Paris Saint-Germain are seeking revenge for their defeat in last season's final when they renew acquaintances with Bayern Munich in the Champions League last eight this week, but the French giants appear to have gone backwards since then despite the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino as coach.

News of Robert Lewandowski's absence for the quarter-final first leg at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday has understandably been met with some delight in Paris, especially with Neymar recovering fitness following his latest lay-off.

Nevertheless, PSG did not need Neymar when they delivered their signature performance of the campaign so far to beat Barcelona 4-1 away in the last round.

Marco Verratti did play then, and the Italian playmaker's absence in Munich following a positive Covid-19 test could be a major problem for Pochettino.

The Argentine, a former PSG captain, was appointed by the Qatar-owned club in January with the difficult brief of doing better than his sacked predecessor, Thomas Tuchel.

Under Tuchel, the Parisians won every domestic trophy in France last season before reaching the Champions League final for the first time.

In some ways there is more pressure on PSG now than there was for that 1-0 loss to Bayern in Lisbon last August.

Getting to the final of Europe's elite club competition was a big step forwards, but going out in the quarter-finals now would be a major setback for PSG and Pochettino, especially as they are trailing in Ligue 1.

The former Tottenham Hotspur coach told AFP in an interview last month that he would need time to make his mark at the Parc des Princes and that he would be unable to make the changes he wants until the next pre-season.

The 49-year-old, who oversaw a 7-2 home defeat by Bayern in one of his last games with Spurs, sought to emphasise the point last weekend, telling Le Parisien: "You can judge me from next season."

In the meantime, he added: "If we win the Champions League, or the French Cup, or Ligue 1, our influence will have been minimal. As will be the case if we win nothing. It will mainly be down to the players."

Of the team that started last season's final, only captain Thiago Silva has departed, while Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who came off the bench, has since switched to the Bayern ranks.

Yet he was replaced by Moise Kean, and the Italian international is an upgrade having contributed 15 goals, including three in the Champions League.

Meanwhile, left-back Juan Bernat has missed almost the entire season due to injury, and PSG have problems in both full-back positions.

<h2>- 'Highs and lows' -</h2>

What Pochettino really needs is for Neymar to rediscover his best form and for Kylian Mbappe to deliver -- PSG's best performances under Pochettino have come with Mbappe starring, from his hat-trick in Barcelona to a double in a 4-2 win in Lyon.

However Mbappe has sometimes flattered to deceive and performances have regularly been disappointing, under Tuchel and Pochettino.

They have lost 10 times this season, including three defeats in their last six league games.

Saturday's 1-0 home loss to title rivals Lille -- in which Neymar was sent off -- left them three points behind the Ligue 1 leaders with seven matches remaining.

Never mind potentially missing out on winning the French title, PSG could miss out on Champions League qualification altogether by failing to finish in the top three in Ligue 1.

That would be embarrassing for a club of the standing of PSG, who lost 3-1 on their last visit to Bayern for a group-stage match under Unai Emery in 2017.

"We have had lots of highs and lows, so we need to be more consistent like in previous seasons," captain Marquinhos told Canal Plus after the Lille game.

"We can still achieve great things so we need to focus on the positives and look at what we can improve. The next game is one of our biggest of the season."

Paris Saint-Germain are seeking revenge for their defeat in last season's final when they renew acquaintances with Bayern Munich in the Champions League last eight this week, but the French giants appear to have gone backwards since then despite the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino as coach.

Paris Saint-Germain are seeking revenge for their defeat in last season's final when they renew acquaintances with Bayern Munich in the Champions League last eight this week, but the French giants appear to have gone backwards since then despite the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino as coach. News of Robert Lewandowski's absence for the quarter-final first leg at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday has understandably been met with some delight in Paris, especially with Neymar recovering fitness following his latest lay-off. Nevertheless, PSG did not need Neymar when they delivered their signature performance of the campaign so far to beat Barcelona 4-1 away in the last round. Marco Verratti did play then, and the Italian playmaker's absence in Munich following a positive Covid-19 test could be a major problem for Pochettino. The Argentine, a former PSG captain, was appointed by the Qatar-owned club in January with the difficult brief of doing better than his sacked predecessor, Thomas Tuchel. Under Tuchel, the Parisians won every domestic trophy in France last season before reaching the Champions League final for the first time. In some ways there is more pressure on PSG now than there was for that 1-0 loss to Bayern in Lisbon last August. Getting to the final of Europe's elite club competition was a big step forwards, but going out in the quarter-finals now would be a major setback for PSG and Pochettino, especially as they are trailing in Ligue 1. The former Tottenham Hotspur coach told AFP in an interview last month that he would need time to make his mark at the Parc des Princes and that he would be unable to make the changes he wants until the next pre-season. The 49-year-old, who oversaw a 7-2 home defeat by Bayern in one of his last games with Spurs, sought to emphasise the point last weekend, telling Le Parisien: "You can judge me from next season." In the meantime, he added: "If we win the Champions League, or the French Cup, or Ligue 1, our influence will have been minimal. As will be the case if we win nothing. It will mainly be down to the players." Of the team that started last season's final, only captain Thiago Silva has departed, while Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who came off the bench, has since switched to the Bayern ranks. Yet he was replaced by Moise Kean, and the Italian international is an upgrade having contributed 15 goals, including three in the Champions League. Meanwhile, left-back Juan Bernat has missed almost the entire season due to injury, and PSG have problems in both full-back positions. - 'Highs and lows' - What Pochettino really needs is for Neymar to rediscover his best form and for Kylian Mbappe to deliver -- PSG's best performances under Pochettino have come with Mbappe starring, from his hat-trick in Barcelona to a double in a 4-2 win in Lyon. However Mbappe has sometimes flattered to deceive and performances have regularly been disappointing, under Tuchel and Pochettino. They have lost 10 times this season, including three defeats in their last six league games. Saturday's 1-0 home loss to title rivals Lille -- in which Neymar was sent off -- left them three points behind the Ligue 1 leaders with seven matches remaining. Never mind potentially missing out on winning the French title, PSG could miss out on Champions League qualification altogether by failing to finish in the top three in Ligue 1. That would be embarrassing for a club of the standing of PSG, who lost 3-1 on their last visit to Bayern for a group-stage match under Unai Emery in 2017. "We have had lots of highs and lows, so we need to be more consistent like in previous seasons," captain Marquinhos told Canal Plus after the Lille game. "We can still achieve great things so we need to focus on the positives and look at what we can improve. The next game is one of our biggest of the season."

Can PSG avenge Champions League final loss against Bayern?

The draw for the UEFA Champions League 2020-21 Round of 16 took place on Monday at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Defending UEFA Champions League winners Bayern Munich will take on Lazio whereas FC Liverpool are set to take on RB Leipzig in what promises to be a thrilling contest.&nbsp;

Barcelona are set to take on Paris Saint-Germain in a blocbuster clash while Manchester City will face Borussia Monchengladbach.

The UEFA Champions League 2020-21 Round of 16 draw featured the eight group winners (seeded) and eight runners-up (unseeded). The seeded teams will play at home in the second legs with no teams playing a club from their UEFA Champions League group or a club from the same national association

Seeded teams

Bayern (GER, Group A) 
Real Madrid (ESP, Group B) 
Manchester City (ENG, C) 
Liverpool (ENG, D) 
Chelsea (ENG, E) 
Borussia Dortmund (GER, F) 
Juventus (ITA, G) 
Paris (FRA, H)

Unseeded teams

Atlético (ESP, A) 
Borussia Mönchengladbach (GER, B) 
Porto (POR, C) 
Atalanta (ITA, D) 
Sevilla (ESP, E) 
Lazio (ITA, F) 
Barcelona (ESP, G) 
Leipzig (GER, H)

<h2>UEFA Champions League 2020-21 Round of 16 draw in full:</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Borussia Monchengladbach vs Manchester City</li>
	<li>Lazio vs FC Bayern Munich</li>
	<li>Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea</li>
	<li>RB Leipzig vs FC Liverpool</li>
	<li>FC Porto vs Juventus</li>
	<li>FC Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain</li>
	<li>Sevilla FC vs Borussia Dortmund</li>
	<li>Atalanta vs Real Madrid</li>
</ul>

The round of 16 first legs are scheduled for 16/17/23/24 February, with the second legs on 9/10/16/17 March. Kick-offs are at 21:00 CET. The draw for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final is on 19 March.

The draw for the UEFA Champions League 2020-21 Round of 16 took place on Monday at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Defending UEFA Champions League winners Bayern Munich will take on Lazio whereas FC Liverpool are set to take on RB Leipzig in what promises to be a thrilling contest.

The draw for the UEFA Champions League 2020-21 Round of 16 took place on Monday at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Defending UEFA Champions League winners Bayern Munich will take on Lazio whereas FC Liverpool are set to take on RB Leipzig in what promises to be a thrilling contest. Barcelona are set to take on Paris Saint-Germain in a blocbuster clash while Manchester City will face Borussia Monchengladbach. The UEFA Champions League 2020-21 Round of 16 draw featured the eight group winners (seeded) and eight runners-up (unseeded). The seeded teams will play at home in the second legs with no teams playing a club from their UEFA Champions League group or a club from the same national association Seeded teams Bayern (GER, Group A) Real Madrid (ESP, Group B) Manchester City (ENG, C) Liverpool (ENG, D) Chelsea (ENG, E) Borussia Dortmund (GER, F) Juventus (ITA, G) Paris (FRA, H) Unseeded teams Atlético (ESP, A) Borussia Mönchengladbach (GER, B) Porto (POR, C) Atalanta (ITA, D) Sevilla (ESP, E) Lazio (ITA, F) Barcelona (ESP, G) Leipzig (GER, H) UEFA Champions League 2020-21 Round of 16 draw in full: Borussia Monchengladbach vs Manchester City Lazio vs FC Bayern Munich Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea RB Leipzig vs FC Liverpool FC Porto vs Juventus FC Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain Sevilla FC vs Borussia Dortmund Atalanta vs Real Madrid The round of 16 first legs are scheduled for 16/17/23/24 February, with the second legs on 9/10/16/17 March. Kick-offs are at 21:00 CET. The draw for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final is on 19 March.

UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw: Barcelona to face PSG - Check full fixtures

Real Madrid and Barcelona's stuttering starts to the season could continue, while AC Milan's unbeaten record in Serie A is in danger and Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick is aiming to continue his astonishing record.

AFP Sport previews the standout football action on the continent this weekend:

<h2>- German accent to French showdown -</h2>

Monaco v Paris Saint-Germain, Friday 2000 GMT

PSG are five points clear at the top of Ligue 1 and chasing a ninth straight win when they face Monaco, the only other club to have won the title in the past eight seasons.

Paris have won 4-1 and 4-0 on their last two visits to the principality but they might find things harder this time, not least because coach Thomas Tuchel is without a host of injured players, while Neymar is a doubt.

The game has a German accent to it, with Monaco looking to return to the upper echelons of the French game under new Croatian coach Niko Kovac, who was born and raised in Germany.

Ex-Borussia Dortmund boss Tuchel has been full of praise ahead of the game for Kovac, who he came up against when the latter was at Eintracht Frankfurt. Kovac is looking to relaunch his career after being sacked by Bayern Munich.

<h2>- Landmark for Flick -</h2>

Bayern Munich v Werder Bremen, Saturday 1430 GMT

Kovac was replaced in the dugout in Bavaria by Hansi Flick, who went on to win the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup treble last season and has added the UEFA and German Super Cups this season.

On Saturday Flick takes charge of Bayern for the 50th time when they host Werder Bremen.

Flick's record is astonishing. He has overseen 45 wins, one draw and just three defeats, with Bayern averaging 3.3 goals a game in the Bundesliga.

Bayern sealed the title with a 1-0 win in Bremen in June. Werder only just stayed up last season and lost 6-1 on their last trip to Munich. A similar outcome is quite possible this time.&nbsp;

<h2>- Real to struggle without Ramos? -</h2>

Villarreal v Real Madrid, Saturday 1515 GMT

Zinedine Zidane's Real have had two weeks to stew on a 4-1 hammering at Valencia and could find the going tough again this weekend when they make another trip to Spain's east coast to play Villarreal.

Unai Emery's side are undefeated in six La Liga games and are second in the table, two points behind leaders Real Sociedad and two above Real, who have a game in hand.

While Madrid are without talisman Sergio Ramos after he suffered a hamstring injury playing for Spain, Villarreal have two of Spain's most in-form strikers in Paco Alcacer and Gerard Moreno.

The latter has four league goals this season and scored a late equaliser for Spain against Switzerland in the Nations League last weekend, while Alcacer has nine in total.

They could make life very difficult for the champions.

<h2>- Another acid test for Barcelona -</h2>

Atletico Madrid v Barcelona, Saturday 2000 GMT

Barcelona claimed a first win in five La Liga games last time out when they thumped Real Betis 5-2, but they are currently eighth in the table, nine points behind Real Sociedad with two matches in hand.

On Saturday they visit Atletico, who are six points above Ronald Koeman's side and on a club-record unbeaten run of 23 league matches.

Luis Suarez's absence against his former side after a positive coronavirus test is a great shame, as will be the lack of fans, but this match still pits Lionel Messi against Joao Felix, and there is the return of Antoine Griezmann to face his old team.

<h2>- Milan's unbeaten record on the line -</h2>

Napoli v AC Milan, Sunday 1945 GMT

Milan's revival is real, as they spent the international break on top of Serie A, unbeaten and two points ahead of Sassuolo in second.

A huge test awaits, however, as they go to Napoli, who are three points off the lead in third.

Napoli have lost their last two home games but look like contenders for a top-four finish this season and the prospect of coach Gennaro Gattuso getting one over the club he served with such distinction as a player is a fascinating one.

Real Madrid and Barcelona's stuttering starts to the season could continue, while AC Milan's unbeaten record in Serie A is in danger and Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick is aiming to continue his astonishing record.

Real Madrid and Barcelona's stuttering starts to the season could continue, while AC Milan's unbeaten record in Serie A is in danger and Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick is aiming to continue his astonishing record. AFP Sport previews the standout football action on the continent this weekend: - German accent to French showdown - Monaco v Paris Saint-Germain, Friday 2000 GMT PSG are five points clear at the top of Ligue 1 and chasing a ninth straight win when they face Monaco, the only other club to have won the title in the past eight seasons. Paris have won 4-1 and 4-0 on their last two visits to the principality but they might find things harder this time, not least because coach Thomas Tuchel is without a host of injured players, while Neymar is a doubt. The game has a German accent to it, with Monaco looking to return to the upper echelons of the French game under new Croatian coach Niko Kovac, who was born and raised in Germany. Ex-Borussia Dortmund boss Tuchel has been full of praise ahead of the game for Kovac, who he came up against when the latter was at Eintracht Frankfurt. Kovac is looking to relaunch his career after being sacked by Bayern Munich. - Landmark for Flick - Bayern Munich v Werder Bremen, Saturday 1430 GMT Kovac was replaced in the dugout in Bavaria by Hansi Flick, who went on to win the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup treble last season and has added the UEFA and German Super Cups this season. On Saturday Flick takes charge of Bayern for the 50th time when they host Werder Bremen. Flick's record is astonishing. He has overseen 45 wins, one draw and just three defeats, with Bayern averaging 3.3 goals a game in the Bundesliga. Bayern sealed the title with a 1-0 win in Bremen in June. Werder only just stayed up last season and lost 6-1 on their last trip to Munich. A similar outcome is quite possible this time. - Real to struggle without Ramos? - Villarreal v Real Madrid, Saturday 1515 GMT Zinedine Zidane's Real have had two weeks to stew on a 4-1 hammering at Valencia and could find the going tough again this weekend when they make another trip to Spain's east coast to play Villarreal. Unai Emery's side are undefeated in six La Liga games and are second in the table, two points behind leaders Real Sociedad and two above Real, who have a game in hand. While Madrid are without talisman Sergio Ramos after he suffered a hamstring injury playing for Spain, Villarreal have two of Spain's most in-form strikers in Paco Alcacer and Gerard Moreno. The latter has four league goals this season and scored a late equaliser for Spain against Switzerland in the Nations League last weekend, while Alcacer has nine in total. They could make life very difficult for the champions. - Another acid test for Barcelona - Atletico Madrid v Barcelona, Saturday 2000 GMT Barcelona claimed a first win in five La Liga games last time out when they thumped Real Betis 5-2, but they are currently eighth in the table, nine points behind Real Sociedad with two matches in hand. On Saturday they visit Atletico, who are six points above Ronald Koeman's side and on a club-record unbeaten run of 23 league matches. Luis Suarez's absence against his former side after a positive coronavirus test is a great shame, as will be the lack of fans, but this match still pits Lionel Messi against Joao Felix, and there is the return of Antoine Griezmann to face his old team. - Milan's unbeaten record on the line - Napoli v AC Milan, Sunday 1945 GMT Milan's revival is real, as they spent the international break on top of Serie A, unbeaten and two points ahead of Sassuolo in second. A huge test awaits, however, as they go to Napoli, who are three points off the lead in third. Napoli have lost their last two home games but look like contenders for a top-four finish this season and the prospect of coach Gennaro Gattuso getting one over the club he served with such distinction as a player is a fascinating one.

Huge tests for Real, Barca, a milestone for Flick - what to watch in Europe this weekend

Less than six weeks Bayern Munich won last season's delayed final behind closed doors, the draw for the group stage of the next Champions League takes place on Thursday with the threat of the coronavirus pandemic again hanging over the competition.

Bayern were crowned European champions for the sixth time after beating Paris Saint-Germain at an empty Estadio da Luz in Lisbon in August.

The surreal occasion represented a triumph of sorts for UEFA. European football's governing body succeeded in playing its flagship competition to a conclusion despite the long shutdown caused by the health crisis, but the final rounds were not the same as with packed stadiums.

"A game like this without supporters is not the football that we know," lamented Bayern coach Hansi Flick. "Perhaps they can be back again in the future."

Thursday's draw is part of a ceremony which will also see the best men's and women's player of last season crowned.

UEFA had to ditch plans to stage the event in Athens and instead moved it to its own headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where the draw will go ahead without guests.

It is further evidence that, after the battle to get last season finished, things are not about to return to normal in Europe yet, and virus cases are exploding again.

But this time the football, it seems, will go on.&nbsp;

Both Bayern and PSG will be in the first pot of seeds along with Liverpool, Real Madrid, Juventus, Porto, Zenit Saint-Petersburg and Sevilla, the Europa League winners.

There is the prospect of plenty of enticing match-ups, with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and both Manchester clubs all in the second pot, and Inter Milan, Atalanta, RB Leipzig and Marseille among the lower seeds.

But the excitement of the draw will be quickly tempered.

First, there is the realisation that almost all the leading clubs will make it through to the last 16 anyway, as they always do, removing much of the jeopardy from the early games.

<h2>- Pitfalls ahead -</h2>

As the pandemic continues to cast a shadow, it seems hard to imagine the final going ahead as scheduled in Istanbul next May in a full stadium.

UEFA experimented with the return of fans when around 15,500 attended last week's Super Cup between Bayern and Sevilla in Budapest.

"Health is the number one priority but we want to bring hope," said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. He added: "Fans and players are the essential part of football."

But with rules on large gatherings varying considerably from country to country, UEFA must decide how to approach the issue of crowds attending games in the Champions League and Europa League, the draw for which is on Friday.

UEFA's current stance is that games will be behind closed doors "until further notice".

It has adapted its rules. In the face of travel restrictions, it will allow matches on neutral territory. If a club suffers a Covid-19 outbreak, a game can go ahead as long as each team has at least 13 fit players including one goalkeeper.

The group stage starts on October 20, more than a month later than usual, and all six rounds of games will be packed into eight weeks.

However, in the event of more delays, UEFA has set January 28 as the deadline to complete the group stage.

Pitfalls lie ahead, but the draw offers a brief return to something like normality.

Less than six weeks Bayern Munich won last season's delayed final behind closed doors, the draw for the group stage of the next Champions League takes place on Thursday with the threat of the coronavirus pandemic again hanging over the competition.

Less than six weeks Bayern Munich won last season's delayed final behind closed doors, the draw for the group stage of the next Champions League takes place on Thursday with the threat of the coronavirus pandemic again hanging over the competition. Bayern were crowned European champions for the sixth time after beating Paris Saint-Germain at an empty Estadio da Luz in Lisbon in August. The surreal occasion represented a triumph of sorts for UEFA. European football's governing body succeeded in playing its flagship competition to a conclusion despite the long shutdown caused by the health crisis, but the final rounds were not the same as with packed stadiums. "A game like this without supporters is not the football that we know," lamented Bayern coach Hansi Flick. "Perhaps they can be back again in the future." Thursday's draw is part of a ceremony which will also see the best men's and women's player of last season crowned. UEFA had to ditch plans to stage the event in Athens and instead moved it to its own headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where the draw will go ahead without guests. It is further evidence that, after the battle to get last season finished, things are not about to return to normal in Europe yet, and virus cases are exploding again. But this time the football, it seems, will go on. Both Bayern and PSG will be in the first pot of seeds along with Liverpool, Real Madrid, Juventus, Porto, Zenit Saint-Petersburg and Sevilla, the Europa League winners. There is the prospect of plenty of enticing match-ups, with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and both Manchester clubs all in the second pot, and Inter Milan, Atalanta, RB Leipzig and Marseille among the lower seeds. But the excitement of the draw will be quickly tempered. First, there is the realisation that almost all the leading clubs will make it through to the last 16 anyway, as they always do, removing much of the jeopardy from the early games. - Pitfalls ahead - As the pandemic continues to cast a shadow, it seems hard to imagine the final going ahead as scheduled in Istanbul next May in a full stadium. UEFA experimented with the return of fans when around 15,500 attended last week's Super Cup between Bayern and Sevilla in Budapest. "Health is the number one priority but we want to bring hope," said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. He added: "Fans and players are the essential part of football." But with rules on large gatherings varying considerably from country to country, UEFA must decide how to approach the issue of crowds attending games in the Champions League and Europa League, the draw for which is on Friday. UEFA's current stance is that games will be behind closed doors "until further notice". It has adapted its rules. In the face of travel restrictions, it will allow matches on neutral territory. If a club suffers a Covid-19 outbreak, a game can go ahead as long as each team has at least 13 fit players including one goalkeeper. The group stage starts on October 20, more than a month later than usual, and all six rounds of games will be packed into eight weeks. However, in the event of more delays, UEFA has set January 28 as the deadline to complete the group stage. Pitfalls lie ahead, but the draw offers a brief return to something like normality.

Bayern and rivals await Champions League draw as pandemic riddle remains

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Can PSG avenge Champions League final loss against Bayern?

UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw: Barcelona to face PSG - Check full fixtures

Huge tests for Real, Barca, a milestone for Flick - what to watch in Europe this weekend

Bayern and rivals await Champions League draw as pandemic riddle remains