Champions League: Round of 16 ties ranked
By Orri Benatar
After splitting two group stage matches against the red half of Manchester, Basel gets to take on the blue side of Manchester.
The defending champions of Switzerland, have a high mountain to climb when they face Manchester City, in the Round of 16.
The Citizens are one of hottest teams in Europe, and will be heavy favorites to advance – even win the whole competition.
City’s attack faces a difficult task in Basel’s defense – who only conceded five goals in the group stage and seventeen in the Swiss League.
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I don’t expect Guardiola’s side to fail at this task. Man City’s quality up front, far outweighs any quality Basel have at the back.
The reason to watch this tie is to experience how creative and artistic this City side is. Week in and week out in the EPL, they dominate opponents and they have the quality, squad depth, and coaching, to go all the way.
It’ll be fun to watch if you’re a City fan.
For Basel fans, take a big gulp and a deep breath. These two nights could be long.
Leg 1 – Tuesday 2/13 – 2:45 pm EST – St. Jakob Park
Leg 2 – Wednesday 3/7 – 2:45 pm EST – Etihad Stadium