Fabian Ruiz is flattered to be linked with a move to Barcelona and Real Madrid but insists he is happy at Napoli. 

Spain international Fabian will be out of contract at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at the end of next season. 

It was this week reported that talks over a renewal for the midfielder had broken down and Napoli would be forced to listen to offers for him, with Barca and Madrid the player's favoured potential destinations.

Asked about the situation ahead of Napoli's Europa League play-off meeting with Barca at Camp Nou on Thursday, Fabian admitted it was nice to hear of such clubs being interested in him. 

He told a news conference: "It's always nice to see yourself linked with great clubs, especially the Spanish ones. 

"However, I have another year on my contract. I'm happy at Napoli and concentrated on [Thursday's] match." 

Barca are contesting the secondary European competition for the first time since 2003-04, when they were eliminated in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup by Celtic. 

A run of 191 straight continental games in the Champions League was ended by their group-stage exit and quickly put pressure on head coach Xavi, who was in the starting line-up for both legs of the Blaugrana's loss to Celtic. 

However, Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti has no doubt Xavi will prove to be a success in the dugout, having cut his teeth with a successful spell at Al Sadd. 

"Xavi was already a real football connoisseur as a player, so naturally he will be as a coach too," said Spalletti. 

"They also brought in more unpredictable players in January who can change a game by themselves." 

The only previous meeting between the two teams in a major European competition occurred in the last 16 of the 2019-20 Champions League, when Barca won 4-2 on aggregate after a 3-1 win at Camp Nou. 

Cristiano Ronaldo ended a run of six matches without scoring in Tuesday's win over Brighton and Hove Albion, but the Manchester United forward's future remains uncertain.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner's second spell at Old Trafford has not gone quite to plan and a number of European clubs are said to be circling should he depart.

If reports are accurate, it may well be that a reunion with former boss Jose Mourinho is on the cards for Ronaldo in the coming months.

TOP STORY – ROMA IN FOR RONALDO

Roma are one of three clubs currently in the running to sign Ronaldo should he depart United in the next transfer window, according to The Sun.

Giallorossi boss Mourinho previously managed Ronaldo at Real Madrid and is eager to bolster his squad with a superstar signing.

However, it is not known if the 37-year-old would welcome a return to Serie A, where he previously spent three seasons playing for Juventus ahead of rejoining United.

European heavyweights Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are reported to be the other two sides to have expressed an interest in Ronaldo.

ROUND-UP

- Fabrizio Romano claims Chelsea are now solely focused on signing Jules Kounde from Sevilla after being told that top defensive target Marquinhos will not be sold by PSG.

- According to The Sun, Armando Broja's form on loan with Southampton has seen the Chelsea youngster's name added to Bayern and Borussia Dortmund's list of targets.

- Manchester City have bid £5.5million (€6.5m) for Atletico Mineiro's teenage winger Savio, suggests The Guardian, with the intention of then loaning him out to PSV.

- Juan Mata will depart United as a free agent at the end of the campaign, claims Nicolo Schira. The midfielder may look to see out his career in his Spanish homeland.

- Ralf Rangnick is eager for United to bring in Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig, according to ESPN. Madrid, Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal have also been linked.

Carlo Ancelotti recognised Real Madrid had no answer to Kylian Mbappe in Tuesday's defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, acknowledging the match-winner was "unstoppable".

PSG claimed a slender 1-0 win over Madrid at the Parc des Princes to take a first-leg lead to the Santiago Bernabeu next month.

Mbappe got the decisive goal right at the end, skipping between a couple of defenders before firing through Thibaut Courtois' legs.

But Mbappe had terrorised the Madrid defence throughout, managing seven shots in total, drawing some vital saves from Courtois.

Mbappe also won the penalty that Lionel Messi had saved, with the France striker rising to the occasion against the club many expect him to join at the end of the season.

Ancelotti has rarely shied away from declaring his admiration for Mbappe, and he saluted the 23-year-old's show-stopping display.

"Mbappe is unstoppable," Ancelotti was quoted as saying by Marca.

"We have tried to control him. [Eder] Militao has done very well but [Mbappe] can always invent something out of nothing, and he created at the last minute."

In contrast to Mbappe's, Madrid's performance was significantly lacking in purpose, almost appearing to play for a draw from the outset.

They failed to get a shot on target for only the second time in a Champions League game since Opta records began (2003-04).

In fact, their 0.14 expected goals (xG) is Madrid's worst in a Champions League match since registering just 0.05 xG against Borussia Dortmund in April 2013.

Explaining their issues, Ancelotti continued: "We've done quite well in defence but we haven't been very aggressive.

"We lacked something with the ball, we've missed many passes and it took a lot to get out of their pressure.

"[Marco] Asensio and Vini [Vinicius Junior], [Karim] Benzema as well, they didn't get many balls. With the ball we didn't do as we wanted.

"We tried to start from the back but it didn't work out. The low block had to be more aggressive, but it wasn't a conservative approach. It didn't work out for us, getting the ball as we know."

Benzema was withdrawn in the second half after making his comeback following over three weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, though Ancelotti assured he was not substituted due to that problem.

"Benzema's problem was not physical," he said. "I changed him just before the end, the problem is that the balls we wanted did not reach him.

"I'm optimistic, although we have to do better in the second leg. We have the game at home and we don't have to worry about the away goal.

"It's clear that PSG have a good advantage but hopefully it won't be enough."

Kylian Mbappe believes his performance and match-winning goal against Real Madrid proved his commitment to Paris Saint-Germain – though he once again refused to shut down speculation around his future.

Much of the focus heading into PSG's Champions League last-16 tie with Madrid was focused on Mbappe due to Los Blancos' long-standing interest in him.

The France star is in the final six months of his PSG contract and, according to reports, is likely to join Madrid at the end of the season.

But he left no doubt as to his commitment to PSG so long as he wears their jersey, producing an excellent individual performance and getting the winning goal in Tuesday's 1-0 home victory.

Mbappe had seven shots in all, drawing a couple of crucial saves from Thibaut Courtois, and also won the penalty that Lionel Messi failed to convert.

And just when Madrid looked to have survived a late onslaught, Mbappe jinked between two defenders and shot through Courtois' legs deep into stoppage time, giving PSG the advantage ahead of the second leg on March 9.

Asked how he managed to ignore the context around the game, Mbappe told Canal Plus: "It's easy, you have to play football.

"We ask too many questions, we say too many things. We talk about PSG and Madrid, two great clubs. I'm a PSG player, I'm always very happy.

"I said I was going to give it my all and I had to prove it with facts. I did it for the first time, we will have to prove it a second time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"We wanted to be ready for these great nights. We dream of these kinds of nights. We wanted to win, we were pushed by our fans."

Some PSG fans surely hoped Mbappe might use the moment to declare he was staying at PSG, though any such fantasies would have been naive, as the 23-year-old again left the door open to speculation.

"I play for one of the best teams in the world," he added. "I'm going to give 100 per cent throughout the season and then we'll see."

A fixture worthy of the final, and a goal fit to win any game of football.

Paris Saint-Germain versus Real Madrid was billed as the tie of the round of 16, the Champions League kings against the would-be usurpers, old money versus new. More than that, it was the match to decide the future of Kylian Mbappe: parent club and suitors, battling for the right to call him their own next season. It was the sporting equivalent of a divorced couple fighting over the family dog, waiting to see who he runs to.

At full-time, it was 1-0 to PSG, a deserved win at the end of probably their best performance under Mauricio Pochettino. It was Mbappe, of course, who scored the goal at the death, reminding home and away teams why getting him to sign their contract might be the most important thing they do for years.

This tie and that tale are far from over.

The word from Spain is that Mbappe's signing is as good as done. Indeed, he might as well play with a Madrid shirt concealed underneath his PSG colours, ready to tear off the disguise and reveal his true identity as Florentino Perez's latest galactico. You can already see the Superman segment on El Chiringuito.

In Paris, they whisper a different story, one in which Mbappe may yet be convinced to sign a new deal and fulfil his dreams in his home city alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar.

The truth is nobody but Mbappe knows for certain what he wants to do, but there was an undeniable feeling on Tuesday that he might have outgrown his surroundings. Already the best player in France, perhaps he sees lighting up LaLiga as the next logical step towards a football legacy.

When Barcelona pulled off that incomprehensible comeback against PSG five years ago, Neymar was the star. It was his three-minute double that pushed Barca to the brink of an impossible 6-1 victory, and his pass to Sergi Roberto that delivered it. Yet it was Messi who took centre stage in the club's post-match footage and imagery; according to some reports, thus were sown the seeds of Neymar's longing to break free of Camp Nou shackles, ending in that €222million transfer.

It was hard not to think of that as Mbappe, midway through the second half here, watched Messi take and miss the penalty he had won.

If this really was the 'Mbappe derby', he looked happy – even determined – to embrace it as such, even if that wasn't always the best course of action. He skipped and step-overed his way into the box and shot straight into a packed Madrid defence when the cut-back to Messi was obvious. He led poor Dani Carvajal a merry dance, charging straight at him or cutting infield, the full-back little better at guessing his next move than the thousands of spectators who cheered his every touch. Just past the hour, Carvajal gave up on subtlety and decided hurling himself into the forward's legs was the only way to stop him. The only surprise was that Messi, not Mbappe, took the spot-kick that was saved by Thibaut Courtois.

For all Mbappe's efforts, there was no breakthrough. Madrid had defended stoutly, their attempts to attack given up in the opening minutes. David Alaba and Eder Militao marshalled the rearguard expertly, and Courtois showed why he is probably now the world's best goalkeeper. Even Neymar's first appearance since November could not breach the barricades, although they certainly creaked with every blonde-haired burst forward.

But of course Mbappe had the final say, and with practically the final kick. Neymar backheeled it, Mbappe flowed fleet-footed through a gap, and the ball was beneath Courtois via a tiny, telling deflection before his long legs could hit the ground. It was a 94th-minute winner, delivered with the speed and precision of the first move of a training session.

Mbappe wheeled away, arms outstretched, team-mates chasing in his wake, the Parc des Princes a living roar. His moment, his night, his team. But which one?

Kylian Mbappe fittingly scored a brilliant last-gasp winner as Paris Saint-Germain beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Much of the build-up to the match focused on Mbappe, given the expectation that he will join Madrid at the end of the season, and he ultimately made the difference at the Parc des Princes.

It looked as though PSG were going to be frustrated, as the France striker had previously been thwarted on a few occasions by Thibaut Courtois, who also saved a Lionel Messi penalty that Mbappe won.

But with time almost up, Mbappe finally got his goal to give PSG a slender advantage ahead of the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Neymar was named on the substitutes' bench for Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League last-16 first leg against Real Madrid, who were able to welcome back top scorer Karim Benzema on Tuesday. 

Brazil star Neymar, who turned 30 earlier this month, has not played since suffering an ankle ligament injury in a win over Saint-Etienne in November.

However, he returned to training over the past week and was deemed fit enough by boss Mauricio Pochettino to be named on the bench for the visit of Los Blancos.

Lionel Messi, who scored 26 goals in 45 appearances against Madrid for Barcelona, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria lead the line for the Ligue 1 leaders. 

Madrid, meanwhile, were able to call upon the services of talisman Benzema, who had not played since suffering a hamstring strain on January 23 against Elche. 

Speaking on Monday, Los Blancos coach Carlo Ancelotti was non-committal on the availability of Benzema, but the France striker has been deemed fit enough to start in a huge boost for Madrid.

Benzema was named in attack alongside Vinicius Junior and Marco Asensio.

Paris Saint-Germain will have Neymar available for Tuesday's Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid.

Neymar, who turned 30 earlier this month, has not played since suffering an ankle ligament injury in a win over Saint-Etienne in November.

However, the Brazil forward returned to training over the last week, with Mauricio Pochettino confirming on Monday that he could be considered for selection.

It has now been confirmed that Neymar is in the squad, with PSG revealing their 24-man selection ahead of Tuesday's game.

Neymar, who has scored only three goals this season, seems unlikely to start in Paris, with Pochettino having said: "We have to be careful. Sometimes what we want doesn't fit with the reality of the situation."

He is joined in the squad by Lionel Messi – who scored 26 goals in 45 appearances against Madrid for Barcelona – and Kylian Mbappe, who may well be playing for Los Blancos next season.

As expected, Sergio Ramos will not be fit to face his former club, though Pochettino is able to call on the services of ex-Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas, while Ander Herrera has also returned to the fold after missing the win over Rennes on Friday, as has Idrissa Gueye following his successful Africa Cup of Nations campaign with Senegal.

Karim Benzema was Madrid's big injury concern heading into Tuesday's first leg, but the France striker was included in Carlo Ancelotti's squad, which was confirmed on Monday.

Barcelona have been working to overcome their financial challenges over the past 12 months.

The Blaugrana have been plotting a way forward with their playing squad.

Barca landed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on a free transfer in January, as well as a loan move for Adama Traore.

TOP STORY – BARCELONA TARGET DE VRIJ

Barcelona are keen on Inter's Dutch defender Stefan de Vrij, reports Fichajes.

De Vrij is contracted with the Nerazzurri until the end of the 2022-23 season, but Barca may view him as Gerard Pique's successor.

Inter are reportedly open to interest from other parties, if the price is right, with the 30-year-old heading towards the final year of his present deal.

ROUND-UP

- The Daily Mail claims Paris Saint-Germain are putting together a lucrative deal to lure Paul Pogba to the club from Manchester United as a free agent. Pogba also has interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona, while he may still stay at Old Trafford.

- Newcastle United's efforts to sign Sevilla defender Diego Carlos will continue in the off-season after missing out in January, reports Marca.

- RB Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku has been added to Manchester United's list of off-season targets, claims ESPN.

- Crystal Palace and Watford are both keen on Liverpool veteran James Milner, according to Fichajes.

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Gareth Bale will exit the club when his contract expires at the end of this season.

The 32-year-old Wales captain, who spent last season on loan at Tottenham, has started only four LaLiga games this season.

Bale returned to the Madrid starting line-up for Saturday's 0-0 draw with Villarreal and after that game Ancelotti surprisingly threw him into the selection mix for Tuesday's Champions League last-16 clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

The Madrid boss was asked about Bale again on Monday and revealed his time with the club was winding down.

"I have a good relationship with him and the rest of the players," Ancelotti told reporters. “Personal relationships are strong when everyone shows respect and he has always done that and has never let me down in that regard.

"In the past, he hasn't had great motivation, but he wants to end things here in a good way.

"Bale has helped this club to win the Champions League, Copa del Rey and signing off on a high here would be good for his career."

Bale joined Los Blancos in 2013 and has had a indifferent time at the club, helping them to two LaLiga titles along with being crowned European champions four times, while having periods out of the side due to injury and selection.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema feels ready "in my head" to face Paris Saint-Germain after his recent injury absence but stressed he will not risk further problems if he does not feel right in training.

The France international has been absent since suffering a hamstring strain on January 23 against Elche.

Madrid have sorely missed their 24-goal top-scorer, managing to net just once in three full games since he sustained his injury, drawing a blank most recently on Sunday in a 0-0 draw at Villarreal.

Fears that he would also miss their Champions League last-16 first-leg trip to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday were eased when Madrid's Sunday squad announcement included Benzema.

But while that was undoubtedly a positive step, Benzema insists his participation at the Parc des Prince is by no means guaranteed.

"There's been many hours of work and I feel much better," he told reporters. "Now we have a training session to see if I can play, but I have to get more feeling [of his condition] on the pitch.

"Being 100 per cent, the most important thing is in your head. But you have to recover and have good sensations on the pitch.

"It's a difficult time when you're off the pitch. I've done work in Valdebebas [the training ground] and at home to get there.

"In my head I'm ready, but now I have to see on the pitch. It's a great game and if I have to play tomorrow, I will give everything.

"The team knows how to win without me, but I've done everything to get there. I hope I'll be fine but we don't have to risk it because the season is very long."

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti was on the same page as Benzema but left no doubt as to the importance of the striker – if he is fit, he will play.

"I have to listen and make the decision," he added. "He already has the medical discharge.

"He has trained by running and sprinting, but you have to see the feeling [on the pitch]. The coach has to wait to see what he says.

"The player has not played for a month, but it's Karim. If he's okay, he has to play."

Mauricio Pochettino seemingly does not believe his relationship with Paris Saint-Germain is a loveless one, with the Argentinian coach saying every project he has ever been involved in has "generated love".

Pochettino joined PSG as Thomas Tuchel's successor in January 2021, returning to the club having spent two years there as a player.

After building a fine reputation for himself at Southampton and Tottenham, it was hoped Pochettino would be the coach to take PSG to the next level and finally deliver Champions League glory alongside domestic domination.

But they were beaten by Manchester City in the semi-finals of last season's Champions League and also pipped to the Ligue 1 title by Lille.

Ever since, there has been something of a cloud hanging over Pochettino and PSG, which has not been helped by frequent links with Manchester United.

Now, ahead of PSG's Champions League last-16 tie with Real Madrid, fresh rumours claim Pochettino is likely to be sacked if the Parisians are eliminated – fittingly, he was asked in Monday's pre-match news conference if he was "in love" with PSG, on account of it also being Valentine's Day.

It was not entirely clear if he was professing his undying love or skilfully dodging the question, as he said: "I am a lost romantic of the old guard. Every project I have been involved in has generated love, I don't know how to live in any other way.

"My heart has always been with me. Whenever in doubt, I have always followed my heart. I think that is how you can do well. That is what I believe.

"In order to do your job well, and I think this goes for the whole staff and I see it in the players, your heart always comes above any other feelings. That is what moves the energy that you have."

Whether he was trying to avoid a straight answer or not, you just hope he does not refer to his wife as a "project" as well.

Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos is convinced Kylian Mbappe will be at ease with the prospect of facing Real Madrid amid the backdrop of intense speculation linking him with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Mbappe has been a long-term target of Madrid's and was the subject of more than one huge bids last year, but PSG held firm, adamant they could persuade him to sign a new deal.

Half a year on and Mbappe is into the final six months of his PSG contract, with everything pointing towards a likely free transfer to Madrid at the end of the season.

As such, all eyes will be on the France star as PSG take on Madrid in their upcoming last-16 tie in the Champions League.

Madrid visit Paris on Tuesday looking to get the upper hand, but Marquinhos has no doubts about Mbappe's state of mind.

Asked on Monday if beating Madrid over the two legs could convince Mbappe to stay at PSG, Marquinhos replied: "That is not the goal. The goal is to play well because even though it's over two legs, we know the home leg is particularly important.

"We are at home, and we will try to get a good result, play well and win. We want to score goals as that is important.

"We want Kylian to be as comfortable and happy as possible. He is still quite young and very strong mentally.

"He knows how to navigate the moments he is living through. He is confident, and we can see how he is doing on the pitch.

"He is at ease with the situation, happy to play with us, and we will make the most of that so he can be decisive for us. I hope he does that with us tomorrow, and he has his choices to make."

PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino is thought to be under significant pressure heading into this tie, with recent reports claiming he could be dismissed if they fail to reach the quarter-finals.

Yet he does not think there is greater pressure on PSG to prevail, suggesting they remain "pretenders" in a competition they have not yet won.

"I don't think there's more pressure on one side than the other," he said. "We respect Madrid given the history and trophies – they have won the most Champions League titles, 13, which shows that it's not just about players or coaching staff, but the strength within the structure internally at the club.

"Whenever you win trophies, it's down to a combination of factors where clubs can show their power, even more so in the Champions League.

"I don't think there is a favourite. It's a tie that could be a final, given the names, players and quality. Madrid have been winning this competition for 50 years – PSG are the pretenders.

"And now we are trying to get closer to that dream. I have total confidence in my team and players, and the supporters who give us energy."

When the Champions League last-16 draw took place in December, Paris Saint-Germain versus Manchester United looked set to be the headline fixture.

However, a technical fault resulted in a re-draw, dashing hopes – at least at this stage – of seeing Lionel Messi take on Cristiano Ronaldo.

Instead, we get to take in Messi vs Real Madrid. All in all, it's not a bad trade-off.

There are plenty of side stories to assess heading into Tuesday's first leg in Paris. Will Neymar be back fit in time? What will Sergio Ramos think if he has to sit out the game injured? How about Kylian Mbappe going up against the side for whom he seems destined to sign at the end of the season?

Messi, though, is used to making headlines against Madrid, of course, and the Barcelona great will surely be relishing the chance to renew these particular hostilities.

Clasico rivalry reignited 

It would be fair to say Messi has had something of a stuttering start to his PSG career, with the fearsome trio of the 34-year-old, Mbappe and Neymar having not quite clicked into full gear – indeed, the latter has missed a good chunk of the season through injury while Messi has had spells out and has also contracted COVID-19.

Messi netted 38 goals and contributed 12 assists in 47 games in his final season at Barcelona, striking every 110 minutes on average.

So far at PSG, he has only scored two Ligue 1 goals (one every 536 minutes), while his shot conversion rate is a measly 3.9 per cent from 51 attempts in total. His other five strikes have all come in the Champions League, at a rate of one every 90 minutes.

The Argentina star has provided seven assists from 44 chances created in the French top flight, with his creativity still evident even if he is playing in a slightly different role to that which he fulfilled in his final seasons at Barca.

But, what of Messi's record against Madrid?

He scored 672 goals in 778 matches across all competitions for the Blaugrana, and 26 (roughly four per cent) of those came in Clasicos. Of his 266 assists, 13 were provided against Madrid.

In total, Messi has played 45 times against Los Blancos, accumulating 3,940 minutes, directly contributing to a goal every 101 minutes.

Messi has celebrated victory on 19 occasions, tasted defeat 15 times and scored two hat-tricks. However, he failed to find the net in any of his final five Clasico appearances.

Magic moments

One of Messi's hat-tricks came in a thrilling Clasico in March 2014. With their title hopes on the line, Barca came from behind twice before finally prevailing 4-3 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Messi, then 26, assisted Andres Iniesta's opener before scoring once from open play and twice from the penalty spot (indeed, Messi has converted all six of the penalties he has taken against Los Blancos) after Karim Benzema and Ronaldo had netted for Madrid.

His first hat-trick came in 2006-07 when, at the age of 19, he salvaged a 3-3 draw with an injury-time equaliser.

Other highlights include a stunning free-kick in the 2012 Supercopa de Espana, though it was ultimately fruitless as Madrid went on to claim victory. Later that year, Messi scored twice in a 2-2 draw, dispatching another wonderful free-kick, with Ronaldo grabbing both of Madrid's goals as that rivalry headed into its peak years.

In 2008-09, Messi scored twice and set up another in a 6-2 rout of Madrid, one of Pep Guardiola's finest moments as his Barca side stormed to six trophies in a year, while in 2010-11, Messi directly contributed to all five of the Blaugrana's goals across two legs in a Supercopa triumph.

He scored a supreme solo goal in a 2-0 Champions League victory in April 2011, with Barca going on to win the trophy that season and six years later, Messi netted twice in a 3-2 victory in LaLiga.

His second, a dramatic winner with the final kick of the game, was his 500th Barca goal and resulted in one of the most famous celebrations of all time, with Messi holding up his shirt to taunt Madrid's fans.

While the 2021-22 vintage of Messi has not yet hit – and indeed is unlikely ever to hit – the same heights of his Barca prime, Tuesday's fixture is another chance for him to haunt Madrid

.

The Champions League returns on Tuesday as the round of 16 gets underway, and what a way to kick things off.

Paris Saint-Germain host Real Madrid in what is widely considered to be the tie of the round, with particular interest in PSG duo Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe for differing reasons.

Sporting CP welcome Manchester City to the Estadio Jose Alvalade in the other first-leg encounter, with Ruben Amorim's men hoping to spring a surprise against the champions of England.

What do the numbers say about the opening games of the Champions League knockout stage, though? Stats Perform takes a look to decipher who is likeliest to come out on top.

Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid

Real Madrid have a slight edge over PSG in their 10 previous meetings in European competition, having won four and lost three. The French side lead 2-1 in the head-to-head in the knockout stages, eliminating Madrid from the 1992-93 UEFA Cup quarter-final and the 1993-94 Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final.

The last meeting between the two came in the group stage of the 2019-20 Champions League, a 2-2 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu. PSG won the previous game at Parc des Princes 3-0, and ultimately finished five points ahead of Madrid in Group A.

Los Blancos did win their last Champions League knockout game in Paris, beating PSG 2-1 in the round-of-16 second leg in 2017-18.

PSG will hope to improve their home record, having won just one of their past six such Champions League knockout games, a run including four defeats.

Since the start of the 2020-21 campaign, Mbappe – who is being linked with a move to Madrid when his contract expires at the end of the season – has been involved in more open-play sequences ending in goals (17) than any other player in the Champions League. He also has the highest expected goals sequence involvement of any player in this period (16.4).

Mbappe's France team-mate Karim Benzema, who is battling to be fit for the game, has found the net in each of his past four outings in the Champions League. Should he do so again on Tuesday, he will become just the third player to score in five consecutive appearances for Madrid in the competition, after Cristiano Ronaldo (four times, between 2013 and 2018) and Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2007.

The Spanish giants won all three of their away games in the group stage without conceding a goal. The only previous Champions League campaign in which they won their first four away games was in 2014-15, during Carlo Ancelotti’s first spell in charge.

Sporting CP v Manchester City

Sporting and City have only ever faced each other twice in European competition, which was their two legs in the round of 16 in the 2011-12 Europa League, with the Portuguese side going through on away goals.

City have only won once in their past six matches in Portugal (D2 L3), including their 1-0 defeat in last year's Champions League final to Chelsea in Porto.

This will be just the second time Sporting have played in the Champions League round of 16, with the previous occasion seeing them lose 12-1 on aggregate to Bayern Munich in 2008-09, the largest aggregate defeat in the competition's history.

City have kept just one clean sheet in their previous 11 matches in the Champions League and conceded at least once in all six group games this season. Still, should they win this game, Pep Guardiola's team will be the first in Champions League history to win five consecutive away games in the knockout stages.

Sporting boss Amorim, at 37 years and 19 days old, will be the second-youngest Portuguese coach to take charge of a Champions League knockout-stage tie after Andre Villas-Boas (34 years and 127 days) with Chelsea against Napoli in 2011-12. Villas-Boas was sacked prior to the second leg.

Among Portuguese players, only Ronaldo (six goals) has been directly involved in more Champions League goals this season than Sporting’s Pedro Goncalves (five – four scored, one assisted) and Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo (five – two scored, three assisted).

Saturday's 4-0 win at Norwich City was the first time Riyad Mahrez has failed to score for City since early December. The first of his seven-game scoring run was the final Champions League group clash, a 2-1 defeat at RB Leipzig.

Mahrez has also scored nine goals in his past 10 appearances in the Champions League and has been directly involved in six goals in his most recent six games in the knockout rounds (four scored, two assisted). Since the start of last season, Mahrez has scored at least four goals more in the competition than any other City player (Gabriel Jesus is next with five).