Today’s UEFA Champions League Fixtures & Previews

PSG welcome Manchester City to Parc des Princes

Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City meet at the Parc des Princes in arguably the most important game across matchday seven of the league phase in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Many would have expected this to be a dead rubber at the beginning of the competition, but it has since taken on huge importance for both after dreadful starts on the continent.

Despite winning away to Red Bull Salzburg on matchday six, PSG still find themselves in a perilous position ahead of facing the Premier League champions this week.

The Parisians have only won of their seven meetings with Man City, but that came in their last meeting at the Parc des Princes, winning 2-0 despite registering just six shots all evening – the lowest in a home match in their Champions League history.

Manager Enrique also has a fine record against his opposite number Pep Guardiola, losing just two of their five previous clashes, and being one of only two managers (along with Jurgen Klopp) to have beaten the City boss by three or more goals on multiple occasions.

Once City get back into their groove, they are a formidable opponent for anybody, and when push comes to shove, they usually deliver, and they will fancy their chances of virtually confirming a playoff place this week with a game to spare.

PSG will be no pushovers by any means though, despite sitting down in 25th, as their eight-game winning streak shows, but City will be a level above all of the opponents they have faced during that run.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Arsenal take on Dinamo Zagreb in their final home match

On the cusp of sealing their place in the last 16 of the Champions LeagueArsenal‘s final home match of the league phase sees the Gunners take on Dinamo Zagreb in Wednesday’s Emirates encounter.

The Gunners have only been out-performed by Liverpool and Barcelona in this season’s league phase so far, while their Croatian visitors sit just inside the unseeded playoff positions and are now under the wing of a World Cup-winning captain.

William Saliba suffers hamstring injury

Gooners may also feel that the UCL represents their side’s best chance of silverware after Saturday’s disheartening 2-2 draw at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League, where Arteta’s men blew a two-goal lead to fall six points behind Liverpool.

The Arsenal medical team are certainly earning their keep this season, as the Gunners’ latest crushing blow comes in the form of William Saliba‘s hamstring injury, one that will supposedly sideline him for a couple of weeks.

Saliba joins Ben White (knee), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Gabriel Jesus (knee) and Ethan Nwaneri (muscle) on Arsenal’s absentee list for Wednesday’s game, while Riccardo Calafiori faces an uphill struggle to recover from a muscle injury in time.

Arteta’s men may be going through a sticky patch at the minute, but they will surely take care of business without a fuss on Wednesday evening, as Cannavaro is subjected to a losing start as Dinamo Zagreb boss.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Bayern, Feyenoord faceoff in intriguing showdown

Hovering just outside the coveted top eight spots in the Champions League league phase table, Bayern Munich square up to Feyenoord at De Kuip in Wednesday’s intriguing showdown.

Vincent Kompany‘s men strolled to a 5-1 crushing of Shakhtar Donetsk in their final European engagement of 2024, while their hosts have 10 points to their name and also occupy a playoff place.

Joao Palhinha, Bayern Munich

Kompany’s troops are one point adrift of the automatic qualification spots on account of their defeats away to Aston Villa and Barcelona, which they have since responded to with three straight successes over Shakhtar, Benfica and Paris Saint-Germain.

Either side of the Bundesliga’s international break, Wednesday’s visitors have beaten RB Leipzig, Borussia Monchengladbach, Hoffenheim and Wolfsburg in consecutive contests, thus maintaining a four-point lead over holders Bayer Leverkusen at the summit of the table.

Bayern also have an unbeaten 21st century sequence to prolong in Rotterdam this week, as since going down 2-1 to PSV Eindhoven in October 1999, the Bavarians have navigated each of their last eight Champions League games against Dutch sides without losing.

Goals at both ends of the field are a guarantee whenever Feyenoord play in the Champions League, and that theme should continue on Wednesday, albeit more to Bayern’s benefit.

Kompany’s men are facing off against a side with a ravaged midfield and low confidence stores amid a difficult domestic period, and the Bundesliga leaders have our backing to win this one with ease.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

AC Milan to continue their success streak at Girona

Still in the mix for a precious top-eight finish, AC Milan will aim to continue their Champions League success streak at Girona‘s expense on Wednesday.

Four straight wins have taken the Italian giants onto 12 points with two games to play, while Girona’s meagre tally of three sees the debutants languishing in the elimination places.

Viktor Tsygankov, Girona

Though Milan looked to be in trouble after losing both of their first two league-phase fixtures, a subsequent run of wins – against Club Brugge, Real Madrid, Slovan Bratislava and Red Star Belgrade – has essentially booked at least a playoff place.

European debutants this season, Girona have never previously faced Italian opponents in a competitive contest, so starting with a trip to the iconic San Siro represents quite an introduction.

The Catalan club have lost five of their six games so far, and last month’s defeat to Liverpool means that only two wins and a prayer can extend their campaign beyond January.

Realistically, a place in the knockout rounds is already beyond them, but they will want to restore some pride and avoid becoming just the second Spanish team to lose six times in one Champions League season – Villarreal previously did so in 2011-12.

Both sides will keep travelling in opposite directions, as Milan have won their last four Champions League games and Girona have lost the last three.

The hosts may be hit-and-miss, but they are always tougher to beat at San Siro, where the home fans should celebrate another victory.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

FIXTURES

RB Leipzig 17:45 Sporting CP

Shakhtar Donetsk 17:45 Brest

AC Milan 20:00 Girona

Arsenal 20:00 Dinamo Zagreb

Celtic 20:00 Young Boys

Feyenoord 20:00 Bayern Munich

PSG 20:00 Manchester City

Real Madrid 20:00 Red Bull Salzburg

Sparta Prague 20:00 Inter Milan

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