The Champions League returns this week with Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur all in last 16 action after impressing in the League Phase
Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur return to European action in midweek with the first legs of their Champions League last 16 ties. The Gunners face Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen. The Blues take on holders Paris Saint-Germain, while Spurs face La Liga's Atletico Madrid.
Mikel Arteta's Arsenal will be looking to maintain their 100% record in Europe this season when they travel to Germany on Wednesday. The Premier League leaders won all eight of their fixtures in the League Phase, including victories over Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Atletico.
Chelsea, who finished sixth in the League Phase, will be looking to cause an upset against the reigning European champions. Liam Rosenior's side should fancy their chances with PSG needing to edge past Monaco in the playoffs to set up their last 16 tie against the Blues - and memories still fresh of last summer's Club World Cup final win against Luis Enrique's men.
Spurs, meanwhile, may be looking forward to a welcome distraction from their Premier League relegation battle when they travel to Diego Simeone's side. Having finished fourth in the League Phase, Europe has been a rare bright spot for the Lily Whites in an otherwise difficult campaign.
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With all that said, below, writers at football.london have offered their takes on all the last 16 ties for the London clubs involved in European action this week.
Isaac Seelochan
Arsenal should fancy their chances of reaching a first Champions League final since 2006 after landing in the better side of the draw. They may have to play Barcelona in the semi-finals, but Hansi Flick's team are a flawed side.
The Gunners should have too much for Leverkusen, who are nowhere near the impressive side under Xabi Alonso from a few seasons ago. The only issue for Arsenal could be fatigue, as they still go strong in all four competitions.
For Chelsea, this tie against PSG should be a free hit for them, and I have a feeling they may sneak through. Liam Rosenior has had a solid start at Stamford Bridge, and they will be coming up against a PSG team who have looked leaky at the back.
The Parisians squeezed past Monaco, who went down to 10 men in both legs of the playoffs, after finishing 11th in the League Phase. Chelsea will also have good memories of their last meeting with PSG - a 3-0 thrashing in the Club World Cup final last summer.
Tottenham may feel a sense of relief going into a tie which has little consequence on their league results. However, they remain a deeply flawed team, and Igor Tudor has offered no indication that he can pull off a surprise win over Champions League veterans Atletico.
Prediction: Arsenal and Chelsea through, Tottenham out
Joe Doyle
Arsenal undoubtedly have the most attractive tie on paper. Leverkusen haven't set the world on fire this season in the Bundesliga after changing manager twice in the last year, and there are rumours it could happen again at the end of this season.
I'd expect the Gunners to progress, but I'm afraid that could be it for this English trio. The Champions League has been a bit of a reprieve for Spurs this season, but I don't expect them to make it past Atletico Madrid. Diego Simeone's team have been decent if not outstanding this season, and should have enough to qualify for the next round.
Chelsea will take on PSG buoyed by their Club World Cup victory against the French side in the summer, but I still fancy Luis Enrique's team to progress here. The Blues have been on an upward trend since Liam Rosenior came in, but they're still making too many mistakes - whether that be disciplinary or in defence - to really back them here.
Prediction: Arsenal through, Chelsea and Tottenham out
Amie Wilson
It’s been a good week for Arsenal, and that should continue in the Champions League this week. On paper, the Gunners should have too much for Bayer Leverkusen.
They will hope to take a big enough advantage into the second leg to make it a nice comfortable evening at the Emirates Stadium.
Leverkusen are not in the best run of form, having won just one of their last five games in all competitions. With the quality that Arsenal have, they should be able to take advantage.
Chelsea have probably the hardest game on paper against the reigning champions. But PSG haven’t been hitting the heights of last season and fell to a 3-1 loss against Monaco in their last outing. They only just made it through the play-off against the same opponents.
If Chelsea can hit the form and performances that they can, then I do think that they can get past an out-of-form PSG.
For Spurs, the Champions League will come as a welcome distraction to their Premier League woes. They, however, come up against one of the most savvy Champions League teams in Atletico Madrid.
The Spanish side are masters of the knockout stages. Given Spurs’ performance levels and lack of confidence that comes with that, I can’t see them getting past Diego Simeone’s side.
Prediction: Arsenal and Chelsea through, Tottenham out
Connor O'Neill
Let's be honest, Arsenal should be fancying their chances of comfortably beating Bayer Leverkusen. The German side are not what they were under Xabi Alonso.
Chelsea, on the other hand, have it all to do against Paris Saint-Germain. The Blues haven't exactly looked convincing in recent weeks, but neither have PSG in this year’s competition.
However, around this same time last year, we were saying the same thing about Luis Enrique’s side, and they ended up winning the competition. And you wouldn’t be surprised if they went and did exactly the same again this year.
I don’t think anyone has any hope for Tottenham Hotspur against Atletico Madrid. The important thing for Spurs is not to get embarrassed.
Their main focus has to be on staying in the Premier League, but wouldn't it also be very Tottenham to somehow overcome Atletico while also dropping more points in the top-flight.
However, I really can’t see that happening, and my fear for Tottenham is that they are going to get battered and shown up.
Prediction: Arsenal through, but Chelsea and Tottenham knocked out.
Patrick Austen-Hardy
I fancy all three London teams to reach the Champions League quarter-finals. Bayer Leverkusen are enduring a disappointing campaign and providing Arsenal do not implode in the same way they did against Wolves, they will, at the least, force their way into the last eight.
Meanwhile, Liam Rosenior's side are a classic 'on their day' side and I can see Chelsea scraping a result in Paris, like they did in Naples, before storming to an impressive victory at Stamford Bridge. The Blues love the Champions League and Luis Enrique's open, barnstorming style may play in the west Londoners hands, just like it did across the pond.
This now brings us to Tottenham. In the Premier League, they've been a shambles and they know it. They've been blunt in attack and feeble at the back. Yet, in Europe, they have been a different force, almost like their style of football, whatever it is, is more conducive in European football.
While this Spurs team are much worse, they remind me of Graham Potter's Chelsea side, when they were at the height of their own injury crisis. In the league, they imploded and could not buy a win, but in the Champions League, they made Borussia Dortmund, who only just missed out on the Bundesliga that season, look painfully ordinary.
It's likely Tottenham's brilliance in the Champions League is a question of mentality. Maybe the bright lights of European football stir something in them? This season, Atletico Madrid looked very beatable and conceded 15 goals in their eight group-stage matches.
They will be licking their lips over facing Tottenham, but I feel they may be caught off guard by the north Londoners. It's bold, maybe even unlikely, but I would not be surprised if Igor Tudor bags his first two victories against Atletico.