Bayern Munich lock horns with Inter Milan
There is a massive fixture this week as Bayern Munich lock horns with Inter Milan on Wednesday. Both teams have excellent squads at their disposal and will want to win this game.
Bayern Munich have an exceptional squad at their disposal but have managed only two points from their last two league games. The Bavarians have been fairly wasteful over the past month and will need to be at their clinical best in this fixture.
Inter Milan are in eighth place in the Serie A table at the moment and have not been at their best this season. The Nerazzurri suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of AC Milan over the weekend and have a point to prove in this match.
Bayern Munich and Inter Milan are on an even footing as far as the official head-to-head record is concerned and have won three games apiece out of a total of seven matches that have been played between the two sides.
Inter Milan have a few defensive issues to resolve and cannot afford to slip up this week. Bayern Munich are the better team at the moment and should be able to win this game.
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Napoli play host to Liverpool in Group A
Liverpool will be hoping that their recent domestic misfortune does not carry over onto the European stage when Napoli play host to the Reds in their opening Champions League Group A match today. A tally of 11 points from their opening 15 on offer sees Napoli sit at the summit in Serie A and are gearing up for their first appearance in the Champions League group stage since 2019-20.
Liverpool have failed to win any of their three away games in the top flight so far and a trip to Naples may not fill the Anfield faithful with confidence at a first glance, but Klopp’s side remarkably won all six of their Champions League games on the road last term prior to a 1-0 loss to Real Madrid in the final.
Napoli and Liverpool are familiar foes having locked horns in both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Champions League group stages, but the Reds only came out on the correct end of the scoreline in one of those encounters and have failed to score in all three of their visits to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
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Atletico Madrid welcome Porto to Wanda Metropolitano
Atletico Madrid will be looking to get their Champions League group-stage campaign off to the best possible start when they welcome Porto to Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday night. Atletico reached the final of the 2015-16 Champions League before making the semi-finals one year later, but the Red and Whites have found it difficult to make a serious impression in the competition since then.
Atletico will play in Group B alongside Porto, Club Brugge and Bayer Leverkusen, and they will be the favourites to top the section, but it looks to be a very open group, with all four sides surely believing that they can reach the knockout round.
Atletico lead the head-to-head record between the two sides three victories to two, with Porto’s two victories coming in the group stage of the 2009-10 competition.
Atletico will be missing a number of players for this match, including Felipe through suspension, while Stefan Savic and new arrival Sergio Reguilon are also on the sidelines through injury.
Both of these sides will fancy their chances of winning on Wednesday night, but it is very difficult to back Atletico to lose at Wanda Metropolitano in any game against any opposition. It would not be a surprise to see a home victory, but we have a feeling that Porto could pick up a welcome point here.
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Tottenham return to Champs League as they welcome Marseille
Tottenham Hotspur‘s return to the promised land of the Champions League commences with Wednesday’s Group D fixture against Ligue 1 giants Marseille. Eintracht Frankfurt and Sporting Lisbon are also lying in wait for Antonio Conte‘s side, who can take nothing for granted in such a challenging European group.
The jubilation of pipping Arsenal to the fourth and final Champions League spot will count for nought if Tottenham are unable to make waves in Europe, but their early Premier League form suggests that the Lilywhites can do just that.
The visitors have recent when it comes to a continental run, as they made it all the way to the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League last year after finishing third in their Europa League group, but their hopes of glory were dashed by eventual runners-up Feyenoord.
Most recently occupying a spot in the Champions League two seasons ago, Marseille have failed to make it out of the group in their last two appearances in the premier competition, and the visitors have also suffered 12 defeats in the tournament versus English opposition
One look at the Marseille defence does not inspire too much confidence, and an in-form Kane alongside a bright Richarlison can expect joy in front of goal if Conte’s side can win what should be an entertaining midfield scrap.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Barcelona to maintain flawless record against Victoria Plzen
Viktoria Plzen take on Barcelona at the Camp Nou today. The home side are in impressive form at the moment and hold the upper hand going into this game. Barcelona are in second place in the La Liga standings and have grown in stature under Xavi this year.
Viktoria Plzen are in second place in the Czech First League and have been impressive so far this season.
Barcelona have a predictably flawless record against Victoria Plzen and have won both the matches that have been played between the two teams. Barcelona have been in excellent form this season and will be intent on starting their Champions League campaign on a positive note. Robert Lewandowski and Ousmane Dembele have been lethal in La Liga and will look to make their markVictoria Plzen have never defeated Barcelona in an official fixture and will look to create history in this fixture.
Credit: sportskeeda.com
