Round of 16 First Legs of the 2025/26 Champions League: Check Out the Matches, Favorites and Where to Watch!

After the league phase and the playoffs, it’s finally time to follow the knockout stage of the 2025/26 Champions League. The first-leg matches of the Round of 16 take place between March 10 and 11, and fans can make predictions for their favorites through sports betting.

Sixteen teams are still fighting for continental glory and will take their first step in the Round of 16 now. Among the teams still in the competition, eight qualified directly through the league phase, while the other half had to go through the playoffs to secure their spot. Check out details of the matches in Blaze’s special guide below!

Galatasaray vs Liverpool

Six-time European champion Liverpool travels to face Galatasaray in the first leg between the two sides. While the Reds secured their place with 3rd position and 18 points in the league phase, the Turkish side had to go through the playoffs after finishing in 20th place. In the previous knockout round, they defeated the traditional Juventus.

Date and Time

Tuesday, March 10, at 2:45 PM (Brasília time)

Venue

Ali Sami Yen Stadium

Recent Matches

Galatasaray 5–2 Juventus

Juventus 3–2 Galatasaray

Liverpool 6–0 Qarabag

Head-to-Head History

Galatasaray and Liverpool have faced each other since the 2001/02 season. In total, there have been five matches, with one English win, two Turkish victories and two draws. The most recent meeting took place in September 2025, in the Champions League league phase, with a Galatasaray win.

Predictions

Despite the head-to-head record favoring Galatasaray, Liverpool are the favorites in this matchup. Both in the away game, with odds of 1.8 for a win compared to 4.0 for the hosts and 3.85 for a draw, and in qualification odds, with 1.16 for the Reds and 5.0 for Galatasaray.

Where to Watch

TNT (pay TV) and HBO Max (streaming).

Bet on Galatasaray vs Liverpool at Blaze!

Newcastle vs Barcelona

Another multi-time champion on the field is Barcelona. The Catalan side faces Newcastle in the Round of 16 of the 2025/26 Champions League. Five-time champions of the tournament, Barça advanced with 5th place in the league phase. The English side crushed Qarabag in the playoffs.

Date and Time

Tuesday, March 10, at 5 PM (Brasília time)

Venue

St. James’ Park

Recent Matches

Qarabag 1–6 Newcastle

Newcastle 3–2 Qarabag

Barcelona 4–1 Copenhagen

Head-to-Head History

Newcastle and Barcelona first met in the Champions League back in 1997. In nearly 30 years, they have played five matches, with four wins for Barça and one for the English side. The most recent meeting took place in September during the league phase, with another Catalan victory.

Predictions

There is a certain balance between the two teams. In this first leg, Newcastle have odds of 2.78 to win at home, slightly behind Barcelona’s 2.3, with the draw priced at 3.7. Qualification odds also show that anything can happen, although Barça holds a clearer advantage with 1.37 compared to 2.98 for the English team.

Where to Watch

TNT (pay TV), HBO Max (streaming) and SBT (free-to-air TV).

Bet on Newcastle vs Barcelona at Blaze!

Atlético Madrid vs Tottenham

Last season’s Europa League champions, Tottenham want to keep their continental momentum going and secured 4th place in the league phase, winning five matches, drawing two and losing just one. Their opponent in the Round of 16 is Atlético Madrid, three-time Champions League runner-up.

The Madrid side struggled a bit to advance from the first stage. After finishing 14th in the first phase, they had to go through the playoffs, where they eliminated Belgium’s Club Brugge.

Date and Time

Tuesday, March 10, at 5 PM (Brasília time)

Venue

Metropolitano Stadium

Recent Matches

Club Brugge 3–3 Atlético Madrid

Atlético Madrid 4–1 Club Brugge

Eintracht Frankfurt 0–2 Tottenham

Head-to-Head History

The teams have faced each other only once, in 1963, in the European Cup Winners’ Cup. On that occasion, Tottenham came out on top with a 5–1 victory.

Predictions

Despite Tottenham’s stronger recent continental campaign, they are not the favorites. Atlético Madrid have the edge both in the 1x2 odds and in qualification odds. In the first case, the home side has odds of 1.56 to win, compared to 5.4 for the visitors and 4.2 for a draw. For qualification, the Spanish side stands at 1.42 odds, against 2.78 for the English team.

Where to Watch

Space (pay TV) and HBO Max (streaming).

Bet on Atlético Madrid vs Tottenham at Blaze!

Atalanta vs Bayern Munich

Six-time European champions Bayern Munich reached the Round of 16 without major difficulties, finishing 2nd in the league phase. Atalanta struggled a bit more, ending the stage in 15th place and needing to get past Borussia Dortmund, a major rival of the German side, in the playoffs.

Date and Time

Tuesday, March 10, at 5 PM (Brasília time)

Venue

Atleti Azzurri d’Italia Stadium

Recent Matches

Borussia Dortmund 2–0 Atalanta

Atalanta 4–1 Borussia Dortmund

PSV 1–2 Bayern Munich

Head-to-Head History

The teams have never faced each other before.

Predictions

Bayern’s favoritism is undeniable. The Bavarian side holds the advantage even away from home, with odds of 1.63 compared to 4.4 for Atalanta, who host the first leg, the same odds as the draw. For qualification, the gap increases further, with 1.12 for the Germans and 6.0 for the Italians.

Where to Watch

HBO Max (streaming).

Bet on Atalanta vs Bayern Munich at Blaze!

Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal

Two teams that have already reached finals but still lack a title. In the Round of 16 of the 2025/26 Champions League, Bayer Leverkusen face Arsenal. The German side finished 16th in the league phase, defeating Olympiacos in the playoffs, while the English club topped the first phase unbeaten with eight wins.

Date and Time

Wednesday, March 11, at 2:45 PM (Brasília time)

Venue

Leverkusen Arena

Recent Matches

Olympiacos 0–2 Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen 0–0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 3–2 Kairat

Head-to-Head History

Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen became familiar opponents back when the Champions League was played in group stages. The teams faced each other in 2001, with one English victory and one draw.

Predictions

Arsenal come into the tie in great form and are expected to keep overpowering their opponents. The Gunners have odds of 1.55 to win the match in Germany and 1.09 to advance. On the other side, Leverkusen have odds of 5.6 to win at home and 7.0 to reach the quarterfinals. The draw in the first leg is priced at 4.2.

Where to Watch

TNT (pay TV) and HBO Max (streaming).

Bet on Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal at Blaze!

PSG vs Chelsea

PSG, champions of the 2024/25 Champions League, struggled more than expected in the league phase. With 14 points, the French side finished 11th and had to go through the playoffs, where they defeated fellow French club Monaco. Chelsea, two-time champions, did their job and advanced directly in 6th place with just two points more.

Date and Time

Wednesday, March 11, at 5 PM (Brasília time)

Venue

Parc des Princes

Recent Matches

Monaco 2–3 PSG

PSG 2–2 Monaco

Napoli 2–3 Chelsea

Head-to-Head History

Having first met in 2004, PSG and Chelsea have played nine matches over a little more than two decades. The results are perfectly balanced: three wins for each side and three draws. The most recent match was the 2025 Club World Cup final, won by the Blues.

Predictions

The odds for this match slightly contradict what happened in the league phase. PSG are clear favorites, with odds of 1.8 to win at home, compared to 4.1 for Chelsea and 3.8 for the draw. Qualification odds narrow the gap but still favor the Parisians, with 1.64 compared to 2.22.

Where to Watch

TNT (pay TV) and HBO Max (streaming).

Bet on PSG vs Chelsea at Blaze!

Bodø/Glimt vs Sporting

Making their debut in this Champions League, Bodø/Glimt have earned their place in the knockout stage. The team struggled but grabbed one of the last playoff spots with 23rd place and managed to eliminate the traditional Internazionale. Now, the Norwegian side faces Portugal’s Sporting, who qualified in 7th place in the league phase.

Date and Time

Wednesday, March 11, at 5 PM (Brasília time)

Venue

Aspmyra Stadium

Recent Matches

Bodø/Glimt 3–1 Internazionale

Internazionale 1–2 Bodø/Glimt

Athletic Bilbao 2–3 Sporting

Head-to-Head History

This will be the first meeting between the teams in history.

Predictions

Bodø/Glimt have truly been surprising and therefore should not be underestimated. In the 1x2 odds — where 1 represents the home team, X the draw, and 2 the away team — both sides have the same chances, with 2.54 for each and 3.65 for the draw. There is a slight Portuguese advantage in the qualification odds, but nothing overwhelming, with 1.46 for Sporting and 2.62 for the Norwegians.

Where to Watch

Space (pay TV) and HBO Max (streaming).

Bet on Bodø/Glimt vs Sporting at Blaze!

Real Madrid vs Manchester City

The most successful club in Champions League history, Real Madrid followed a different path than usual this season. Los Blancos missed direct qualification to the Round of 16 by one point, finishing the league phase in 9th place and eliminating Benfica in the playoffs. Manchester City, champions in 2022/23, were precisely the team above Madrid, finishing 8th with 16 points to secure the final direct Round of 16 spot.

Date and Time

Wednesday, March 11, at 5 PM (Brasília time)

Venue

Santiago Bernabéu

Recent Matches

Benfica 0–1 Real Madrid

Real Madrid 2–1 Benfica

Manchester City 2–0 Galatasaray

Head-to-Head History

There have already been 15 official matches between Real Madrid and Manchester City. The results are perfectly balanced: five wins for each side and five draws. The most recent meeting took place in the league phase in December, with an English victory.

Predictions

In this matchup, the favoritism lies with Manchester City. The English side have odds of 1.36 to qualify, compared to 3.0 for Real Madrid. Before that, in the first leg, the 1x2 odds also point to a City advantage, with 2.06 even as the away team, while Real Madrid stand at 3.25. The draw is priced at 3.65.

Where to Watch

HBO Max (streaming).

Bet on Real Madrid vs Manchester City at Blaze!

Bet responsibly on the 2025/26 Champions League at Blaze

So, are you excited to follow the first-leg matches of the Round of 16 of the 2025/26 Champions League? Then get your predictions ready. But before placing your bet, it’s always worth remembering: sports betting is an entertainment activity, never a form of investment.

Play responsibly, using only amounts intended for this type of leisure activity, without compromising your personal and financial life. Betting activities are intended for adults only, meaning people over 18 years old. In addition, they carry mental health risks and the possibility of addiction. If the fun stops being enjoyable and becomes a burden, it’s time to stop. If you can’t do it alone, seek help.

Before making your predictions, study the competition carefully and follow the latest team news. Then you can place your bets on the first-leg matches of the Round of 16 of the 2025/26 Champions League here at Blaze!