Champions League last 16: Manchester City, Arsenal, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham all return

12th Feb 2024 | Source: BBC

The Champions League round of 16 takes place between 13 February and 13 March

The Champions League last 16 begins on Tuesday with holders Manchester City away to Danish champions FC Copenhagen.

Arsenal are the only other British club in action, hoping to reach the quarter-finals of Europe's premier competition after a 14-year absence.

Elsewhere, two Englishmen are charging in the golden boot race and Harry Kane is hoping to finally break his trophy duck by firing Bayern Munich to European glory.

BBC Sport has the lowdown on all the things you need to know.

Are the two best players in Europe right now English?

England captain Kane and midfielder Jude Bellingham are stalwarts for European giants Bayern Munich and Real Madrid respectively.

Kane joined Bayern from Tottenham last August and has since scored 28 goals and provided eight assists in only 28 games.

He also managed four goals and three assists in six Champions League appearances, as six-time winners Bayern went unbeaten in Group A to set up a last-16 tie with Italian side Lazio.

As for Bellingham, the 20-year-old recorded four goals and three assists in five Champions League group stage fixtures - but will miss Tuesday's trip to Leipzig with a sprained ankle.

In his debut campaign with Los Blancos, Bellingham has scored 20 goals and crafted eight assists in 29 matches across all competitions.

His Real Madrid team, record 14-time winners, hope to have the midfielder back in time for the second leg after tests allayed any fears of a serious injury.

Haaland for golden boot?

Last season Manchester City's Erling Haaland finished as the competition's top scorer with 12 goals from 11 games.

This term the Norwegian has netted five goals from five group games, putting him level with Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata, and Manchester United's Rasmus Hojlund at the top of the competition's goalscoring charts.

Though Hojlund's United are no longer in the tournament, there are plenty of players from English clubs who could still challenge Haaland's title.

Fellow Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez and Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus both have four goals in the Champions League this season, while City's Phil Foden and Arsenal's Bukayo Saka have three each.

Last season, after scoring five goals in the groups, Haaland hit five in one match against RB Leipzig in the last 16.

Is there room for more individual brilliance 12 months on?

What else to watch as Champions League returns

Barcelona are back in the knockouts after a three-year absence, taking on Napoli who are one of seven clubs in the last 16 who have never won the Champions League or European Cup.

Two of those sides are Paris St-Germain and Real Sociedad, who will meet for the first time in a Uefa competition.

PSG squeezed through Group F to reach the last 16 for the 12th season running while Sociedad are unbeaten in their first Champions League campaign after a decade away.

Last season's runners-up and Serie A leaders Inter Milan take on an Atletico Madrid side boasting Morata and Griezmann in unstoppable form.

PSV Eindhoven, who currently lead the Dutch top flight, are hoping to reach their first Champions League quarter-final since 2007. Borussia Dortmund, whose squad will include Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho, stand in their way.