UCL ROUND OF 16 FIVE BIG CLUBS STILL BELIEVE COMEBACK IS POSSIBLE

by HEDNEWS on March 12, 2026

UCL ROUND OF 16 FIVE BIG CLUBS STILL BELIEVE COMEBACK IS POSSIBLE The first legs of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 produced dramatic results dramatic wins, stalemates and tough away defeats for some of Europe’s biggest clubs but five sides still believe they can turn ties around in the second leg and qualify for the quarter‑finals next week.

After intense midweek action across Europe, the aggregate scores present a mixed picture for the surviving contenders:

Galatasaray 1–0 Liverpool
Bayer Leverkusen 1–1 Arsenal
Newcastle United 1–1 Barcelona
Real Madrid 3–0 Manchester City
Paris Saint‑Germain 5–2 Chelsea

Arsenal’s away draw in Germany leaves them in the most confident position among the five teams still in contention. With the second leg at the Emirates Stadium, the Gunners unbeaten through their group campaign are considered strong favourites to take advantage of home support and book a quarter‑final spot. Barcelona’s late penalty salvaged a draw in England and set up a balanced return in Camp Nou. Despite Newcastle’s spirited first‑leg performance, the Catalan giants’ tactical quality and attacking firepower make them strong favourites to prevail over 90 minutes in Spain. Liverpool head into their second leg trailing by only one goal and will host Galatasaray at Anfield a ground known for intense European atmospheres. While an away goal for the Turkish side would complicate matters under aggregate scoring, the home crowd and Reds’ pedigree make a comeback plausible if they score early and assert control.

Manchester City face the steepest challenge after a heavy defeat in the Bernabéu, losing 3‑0 to Real Madrid. Historically, overcoming a three‑goal deficit is rare in the Champions League only a handful of teams have ever done it across decades of competition. However, City’s quality and Champions League experience mean that, while improbable, a spirited assault at the Etihad Stadium could yet make it interesting. Chelsea’s tie against Paris Saint‑Germain looks toughest of all. The French champions’ dominant performance and two away goals mean Chelsea must win by at least a three‑goal margin without conceding to force extra time a daunting task even at Stamford Bridge. Despite squad pride and Champions League tradition, this is widely regarded as the longest shot among the five. Though second‑leg reversals from multi‑goal deficits are rare in European competition, history shows that they can happen, including famous Liverpool and Deportivo comebacks in earlier seasons. Teams’ mentality, tactical adjustments, and home advantage all play pivotal roles when overturning precarious first‑leg results.

The second legs are scheduled for 18–19 March, and with everything to play for, Europe’s elite clubs will be making one final push to keep their hopes alive in the most prestigious club competition in the world.