Most people who opened last Tuesday’s paper saw a graphic with eight logos they had probably never seen before and must have thought the sports section was undergoing a hipster renaissance. No renaissance, folks, just a change of pace for you. And now the best part of it all: TIME FOR PART DEUX.

You probably were so compelled by my first UEFA Champions League column that you made reservations on your couch at 1:45 p.m. last Tuesday and Wednesday with one eye on the TV and the other on your computer, streaming the other game online. Right? Tell me I’m right.

Just an awesome way to kick off the round of 16 in the Champions League. Real Madrid now has to go to Old Trafford and win on the road or hope for a penalty shoot-out to get by Manchester United. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and his high boot will be out for PSG’s second leg against Valencia. Anyone see how he acted when he got that red card? Ron Artest-esque. Borussia Dortmund, still with its never-say-die mentality, found a late equalizer in the Ukraine against Shaktar Donetsk to bring the second leg back to Germany on level ground. But enough of these second leg previews, there’s four more first legs to go this week. Shall we?

Arsenal versus Bayern Munich — Emirates Stadium

This is the second-most compelling matchup after Real Madrid and Manchester United. I’d be quick to dismiss Arsenal with its recent flubs in the FA Cup, losing to lower-division sides with regularity. But I actually trust the team more on the European stage. Lucas Podolski has to have the biggest chip on his shoulder, going up against the premier German side and a side that never struck any interest in the 29-year-old German winger. 

The midfield will ultimately be the key in this matchup. It will be a matter of which side can be more creative. Arsenal certainly has the tools, with young talents like Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla. Bayern has more of a veteran midfield with Bastian Schweinsteiger, Tony Kroos and Frank Ribery. Bayern could be playing the best soccer in the world right now, as it has absolutely ran away with the Bundesliga, and it’s not a good sign for opponents when former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola is waiting in the wings to take over at the end of the season.

Prediction — Bayern Munich 5-3 on aggregate

FC Porto versus Malaga — Estadio de Dragao

A very pleasant Iberian matchup. Malaga shocked many people, including myself, by winning Group C over AC Milan and Zenit St. Petersburg. And then controversy hit the club. Failure to pay its taxes and bills has Malaga banned from European play for next year. The club that wanted to spend big in the offseason now has to hold on to players who could be on their way out. Making a statement in the knockout will be huge for them.Porto finished two points behind PSG in group play and looked very convincing in the victories. I can’t really see either Porto or Malaga making noise when either reaches the quarterfinals, but the knockout round is certainly not uncharted waters for Porto.

Prediction — Porto 3-1 on aggregate

AC Milan versus FC Barcelona — San Siro

Messi, Messi, Messi. Enough said. Barcelona is already looking at its path to Wembley. The loss to Celtic in group stage was a bit flukey, but if Barcelona gets its defense healthy and aligned, its super-sexy style of play will be in London on May 15.

Oh, Milan. It seems like yesterday this was one of the world’s top-five teams. The club is far from it now. The decline in Italian soccer has resulted in Milan’s fire sale of top players to other big European clubs and their Middle Eastern money. There still is talent there, but not enough to take down the team that is running away with La Liga.

Prediction — Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate

Galatasaray versus Schalke 04 — Turk Telekom Arena

Before the January transfer window opened, this was Schalke’s match to coast through to the quarterfinals. Now it’s turned upside down. Turkish-side Galatasaray did some research and pulled a Minnesota Wild by bringing two superstars to a team no one expected and is confined to the middle of nowhere. The signed tandem of Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder is certainly comparable with Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. Both have captained and led their teams at the highest level and pretty much made it clear they wanted out of their old locations for bigger and brighter futures with a little cash money involved. Galatasaray barely advanced past group stage, finishing behind Manchester United, but getting through was all the club needed to make an impression on luring Drogba and Sneijder to Turkey.

On the other hand, while Galatasaray was signing, Schalke was sighing. The departure of Lewis Holtby to Tottenham Hotspur leaves a huge hole in the midfield, where Sneijder will look to expose. Schalke still has a solid attack with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Jefferson Farfan, but this matchup will come down to which side can steal a goal away from home soil.

Prediction — Galatasaray 2-1 on aggregate

Max is a senior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected] and

@AirMaxTane.