Dortmund seek knockout improvement, Cavani tackles Barca drought - Champions League in Opta numbers

The knockout stages of the Champions League get underway on Tuesday, with three former European champions in action.

Having finished behind Arsenal in Group A, Paris Saint-Germain have been handed a tough draw against 2015 winners Barcelona.

Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, topped their group - ahead of holders Real Madrid - and now face Benfica, who lead the Primeira Liga in Portugal.

Here are some of the best stats from the first legs of those last-16 clashes, courtesy of Opta.

 

Benfica v Borussia Dortmund:

6 - Borussia Dortmund are one of six teams yet to suffer a defeat in the Champions League this season (W4 D2). They won both games earlier this season against another Lisbon side, Sporting (2-1 in Portugal, 1-0 at home).

6 - However, Dortmund have lost six of their last eight games in the Champions League knockout stages (W2).

1 - Meanwhile, Benfica have lost only one of their seven home games in the Champions League knockout stages (W3 D3), it was against Chelsea in March 2012.

21 - Borussia Dortmund scored 21 goals in the group stages this season, the record in a Champions League group campaign, whilst Benfica conceded 10 goals, the joint-highest tally among teams left in the competition.

4 - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored in all four of his Champions League starts this season (four goals) while team-mate Marco Reus has scored 10 goals and delivered four assists in his last 11 Champions League games.

 

Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona:

3 - Barcelona have won their last three games against Paris Saint-Germain (eight scored, two conceded).

0 - PSG have never kept a clean sheet against Barcelona (nine games, all competitions).

1 - PSG have lost only one of their last 42 home games in European competition (W26 D15), it came against Barcelona in April 2015 in the Champions League quarter-finals.

9 - Barcelona have progressed past the round of 16 in each of the last nine seasons, the longest current run in the competition.

350 - Edinson Cavani has scored six goals in as many games in the Champions League this season, which equals his best tally in the competition (six in 2014/15). However, he’s never scored in 350 minutes of Champions League action against Barcelona.