Ranking the teams most likely to be eliminated from the Champions League Round of 16

2. LOSC Lille

The last 18 months have been far too strange for Lille, as the timeline began with exceptional performance in Ligue 1 that eventually broke Paris Saint-winning Germain’s streak and handed the former the title, but ended with a somewhat distasteful finish washed away with unwanted average games, relegating them to 8th place in the same league they won last season.

The club’s status began to deteriorate just days after the title triumph due to a variety of factors that started a domino effect. The departure of key players from this remarkable season, such as Boubakary Soumare, Maik Maignan, and Luiz Araujo, as well as their manager Christophe Galtier, contributed to the club’s brief success and subsequent decline.

One out of the lot also includes the bashing by Chelsea in London that said two goals to the English club’s bag and none for the visitors. It was difficult to maintain against the title defenders, but Lille gave their best in a solid battle in the game, not losing their power, especially in the second half when they displayed vitality more than ever, but their luck was against them, with Chelsea holding them at bay.

The French club had its chances, but they were just not enough as they failed miserably to critique Eduard Mendy, as the defenders in blue were more than capable of containing the progressions.

It will be arduous for LOSC Lille to recover from their deficit and prevent Chelsea from widening their lead in the second leg of the Champions League fixture.

1. Sporting Club de Portugal

Sporting CP, without a question, has experienced the most disgrace in the Champions League knockout phase, and it was very clear after the rather awful performance in the group stages as well, even though they played a part in shockingly sending Dortmund down to the Europa League.

Manchester City ran riot and embarrassed the Portuguese club at home in the first leg of the RO16, touching the net five times, four of which came in the first 45 minutes of the game, absolute calamity. Sporting was absolutely paralysed, with all of their flaws revealed in plain view.

Forget about the goals for a while; the losing team couldn’t even hold control of the ball, as the possession ratio was 36 per cent to 64 per cent, making it easy to determine who had what.

Sporting CP is not a horrible team, but there is a great disparity in both quality and value between the two. Ruben Amorim’s side is highly known among Portuguese football fans for playing quick and beautiful football. The squad is vying for the domestic league title in a very tight race, only 6 points behind the reigning leaders Porto.

But besides their national supremacy, Sporting CP’s Champions League trip for the current season should most definitely come to an end in the second leg.