Bayern Munich vs Olympiakos
Allianz Arena, Munich
Wednesday, 06-11-2019 @8:55pm
Referee: Pawe Raczkowski (Pol)
Bayern Munich host Olympiakos for their Matchday 4 Champions League clash hoping to build on their perfect run in Group B so far, where they bagged nine points in three outings with a convincing setup in the final third and 13 goals netted along the way. Niko Kovac will now have high hopes his men can build on it, despite recent Bundesliga disappointments.
Indeed, Bavarians have seen a thrashing 5-1 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday with many defensive slip-ups proving costly after conceding goals on the regular beforehand too but managing to outgun the rivals in a three-match winning streak they connected across competitions.
Olympiakos have proven themselves a tough nut but still saw a 2-3 loss to the rivals along the way, which was their first home loss since February and has surely dented their confidence. They saw a 2-0 home win over AEK Athens since but failed to build on it on the road, only seeing a goalless draw at Xanthi over the weekend.
Thrylos have had trouble turning away clashes their way in general and they only bagged one win on four trips in two months. Pedro Martins’ men failed to prove their worth at Red Star Belgrade (suffering a 3-1 loss) in Group B already and it’s now very tough to see them snatch points in Munich either.
Bayern Munich have conceded a high total of 17 goals in their last seven outings. Olympiakos struggled for consistency on the road and bagged just one win in four trips. Bavarians snatched a thriller 2-3 win in Piraeus two weeks ago
Lokomotiv Moscow vs Juventus
RZD Arena, Moscow
Wednesday, 06-11-2019 @8:55pm
Referee: Ruddy Buquet (Fra)
Lokomotiv Moscow manager Yuri Semin will likely miss out on at least five players heading into this game. That list includes key player Fedor Smolov along with Luka Djordjevic. Even the experienced Jefferson Farfan is out injured, meaning the hosts are more or less crippled in the attacking department.
Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri is expected to shuffle his pack a little following a narrow win over Torino on the weekend. Matthijs de Ligt scored the only goal of the game, but looks set to miss this clash due to injury. The Dutchman could be replaced by Daniele Rugani, who will be partnered by Leonardo Bonucci at the heart of Juve’s four-man backline.
Lokomotiv Moscow have lost all three of their European meetings with Juventus, losing twice in the 1993-94 season in the UEFA Cup and on MD3 this season. Juventus’ last away European match against Lokomotiv Moscow was back in September 1993, winning 1-0 in a UEFA Cup first-round clash. In European competitions, against no side have Lokomotiv lost more games than against Juventus (three, level with Atletico Madrid). Juventus are winless in four away Champions League games, their worst run since going six without a win between April 2013 and October 2014. Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri is currently unbeaten in his last 19 games combined in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League since a defeat in this competition with Napoli in February 2018.
PSG vs Club Brugge
Parc de Princess, Paris
Wednesday, 06-11-2019 @11pm
Referee: IBobby Madden (Sco)
Paris Saint-Germain could be without Neymar, Thilo Kehrer, Ander Herrera, Marco Verratti, Thomas Meunier and Thiago Silva on Wednesday. Edinson Cavani last started a game for PSG in August but Thomas Tuchel may give him a chance from the off here. Marquinhos tends to play in central midfield in the Champions League but may be required at the back if Silva misses out. Angel Di Maria will miss out against former club Real Madrid if he is booked on Wednesday and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was rested here. Pablo Sarabia and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting will hope to benefit from any rotation against Club Bruges. The absence of Marco Verratti and Ander Herrera once again would really limit PSG’s options in midfield.
Injury has limited Eder Balanta to join two substitute appearances in the Champions League this season and he will push to start on Wednesday. 19-year-old Lois Openda has picked up two bookings across two substitute appearances spanning 61 minutes. Another yellow here would see him serve a one-match ban in the Champions League. Ruud Vormer is still suspended for the away side. Clinton Mata has not made the matchday squad in Club Bruges’ last two outings and may not feature here either.
PSG have won 6 of their last 7 matches (UEFA Champions League). PSG have kept a clean sheet in their last 3 matches (UEFA Champions League).
Paris Saint-Germain only need to avoid defeat on Wednesday to secure a place in the next round. A victory will put them in a very strong position to claim top spot. Club Bruges are third in Group A and two points behind Real Madrid. Given the poor form of Madrid this season, they are by no means out of the running for a top two spot but it would be a shock if they pulled it off. PSG beat Club Bruges 5-0 in the reverse meeting but the Ligue 1 giants required a 12-minute hat-trick from Kylian Mbappe off the bench to secure all three points. PSG are yet to concede in Europe this season and are expected to run out comfortable winners here.
Real Madrid vs Galatasary
Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Wednesday, 06-11-2019 @11pm
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Ger)
Zinedine Zidane does not have any fresh injury concerns to deal with ahead of the visit of Galatasaray. On Wednesday, the Real Madrid manager will be without four first-team players, with Marco Asensio being a long-term absentee among them. Other than Asensio, Zidane will also be bereft of the services of Nacho (knee), James Rodriguez (muscular injury) and Gareth Bale (calf). The Real Madrid boss, though, has plenty of firepower in his squad to compensate for the absence of the quartet.
Fatih Terim does not have many pressing concerns on his hands ahead of the trip to face Real Madrid. On Wednesday, the Galatasaray boss will be without just two first-team players, with star summer signing Radamel Falcao being the major absentee. Sener Ozbayrakli is the other player who misses out, due to a thigh complaint.
This will be the eighth UEFA Champions League meeting between Real Madrid and Galatasaray. Of the previous seven, Real Madrid have won five (L2). Against no side have Galatasaray lost more Champions League games than Real Madrid (five, level with Barcelona), the latest being their 1-0 defeat on Matchday 3. Real Madrid are winless in three Champions League matches at home (D1 L2). Los Blancos have never gone four without a win at Santiago Bernabeu (also three winless games in April 2000 and December 2002). Galatasaray are winless in 15 UEFA Champions League matches on the road (D3 L12) since winning 3-2 at FC Schalke 04 in March 2013; it is their worst away winless run in the competition. Toni Kroos scored Real Madrid’s winning goal against Galatasaray in their last Champions League game. The German has been directly involved in exactly half of their last 10 group stage goals in the competition (two goals, three assists).
Crvena Zvezda vs Tottenham Hotspur
Stadion Rajko Mitic, Belgrade
Wednesday, 06-11-2019 @11pm
Referee: Carlos Del Cerro (Spa)
Red Star have a fully-fit squad to choose from after reporting no major injury problems. Manager Vladan Milojevic may start Milan Pavkov and Veljko Simic after bringing both players off during the club’s 2-0 victory over Proleter Novi Sad, while Marko Marin is also expected to feature.
Tottenham attacker Heung-Min Son has travelled with the squad for the Champions League trip to Red Star Belgrade. The South Korean has been receiving support from his club following his involvement in the challenge that saw Everton midfielder Andre Gomes suffer a broken and dislocated ankle on Sunday. Harry Kane was also part of the group that travelled, fit again after he missed the Goodison Park clash with a virus. Erik Lamela was not present as he battles a thigh injury, while Hugo Lloris is also a long-term absentee. Spurs will be without Jan Vertonghen as the Belgium defender has a hamstring injury and will be out until after the international break.
Red Star last hosted Tottenham Hotspur in a European match in December 1972 in the UEFA Cup, winning 1-0 but going out 2-1 on aggregate. Tottenham’s 5-0 win over Red Star on MD3 was their biggest victory in major UEFA European competition since winning 6-1 against Anorthosis Famagusta in the UEFA Cup in September 2007. Red Star have never lost a home match in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League against an English opponent (W2 D2 L0), winning 2-0 last season against Liverpool. Spurs’ last two UEFA Champions League matches have been by a five-goal margin, losing 7-2 to Bayern Munich before winning 5-0 against Crvena Zvezda. They are only the second team to have a 5+ goal defeat and victory in the group stage of a UEFA Champions League campaign, after Rosenborg in the 2000-01 season. Including qualifiers, Red Star have only lost two of their last 21 home matches in European competition (W11 D8 L2), though one of those was against English side Arsenal in an October 2017 meeting in the UEFA Europa League. Spurs striker Harry Kane has scored 18 goals in just 22 UEFA Champions League appearances, including four goals in three games this season. In the history of the competition, the fewest number of games needed to reach 20 goals is 26, set by Alessandro Del Piero in April 1998. Red Star’s Marko Marin created six chances in their 5-0 defeat against Spurs on MD3 – no player has created more in the UEFA Champions League this season (13, level with Toni Kroos).
Dinamo Zagreb vs Shakhter Donetsk
Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb
Wednesday, 06-10-2019 @11pm
Referee: Felix Brych (Ger)
Dinamo Zagreb have not lost a competitive game at home since August 2018 and they have won their last six, keeping a clean sheet in every one. Mario Gavranovic and Amer Gojak are doubts having missed Saturday’s game against Inter Zapresic but Kevin Theophile-Catherine and Arijan Ademi are expected to be fit. Coach Nenad Bjelica is therefore expected to revert to the back five he used at Shakhtar two weeks ago, with Bruno Petkovic leading the attack.
Shakhtar Donetsk have lost just one of their last 10 games in all competitions and are way out in front in the Premier League, so they can concentrate on this vital Champions League match. Manor Solomon will be assessed after suffering an injury in Saturday’s game at Karpaty so captain Taison is set to return in attack having been rested at the weekend. Yevhen Konopylanka, Marlos, Ismaily and Serhii Kryvtsov are all doubtful after missing Saturday’s game and midfielder Maycon remains sidelined.
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 8 of Shakhtar’s last 9 games (UEFA Champions League). Shakhtar have scored at least 2 goals in their last 3 matches against Dinamo Zagreb in all competitions.
Atalanta vs Man City
Stadio Guiseppe Meazza, Milan
Wednesday, 06-11-2019 @11pm
Referee: Aliaksei Kulbakou (Bel)
Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata is out with a muscle injury but Gian Piero Gasperini is expected to have an otherwise fully-fit squad.
Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden is suspended for the trip to Atalanta following his red card in the 5-1 win over the Italians a fortnight ago. Tommy Doyle and attacking midfielder Ian Poveda are including in the travelling party, but David Silva is out after suffering a muscular injury in the 2-1 Premier League win over Southampton. Oleksandr Zinchenko, Aymeric Laporte and Leroy Sane (all knee) are all long-term absentees while Rodri is still a couple of weeks away from recovering from a thigh problem.
Atalanta have only hosted an English team on one previous occasion in European football, winning 3-0 at home against Everton in the UEFA Europa League in September 2017. Atalanta have lost all three of their UEFA Champions League matches this season and are the first Italian team to lose their first three games in the competition. The last team to lose their first four Champions League games were Otelul Galati in 2011-12. Manchester City have won 10 of their last 12 UEFA Champions League games (W10 D1 L1), including winning all three this season. No team has ever not progressed from the group stages of the Champions League after winning their opening three group stage games. Atalanta have conceded more UEFA Champions League goals than any other team this season (11) – indeed, only two teams have conceded more goals in their first three Champions League games – Slavia Prague (12) and Helsingborgs (13). Man City’s Raheem Sterling has been involved in 13 goals in his last 10 appearances in the UEFA Champions League (9 goals, 4 assists), although only one of those goal involvements was in an away game (one goal at FC Schalke 04 in February). Manchester City wingers Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez have combined to create seven chances for each other in this seasons UEFA Champions League – the only duo to combine more are Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez (nine).
Bayer Leverkusen vs Atletico Madrid
Bayer Arena, Leverkusen
Wednesday, 06-11-2019 @11pm
Referee: Damir Skomina (Slo)
Atletico Madrid take on Leverkusen at BayArena on Wednesday evening, as they look to go top of Group D. In contrast, the hosts will be looking for a win that would keep their qualification hopes alive (just).
Given that things haven’t exactly gone all that well domestically, as they sit in a modest 10th place in the Bundesliga, Leverkusen may have been hoping to find solace in the Champions League, but that hasn’t happened, as they’ve lost three out of three and are thus on the brink of elimination.
On paper, they’ve struggled, but realistically, the Germans haven’t been terrible. They’ve just not had the rub of the green. They were comfortably the better side when losing out narrowly to Lokomotiv Moscow on match-day one, while there was very little between the pair in the reverse of this fixture, which saw Atletico win by a goal to nil a fortnight ago.
The main problem for Leverkusen, who’ve not looked the easiest side to break down, is that they’re not offering enough going forward. Just one goal in three matches is clearly not enough, especially when chucked in a group with top teams like Juventus and Atletico. Not only are Leverkusen struggling to score goals in this competition, but they’ve also made a meal of creating chances, especially in their last two, registering just a single shot on target in over 180 minutes of football.
Atletico aren’t always the most creative side, but they’ve done a much better job of forging scoring opportunities than Wednesday’s hosts. The visitors come into this match having deservedly scored five goals in Group D, while they’ve also done an excellent job of stopping teams from playing, keeping a clean sheet against Lokomotiv and in the reverse of this fixture.
When the pair met a fortnight ago, clear-cut chances were few and far between, but that suited Atletico far more than Leverkusen. Simeone’s men are happy to keep things low-key, as they’ve got the quality to stop teams and come up with the good offensively when it matters most.
