Real Madrid, AC Milan in clash of the titans
Real Madrid will be aiming to bounce back from a heavy defeat in El Clasico when they continue their 2024-25 Champions League campaign with a contest against Italian giants AC Milan on Tuesday night.
Los Blancos have picked up six points from their three European matches this season to occupy 12th in the Champions League table, while Milan have collected three points from their opening three games to sit in 25th position.
Real Madrid will be well-rested heading into their European contest with Milan, as their La Liga contest with Valencia, which was due to take place on Saturday night, was postponed due to the devastating floods in Spain.
As a result, Carlo Ancelotti‘s side have not been in action since their 4-0 loss to Barcelona.
Real Madrid are yet to hit full flow this season and have now lost two of their last five matches in all competitions, but they will be expecting to record two wins over Milan and Osasuna ahead of the November international break.
Real Madrid have faced Milan on 15 previous occasions, with both sides posting six wins, but this will be the first meeting between the two sides since the group stage of the 2010-11 Champions League.
Milan have only ever won once at Bernabeu, which came in the group stage of the 2009-10 Champions League.
Milan have more than enough quality to cause Real Madrid problems on Tuesday night, but Los Blancos should be able to bounce back from their Clasico defeat.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen in mouthwatering clash
Xabi Alonso‘s long-awaited Liverpool homecoming is scheduled for Tuesday evening, when the Spaniard’s Bayer Leverkusen side head to Anfield for a mouthwatering Champions League clash.
The Reds are a perfect three-for-three in the 2024-25 European competition, but their sixth-placed German counterparts can leapfrog them in the 36-team table with victory at Merseyside.
AC Milan, Bologna and RB Leipzig have all succumbed to Liverpool’s superiority in the early phase of the 2024-25 Champions League, leaving Liverpool only trailing Aston Villa in the UCL rankings.
With Manchester City and Arsenal both slipping up away from home in gameweek 10, Liverpool have now assumed control of the Premier League title race – sitting two points clear of the league log.
Liverpool may still be enjoying a golden streak of results under Slot, but not a single one of their victories from the start of October has been truly emphatic, and the inevitable fatigue may have been setting in against Brighton if the first 45 was anything to go by.
As a result, a Leverkusen side who have been the stalemate specialists in 2024-25 can end their hosts’ perfect start to the Champions League season, even if Alonso’s men are not the same irrepressible force they once were.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Lille host Juventus in intriguing encounter
Two teams with six points from three Champions League matches meet on Tuesday, as Lille host Juventus at Stade Pierre Mauroy.
The sides’ first competitive meeting comes after the Ligue 1 side enjoyed stunning back-to-back wins over both Madrid clubs, while Juve faltered for the first time at the end of October.
Buoyed by their success against Real Madrid, the French side went on to post a superb 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano.
Making the most of their chances – Lille have only registered 18 shots in the Champions League this season, the second fewest of any team – has certainly helped them so far, and they are firmly on track for a playoff place.
Not only have they won eight of their last nine European home matches ahead of Tuesday’s game, but some fine Ligue 1 form also suggests that they can put Juventus through a stern test.
Not only have they won eight of their last nine European home matches ahead of Tuesday’s game, but some fine Ligue 1 form also suggests that they can put Juventus through a stern test.
Both teams are flying high domestically and have similar records in Europe, so it could be difficult to separate them on Tuesday evening.
As Juventus have started to leak goals, Lille should score at least once; however, Juve’s front line has recently clicked into gear and can strike hard on the counter.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Celtic seek second win as they host Leipzig
After three wildly contrasting results so far, Celtic will seek the second win of their Champions League campaign on Tuesday, when RB Leipzig pay a visit to Glasgow.
The Bundesliga side are one of six clubs still searching for their first points, while Celtic have picked up four amid an eventful start to the league phase.
Having been handed an almighty trouncing in their first away game – a 7-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund – Celtic bravely bounced back to keep a clean sheet in their most recent Champions League outing, holding Italy’s most prolific team to a goalless draw.
The Scottish champions somehow kept Atalanta BC at bay in Bergamo, as veteran goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel made seven crucial stops to preserve a point, which was added to three claimed on a memorable opening matchday.
A resounding 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava brought the thousands packed inside Celtic Park to their feet, so after a run of 12 home games without success in UEFA’s top club competition – between 2013 and 2023 – the Hoops have now won both of the last two.
Brendan Rodgers‘s side are also inside the top 24, which would be good enough for a playoff place at the end of the league phase.
Celtic and RB Leipzig are two teams that like to get on the front foot and should provide an entertaining spectacle, but Leipzig’s defence is more watertight and could keep Celtic at arm’s length.
Defeat would not be a disaster for the Scottish champions, but victory is surely essential for their visitors, who will therefore play to win.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
FIXTURES
Slovan Bratislava 16:45 Dinamo Zagreb
Borussia Dortmund 19:00 Sturm Graz
Liverpool 19:00 Bayer Leverkusen
Sporting CP 19:00 Manchester City
