It’s matchday morning. Four R16 Leg 2 ties kick off tonight - Sporting vs Bodø/Glimt (17:45 GMT), plus Arsenal vs Leverkusen, Chelsea vs PSG and Man City vs Real Madrid (all 20:00 GMT). The deadline is 17:45 GMT. Here is every confirmed and reported team news update that has emerged in the last 12 hours.
Chelsea vs PSG - The Crisis Deepens
Stamford Bridge, London. Chelsea need four unanswered goals to progress.
The Chelsea injury situation has deteriorated further overnight. On Monday we reported the Reece James and Gusto crisis. Here’s what’s changed since:
🚨 NEW: Chelsea Goalkeeper Change Confirmed
Filip Jorgensen is now confirmed to miss the match after undergoing scans on a groin injury. He made two high-profile errors in the 5-2 first-leg defeat in Paris. Robert Sanchez will start in goal.
This is Chelsea’s second goalkeeper change of the knockout stage - and arguably a forced upgrade. Sanchez offers greater command of his box and experience in high-pressure European nights.
Gusto was unwell on Monday and missed training at Cobham. A final assessment is due today. If he recovers in time, he starts. If not, Trevoh Chalobah or Josh Acheampong will be deployed as an emergency right-back.
After a serious knee injury that has kept him out for the entire season, Colwill was spotted in Monday’s training session. He will not be match-fit enough to start, and a place in the matchday squad would be a bonus rather than an expectation. But it’s a significant milestone - and with Chelsea’s defensive crisis, even a cameo is not impossible.
The Brazilian teenager is back in training and expected to be able to take some part in the game, according to the Evening Standard. He hasn’t played since the FA Cup win at Hull last month, so a start feels unlikely, but he could be an impact substitute if Chelsea chase the game.
Full Chelsea injury list: Reece James (hamstring, OUT), Filip Jorgensen (groin, OUT), Jamie Gittens (hamstring, OUT). Gusto (illness, DOUBTFUL). Colwill (knee, BACK IN TRAINING). Estevao (hamstring, BENCH POSSIBLE).
UCL Fantasy Impact
The Jorgensen-to-Sanchez switch doesn’t change much for Fantasy managers - neither Chelsea goalkeeper is a sensible pick for a match where they’re trailing 5-2 and PSG need a single away goal to end any hope. Chelsea defenders remain completely uninvestable. If anything, PSG attackers receive another small boost: Barcola, Dembelé and Vitinha all look excellent value against this depleted backline.
Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen - Trossard Boost, Ødegaard Still Out
Emirates Stadium, London. All square after Leverkusen’s stoppage-time penalty concession.
✅ Arsenal Good News
• Leandro Trossard returned to training on Monday after a knock sustained in the FA Cup vs Mansfield. He missed the first leg. Expected to return to the squad and is a strong candidate to start.
• Arsenal are nine points clear at the top of the Premier League after weekend results. Confidence is sky-high.
• Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice both trained fully. No fresh injury concerns.
🚨 Arsenal Absentees
• Martin Ødegaard - OUT. Knee injury. Despite a brief cameo in the North London Derby weeks ago, he remains unavailable.
• Mikel Merino - OUT. Stress fracture in his foot. Long-term absentee.
Leverkusen Team News
Martin Terrier was forced off just two minutes into the second half of Saturday’s match against Bayern Munich, after a heavy challenge from Chelsea loanee Nicolas Jackson (who was sent off for the tackle). Terrier is a doubt for tonight. Lucas Vázquez, Loïc Badé, goalkeeper Mark Flekken and Arthur are all ruled out.
UCL Fantasy Impact
This is the best Day 1 fixture for Fantasy managers. The tie is level at 1-1, guaranteeing an open, competitive match at the Emirates. Arsenal are heavy favourites at 1/4, meaning a clean sheet is realistic.
- Saka (€10.5m) - The standout premium. Penalty taker, set piece deliverer, consistent threat. Top Day 1 captain pick.
- Trossard (€7.0m) - If he starts, tremendous value. As a midfielder, he picks up 1 point for a clean sheet plus 5 per goal. Consider as a last-minute transfer.
- Rice (€6.5m) - Set piece magnet. Scored the decisive penalty in the first leg.
- Saliba/Gabriel (€5.5m) - 4-point clean sheet potential plus aerial threat from corners.
Man City vs Real Madrid - Mbappé Confirmed in Squad
Etihad Stadium, Manchester. City need a miracle after Valverde’s first-leg hat-trick.
⚠️ Real Madrid Update
Kylian Mbappé has been confirmed in Real Madrid’s travelling squad for the Etihad trip. After missing the first leg with a knee injury, the Frenchman is available - though with a 3-0 aggregate lead, he may well start on the bench to manage his fitness.
Jude Bellingham also travelled but his hamstring injury means he is expected to be used sparingly at best. Rodrygo remains out.
Man City Concerns
Rico Lewis and Joško Gvardiol remain unavailable with long-term injuries. In a small boost, Mateo Kovacic appeared on the substitutes’ bench for Saturday’s draw at West Ham after months on the sidelines - though he didn’t come on.
City drew 0-0 at West Ham at the weekend, hardly the momentum-building result Guardiola wanted ahead of needing to overturn a three-goal deficit. The aggregate context makes this almost a dead rubber for Real Madrid, who thrashed Elche 4-1 in La Liga on Saturday with Arda Güler scoring a 65-metre goal from his own half.
UCL Fantasy Impact
Low-priority fixture for Fantasy. Real Madrid’s 3-0 lead means they can sit deep and manage the game. City will throw everything forward, creating a chaotic but unpredictable environment. If Mbappé starts, he’s a wildcard pick on the counter - but the safer play is to avoid heavy investment in either side and load up on Arsenal’s tie instead.
One punt to consider: Valverde (€7.0m, MID). He scored a hat-trick in the first leg and grabbed another goal at the weekend. If Real Madrid give him freedom in a game they don’t strictly need to win, he could feast on the counter.
Sporting vs Bodø/Glimt - Early Kick-Off
Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon. Bodø/Glimt stun the Portuguese champions in leg 1.
No significant injury concerns reported for either side. Sporting will be desperate at home after a humbling 3-0 first-leg defeat, but Bodø/Glimt simply need to avoid a three-goal collapse to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
Bodø won the expected goals battle convincingly in leg 1 (2.78 to 0.61), suggesting their three-goal advantage was no fluke. Sporting managed just 22% of their shots on target.
UCL Fantasy Impact
This is the first match to kick off at 17:45 GMT, before the deadline. If you’re monitoring lineups, Sporting’s confirmed XI will drop around 16:45 GMT - one hour before the deadline. Use that information to finalise your squad.
Bodø/Glimt’s Jens Petter Hauge and Kasper Høgh remain low-ownership differentials, but the aggregate comfort may mean they play conservatively. Sporting’s Viktor Gyökeres (if in your squad for Arsenal, he’s at the Gunners - not here) won’t feature in this match. Don’t confuse the fixtures.
Deadline Checklist - What to Do Right Now
📋 Final Actions Before 17:45 GMT
1. Sell any Chelsea defenders. James out, Gusto ill, Jorgensen out, 5-2 aggregate deficit. Zero clean sheet upside.
2. Consider Trossard (€7.0m). Back in training, likely to start in a competitive level-aggregate tie at the Emirates. Midfielder clean sheet bonus adds a floor.
3. Captain Saka or an Arsenal premium. The 1-1 aggregate guarantees attacking intent from both sides at the Emirates. Saka on pens, set pieces, and in red-hot form.
4. Don’t panic-buy Mbappé. He’s in the squad but likely starts on the bench with a 3-0 lead. A bench cameo earns 1 point at best.
5. Monitor the 16:45 GMT lineup drops. Sporting vs Bodø/Glimt lineups drop one hour before the deadline. Use that final intelligence to spot any late surprises.
UCL Fantasy's top Day 1 captain pick remains Bukayo Saka. The Arsenal man ticks every box: home, competitive tie, on penalties, on set pieces, and backed by 1/4 odds to win. If you want an explosive differential, Valverde offers counter-attacking upside at the Etihad - but Saka is the safe, sensible choice.
Deadline: 17:45 GMT today, Tuesday 17 March. Don’t forget to set your captain and confirm your squad.
Get Expected Points & Predicted Lineups
Data-driven picks for every matchday. Captain rankings, lineup predictions and transfer planner.
View Plans - From £5/mo