Source: SKY_Sports
Champions League preview
Liverpool and Chelsea return to UEFA Champions League action with mouth-watering meetings against two of Europe's elite.
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Five-times European champions Liverpool travel to Spain to take on nine-times winners Real Madrid at El Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of their first knockout round clash.
Rafa Benitez has admitted that the continental competition is now the top priority for the Anfield outfit with their Premier League title dreams slipping away and Manchester United seven points clear.
But they will face the toughest of tasks against a revitalised Real, who have won 10 of their 11 games since former Tottenham boss Juande Ramos replaced Bernd Schuster at the helm.
Ramos' current contract only runs until the end of the season and with Barcelona seven clear in La Liga the Champions League represents the best chance of silverware for the man whose face did not fit at White Hart Lane.
The tie will have added significance for Benitez as he spent time as part of Real's playing and coaching staff, and the Spaniard has again been linked with the Madrid hot-seat with negotiations over his new Liverpool contract still dragging on.
And on Wednesday morning leading bookmakers stopped taking bets on Benitez remaining at Anfield after a flood of money was staked on his future.
Ranieri returnInterim Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink takes charge of his first Champions League tie for the club against Juventus with former Blues boss Claudio Ranieri in the opposition dugout.
Ranieri knows only too well about the demands for success placed on the shoulders of those in the Stamford Bridge hot-seat by owner Roman Abramovich, with his four-year reign ending in May 2004 after finishing second in the Premier League and reaching the last four in Europe.
Despite domestic glory under Jose Mourinho, European success has always eluded the Blues, with John Terry's missed penalty in the agonising final defeat to Manchester United last May denying them the crown under Avram Grant's stewardship.
Hiddink, who is combining his club role with his existing post as Russia coach, continues to insist that he will not remain with Chelsea beyond the end of the season, but triumphing in the continent's most prestigious club competition could prove to be a hugely persuasive factor.
Ranieri, dubbed the Tinkerman for his constant squad rotation during his time in West London, took over as Juve boss in June 2007 after stints with Valencia and Parma and has guided the club to second in Serie A this term, nine adrift of leaders Inter Milan.
RevivalBayern Munich are back in the Champions League this term having been forced into the unfamiliar surroundings of the UEFA Cup last season and travel to Portugal to tackle Sporting in their last 16 showdown.
Jurgen Klinsmann's side breezed into the knockout stages and were unbeaten during their Group F campaign, while Sporting secured their progress beyond the group stages for the first time by finishing second in Group C behind Barcelona.
The Lisbon club have an unhappy record against German opponents in Europe, with no victories in 14 meetings, while Bayern have lost just one of their 20 clashes against teams from Portugal.
Villarreal welcome Panathinaikos to El Madrigal looking to extend their proud unbeaten home record in the UEFA Champions League, with five wins and five draws from their 10 matches.
But they will have to be on their guard against the Greek visitors, who looked down and out in the group stages after taking just one point from their opening three games before staging a stirring late revival.
Henk ten Cate, former assistant to Grant at Chelsea, guided his side to impressive victories away to Werder Bremen and Inter Milan as nine points were gained to top Group B ahead of Mourinho's men.
