Repeat? Get Real
No club has ever won back-to-back European Cups in the Champions League era. But that doesn't mean Real Madrid cannot be the first.
Things are complicated, however, by a fixture pile-up caused by the FIFA Club World Cup and the postponement of their league game at Celta Vigo last weekend. Plus, after going a record 40 games unbeaten, Real have wobbled since the turn of the year, a little like they did in Carlo Ancelotti's final season two years ago.
Real also go into the round of 16 as a second seed after failing to top their group for the first time in four years.