Chelsea and Barcelona collide at Stamford Bridge
Neck and neck in the Champions League standings at the midway point of the competition, Chelsea and Barcelona collide at Stamford Bridge in Tuesday’s clash of the titans.
Both the Blues and the Blaugrana have collected seven points from their opening four games of the competition, a mixed bag of results that have left both outside of the automatic last-16 places in 12th and 11th respectively.
In fact, not since the pre-COVID days of 2019 have the Blues been beaten at Stamford Bridge in any European group stage/league phase, going unbeaten in 16 such games since that loss to Valencia six years ago – winning 12 of them.
Maresca’s men have also hit a rich vein of domestic form before their blockbuster Barca battle, prevailing in each of their last three Premier League games without conceding a goal and rising to second in the table with a 2-0 success at Burnley on Saturday lunchtime.
The kids have been more than alright for Chelsea in recent weeks, as the Blues have now gone an astounding 50 Premier League games without naming a player aged 30 or older in their starting lineup, but both young and old are producing the goods for their Catalan counterparts.
The doors of Camp Nou finally swung open again on Saturday afternoon, when Barcelona won a match at their refurbished home for the first time in 909 days, putting four past Athletic Bilbao without reply on a wonderful welcome back.
Barcelona kept their first clean sheet in 11 games during the 4-0 thumping of Athletic, who were unable to expose La Blaugrana’s highest of high lines in the manner of some of their rivals.
Chelsea’s pacy wingers are well-placed to expose Flick’s high line, but the simple fact is Barcelona possess multiple world-class attackers, whom we are backing to make the difference in a Champions League classic.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Manchester City welcome Bayer Leverkusen to the Etihad
Reeling from another blow to their Premier League title hopes, Manchester City have some wrongs to right when they welcome Bayer Leverkusen to the Etihad today.
The Sky Blues have collected 10 points from their opening four games to sit fourth in the 36-team table, 17 places better off than their 21st-ranked visitors, although the German giants arrive in a rich vein of form.
City’s defeat against Newcastle – their second consecutive away loss in the Premier League – snapped their stellar four-game victorious run across all competitions and raised more question marks about their title credentials, but the Citizens have found comfort in Europe.
Indeed, Guardiola’s men have only been out-performed by perfect Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in this year’s league phase and eased to a 4-1 battering of Borussia Dortmund last time out – their sixth of seven successive home wins across all competitions.
The Sky Blues have now gone a remarkable 23 home games without defeat in the Champions League league phase/group stage – winning 20 of them – and Guardiola’s men have found the back of the net at least twice in each of their seven straight wins at the Etihad.
The hosts’ Etihad mettle will be tested to the extreme against a revitalised Leverkusen, though, as the 2023-24 Bundesliga Invincibles arrive in Manchester having risen from the ashes since Kasper Hjulmand replaced the doomed Erik ten Hag.
However, the visitors are also depleted by injuries, suspensions and ineligibility, and should not pose too stiff a challenge to a Man City outfit who often run riot at home.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Marseille, Newcastle lock horns at the Orange Velodrome
Clashing in Europe’s top competition for the first time, Marseille and Newcastle United lock horns in today’s Champions League league-phase battle at the Orange Velodrome.
Eddie Howe‘s Magpies strive for a fourth straight victory in the competition, while their French hosts risk losing three in a row at the continent’s top table.
At the halfway point of the 2025-26 Champions League league phase, Newcastle have exhibited their last-16 credentials since falling to a narrow opening loss to Barcelona, taking nine points from the last nine on offer against Union SG, Benfica and Athletic Bilbao.
Howe’s men have struck a fabulous nine goals and conceded a grand total of zero during that terrific winning sequence.
Should Newcastle earn another victory in midweek, they would have won four successive Champions League matches for the very first time, and a 2-1 Premier League success over Manchester City was the perfect warm-up for another European away day.
While Newcastle have been triumphing for fun on their own soil – Marseille are reeling from a recent European setback in front of the home faithful.
The intimidating Velodrome atmosphere could still work its magic, but we have faith in the Magpies to capitalise on their hosts’ fitness woes to win a historic fourth Champions League game on the spin.
Crdit: sportsmole.co.uk
Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal in crucial clash
Borussia Dortmund will welcome Villarreal to Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday for a crucial UEFA Champions League matchday five clash.
With qualification still in the balance, both sides will be eager to claim maximum points, albeit coming into this fixture with contrasting momentum in Europe.
Borussia Dortmund continue their Champions League campaign currently sitting 14th in the league-phase table, and they will be aiming to climb higher or at least consolidate their position.
The Bundesliga side have picked up seven points from their opening four matches, recording two wins, one draw and one defeat.
Despite that return, their defensive numbers remain a concern, having scored 13 goals while conceding 11 so far in the competition.
Dortmund’s last European outing ended in a heavy 4-1 defeat away to Manchester City.
However, one positive for Niko Kovac’s men is that they have found the back of the net in every match across all competitions this season.
Kovac will now be looking for a response from his side as they return home for this European fixture, especially against a Villarreal side they will be confident of troubling, despite their Spanish opponents’ recent form.
Villarreal, meanwhile, have endured a disappointing Champions League campaign so far, failing to win any of their opening four games and collecting just one point.
They are currently rooted near the bottom of the table after three defeats and a draw.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Ajax 17:45 Benfica
Galatasaray 17:45 Royale Union SG
Bodo/Glimt 20:00 Juventus
Chelsea 20:00 Barcelona
Dortmund 20:00 Villarreal
Manchester City 20:00 Leverkusen
Marseille 20:00 Newcastle
Napoli 20:00 Qarabag
Slavia Prague 20:00 Athletic Bilbao
