Image source, Getty Images

Belgium striker Lois Openda is RB Leipzig's top scorer this season with 19 goals - 15 in the league and four in the Champions League.

Only Christopher Nkunku (seven in 2021-22) has netted more goals in a single Champions League campaign for the German side.

He scored in their 2-2 draw with Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday too.

Rio Ferdinand
Former England defender on TNT Sports

Image source, Rex Features

Manchester City have to be favourites. They won the Treble last season, they play the best brand of football and they have match winners all over the pitch.

Xabi Alonso’s stock is rising. As he closes in on making history with Bayer Leverkusen, with their first Bundesliga title now within their grasp, speculation over where he’ll manage next is growing.

Having won admirers at many of Europe’s biggest clubs during his playing days, there are plenty of likely destinations for where he’ll end up. Will he move across the Bundesliga to German giants Bayern? Will he return to his native Spain and manage Real Madrid or Barcelona? Or is his next natural move to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool when the hot-seat becomes vacant in the summer?

On The Football News Show, Ben Croucher is joined by Spanish football expert Guillem Balague who tells us a “secret” he understands about Xabi Alonso’s next move. German journalist Constantin Eckner joins to explain how much Bayer Leverkusen want to keep their man, and how much interest there is from Bayern.

And former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock explains how he thinks his former team-mate would fit in at Liverpool and how similar he’d be to the departing Klopp.

Image source, Getty Images

Real Madrid are 14-time European champions and are regulars in the knockout stages of the competition.

They need no introduction.

But RB Leipzig have proven difficult opponents in recent meetings with Real Madrid.

The two sides played each other in the group stages last season with Leipzig winning 3-2 at home, after late goals from Federico Valverde and Marco Asensio gave Real a 2-0 win in Spain.

Can Leipzig get another win at home this time around?

Mikkel Bischoff
Former Man City and Denmark U21 defender on BBC Radio Manchester

Image source, Getty Images

There are two ways to see it. Copenhagen are fresh, they've been on a pre-season camp and had a long time to prepare for this game.

But equally, the players are not in the best shape.

I think they'll be quite cautious. When they play domestically, they play a dominant game, possession football and scoring a lot of goals.

When they play in Europe, they're very cautious. They try to play with the ball a bit but it's not a priority. They do counter attack and that's what's been their success.

Image source, Reuters

This is FC Copenhagen's first competitive game since qualifying from the group stage nine weeks ago. The Danish Superliga is set to resume at the weekend after a long winter break.

Will Copenhagen's lack of action count against them? Or will they be fresh and raring to go?

Image source, Getty Images

Real Madrid's passage to the knockout stages was very smooth as they won six from six and topped their group, involving Napoli, Sporting Braga and Union Berlin.

It is the second successive season they face RB Leipzig after facing them in the group stages in 2022-23.

Leipzig also had no problems qualifying from their group this time around but finished runners-up to Manchester City.

They won four from their six games, losing to City on both occasions, while beating Young Boys and Red Star Belgrade.

Around 3,000 Manchester City fans are believed to have travelled to Denmark's capital. Pep Guardiola and his players were last here in October 2022 when it ended goalless in a group stage match on their way to being crowned champions of Europe.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Manchester City

Pep Guardiola clearly means business. That's a strong starting XI in Copenhagen. The second leg is on 6 March nestled between the Manchester derby at the Etihad on 3 March and a potential title-deciding game away to Liverpool on 10 March. Is Guardiola looking to get this tie wrapped up tonight?

There is one change to the RB Leipzig team which drew 2-2 at Augsburg in their weekend Bundesliga match.

Mohamed Simakan comes into right back with Benjamin Henrichs moving to midfield, as Kevin Kampl drops to the bench.

RB Leipzig XI: Gulacsi; Simakan, Orban, Klostermann, Raum; Henrichs, Schlager; Simons, Olmo; Openda, Sesko

Subs: Blaswich, Lenz, Elmas, Bitshiabu, Haidara, Seiwald, Baumgartner, Poulsen, Lukeba, Jatta, Kampl

There are two changes to the Real Madrid side which beat Girona 4-0 on Saturday, with Jude Bellingham injured.

Brahim Diaz takes Bellingham's place in the advanced midfield role, while Nacho replaces Lucas Vazquez and captains the side from centre back.

Real Madrid XI: Lunin; Carvajal, Tchouameni, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Brahim, Vinicius Jr

Subs: Kepa, Fran, Modric, Joselu, Vazquez, Ceballos, Fran Garcia, Guler, Martin, Paz, Carillo, Ramon

Image source, Getty Images

Jude Bellingham will miss tonight's game with a sprained ankle.

The England midfielder was forced off after scoring two goals in Saturday's 4-0 La Liga win over Girona.

Real Madrid have not put a timescale on his return and say his recovery will be "monitored".

"There's no Bellingham, but without him, we won four out of four," said Real boss Carlo Ancelotti.

"These injuries have been an opportunity to be more motivated. We can do well against Leipzig.

"We're on a good run, motivated, in a competition that we like a lot."

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Kamil Grabara starts in goal for FC Copenhagen, while there is also a start for Scotland defender Scott McKenna and ex-Southampton and Celtic forward Mohamed Elyounoussi.

Oscar Hojlund, younger brother of Manchester United striker Rasmus, is on the bench.

FC Copenhagen XI: Grabara, Diks, Vavro, Claesson, Mattson, Diogo, Elyounoussi, Jelert, McKenna, Achouri, Falk.

Subs: Runarsson, Buur, Sorensen, Larsson, Cornelius, Oskarsson, Ankersen, Meling, Clem, O Hojlund, Roony, Froholdt

Image source, .

Manchester City make four changes for tonight's game with Kevin de Bruyne among the starters.

Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish also come in.

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Dias, Ake, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Haaland.

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Doku, Alvarez, Akanji, Nunes, Bobb, Wright, Susoho, Lewis

Image source, .

Kevin de Bruyne and Erling Haaland both start. It is De Bruyne's first Champions League game since last season's final. Full Manchester City team news coming up.

Gary Flintoff
BBC Radio 5 live reporter in Copenhagen

Image source, BBC Sport

The FC Copenhagen fans are in very early.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, BBC Sport

John Murray and former Liverpool and Aston Villa full-back Stephen Warnock are in Copenhagen for BBC Radio 5 Live. Kelly Cates presents build-up from 19:00 with full commentary to follow inside Parken Stadium.

Is Rory right?

Are Manchester City hot favourites to retain the Champions League trophy they won by beating Inter Milan in Istanbul last June?

What about Arsenal's chances?

We'd love to hear from you. Contact us the usual way.

Rory Smith
Chief Soccer Correspondent for The New York Times

Image source, Getty Images

It's really hard to see past Manchester City (winning the Champions League). Real Madrid in a one-off game have the mentality to do it but I'm not sure over two legs - as we saw last season.

Champions League

A reminder of the last 16 draw with return dates in brackets.

Tonight

FC Copenhagen v Man City (Weds, 6 March)

RB Leipzig v Real Madrid (Weds, 6 March)

Wednesday

Lazio v Bayern Munich (Tues, 5 March)

Paris St-Germain v Real Sociedad (Tues, 5 March)

Tuesday, 20 February

Inter Milan v Atletico Madrid (Weds, 13 March)

PSV Eindhoven v Borussia Dortmund (Weds, 13 March)

Wednesday, 21 February

Porto v Arsenal (Tues, 12 March)

Napoli v Barcelona (Tues, 12 March)

All ties kick-off at 20:00 GMT

Image source, Rex Features

Hello!

The Champions League is about to get serious. The group stage is done and dusted - as are the hopes of Manchester United and Newcastle United.

We're down to the last 16 with holders Manchester City up against Danish champions FC Copenhagen, 4-3 winners over Manchester United in the group stage.

Here's what we have got coming up tonight:

FC Copenhagen v Man City

RB Leipzig v Real Madrid

Both ties kick-off at 20:00 GMT

FC Copenhagen have already sent one team from Manchester packing in this season's Champions League.

Will they back it up by causing a huge upset against Pep Guardiola's kings of Europe?

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images