025, Liverpool could already make sure to avoid the play-off round and qualify directly for the round of 16. Girona fight for survival in the Champions League however, so it remains to be seen how much resistance they will manage to come up with.

LS6967 LPL xxxx-1625 GRO B738 (09/12/24)

HT2170 LPL xxxx-1840 GRO B734 (09/12/24)

LS6968 GRO 2230-xxxx LPL B738 (10/12/24)

HT2281 GRO 2300-xxxx LPL B734 (10/12/24)

A Jet2 Boeing 737-800 seen at Gran Canaria in 2021

GNK Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic Glasgow

23rd / 7 pts vs. 20th / 8 pts

Both these teams sit right on the edge of making it to the play-off round in February. They need full points from this round though, because Real Madrid and PSG sitting behind them will definitely look to improve. It will be a big day out for the Celtic supporters who are set to travel to Zagreb with several Jet2 Boeing 737 aircraft.

LS6961 GLA xxxx-1310 ZAG B738 (09/12/24)

LS6985 GLA xxxx-1325 ZAG B738 (09/12/24)

LS6957 GLA xxxx-1640 ZAG B738 (09/12/24)

ZT6701 GLA xxxx-1800 ZAG A321 (09/12/24)

Atalanta Bergamo vs. Real Madrid

5th / 11 pts vs. 24th / 6 pts

One would have expected Real Madrid higher up in the table. But just the two wins and three losses already make them have to fight for every single point. Atalanta will be no push-overs at all and will give them a fight until the last minute for the valuable points.

IB1400 MAD 1010-xxxx BGY (09/12/24)

IB1403 BGY xxxx-0300 MAD (11/12/24)

Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. Inter Milan

6th / 10 pts vs. 2nd / 13 pts

Bayer face opponents from Milan for the second time in this year's UEFA Champions League. This time round, it is a proper top-of-the-table clash with two teams definitely looking for a finish in the top 8.

NO9140 MXP xxxx-1810 CGN B738 (09/12/24)

Club Brugge vs. Sporting CP

22nd / 7 pts vs. 10th / 10 pts

The visitors from Lisbon are looking for points to make the top 8, while Brugge might look at just about defending their spot on the table.

FC Salzburg vs. Paris St-Germain

32nd / 3 pts vs. 25th / 4 pts

Two of Europe's best teams in recent years have been struggling all season long. While PSG are at least leading their own league, Salzburg are also struggling domestically. Will this round already be the end of their Champions League hopes this season? The same goes for the mighty PSG however.

KLJ2568 CDG xxxx-1230 SZG B733 (09/12/24)

AEH141 LBG xxxx-1825 SZG E145 (09/12/24)

AEH142 SZG 1030-xxxx LBG E145 (11/12/24)

KLJ2570 SZG 1130-xxxx CDG B733 (11/12/24)

Shakhtar Donezk vs. FC Bayern München

26th / 4 pts vs. 13th / 9 pts

A domestic trip to Gelsenkirchen for the German giants Bayern. It remains uncertain whether they will use an aircraft at all.

RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa

34th / 0 pts vs. 9th / 10 pts

One of the surprises in this season's UCL definitely is Aston Villa. They have a big chance of getting more points at the so far unlucky RB Leipzig.

LS6819 BHX xxxx-1645 LEJ B738 (09/12/24)

BRO001A BHX 1600-1855 LEJ B737 G-NEWG (09/12/24)

LS6820 LEJ 1300-xxxx BHX B738 (11/12/24)

Stade Brestois vs. PSV Eindhoven

11th / 10 pts vs. 18th / 8 pts

In midfield, more points are key for any team. Brest could make a huge step towards the next round with a win. But also PSV could remain in contention if they manage to beat the French surprise package in Brittany.