IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here. The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.
Bayer Leverkusen v Zenit: Bellarabi wants consistent focus
20 October 2014
Bayer Leverkusen winger Karim Bellarabi has called for focus throughout all of Wednesday's home clash with Zenit.
The Russian outfit travel to the BayArena for the Group C UEFA Champions League clash and will face a wounded Leverkusen.
Roger Schmidt's side showed their best and worst in Saturday's 3-3 Bundesliga draw at Stuttgart, in which they threw away a three-goal lead.
Son Heung-min's first-half double was added to by Bellarabi, but Leverkusen folded after the break and were perhaps lucky to even win a point after Stuttgart's outstanding response.
Leverkusen may be unbeaten in five but the mood in the camp was far from positive after the result, as Bellarabi revealed.
"That was a game we simply had to win," Bellarabi told the Bundesliga's official website.
"But we ended up conceding three goals from three set-pieces.
"I'm not really sure what went wrong, whether we lost focus a little bit or not, but we just can't allow that sort of thing to happen.
"We were brilliant in the first half and could have scored four or five, so to play that way in the second half is really annoying…we ended up throwing away two points."
Leverkusen - Champions League finalists in 2002 - lost 1-0 at Monaco on matchday one but hit back with a 3-1 home success against Benfica.
That leaves them third in the pool, one point behind both Monaco and Zenit.
Leverkusen, who sit sixth in the Bundesliga table, are in good scoring form at home this season, netting 17 times in six matches in all competitions.
Zenit won 2-0 at Benfica in their first Champions League match of the season but were held to a goalless stalemate against Monaco last time out.
They top the Russian Premier League table by two points and are unbeaten in 10 matches, with the forward pairing of Hulk and Jose Salomon Rondon giving them plenty of firepower.
And the close-season acquisition of Ezequiel Garay from Benfica has shored up the club's defence and proved smart.
Leverkusen will continue to be without captain Simon Rolfes, who had a pin in his right ankle removed last week.
Rolfes has not played since sustaining the injury in August, but coach Roger Schmidt said he was 'making great progress' last week.
The two sides met each other in the quarter-finals of the 2007-08 UEFA Cup, with Zenit winning 4-2 on aggregate.
The Russians won 4-1 in the first leg in Leverkusen, as they ended up winning the tournament with a 2-0 final success against Rangers.
Atletico Madrid v Malmo: Turan warns Spanish champions
20 October 2014
Arda Turan knows Atletico Madrid can ill afford to take Malmo lightly when they meet in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
Diego Simeone's side will be expected to secure their second victory in Group A at Vicente Calderon, where they beat Juventus 1-0 at the start of the month.
On the same night Malmo overcame Olympiacos 2-0 in the first Champions League game to be played on Swedish soil for 14 years, courtesy of a Markus Rosenberg double.
And Turkey midfielder Turan has warned his team-mates that the Liga champions could be punished if they are not at their best.
He told FIFA.com: "We'll need to take care with Malmo – we have a lot of respect for them.
"At home they play very well and remember they went in 0-0 at half-time away to Juve [before going on to lose 2-0].
"This is the Champions League and if we're careless or adopt an attitude of 'we're a big team, we'll win all our games', then we'll be eliminated pretty quickly."
Atleti were beaten by city rivals Real Madrid in a dramatic Champions League final last season and Turan, who scored the winner against Juve, has stressed the importance of winning the group as they attempt to go one better.
"Just like last year, we want to try and compete right to the very end," he said.
"In the case of the Champions League, firstly we'd like to come out of our group, and as winners, because that gives you home advantage in the return leg of the first knockout round.
"However, that will be very tough to do. In fact, in my four years here, the toughest game I've experienced was that Champions League home game of ours against Juventus."
Midfielder Tiago could miss out against the Swedish champions after suffering a thigh injury in Saturday's 2-0 home victory over Espanyol.
Malmo became the first side to retain their Swedish title since 2003 earlier this month, but they were consigned to only their third Allsvenskan defeat of the campaign against Elfsborg on Saturday.
Age Hareide's side will be up against it when they face an Atletico side that have won 18 of their 20 matches in UEFA competitions at fortress Vicente Calderon.
The victory over Olympiacos was their first in a group game in Europe and they will be licking their wounds after a 13-game unbeaten run at home came to an end against Elfsborg in the Allsvenskan on Saturday.
Malmo have doubts over Alexander Blomqvist (foot), Erik Johansson (thigh), Markus Halsti (groin) and Filip Helander (foot).
Olympiacos v Juventus: Allegri´s men face stern Greek test
20 October 2014
Olympiacos will bid to make Juventus their latest scalp at the Karaiskakis Stadium when they meet in the UEFA Champions League.
The Greek side welcome Massimiliano Allegri's men to Piraeus having suffered a surprise 2-0 reverse at Malmo in their last European outing.
But the hosts can have considerable hope of victory given their recent record at home in Europe's premier club competition, with a plethora of the continent's leading teams coming away from the Karaiskakis with nothing.
Atletico Madrid became the latest side to lose at the venue as they succumbed to a thrilling 3-2 defeat in the Group A opener last month, with Olympiacos suffering just two losses in their last 10 home Champions League games.
And, with Manchester United, Benfica and Arsenal all having been beaten by Olympiacos in Greece in recent times, Allegri and his players will need no reminder of the task facing them on Wednesday.
History is on the side of Juve, who have yet to lose to Olympiacos on Greek soil and won 7-0 in the last encounter between the two in Turin in 2003, a result that still stands as the hosts' heaviest defeat in European football.
Things have changed drastically since that meeting, though, and a Juve outfit that has fallen way behind the leading sides in top European competition head into the match having lost four of their last five Champions League away games.
Allegri's side were disappointing going forward as they were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Atletico in the second round of group fixtures and were equally unimpressive in a 1-1 Serie A draw with Sassuolo last weekend.
However, the visitors are expected to be boosted by the return of Chile playmaker Arturo Vidal.
Vidal missed the Sassuolo game due to apparent fatigue following the recent international break, but the 27-year-old is reportedly set to be restored to the starting XI.
Andrea Pirlo is the man expected to drop out for Vidal, while striker Fernando Llorente will likely miss out because of back problem.
Defenders Andrea Barzagli (heel) and Martin Caceres (thigh) are also sidelined, along with midfielder Romulo, who has a groin injury.
Attacking midfielder David Fuster is in contention for Olympiacos after returning to action in Saturday's 3-2 league success over Ergotelis, but defender Dimitris Siovas and forward Jorge Benitez both have thigh complaints and are set to miss out.
Michel could be forced into a change at the back with Giannis Maniatis – who has played in both group games so far – one booking away from a suspension.
Anderlecht v Arsenal: Wenger on the defensive after domestic struggles
20 October 2014
Arsene Wenger has defensive worries to ponder ahead of Arsenal's UEFA Champions League clash with Anderlecht on Wednesday.
Wenger's side claimed a welcome three points in their last European outing, beating Galatasaray 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium, but recent domestic form has proved a cause for concern.
A loss to London rivals Chelsea prior to the international break was followed by a 2-2 draw with Hull City on Saturday, in which Danny Welbeck was required to salvage a point late on.
Wenger was unhappy with Hull's second goal, lamenting sloppy defending, and clearly frustrated when questioned by the media over his side's shortcomings.
The Frenchman has called for an improved showing at the back against an Anderlecht side beaten just once in 15 matches this term - by Group D rivals Borussia Dortmund on matchday two.
"Last year we had 17 clean sheets with the same defenders. We have not started to do that at the moment," said Wenger.
"This season has been much harder. It's difficult to say why because there's not just one reason.
"It's a post-World Cup year. It's [also] because we had to play Besiktas to qualify for the Champions League without having everybody ready. We have missed many players.
"But our defensive efficiency is not there at the moment. You cannot survive at the top level by always conceding two goals. It's impossible."
Featuring in the group stage of the competition for a third consecutive year, Anderlecht will be eager to avoid a sixth consecutive home loss in the Champions League and move off the bottom of Group D.
Besnik Hasi's men lead the Belgian top flight by three points, but needed Steven Defour's second-half equaliser to avoid defeat against Mechelen on Saturday, with Hasi describing the opening 45 minutes of that match as the worst of his tenure.
Anderlecht are seeking to end an unwanted sequence of fourth-place finishes in the group stage, which stretches back through their last seven campaigns since they reached the last 16 in 2000-01.
Hasi was able to hand experienced defender Anthony Vanden Borre a return at the weekend after a calf injury, but Fabrice N'Sakala remains out of contention due to a knee problem.
Emiliano Martinez appears set to make his Champions League debut in goal for Arsenal, with regular number one Wojciech Szczesny suspended and David Ospina (hip) also unavailable.
Wenger is also set to be without Mesut Ozil (knee), while Laurent Koscielny (Achilles) is a major doubt.
However, Aaron Ramsey returned from a hamstring injury against Hull and Jack Wilshere is expected to be available, despite limping off in the second half of Saturday's draw.
Monaco v Benfica: Jardim to face off with former rivals
20 October 2014
Leonardo Jardim will come up against an old enemy when Monaco take on Benfica in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
Jardim took over at the Stade Louis II in June after guiding Sporting Lisbon to second place in the Primeira Liga in his only season in charge of the Portuguese outfit.
Sporting were unable to overhaul fierce Lisbon rivals Benfica, who finished seven points clear to capture the league title, but Jardim will now get another crack at Jorge Jesus' men in Europe's premier club competition.
And the 40-year-old has good reason to be hopeful of a triumph given Benfica's highly disappointing form in the tournament so far.
Benfica were beaten 2-0 at home by Zenit in their opening Group C encounter and followed that up with a 3-1 loss at Bayer Leverkusen, meaning that they will most likely need to take all three points versus Monaco in order to have any chance of progressing to the knockout rounds.
By contrast Monaco have put themselves in a strong position in what is the principality club's first appearance in the Champions League in nine years.
The Ligue 1 club began with a tight 1-0 win over Leverkusen before producing a battling performance to claim a 0-0 draw with Zenit in a game in which they created the better goalscoring opportunities.
Monaco have also begun to show signs of life in the French top flight, recently holding defending champions Paris Saint-Germain to a draw before cruising to a 2-0 success against Evian last Saturday.
Despite their recent resurgence, Monaco have hardly been prolific in front of goal, netting 10 in as many games in Ligue 1, and will again be without star striker Dimitar Berbatov because of an ankle injury suffered in the draw with Zenit.
Defender Borja Lopez is yet to play a game for Monaco because of a knee problem while teenage forward Anthony Martial is also a doubt.
Centre-back Aymen Abdennour has been sidelined with a thigh injury since August but is in contention to feature after playing for Tunisia against Senegal during the international break.
Benfica have been boosted by the return of goalkeeper Artur after he missed the second round of group fixtures due to suspension.
Second-choice goalkeeper Julio Cesar is expected to be unavailable because of a back issue, while defender Jardel and winger Ola John are both doubtful because of thigh injuries as the visitors aim to claim their first points of the Champions League campaign.
Liverpool - Real Madrid Preview: Rodgers marvels at Spanish giants' quality
By Peter Thompson
21 Oct 2014 09:00:16
The Reds manager says that Carlo Ancelotti's side are a fearsome prospect, particularly on the counterattack, with Los Blancos coming into the game on a scoring frenzy
Brendan Rodgers is under no illusions about the task that his Liverpool side face against free-scoring Real Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday.
Los Blancos head to Merseyside for a Champions League Group B encounter having won their last seven games in all competitions and coasted to back-to-back 5-0 victories.
Levante were the latest side to suffer at the hands of the European champions as the prolific Cristiano Ronaldo broke yet another record on Saturday.
The Portugal captain scored twice to become the first player to register 15 goals in the first eight matches of a Primera Division season, breaking a record which had stood since the 1943-44 campaign.
Ronaldo also scored in Champions League victories over Basel and Ludogorets, which have ensured Carlo Ancelotti's side are top of Group B.
Liverpool are third in the group after they were beaten by Basel at the start of October and Rodgers knows that they will be up against it when they face the Spanish giants.
"Right now Madrid are a team with a level of performance I haven't seen in years," he told AS. "They have it all. Great experience, great players, speed, individual technique. It's a fantastic squad with a wonderful coach in Carlo Ancelotti, a nice guy who also knows how to improve players.
"When there's an open field there's no-one better than Madrid in the world at counterattacks. Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale could be in the Olympics with their speed over 100 metres."
Ronaldo will be expecting a hostile reception from Liverpool fans thanks to his successful spell with their arch-rivals, Manchester United, but Rodgers knows that the European champions are by no means reliant on the Portuguese.
"He's a player off the charts. His evolution in recent years, the way he has become a goalscorer, has been amazing," said the Northern Irishman. "We need to know how to stop him but there is danger in other parts of the pitch.
"Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are two midfielders with great technique who can play short or long."
Wales forward Bale is not expected to feature at Anfield due to a hip injury.
Liverpool head into the game on the back of a dramatic 3-2 victory against QPR on Sunday, in which they needed two own-goals to secure all three points.
Ancelotti coached a AC Milan side who were consigned to a remarkable defeat against Liverpool in the Champions League final in Istanbul back in 2005.
The Italian will no doubt be reminded of that when he attempts to maintain Madrid's 100 per cent record in this year's competition, as they strive to become the first team to defend the Champions League title.
Liverpool, who have won all three of their competitive matches against Los Blancos, will once again be without England striker Daniel Sturridge due to a calf injury and Mamadou Sakho (thigh) remains a doubt.
Published: Tuesday 21 October 2014, 23.03CET
Forty goals were scored on a record night including seven by FC Shakhtar Donetsk and FC Bayern München as well as thrilling finishes in Moscow and Gelsenkirchen.
• Shakhtar and their striker Luiz Adriano break records in 7-0 victory at BATE
• Bayern hit five before half-time in 7-1 win at Roma to go five points clear in Group E
• Lionel Messi strikes again as Barcelona beat Ajax to keep Group F pressure on Paris
• Chelsea ease to win over Maribor yet are just two points clear as Schalke pip Sporting
Group E
PFC CSKA Moskva 2-2 Manchester City FC
• City led 2-0 at half-time through Sergio Agüero and James Milner, but Seydou Doumbia pulled one back before he was fouled by Aleksandar Kolarov in the box and Bebras Natcho converted the 86th-minute penalty to get CSKA off the mark. City are still without a win, although within two points of AS Roma.
AS Roma 1-7 FC Bayern München
• Bayern became the first team to score five in a UEFA Champions League first half until Shakhtar swiftly overtook them, as Roma conceded more goals than in the rest of their season put together. Bayern are now five points clear of Roma and a home victory on 5 November would take them through.
Group F
APOEL FC 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain
• Edinson Cavani scored three minutes from time to keep Paris top of the section just when it seemed APOEL would manage a second point.
FC Barcelona 3-1 AFC Ajax
• Messi set up Neymar then claimed his 69th goal in this competition, level with Cristiano Ronaldo and two behind Raúl González, as Barcelona opened up a four-point advantage over third-placed Ajax.
Group G
FC Schalke 04 4-3 Sporting Clube de Portugal
• Sporting led early but, after having Maurício sent off, fell 3-1 down, only for two Adrien Silva goals to restore parity. However, Silva conceded an added-time penalty converted by substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to leave Sporting adrift in fourth.
Chelsea FC 6-0 NK Maribor
• Didier Drogba was among the scorers as Chelsea consolidated their two-point cushion over Schalke, who in turn are now three superior to Maribor.
Group H
FC BATE Borisov 0-7 FC Shakhtar Donetsk
• Shakhtar became the first side to net six first-half goals in a UEFA Champions League game, before Luiz Adriano's 82nd-minute penalty ensured he equalled Messi's record of five in a single fixture as the Ukrainian visitors matched the competition best away win and took second place off their hosts.
FC Porto 2-1 Athletic Club
• Ricardo Queresma scored four minutes after coming on to give Porto a 2-1 victory that keeps them top of the pile, two points above Shakhtar. Athletic are now two short of BATE at the bottom.
Who is out? Who is a doubt? Fantasy Football managers take note as UEFA.com rounds up the possible lineups and formations for Wednesday's UEFA Champions League games.
Arsenal FC and PFC Ludogorets Razgrad left it late, Club Atlético de Madrid and Borussia Dortmund racked up big scores and Cristiano Ronaldo closed on yet another record.
• Last season's runners-up delivered an impressive display against their Swedish visitors, Koke, Mario Mandžukić, Antoine Griezmann, Diego Godín and Alessio Cerci all on the mark.
Olympiacos FC 1-0 Juventus
• The Bianconeri, beaten by Diego Simeone's charges on matchday two, have fallen to third in the section after this result. The Greek title holders prevailed by virtue of Pajtim Kasami's first goal in Europe at the 20th attempt.
Group B
PFC Ludogorets Razgrad 1-0 FC Basel 1893
• Defeated in their first two fixtures, Ludogorets seemed certain to get off the mark with a draw despite the dismissal of Basel's Geoffroy Serey Die on 18 minutes. They clinched maximum points, though, when Yordan Minev struck two minutes into added time.
Liverpool FC 0-3 Real Madrid CF
• Cristiano Ronaldo was on target to move to within one of Raúl González's all-time UEFA Champions League scoring record, as Madrid inflicted the Reds' heaviest ever home defeat in UEFA competition.
Group C
Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2-0 FC Zenit
• Leverkusen ended the game with ten men – Wendell was sent off 11 minutes from time – but had already done sufficient damage via goals from Giulio Donati and Kyriakos Papadopoulos in the space of six second-half minutes.
AS Monaco FC 0-0 SL Benfica
• In a week packed to the brim with goals, this was the only stalemate to be found.
Group D
RSC Anderlecht 1-2 Arsenal FC
• The Gunners looked set to fall further behind pool leaders Borussia Dortmund when Andy Najar gave the hosts a decisive-looking lead. However, late, late goals from Kieran Gibbs and Lukas Podolski ensured a dramatic turnaround on manager Arsène Wenger's 65th birthday.
Galatasaray AŞ 0-4 Borussia Dortmund
• Struggling in the Bundesliga, Dortmund remain on track in Europe, registering their third straight victory through two goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and one apiece for Marco Reus and Adrián Ramos.
Allegri: Juventus will avoid another embarrassing Champions League exit
Oct 23, 2014 12:26:08
The coach is certain that the Bianconeri are not heading for another elimination before the knockout stage, despite losing two of their opening three games
Massimiliano Allegri is "convinced" that Juventus will qualify from Champions League Group A, despite Wednesday's defeat against Olympiakos.
The Serie A champions suffered a second successive 1-0 loss in Europe courtesy of Pajtim Kasami's first-half strike at the Karaiskakis Stadium, although the Greek hosts were indebted to goalkeeper Roberto for a string of sensational saves.
Juve now sit third in Group A behind Atletico Madrid and Olympiakos with three games to go, but Allegri expects his side to progress, while at the same time acknowledging that Juve must raise their game in order to turn their campaign around.
"I'm full of optimism and I'm convinced we'll go through," the former AC Milan boss told reporters.
"We didn't play well in the opening period. We were stretched and unable to get at them high up the pitch. Technically, we were poor.
"We fell behind but then, after the break, we pushed up more. We need to improve in certain areas, against teams like this who hustle and harry a lot. Even if you're not on your game, you can't let them have three or four breaks like we did.
"They pressed us a lot and the whole team generally found it hard. We needed to show more movement when we were in possession but we didn't do that."
Andrea Pirlo was substituted early in the second half, after a performance which was considered woefully beneath his usual high standards, but Allegri backed the playmaker to come good after missing the start of the season through injury.
"Unlike some other players, I think Andrea needs to be playing to find his best form," the Juve coach added. "I thought he would be key to slowing down the tempo of our opponents.
"In any case he'll soon be bang on form again. He has a starring role to play for us in Serie A and our Champions League campaign."
The Portuguese side want the game played again or the prize money they would have earned for a draw after a controversial penalty saw them beaten 4-3 in Germany
Sporting Lisbon have asked Uefa to allow their Champions League game against Schalke to be replayed following the award of a controversial penalty.
The Portuguese side were furious when Jonathan Silva was penalised by referee Sergey Karasev for handball in stoppage time, with replays showing the ball struck him in the face.
Sporting had battled back from 3-1 down to make it 3-3 despite being down to 10 men, but Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored from the spot to ensure the Bundesliga side won 4-3 at Veltins Arena.
A statement on Sporting's website on Wednesday revealed that they will lodge a complaint with Uefa and Schalke stated that the Primeira Liga side have called for the Group G game to be replayed, or the governing body to pay them the prize money they would have received for a draw.
Schalke said in a statement on their official website said: "The 4-3 home win in the Champions League is being disputed by Sporting CP. Last season's runners-up in the Portuguese top flight aren't happy with the result on Tuesday night [October 21] and have therefore lodged a protest to Uefa.
"Sporting CP have requested to the European Football Association that the game be replayed and have alternatively requested payment of the premium for a draw.
"The visitors are protesting a penalty given in injury time, which they believe was unfairly awarded. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting then converted from the spot to give the Royal Blues a 4-3 win.
"FC Schalke 04 have been asked by Uefa to give a statement and it will be made shortly under consideration of the protection of the club's interests."
A furious Silva said after the game: "What happened is not normal, it is a terrible injustice. Nor do I feel like saying anything about it."
The England international will once again be missing for the Gunners although the manager is confident his side's injury problems are finally starting to ease
Arsene Wenger has confirmed that midfielder Jack Wilshere will miss Arsenal's Champions League clash with Anderlecht due to illness.
The England international was forced out of Saturday's win over Burnley after picking up a knee problem in training but otherwise Arsenal have no new injury concerns.
Mathieu Debuchy, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud are among the Gunners' long-term absentees, but otherwise Wenger will be able to pick from the same players that beat the Clarets 3-0 on Saturday.
"We have nobody else sick other than Aaron Ramsey last week and Jack Wilshere now," Wenger told reporters.
"The squad exactly the same as the one which played Burnley.
"We are at home and we have an opportunity to win the game. We are on a good run and we want to take advantage of that.
"We respect Anderlecht because they gave us a tough game. We had a little bit of a miraculous win because we needed to go till the last minute.
"We have been warned. We have learned a lot from the first game and we want to win at the Emirates now.
"We had a lot of long-term injuries but they are all slowly getting better. We are near the end of the tunnel."
After scoring in both of the Emirates Stadium outfit's first two Premier League matches, a hamstring injury picked up against Tottenham has seen Ramsey's season stall somewhat.
The Wales international has failed to find the net since August, and his manager is keen for him to get back to top-form, starting against the Belgian champions.
"He's one of the players who was very efficient last season. He now needs to get back to that."
The Welshman has missed the European champions' last five games in all competitions with a hip problem but he could feature from the start against the Reds
Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Gareth Bale is fit to face Livepool on Tuesday night - but the Real Madrid boss has yet to decide whether to start the Welshman at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The world's most expensive player has missed Madrid's last five games in all competitions with a hip injury but is now set to play some part in the Champions League Group B clash with the Reds.
“Bale's fine," Ancelotti told reporters on Monday. "My only doubt is whether to put Bale on from the start and also whether to rest a few of the players who have accumulated a lot of games. I’ll decide tomorrow [Tuesday]."
Ancelotti added that while Asier Illarramendi and Sami Khedira are also available for selection, full-backs Dani Carvajal and Fabio Coentrao are carrying minor problems.
"Dani suffered a minor hamstring injury but it’s not serious and he should be fully recovered by the end of the week," the former Chelsea boss revealed. "Coentrao is also on the mend."
Madrid moved top of La Liga courtesy of a 4-0 win at Granada at the weekend - Los Blancos' 11th successive victory in all competitions - and Ancelotti admitted that his troops are currently brimming with belief.
“We’re playing well at the moment and we are all happy," the Italian enthused. "We are very aware that every game we play is important – that was the attitude we had against Granada and now we are treating this game against Liverpool in the same way.
"We have confidence but not fear. We have a highly-professional side.
"We will lose some games but the team’s professionalism is 100 per cent, both when we win and when we lose."
Zenit v Bayer Leverkusen: Villas-Boas´ men high on confidence
2 November 2014
Zenit St Petersburg will take plenty of confidence into their UEFA Champions League hosting of Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday.
Andre Villas-Boas' men have not conceded a league goal, since being humbled by the Bundesliga club in Germany 2-0 - a result which took Leverkusen top of Group C with six points.
Zenit, however, are only two points back in third, and have enjoyed victories over Mordovia Saransk 5-0 and title challengers CSKA Moscow 1-0.
Leverkusen come into the fixture at Zenit's Stadio Petrovskij off a loss, humbled 1-0 by Hamburg on Saturday - their first league defeat in six.
Leverkusen left-back Wendell is unavailable for Roger Schmidt's men, after being sent off in their reverse fixture on October 22.
Midfielder Stefan Reinartz played 90 minutes against Zenit, but is embarking on a three-month layoff after incurring a fractured eye socket against Schalke.
Gonzalo Castro (thigh) and Rolfes (ankle) are further injury concerns for Schmidt.
Conversely, Villas-Boas was able to tinker with his outfit at the weekend, handing corner duties to forward Aleksandr Kerzhakov - a move the former Tottenham boss claimed dividends.
"We decided to do this after Kerzhakov had a very good corner against Arsenal that [Jose Salomon] Rondon also put in the goal," Villas-Boas told Zenit's website.
"So we worked on this during training, but we took this decision knowing that Kerzhakov has all the skills to make these corners work.
"Today one of his corners lead to a goal and for the first try, this is a really great result."
On the omission of Venezuelan forward Rondon, Villas-Boas insisted the 25-year-old was not on the outer.
"Well there were another 13 players that didn't play today too. We went with Kerzhakov and he played well," the Portuguese said.
"But we are talking with Rondon and he is training hard and knows that he will get his chance."
Malmo v Atletico Madrid: Simeone´s men ´getting better´
2 November 2014
Atletico Madrid will be hoping for an easier time of it against Malmo, when the two sides meet again in the UEFA Champions League.
The Swedish champions frustrated last season's European runners-up for a half in their first Group A match-up in Spain in October, before Diego Simeone's men exploded to life after the break to canter to a 5-0 victory.
The victory was the second of four straight for Atletico, who most recently downed Cordoba 4-2 on Saturday.
Simeone sent an ominous warning to Age Hareide's men, claiming the La Liga champions were still "improving" and "getting better".
"I think we are improving bit by bit, and we are getting better in our play," Simeone said, after their league win on Saturday.
"We have the chance of playing between the lines, which is good for our wide players as it allows them more space.
"Our style of play allows Raul Garcia, Mario Mandzukic and [Antoine] Griezmann to play nearer the box.
"As I have said before we are growing and today we shown some real class in our performance. A result like this is really good for the side."
Simeone reserved special praise for left winger Griezmann, who scored his first league goals for the club with a brace against Cordoba.
"Antoine Griezmann is working really well," Simeone said of the 23-year-old.
"He is growing day by day and he is getting rewards for his hard work. He played a very good match in all aspects of his play.
"I know you just see the goals, which are important for him and the team, but he shown some other aspects which were hugely beneficial to the team.
"His performance today was excellent and that is what we expect from him."
Despite scoring 12 goals in their past four wins in all competitions, and only failing to score once this term, Simeone encouraged his side to "score more goals".
"I think we need to look at it in the long term," Simeone said of criticism of their early season form.
"We made a lot of signings and we started the season winning the Spanish Cup.
"But we didn't play well in the match against Valencia and the first 10 minutes against Olympiakos in Greece.
"We have been average in some games and good in other matches.
"We need to score more goals, not just from the kickoff but throughout the whole game."
Since their breakthrough win over Olympiacos, Malmo have won two and lost two league games - along with their thrashing at the hands of Atletico.
Since his match-winning brace against the Greek champions, Markus Rosenberg has scored in three of five fixtures and will be their greatest threat to penetrate Atletico's defence at the Swedbank Stadion.
Juventus-Olympiakos Preview: It's a final, says Pirlo
James Willoughby
Nov 3, 2014 07:30:00
The midfielder talked up the importance of his side getting three points from the clash, as they find themselves three points off the top of Group A
Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo feels Tuesday's Champions League clash with Olympiakos is "like a final" for the Italian giants.
The three-time defending Serie A champions are in need of a positive result, or they could face an improbable task to qualify from Group A.
Away defeats at Atletico Madrid and Olympiakos have left them with three points from as many matches, and another slip-up could prove costly for a side who failed reach the knockout stages last term.
Both Atletico and Olympiakos are three points ahead of Juve, who bounced back from a four-match winless run on the road in all competitions with a 2-0 league success at Empoli on Saturday.
Pirlo opened the scoring on that occasion, with coach Massimilano Allegri hoping his first goal of the campaign will be "a psychological breakthrough" for the 35-year-old this season.
And the veteran is under no illusions as to the importance of Tuesday's match, telling Juventus' official website: "[Saturday's win] was an important sign, mainly for ourselves.
"That enables us to prepare as best we can for Tuesday's game.
"It's like a final and we must put in a great performance because only one result will do."
Allegri had described Juve's recent away form as a "disaster" prior to the Empoli trip, so the three points are sure to have come as a welcome relief for the new coach.
He will also take heart from Alvaro Morata's goal, with the Spaniard impressing in recent cameos.
Juve - three points clear of Roma at the top of Serie A - meet an Olympiakos side who were frustrated in a goalless draw at Asteras Tripolis on Saturday.
The defending Greek Super League champions risked falling further behind leaders PAOK with the stalemate, which came despite the hosts being reduced to 10 men in the first half.
Olympiakos boss Michel rested Ibrahim Afellay, Leandro Salino and Delvin N'Dinga for the draw, while Botia missed out due to a viral infection.
Fans of the club will not have happy memories of their last visit to Turin as Juve romped to a 7-0 win. David Trezeguet scored twice for the hosts in the group stage match in December 2003.
Olympiakos' home form in the Champions League in recent years has been outstanding, with victories over Arsenal, Manchester United and Atletico Madrid particularly notable.
And of course they beat Juve 1-0 at the venue last month - Pajtim Kasami's winner sure to give them further confidence.
Basel head into Tuesday's UEFA Champions League clash with Ludogorets knowing victory is vital to their chances of reaching the last 16.
The Swiss Super League outfit sit bottom of Group B with three points from three matches, but goal difference is all that separates them from second-placed Ludogorets.
With pool matches against Real Madrid and Liverpool to come, Basel's progression could hinge on Tuesday's result.
Basel will be in good spirits after climbing to the top of the league table with a 2-0 win over Grasshoppers on Saturday.
That result - coupled with FC Zurich's home defeat to Luzern - saw Paulo Sousa's side move first - a nice boost ahead of an important clash.
Shkelzen Gashi and Derlis Gonzalez scored the goals for Basel in a result that delighted the coach.
"After a not so good start, we were always stronger during the game," Sousa told the club's official website.
"Especially with the second half - I am very satisfied.
"I'm glad we were able to [end] this negative run [against Grasshoppers], but almost even happier about the strong performance of my team."
Basel lost to Ludogorets 1-0 last time out in the Champions League - Yordan Minev netting the 91st-minute winner.
Sousa's men have lost both of their away matches in Group A, but did beat Liverpool 1-0 in their sole home clash.
They have won six of their last nine home clashes in UEFA competition, but will be without Ivan Ivanov (knee), Marco Streller (back) and Geoffroy Serey Die (suspension).
Marcelo Diaz is free to return from a ban, though, incurred in last season's Europa League quarter-final second leg against Valencia.
Ludogorets' win over Basel - which followed plucky defeats to Liverpool and Real Madrid - was the first by any Bulgarian side in the group stages of Europe's premier club competition.
They are unbeaten in five and warmed up for their trip to Switzerland with a 4-0 league victory against Marek Dupnitsa.
Dani Abalo scored twice in that success, while Marcelinho and Roman Bezjak were also on the scoresheet.
Last term, Ludogorets won four away matches in a row in the Europa League - against PSV, Chornomorets Odesa, Dinamo Zagreb and Lazio - but they have failed to triumph in any of their last five continental road trips.
They will be keen on exacting revenge on a Basel side who knocked them out of the Champions League play-offs last term, when they lost 6-2 on aggregate.
Ludogorets will be without Minev for this match after he picked up a one-match suspension for a third yellow card of the campaign on match day three.
Real Madrid-Liverpool Preview: Reds aim to avenge Anfield mauling
Nov 3, 2014 09:45:00
Brendan Rodgers' men travel to the Santiago Bernabeu having won just one of their last four matches in all competitions, while the European champions are rampant
Free-scoring Real Madrid head into Tuesday's Champions League clash with Liverpool knowing a win will see them through to the last 16.
There appears to be no stopping Carlo Ancelotti's ruthless side, who have claimed 11 consecutive victories in all competitions ahead of Tuesday's Group B encounter with Brendan Rodgers' struggling men at the Santiago Bernabeu.
La Liga rivals Granada were the latest side to feel the force of the European champions' stunning form as they were consigned to a 4-0 home defeat on Saturday.
Madrid now sit top of La Liga, after Barcelona were beaten by Celta Vigo, and they also boast a 100 per cent record in Europe's premier club competition.
Madrid blew Liverpool away with three goals in the first half at Anfield a fortnight ago and there was no way back for the Merseyside club, who lie seventh in the Premier League.
Ancelotti's men are striving to become the first team to win the Champions League two years in a row and will take some beating on current form.
Cristiano Ronaldo broke yet another record at the weekend by becoming the first Madrid player to score in eight successive Liga games and the Portugal captain now has 50 goals over the current calendar year.
Ronaldo was also on target at Anfield and, with Liverpool enduring an indifferent start to the season, will fancy his chances of adding to his tally.
While Madrid take on all comers, Liverpool are already 12 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea after losing 1-0 at Newcastle on Saturday.
They face a battle to progress from Group B, as they sit third in the table and level on points with both Ludogorets and Basel with three games remaining.
The hosts could welcome back Gareth Bale, who trained on Sunday after recovering from a hip injury, while it remains to be seen if Dani Carvajal will be fit after the defender sustained a hamstring injury at the weekend.
Liverpool will once again be without striker Daniel Sturridge (thigh), while Mamadou Sakho is also still nursing a thigh problem.
