Following an extended gap between the group stage and the knockout stage thanks to the 2022 World Cup, the UEFA Champions League returns with the Round of 16 this week.Many of the top teams acro s Europe, including defending champions Real Madrid, plus Austin Corbett Jersey Liverpool, Manchester City, and Napoli get going this week, while PSG, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and others began play last week.This week's matchups features some teams truly flying in domestic play, hoping to bring their form over to European competition. Man City rejuvenated their domestic title fight in recent weeks after a slight slip, while Napoli are roasting the rest of Serie A. Others, like Liverpool and RB Leipzig, are hoping to use European competition to bolster a push forward back home.Here's an in-depth look at each of the four matchups this week as the Round of 16first legs get under way. This writeup will be updated with next week's matches following the conclusion of these four games.MORE: | 1st leg date:Tuesday, February 21Kickoff Time:3p.m. ET / 8p.m. GMT / 7a.m. AEDT (Wed, Feb. 22)Location:Anfield (Liverpool, England)Official:Istvan Kovacs (ROM)Liverpool vs. Real Madrid predictions1st leg score prediction:Liverpool 1-2 Real Madrid (+950on )Team to advance:Real Madrid (-140 on )Neither of these teams are firing on all cylinders at the moment, but everything is working against Liverpool in this match, both in recent form and historically as well.Real Madrid have gone unbeaten against Liverpool in six straight, dating back over a decade, including a pair of 3-1 victories at Anfield. Carlo Ancelotti has a similar streak against the Reds in his career: in 17 games against Liverpool, as manager of AC Milan, Chelsea, Madrid, Napoli and Everton, he has only suffered four defeats.Recent form is a little harder to judge, as both teams have won recent games against either inferior or disadvantaged sides. Expect Liverpool's patchwork midfield to struggle and Real Madrid to control the flow of the match. 1st leg date:Tuesday, February 21Kickoff Time:3p. Robert Rochell Jersey m. ET / 8p.m. GMT / 7a.m. AEDT (Wed, Feb. 22)Location:Deutsche Bank Park (Frankfurt, Germany)Official:Artur Soares Dias (POR)Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Napoli predictions1st leg score prediction:Eintract Frankfurt0-2Napoli (+1000on )Team to advance:Napoli (-250 on )The European stage was introduced to young Georgian star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the Champions League group phase, but now the knockouts are the place for him to truly shine. The 22-year-old is the biggest breakout star in Europe this year, and he has developed a spectacular partnership with Napoli striker Victor Osimhen. Of Napoli's last 19 Serie A goals, all but five have either been scored or a sisted by Kvaratskhelia, or scored by Osimhen, while those two have combined four times in that span.Eintracht Frankfurt are very strong at home and have improved defensively, and their European magic knows no Bobby Evans Jersey bounds. Yet nobody has succe sfully stood in Napoli's way this season, domestically or abroad, and lived to tell the tale. They won't blow the German side out of the water (yet) here, but they'll win comfortably. 1st leg date:Wednesday, February 22Kickoff Time:3p.m. ET / 8p.m. GMT / 7a.m. AEDT (Thurs, Feb. 23)Location:San Siro (Milan, Italy)Official:Srdjan Jovanovic (SRB)Inter Milan vs. FC Porto predictions1st leg score prediction:Inter Milan 1-0 Porto(+575on )Team to advance:Inter Milan (-175 on )While there are more high-profile matchups in the Champions League this week, this meeting might be the most intriguing. Inter are far from a perfect side but are much improved since the World Cup break ended. Meanwhile, Porto are dominating domestically and impre sed in a weak Champions League group but have yet to truly be tested by a top, in-form European club this season.Both these sides have good attacking talent, but still focus on defensive structure first. Inter especially have only scored 11 goals in eight league games since the World Cup ended, but they have conceded just five in that span as well. Lautaro Martinez isn't quite at his best, but he's regaining form and confidence, rested over the weekend and still finding a goal off the bench.If you asked before the World Cup, it would be hard to back Inter in this matchup, but given their improvement Brian Allen Jersey , especially at the back, they're the lean here, although it's still anyone's game. 1st leg date:Wednesday, February 22Kickoff Time:3p.m. ET / 8p.m. GMT / 7a.m. AEDT (Thurs, Feb. 23)Location:Red Bull Arena(Leipzig, Germany)Official:Serdar Gozubuyuk (NED)RB Leipzig vs. Man City predictions1st leg score prediction:RB Leipzig 1-1 Man City(+650on )Team to advance:Man City(-700 on )Man City have been far better at home this season than on the road, something which Pep Guardiola has grumbled about more than once of late, and that could again play out as they hit the road to Germany for this Round of 16 first leg.Additionally, while goals are expected in this meeting of world-cla s strikers, that might not quite play out. RB Leipzig have their main goalscoring threatChristopher Nkunku back from injury, but he could be lacking some fitne s and may not be at his complete best. City's talisman Erling Haaland, meanwhile, has hit a bit of a slump (at least by his standards) and questions are being Nick Scott Jersey asked about the team's predictability with him up front.Yet don't fret if they fail to achieve a positive result in this game, as a comeback should be on the cards in the return fixture at home, if needed. City are still City, and remain the favourites to win this competition.