The UEFA Champions League is Europe’s most prestigious club soccer competition, where the best squads battle for continental glory. With the knockout stage set, we asked Texas A&M students for their predictions on some of the most exciting matchups.
Aston Villa vs. Club Brugge
Aston Villa and Club Brugge, two of the biggest surprises in this year’s Champions League, face off in what should be a closely contested match. Villa, making their first Champions League appearance in 42 years, started strong with three wins and three clean sheets, including a victory over Bayern Munich. Despite injuries and a busy schedule, they’ve reached the Round of16. Club Brugge, with low expectations, snuck into the knockout rounds and advanced past Atalanta, setting up their Round of 16 matchup.
Key Players:
- Emi Martínez (Aston Villa, GK) – The back-to-back Yashin Trophy winner has been crucial for the second-best defense in the competition.
- Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge, MF) – The Belgian playmaker has 19 goal contributions this season.
Student Prediction: Petroleum engineering junior Evan Richard.
“For the upcoming Champions League match between Aston Villa and Club Brugge, I predict a 2-1 victory for Aston Villa. Villa’s attacking strength, led by their in-form striker, Ollie Watkins, could see him scoring, while playmaker Emi Buendía might contribute with an assist or a goal. For Club Brugge, Kamal Sowah could be the threat, likely to score a potential equalizer.”
Real Madrid vs Atlético Madrid
A Champions League edition of the Madrid Derby sees two familiar foes clash again, reminiscent of the 2014 and 2016 UCL finals. Real Madrid, with their attacking threat of Mbappé, Bellingham, Vinicius, and Rodrygo, looks unstoppable. But Diego Simeone’s defensive tactics have frustrated them before — this season’s two La Liga meetings ended in draws.
Key Players:
- Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, FW) – A hat trick against Manchester City in the past round showed the world why many consider him the best player on the planet.
- Julián Álvarez (Atlético, FW) – With six Champions League goals, he could be Atlético’s best hope for an upset.
Student Prediction: Manufacturing and mechanical engineering technology sophomore Jonathan Bacenty.
“Atlético Madrid are no pushover. They are a very strong team defensively, especially with someone like Diego Simeone at the helm. However, when it comes to a European night, especially in the Champions League, Real Madrid are a different animal. They know how to get the job done in this kind of situation. So, my prediction is this: 3-1 at home in the Bernabeu, goals from Rodrygo and an Mbappe brace and one from Alvarez. Then at the Wanda Metropolitano, I’m gonna say 1-1 draw, goals from Alvarez and a wildcard: Brahim Diaz. 4-2 agg. Real Madrid go through.”
Arsenal vs PSV
Arsenal finished the league phase in third place with 19 points, boasting the second-best defense, conceding only three goals. Although the Gunners are missing star wingers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, they should still have enough to progress in the tournament. PSV impressed with their attacking power, notably beating AC Milan in the playoffs. However, with a shorthanded squad and facing one of the best defenses, their journey may end here.
Key Players:
- Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal, MF) – Arsenal’s midfield maestro will have to shoulder the attacking responsibilities.
- Joey Veerman (PSV, MF) – Leads the team in assists and chances created.
Student Prediction: Biomedical sciences junior Bayo Amusan.
“PSV Eindhoven are relatively unknown but still have the attacking firepower to shock Arsenal over two legs. At their house, Johan Bakayoko’s pace is too much for Arsenal’s defense, and he fires PSV ahead. Though Martin Ødegaard levels the score with a well-placed strike, PSV takes back the lead before halftime. In the second leg at the Emirates, Arsenal dominate possession, but no Saka or Martinelli makes it too difficult. A swift counter sees Noa Lang score a crucial goal, neutralizing an early strike from Gabriel Jesus. With defensive resilience and parking the bus, holding firm, the match ends 1-1, securing PSV’s passage to the next round with a 3-2 aggregate. The dream continues.”
Borussia Dortmund vs LOSC Lille
Despite struggling in the Bundesliga, Dortmund has a favorable draw here. Lille, the underdog story of the Champions League, already upset Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid in the league phase — can they upset another European giant?
Key Players:
- Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund, FW) – The tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals.
- Jonathan David (Lille, FW) – Six Champions League goals and Lille’s biggest attacking threat.
Student Prediction: Computer engineering freshman Tawfiq Kharbat.
“Lille did just get beat by PSG which is another club playing very well in the UCL. Dortmund on the other hand just got a steal by signing Guirassy who’s proving to be a top talent striker in world football. I also like some of Dortmunds’ individual players such as Gittens, Kobel, and again Guirassy. Dortmund has also been playing pretty well. They beat Sporting and don’t look like they’re slowing down much. They look like a team that likes to score a few goals, not just win. I would predict for Dortmund to win this matchup 2-1 on aggregate or potentially 2-0. Realistically I’d most likely stick with a 1-0 win for Dortmund in the first leg and a 1-1 draw in the second leg, making it 2-1 on aggregate.”
Feyenoord vs Inter Milan
Feyenoord returns to the San Siro after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Juventus in the knockout phase. The Dutch side has been unpredictable, with big wins over Bayern Munich but heavy losses to Lille and Leverkusen. Meanwhile, Inter Milan is arguably the most consistent team in Europe right now, boasting the tournament’s best defense with only one goal conceded.
Key Players:
- Julián Carranza (Feyenoord, FW) – The ex-MLS star has stepped up in Santiago Giménez’s absence.
- Marcus Thuram (Inter, FW) – A key attacking force for Inter’s title ambitions.
Student Prediction: Chemistry junior Chiemeka Uwalaka.
“For the Feyenoord-Inter game, my prediction is Inter 3-1 Feyenoord. Inter are currently top of the Serie A and they have one of the top five strikers in the world in Lautaro Martinez. Feyenoord have done well in making it this far in the UCL, especially with their win(s) over AC Milan, but I think Inter’s squad is just better quality.”
Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich
A German showdown between the Bundesliga’s two top teams. Leverkusen, under manager Xabi Alonso, remains undefeated against Bayern in six meetings, while Bayern’s form has been shaky despite their talent.
Key Players:
- Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen, MF) – The creative engine behind Leverkusen’s attack.
- Joshua Kimmich (Bayern, MF) – Will be crucial in neutralizing Leverkusen’s dynamic midfield.
Student Prediction: Chemistry junior Fernando Ramirez.
“Leverkusen, as of late, seem to be more in form, beating teams in a more decisive manner. In a recent matchup which saw Bayern and Leverkusen draw, Leverkusen missed a ton of big chances in a game where they seemed to be in control. I also think Munich’s struggle with Celtic and Kane’s inability to win trophies tilt this game in favor of Leverkusen. Give me Leverkusen to take a 3-1 win over their German rivals.”
FC Barcelona vs Benfica
These two sides met earlier in the league stage, delivering a thrilling 5-4 Barcelona comeback victory. Barcelona is on a 13-game unbeaten run, scoring 43 goals during this stretch. Forwards Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha have been key, combining for 17 goals, more than 27 other teams in the competition. Benfica reached the round of 16 after beating AS Monaco 4-3 and are tied atop the Portuguese league. They now face the challenge of preparing for Barcelona’s explosive attack.
Key Players:
- Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona, FW) – At just 17 years old, he is doing things that have never been done before.
- Vangelis Pavlidis (Benfica, FW) – Scored a hat trick in the last meeting with Barcelona and is hoping for a similar performance this time around.
Student Prediction: Sport management junior Andrew Prost.
“First leg: Barcelona 3-1 Benfica, Raphinha two first half goals. Benfica score halfway through the second half from Luis, Yamal late third goal in the 80th. Second leg: Barcelona 2-0 Benfica. The second round being in Barcelona will be too much and Barca will easily move on to the next round.”
Liverpool vs Paris Saint-Germain
Liverpool couldn’t have been more unlucky — after cruising through the group stage and topping their table, their reward is a matchup against the most in-form team in Europe right now, Paris Saint-Germain. PSG, peaking at the perfect time, smashed Brest 10-0 in the playoffs and have scored 25 goals in February. With a comfortable lead in Ligue 1, they now turn their focus to Liverpool.
Key Players:
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, FW) – With 41 goal contributions this season, he is the Ballon D’or front runner by a long shot.
- Ousmane Dembélé (PSG, FW) – Thriving in a new striker role with 16 goals in 2025 and in the best stretch of his career.
Student Prediction: Finance senior Cade Leverett
“I got Liverpool 3-1. Two goals for Salah, one for Gakpo. Salah on a counter attack, and one from regular build-up play, Gakpo will get one off a set piece. Dembele will score in garbage time. Liverpool at Anfield is too tall of a task, in my opinion.”
