Champions League football returns this week with delicately poised ties in the quest to reach the quarter-finals.
Eyes will firmly be fixed upon Bayern Munich's hosting of Paris Saint-Germain, where the Bundesliga giants hold a narrow 1-0 lead from the first leg in the French capital and are aiming to inflict further continental disappointment upon their visitors.
Meanwhile, Tottenham welcome Milan to north London on the back of a disappointing defeat to Wolves in the Premier League and a surprise exit from the FA Cup at Sheffield United, now needing to come back from a 1-0 first-leg defeat in Italy to retain any hope of avoiding another season without a trophy.
Using Opta data, we've taken a close look at some of the key facts and stats for both fixtures.
Bayern Munich v Paris Saint-Germain
Holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg, Bayern will take confidence in the fact they have been eliminated just twice in the 22 previous occasions where they have won the first leg in a knockout European tie – against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals in 2001-02 and Inter in the round of 16 in 2010-11.
Bayern have won three of their last four home meetings with PSG, though did lose their last such encounter in the 2020-21 quarter-final, with their last three wins against the French side coming by a 1-0 scoreline, Kingsley Coman scoring the winner in two of those.
The hosts will be confident of scoring in Wednesday's clash, with PSG the only side remaining in the Champions League not to have kept a single clean sheet in the competition this season.
PSG's search of a response sees them needing to buck a trend, having progressed just once on the six occasions they have lost the first-leg – against Borussia Dortmund in 2019-20 – and the Ligue 1 side have won just one of their last seven against Bayern, having won four of their first five.
Kylian Mbappe has a strong record at the Allianz Arena, though, scoring three goals in his two previous games there, with no player ever scoring in three consecutive visits to the venue in the competition.
Tottenham v Milan
Tottenham's 1-0 loss at San Siro in the first leg was their first defeat in five meetings against Milan, with their two previous home fixtures against the Italians finishing in a 2-1 victory in April 1972 and a goalless draw in March 2011.
While Spurs have progressed from two of the last three European ties where they trailed from the first leg, they have lost four of their last six home matches in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Antonio Conte's record of five wins in his last six home matches against Milan is encouraging for the hosts, but Harry Kane will need to return to form after scoring just once in seven European games this season. However, he has scored six goals in his six Champions League appearances at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Milan travel to north London with a woeful record on English soil, only ever winning one of 21 such away games (D7 L13) and losing their last three visits to London by an aggregate scoreline of 9-1.
However, the Serie A side have been eliminated in just three of 21 European Cup/Champions League knockout ties when winning the first leg and are enjoying a three-match winning streak in the competition – their best since a run of five in 2005.
Milan will be confident of scoring the first goal, with Spurs having conceded first in five of seven Champions League matches this term.
Havertz and Schlotterbeck withdraw from Germany squad
Kai Havertz and Nico Schlotterbeck have withdrawn from Germany's squad for Tuesday's friendly with Belgium.
Both players started Saturday's 2-0 win over Peru, but the German Football Association (DFB) confirmed on Sunday they have now returned to their clubs.
Chelsea attacker Havertz is ruled out of the Belgium match through illness, while Borussia Dortmund defender Schlotterbeck has a thigh injury.
Germany head coach Hansi Flick has decided against calling up any replacements for the friendly at RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne.
Belgium, who beat Sweden 3-0 in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier on Friday, will be without Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois due to a minor strain injury.
Deschamps backs Mbappe for more records as France prepare for Ferguson challenge
Didier Deschamps expects Kylian Mbappe to continue breaking France records but knows a Republic of Ireland generation inspired by teenage talisman Evan Ferguson pose a threat.
Les Bleus thrashed the Netherlands 4-0 in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier and will be confident of claiming another three points in Dublin on Monday.
New captain Mbappe hit a double against the Dutch, taking him to 38 international goals and fifth on France's all-time scoring charts – just three shy of the great Michel Platini (41).
Mbappe has scored half of those in his last 16 outings, as many as in his first 51 games, Deschamps suggests there is no limit for the 24-year-old.
"It's Kylian, he's full of ambitions. When he reaches one, he has another to reach," Deschamps said at a press conference.
"He reached and exceeded quite a few very early on. He has that in him. He has a driving role compared to the whole group.
"He will do everything to get there, he will need the others, but it's Kylian."
France have won their last four qualifying matches, for both the World Cup and Euros, by an aggregate score of 16-0.
Les Bleus have not managed five qualifying victories without conceding since doing so between November 1981 and December 1984, but they face an Ireland side buoyed by a young prospect of their own.
Ferguson scored on his first international start in a 3-2 win over Latvia and could become the first Ireland player to net in consecutive appearances before turning 19.
The Brighton and Hove Albion striker has been a hot topic of discussion, with Deschamps acknowledging the danger the 18-year-old might offer.
"It goes back to [Euro] 2016. I remember that we were trailing 1-0 [in the round of 16 before winning 2-1] and that it was complicated," Deschamps said.
"But there is a new generation with Ferguson. It is always very difficult to compare."
Ireland have lost just three of their last 30 Euros qualifying games (W14 D13) and are unbeaten in their last 14 on home soil (W8 D6), including play-off fixtures.
That strong home form is a factor Deschamps knows France must deal with.
He continued: "They are a technical team. From what I have seen, they use less direct play and long balls. It will be a different game, with the crowd pushing as well.
"It's a high level and it's up to us to do no less."
Mbappe eyes Platini mark for France as captain revels in 'carefree' generation
Kylian Mbappe hailed the "carefree" mindset of the new France generation as the forward eyes surpassing Michel Platini on Les Bleus' all-time scoring charts.
The Paris Saint-German superstar scored twice in his first game as France captain as Didier Deschamps' side hammered the Netherlands 4-0 to kickstart their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign on Friday.
That double took the 24-year-old striker to 38 goals in 67 appearances for his country, just three international strikes short of Platini, who sits fourth in France's leading scorers chart.
Antoine Griezmann (43), Thierry Henry (51) and Olivier Giroud (53) are the only three to manage more and Mbappe is out to catch Platini when Deschamps' men visit the Republic of Ireland on Monday.
He said at Sunday's pre-match press conference: "It's an honour but it's also the next target to beat.
"Platini remains a legend of French football but I want to continue my journey and it goes through Michel Platini."
France fell agonisingly short at the World Cup in Qatar, losing on penalties to Argentina in the final, but the future appears incredibly bright for Les Bleus.
Deschamps has the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni and Edouard Camavinga in midfield, while Randal Kolo Muani provides support for Mbappe up top.
Centre-back pairing Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano are yet to reach their 25th birthdays and Mbappe says he is relishing leading a youthful France.
"I don't know all the generations. This one is carefree," he added. "We always have this desire to show that we can do good things.
"This team can aim for the heights. In adversity, we will see other things. We had a first match that we made easy. We will see in due time.
"Maybe there will be more difficult moments and I hope that we can overcome them."
As for the captaincy, Mbappe suggested little has changed despite taking the armband from the retired Hugo Lloris.
He continued: "I was the same, I naturally played my new role. There was not much to say in relation to the team's performance. I'm not going to talk just to talk.
"I was the link between the two generations but there were no differences during the week. The group is doing very well, I did not have to intervene. The less work I have, the better for everyone.
"We must not get carried away and we have started qualifying well. Tomorrow's match will be more complicated than what people may think."
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