Europa League last 16: previews and predictions for this week’s ties

RB Leipzig have been given a bye into the Europa League quarter-finals after Spartak Moscow were kicked out of the competition due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The first legs of the seven remaining last-16 ties will be played this week, with the second legs coming next Thursday.

Porto were made to work hard for their spot in the last 16. Lazio pushed them all the way in their play-off last month before losing 4-3 on aggregate. Porto have been in great form this season; not only do they have a six-point lead at the top of the Primeira Liga, but they are also unbeaten in the league. Their 4-2 win at Paços de Ferreira over the weekend was the perfect preparation for the visit of Lyon.

They will be without Wendell, who is suspended, when they welcome Lyon to the Estádio do Dragão on Wednesday evening. Vitinha and Marko Grujic are battling to partner Mateus Uribe in the middle of the park, while Mehdi Taremi has been in stunning form of late and should join Toni Martínez up front. Porto have a great record against French sides and they beat Lyon in the quarter-finals when they won the Champions League under José Mourinho in 2004.

For Lyon, Rayan Cherki and Sinaly Diomande are both likely to miss out through injury, with the manager, Peter Bosz, expected to ask the midfielder Thiago Mendes to deputise at the heart of the defence for Diomande. The French trio of Houssem Aouar, Tanguy Ndombele and Maxence Caqueret are battling for two spots at the base of the 4-2-3-1.

It has been a disappointing season for Lyon in Ligue 1. They are ninth in the table – as many points behind the league leaders, PSG, as they are above the bottom club, Bordeaux. But their form has picked up in recent weeks and they are coming into this tie on