Football at it's finest
The clear choice for the most intriguing match up, has to be Madrid verse Paris, considering you have two legs featuring Ronaldo and Neymar both, which will surely attract even the non football fan, let alone the neutrals.
Sitting fourth and trailing Barcelona by eight points in La Liga, it's getting to the point where Los Blancos will solely look to prioritize defending there back to back Champions League trophies, throwing all there eggs in one basket.
Having finished second to Tottenham in there group, getting back to full strength with Dani Carvajal likely to be in there starting XI come February (which he wasn't in the matches verse Spurs), as well as the forgotten Gareth Bale who hopefully will be fit by then with a point to prove, as his future at the club is becoming more and more in doubt.
Unai Emery's side, will hope to continue there rampant form that allowed them to score the most goals ever in a Champions League Group Stage (25). PSG no doubt have some question marks of there own, such as keeping up there high level of play in a league that is practically a cake walk. It should be noted that I love Ligue1, and have tremendous respect for a country that produces world beaters like clock work, but this season there's no hope for any of them.
An early exit from either club, surely will be devastating for both managers. Especially Unai Emery, having capitulated last year against Barcelona at the same stage. Two or three domestic trophies won't be enough for him to keep his job, as it's Champions Leagues medal or bust. Where as his counterpart, Zidane, may have a little more leeway, although not much more, which is hard to imagine considering he's won seven trophies in just two years. However, with such a poor showing in La Liga this season, paired with getting knocked out in the last 16, it would not at all be a surprise if Florentino Perez gave him the boot. Even in this instance though, I'm not sure there is anybody out there who could do as good a job with a squad like Madrid's as Zizou can. After all it takes a galactico to manage one, and besides Madrid spent nothing in the summer and such a season would correct that.
I truly expect both legs to live up to the hype, however, I can't help but feel there's too much hype behind this PSG train. Since the addition of Neymar and Alves, it seems as though the former of the two is bigger than the club itself and with that comes no accountability. It's also a weird period for PSG, as they are clearly in-between rebuilding and going for it all, with a host of names linked to be out the door. While Real Madrid has a stable cohesive unit who has been here before, you figure they will fight tooth and nail to defend there crown.
It's far to early to call with a little over two months to go, but what do you lot think? Please comment below and let me know why or why not. It's all banter at the end of the day.