Inter Milan surge back on to Champions League stage, Barcelona and Napoli look to take last chance

Geneva: After Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid and Manchester City seized center stage last week, the Champions League spotlight can now turn to shine on others.

The four remaining first-leg games in the round of 16 this week feature the beaten finalist last season, the champions of Italy and Spain, plus the team with the best record in any of the top European leagues this season.

Inter Milan hosts Atletico Madrid on Tuesday as the clear leader in Serie A and looking a more solid contender now than on its run to the 2023 final against Man City.

Napoli hosts Barcelona on Wednesday in a pairing of teams unlikely to retain their domestic league titles and seem to have just one chance left to win a trophy this season.

PSV Eindhoven is a hot favourite to win the Dutch league having dropped the fewest points (four, drawing two of 22 games) and amassed the biggest goal difference (60) in any of the major European leagues.

PSV hosts Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday in a clash of clubs that each lifted the European Cup trophy once.

Arsenal goes to Porto on Wednesday after back-to-back away wins by a combined score of 11-0 in the Premier League.

Arsenal is the only English team in European action this week though its title rivals at home, Liverpool and Man City, each has a Premier League game in midweek.

Inter Milan was an unexpected finalist last season avoiding any English or Spanish opponent in the knockout rounds until the final. An unlucky 1-0 loss to Manchester City in Istanbul showed doubters the three-time European champion was worth its place.

Inter goes to Madrid after six straight wins in Serie A helped it build a nine-point lead ahead of Sunday’s games.

Inter and Atletico will put up their traditionally solid defenses against productive attacks this season: Inter’s Lautaro Mart nez and Marcus Thuram have combined for 35 goals in all competitions while the lvaro Morata- Antoine Griezmann duo has 37 for Atletico.