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☆ UEFA Champions League 2014-15 ☆

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Ludogorets v Real Madrid: Holders out to avoid slip-up in Sofia

29 September 2014

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Real Madrid visit Ludogorets on Wednesday hoping to avoid a slip-up at a traditionally tricky venue for reigning European champions.

The UEFA Champions League holders travel to Bulgaria as heavy favourites to take all three points against a Ludogorets side making their debut on European football's biggest stage this season, but will be wary that history is against them at the Stadion Vasil Levski.

With Ludogorets' home stadium in Razgrad deemed unfit to host Champions League games, this week's clash has been moved to a ground in the Bulgarian capital that has played host to some of the biggest shocks in the competition's history.

Between 1973 and 1982 three tournament winners - Ajax, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool - tasted defeat at the Vasil Levski the season after capturing the crown, with the trio all eliminated by Bulgaria's most successful club CSKA Sofia.

An expected sell-out crowd of almost 42,000 will be hoping that Ludogorets can restore the ground's reputation as a graveyard of champions, however, the hosts' task could not be more daunting versus a Real side in sparkling goalscoring form.

The 10-time winners head into the game on the back of four consecutive victories in all competitions - wins that have seen them score 20 goals in the process.

And, with Real boss Carlo Ancelotti not encountering any new injury problems, the odds are heavily stacked against Georgi Dermendzhiev's men pulling off what would go down as the greatest result in their history.

Sami Khedira (thigh) and Jese Rodriguez (knee) are still on the sidelines along with Fabio Coentrao, but centre-back Pepe is close to a comeback from a muscle problem.

Defenders Alexandre Barthe and Georgi Terziev are injury doubts for Ludogorets yet, despite the clear gulf in quality, Spanish winger Dani Abalo - goalscorer in their 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on matchday one - is in positive mood ahead of the Group B encounter.

"I hope I can keep scoring many more," Abalo said. "It was great to score Ludogorets' first Champions League goal and everyone congratulated me after.

"I always hoped I'd play in Europe when I came here, but to score a goal in Europe was amazing. It would be a dream to do it again against Real Madrid.

"It will be a game to enjoy, for sure. It will be very difficult, we're very aware of that, but I think it's important that we enjoy it.

"If we can play like we did against Liverpool, I think we can give them a real challenge."

 

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Bayer Leverkusen v Benfica: Schmidt´s men seek goalscoring touch

29 September 2014

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Bayer Leverkusen host Benfica in the UEFA Champions League looking to rediscover their free-scoring domestic form on the European stage.

Leverkusen sit third in the early Bundesliga table, and made a superb start to life under Roger Schmidt in scoring 22 goals in their first six competitive fixtures of the season in all competitions.

Their goals have dried up somewhat in recent weeks, however, and Schmidt's side lost 1-0 at Monaco in their Group C opener a fortnight ago - Joao Moutinho striking for the French side after Leverkusen had missed a host of chances.

Leverkusen were also kept at bay by Freiburg in a 0-0 draw last Saturday, but displayed impressive resilience to take a point from a fiery clash in which defender Emir Spahic saw red after just 28 minutes.

Schmidt believes that Leverkusen's performance at the Mage Solar Stadion shows that they have the endurance to cope with the rigours of continental competition.

"It's a good sign that the team is in good shape physically," Schmidt said.

"The energy levels are full and that's good to know ahead of such an important game."

Leverkusen, Champions League runners-up in 2002, have never beaten Benfica in their four previous meetings.

Yet they have good reason to be confident of bouncing back versus Jorge Jesus' team, who have been superb in the Primeira Liga but displayed worrying signs of fallibility in their group opener with Zenit.

The Portuguese champions were undone by their Russian opponents at Estadio da Luz as Hulk opened the scoring before midfielder Axel Witsel came back to haunt his former club with a goal to seal a 2-0 success.

Respective opening-round defeats have left Leverkusen and Benfica in need of victory to avoid the danger of becoming cut adrift at the bottom of the group, but both head into Wednesday's contest at the BayArena with absentees in key areas.

Benfica will have to cope without goalkeeper Artur after he was sent off in the reverse against Zenit and, with deputies Julio Cesar (leg) and Paulo Lopes (calf) both struggling with injuries, 19-year-old Bruno Varela is expected to make his debut for the two-time European champions.

Meanwhile, playmaker Gonzalo Castro - who missed the stalemate with Freiburg - is a doubt for Leverkusen due to a thigh complaint.

Captain Simon Rolfes and attacking midfielder Julien Brandt are both on the sidelines because of ankle injuries and defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos has a shoulder problem.

 

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Shakhtar Donetsk v Porto: Lucescu looks to maintain impressive home record

28 September 2014

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Shakhtar Donetsk will hope their formidable UEFA Champions League group-stage home record transfers to the Arena Lviv when Porto visit.

The trip to Ukraine is often seen as one of the toughest in the Champions League calendar, though Shakhtar's home advantage may be watered down as they themselves play on unfamiliar turf.

Shakhtar have not played at their Donbass Arena home since May as civil unrest affects eastern Ukraine - the stadium has even been damaged by shelling during the conflict - instead playing home fixtures some 760 miles away in Lviv.

Mircea Lucescu's men will be hoping a passionate atmosphere is recreated to help them improve further on an impressive history at this stage.

In their previous 13 group-stage home games, the Ukrainian champions have lost just twice, winning seven in the process.

But Porto are behind one of the defeats, having taken a 2-0 victory from the Donbass Arena in November 2011 thanks to Hulk and a Razvan Rat own goal.

They could find it tough to repeat against a side who have put off-field issues aside to start the season strongly.

Shakhtar kicked their season off with six straight wins and earned a creditable point at Athletic Bilbao in their Champions League opener.

A blip came in the shape of a 1-0 defeat to Zorya - a game that saw Shakhtar concede for the first time since August 1 - but they recovered to smash Poltava in the Ukrainian Cup last Thursday.

The big cup win also saw defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy, once a €25million man of Barcelona, make a first appearance since November 2013.

Chygrynskiy has been in Brazil overcoming a series of injuries triggered as a result of his right leg being shorter than his left - though the centre-back professed confidence in his new-found fitness.

"Now I feel free," he told Shakhtar's website. "This is not a question of confidence, but namely freedom. Let's just say that I completely feel my body: right foot, left, all movements."

The 27-year-old's return comes as a boost to Lucescu with centre-back Sergiy Kryvtsov facing six weeks out with an ankle injury, while Oleksandr Kucher is also a doubt.

Porto go into the game with the 6-0 demolition of BATE Borisov from matchday one fresh in the memory, and Julen Lopetegui's side salvaged a 1-1 draw at Sporting Lisbon on Friday to maintain their undefeated league record this season.

On-loan Atletico Madrid midfielder Oliver Torres returned for Porto in the draw at Sporting following a shoulder injury but Real Madrid loanee Casemiro is unavailable due to injury and Lopetegui has not called on Ricardo Quaresma or Diego Reyes for the Shakhtar clash.

 

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APOEL v Ajax: De Boer hoping to end poor away form

28 September 2014

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Ajax travel to APOEL for the Champions League Group F fixture hoping to end a run of seven games without an away victory in the competition.

Frank de Boer's side recovered from a goal down in their opening game in the competition against Paris Saint-Germain at the Amsterdam Arena to grab a point but their away form is cause for concern in what is a difficult group.

If the four-time winners are to progress, they will surely have to change their fortunes on their travels, where they have not tasted victory since beating Dinamo Zagreb in December 2011.

But the Dutch champions travel to Cyprus in high spirits after hammering NAC Breda 5-2 away on Saturday - which saw Icelandic striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson net a hat-trick.

It is the first meeting between the two sides but Ajax have happy memories of facing Cypriot teams. Their last visit to the country ended in a 3-0 win over Apollon Limassol in the 2001/02 edition of the UEFA Cup.

Danish midfielder Lasse Schone missed the win over Breda at the weekend with a groin injury and is a doubt, while De Boer will be without Viktor Fischer who has been sidelined since February with a hamstring problem.

Despite not having any points yet, APOEL will have taken huge encouragement from their performance at Barcelona, where they came away with a credible 1-0 defeat.

Their home form in the competition is mixed, having won three and lost four in their two previous Champions League appearances, but in qualifying for the tournament, they defeated HJK Helsinki and Aalborg without conceding in both games at home.

Giorgos Donis' side won their domestic league last year by racking up an impressive 15 wins, losing once in the process.

And they have carried on that impressive form this season. In their last seven outings in all competitions, APOEL have tasted defeat just once - against Barcelona - and won five of the others.

The other game was the 0-0 draw with AEL Limassol at the weekend.

APOEL have injury concerns over defender Anastasios Papazoglou and striker Rafik Djebbour, who are both doubtful for Ajax's visit.

Donis and De Boer lock horns as managers on Tuesday but are no strangers, having been on opposing sides in the 1996 Champions League semi-finals as the Dutchman's Ajax prevailed against the Greek's Panathinaikos.

 

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Arsenal-Galatasaray Preview: Arteta & Ramsey ruled out while Wilshere & Koscielny doubtful


By Alex Fisher
Sep 30, 2014 07:38:00

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The Welshman is out for up to six weeks, while his English counterpart rolled his ankle against Tottenham and is joined by the centre-back in a race to be fit

Arsene Wenger faces a selection dilemma when Arsenal face Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Injuries to Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere have left the Premier League side short options as they look to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in their first Group D encounter.

With Abou Diaby still early in his recovery from 18 months out, Wenger has hinted that Calum Chambers may be used in a midfield role ahead of Mathieu Flamini, while Tomas Rosicky could be called upon.

While Wenger is confident Chambers could fill in further up the field, further shortages at the back may yet see the teenager occupy a more conventional role in defence.

"He's been excellent in every position," the Frenchman said of Chambers. "I would consider playing Calum there [in midfield]. But I only have four defenders at the moment.

"From the first to the last minute he has an unbelievable engine. He gets forward and puts crosses in as well.

"It's remarkable what he's doing at the age of 19. It's not often you see that quality at his age. I don't know what I'll do yet. Give me a bit of time, but Flamini is the only option I see at the moment."

Given the problems in defence and midfield, the pressure will be on Arsenal's attack to deliver, with Alexis Sanchez looking to add to the goal that defeated another Turkish team, Besiktas, in the play-off round

Galatasaray arrive at the Emirates Stadium looking to end a winless run of nine games against English clubs in European competition.

Victory over Sivasspor in the Super Lig on Friday was their first win in four matches in all competitions, a run that included their goalless draw with Anderlecht in the opening game of the group.

Coach Cesare Prandelli has yet to name the same starting XI this season but remains confident whoever he selects will be prepared for the task ahead.

"We are mentally ready and should be aggressive," said the Italian. "We are representing Galatasaray and Turkey. We have to play our own game and must leave with our heads held high."

Prandelli will hope talisman Burak Yilmaz can continue the form that sees him lead the club's scoring charts with three goals in six matches.

The two sides have only met once before in the 1999-2000 Uefa Cup final in Copenhagen, when Galatasaray won 4-1 on penalties after the match had ended goalless.

 

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Tuesday September 30 2014

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Muniain: Bilbao focused on CL

By Football Espana staff

Iker Muniain says Athletic Bilbao are fully focused on the Champions League group game at BATE Borisov, despite their poor domestic form.

Los Leones face the Belarus outfit having collected just four points from a possible 18 in La Liga so far this term, but the 21-year-old believes it is something the players must put out of their minds on Tuesday night.

“The team is fine and we can’t wait for the game, although we need to change our mindset as we’ve underperformed in the League.

“However, there is no cause for alarm because we are fully focused on the Champions League and it would lift morale if we were to beat BATE after our recent results,” Muniain told a Press conference.

“Winning always breeds self-confidence so let’s hope we can do it, but we shouldn’t look too deeply into what happened to BATE against Porto [where they lost 6-0]. They have previously shown they are capable of beating the big teams and I’m sure it’s going to be a difficult game for us.”

Despite their struggles in the League, Muniain maintains it is a good thing for the Basques to be involved on two fronts at the moment.

“Playing every three days will help us get out of this bad patch, so I hope we can continue to play three times a week for some time.

“It’s not been the start to the season we were hoping for and it’s true we are in something of a rut.

“We are struggling to finish off our chances so we’ll just need to work that bit harder,” he admitted.


 

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New concussion procedure


Published: Monday 29 September 2014, 10.09CET

Following approval by the Executive Committee, UEFA is immediately introducing a new concussion procedure for all of its competitions as it underlines its commitment to player welfare.

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At its meeting in Nyon, the UEFA Executive Committee approved a new procedure to deal with concussions that will be implemented with immediate effect in UEFA competitions.

In the event of a suspected concussion, the referee stops the game for up to three minutes, to allow the injured player to be assessed by the team doctor. A player will only be allowed to continue playing on specific confirmation by the team doctor to the referee of the player's fitness to carry on.

The Executive Committee agreed that the following procedure be included in the relevant UEFA regulations as soon as possible:

"In the event of suspected concussion, the referee stops the game to allow the injured player to be assessed by the team doctor. In principle this should take no more than three minutes, unless a serious incident requires the player to be treated on the field of play or immobilised on the field for immediate transfer to hospital (e.g. spinal injury).

"A player suffering a head injury that requires assessment for potential concussion will only be allowed to continue playing after the assessment, on specific confirmation by the team doctor to the referee of the player's fitness to do so."

UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino explained the rationale behind the decision. "We have to protect the health of players above everything," he said. "The Executive Committee has taken note of a report of the Medical Committee and has taken the decision that in cases of concussion in matches, the referee stops the game for three minutes to give the team doctor a chance to come and check the player, and analyse if the player is fit to resume the game or not."

He added: "And in the end, it will be the responsibility and the duty of the team doctor, and only the team doctor, to decide whether a player can get back on the pitch, and whether a player can play or whether a player can be substituted. It is very important to safeguard the health of the players, so this will be applied with immediate effect in all of our competitions."

UEFA Medical Committee chairman Dr Michel D'Hooghe welcomed the move: "The implementation of the concussion guidelines is a further step forward in UEFA's continued work to provide the optimum protection for players during matches, and to safeguard their health and welfare. I am delighted that the initiative has been agreed by the Executive Committee to become standard practice at all UEFA matches."

Another positive response to the new provisions came from UEFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina. “I am pleased the new procedure in case of concussion will be implemented this week, just a few days after it was approved by UEFA’s Executive Committee," he said. "In my opinion, the new procedure gives referees a clear view of who makes the final decision on whether a player can continue to play or has to leave the game - it is the team doctor and no-one else. I hope this will lead to improved health and safety of players overall.”


 

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PSG must be aggressive against Barca - Blanc


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Peter McVitie
Sep 29, 2014 16:36:21

The former France coach feels his side can get all three points from Tuesday's big encounter and admits he wants his side to emulate the Camp Nou club's philosophy

Laurent Blanc has called for Paris Saint-Germain to be aggressive when they come up against Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Ligue 1 champions have had a slow start to the season, having kicked off the Ligue 1 campaign with just three wins and five draws from eight matches as well as sharing the spoils with Ajax in their European opener.

But Blanc believes that - even without the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic - his players have what it takes to get the better of Barca, who eliminated the French giants from the quarter-finals of the competition two seasons ago.

"We must have a good performance and that is possible if we can be more aggressive and determined," the coach told reporters.

"The philosophy of Barcelona is to have the ball and to be dangerous. This is what I want for PSG as well. So we will meet our teachers - they have played like that for 40 years and we are happy to face them.

"It is an amazing game to play for everyone, for all those who love football. We must have a great performance by sticking to our philosphy and being consistent, determined and aggressive when the other team has the ball.

"I will be satisfied if we can manage to beat Barcelona individually and collectively on Tuesday."

PSG defender Maxwell admitted his side have a tough task ahead of them when they meet Luis Enrique's men but insists they will give their all to get the three points.

"Barcelona's defence is very strong, but we have good players in attack," the Brazilian said.

"We will do everything to score and we will do everything to win. It is always special to play against a team like Barcelona."

 

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CSKA Moscow 0 Bayern Munich 1: Century up for German giants


30 September 2014

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Bayern Munich overcame a stubborn CSKA Moscow outfit to record their 100th UEFA Champions League victory with a 1-0 triumph on Tuesday.

Thomas Muller's first-half penalty proved decisive for Pep Guardiola's side in the Group E clash at an empty Arena Khimki, which was closed to supporters due to UEFA-imposed sanctions after CSKA fans displayed "a range of racist and far-right symbols" in a Champions League match with Viktoria Plzen last December.

Bayern did the double over CSKA in last season's competition, but the Russian champions were no pushovers and Ahmed Musa and Roman Eremenko both went close to cancelling out the deficit in the first half.

But Bayern, who have now kept six clean sheets on the bounce in all competitions, were just as dominant after the break and comfortably produced a repeat of their result in the group-stage opener against Manchester City.

The victory - which brings up a century of successes for the Germans since the new format for Europe's elite tournament was introduced in 1992 - makes it nine unbeaten for Guardiola's men.

Leonid Slutsky's defensive plan was evident from the start, with the hosts happy to keep 11 men behind the ball in an attempt to frustrate Bayern, who began with a back three in the absence of Jerome Boateng (rested) and Holger Badstuber (thigh).

CSKA did launch a rare foray forward inside the opening 10 minutes as Eremenko found Musa but the Nigerian's shot was well over the crossbar.

Mario Gotze spurned a more presentable opportunity at the other end with a poorly struck shot from inside the box, while Arjen Robben's effort from the edge of the area forced Igor Akinfeev into a smart near-post save.

Spain international Xabi Alonso got a sight of goal from a long-range free-kick in the 17th minute but only succeeded in finding the grateful arms of Akinfeev as Bayern struggled to create clear-cut chances.

But the visitors got the boost they needed when Mario Fernandes brought down Gotze in the box and Muller - who also scored a penalty in Bayern's 3-1 triumph at CSKA in last season's Champions League - converted from the spot after 22 minutes.

That setback forced CSKA out of their shell and Eremenko fired a dangerous shot just over Manuel Neuer's goal in the home side's next attack.

And they should have levelled nine minutes before the interval when Musa - who netted in the 5-1 loss to Roma a fortnight ago - raced through with only Neuer to beat but powered his shot straight at the goalkeeper's chest.

Eremenko struck the crossbar late in the first half as CKSA sent a timely reminder to Bayern that they were still in the match.

Thomas Muller's first-half penalty proved decisive for Pep Guardiola's side in the Group E clash at an empty Arena Khimki, which was closed to supporters due to UEFA-imposed sanctions after CSKA fans displayed "a range of racist and far-right symbols" in a Champions League match with Viktoria Plzen last December.

Bayern did the double over CSKA in last season's competition, but the Russian champions were no pushovers and Ahmed Musa and Roman Eremenko both went close to cancelling out the deficit in the first half.

But Bayern, who have now kept six clean sheets on the bounce in all competitions, were just as dominant after the break and comfortably produced a repeat of their result in the group-stage opener against Manchester City.

The victory - which brings up a century of successes for the Germans since the new format for Europe's elite tournament was introduced in 1992 - makes it nine unbeaten for Guardiola's men.

Leonid Slutsky's defensive plan was evident from the start, with the hosts happy to keep 11 men behind the ball in an attempt to frustrate Bayern, who began with a back three in the absence of Jerome Boateng (rested) and Holger Badstuber (thigh).

CSKA did launch a rare foray forward inside the opening 10 minutes as Eremenko found Musa but the Nigerian's shot was well over the crossbar.

Mario Gotze spurned a more presentable opportunity at the other end with a poorly struck shot from inside the box, while Arjen Robben's effort from the edge of the area forced Igor Akinfeev into a smart near-post save.

Spain international Xabi Alonso got a sight of goal from a long-range free-kick in the 17th minute but only succeeded in finding the grateful arms of Akinfeev as Bayern struggled to create clear-cut chances.

But the visitors got the boost they needed when Mario Fernandes brought down Gotze in the box and Muller - who also scored a penalty in Bayern's 3-1 triumph at CSKA in last season's Champions League - converted from the spot after 22 minutes.

That setback forced CSKA out of their shell and Eremenko fired a dangerous shot just over Manuel Neuer's goal in the home side's next attack.

And they should have levelled nine minutes before the interval when Musa - who netted in the 5-1 loss to Roma a fortnight ago - raced through with only Neuer to beat but powered his shot straight at the goalkeeper's chest.

Eremenko struck the crossbar late in the first half as CKSA sent a timely reminder to Bayern that they were still in the match.

The start to the second period was lively, with Musa almost capitalising on some hesitancy in the Bayern defence before Robert Lewandowski was denied by Georgi Schennikov's excellent block as he looked to pull the trigger.

Slutsky introduced Seydou Doumbia from the bench for the last quarter of the game in the hope that the Ivorian could add to his five goals this season.

But he was isolated in attack and it was the Bundesliga champions who continued to look the more likely, Gotze swerving a shot wide as the away side went in search of a second.

Akinfeev bravely thwarted Xherdan Shaqiri at the death, but one goal proved to be enough for Bayern, who further underlined their status as favourites to win the group, while CSKA face an uphill struggle to claim a qualifying spot after suffering defeat in their opening two games.


 

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Manchester City 1 Roma 1: Evergreen Totti pegs back City

30 September 2014

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Francesco Totti became the oldest goalscorer in UEFA Champions League history as in-form Roma claimed a 1-1 Group E draw at Manchester City.

The hosts enjoyed a near-perfect start on Tuesday as Sergio Aguero won and converted an early penalty before familiar frailties in Europe's premier competition came to light for City.

Their defence was rarely allowed to settle as Roma produced superb attacking movement and took complete control of midfield, with Miralem Pjanic to the fore.

The Bosnia international supplied the ammunition for Totti to find a 23rd-minute leveller with a brilliant finish, taking the record from crosstown Manchester hero Ryan Giggs three days on from his 38th birthday.

Although Roma failed to recreate their first-half dominance after the break, the draw does far more favours for them in the wake of an opening 5-1 victory over CSKA Moscow.

The Russian champions are up next for City, who are winless in two outings and yet to score from open play.

As expected, Joe Hart returned in goal for City in place of Willy Caballero after two games on the bench, while there was also a change in goal for Roma as Morgan De Sanctis (groin) failed a late fitness test to hand Lukasz Skorupski a rare start.

Experienced City centre-back Martin Demichelis replaced Eliaquim Mangala following the latter's shaky showing in Saturday’s 4-2 win over Hull City, facing up to a Roma attack featuring Totti, Gervinho and Alessandro Florenzi.

Roma right-back Maicon returned to face his former club and displayed the inauspicious form on show all too often during his season at the Etihad Stadium when he hauled back Aguero to concede a fourth-minute penalty.

Aguero coolly converted but Maicon almost made amends at the other end when he flashed a venomous strike against the underside of the crossbar after Totti's delicate chip had unlocked the City defence.

That close call appeared to rob City of their early poise and Hart was out sharply in the 18th minute after Gervinho had evaded Vincent Kompany, before the equaliser arrived from a familiar source.

Totti spun in behind Kompany to collect a perfectly weighted pass from the excellent Pjanic and lifted a superb finish over Hart.

Roma were fortunate not to concede a second penalty when a prone Kostas Manolas blocked Jesus Navas' cutback with his outstretched arm, but the visitors almost led after 43 minutes when Gervinho raced beyond Gael Clichy and Demichelis to draw a fine save from Hart.

James Milner replaced Navas at half-time as Manuel Pellegrini sought to stem Roma's midfield dominance, but Hart was again the goalkeeper in action seven minutes after the restart.

Florenzi's cross struck a flat-footed Demichelis and fell invitingly for Pjanic, with Hart spreading himself effectively.

Pjanic then arched a curling 25-yard effort narrowly wide as City laboured, despite Milner injecting energy to proceedings.

City midfielder Fernandinho exchanged passes with Yaya Toure and the recently introduced Frank Lampard to prompt a vital last-ditch challenge from Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa in the 60th minute.

Five minutes later, Pjanic lashed a shot over from the edge of the area - a moment of wastefulness out of keeping with his all-round display - before Skorupski got down well to his left to stop Lampard continuing a purple patch in front of goal.

David Silva prodded the ball narrowly wide from Pablo Zabaleta's stoppage-time centre, but City have plenty to do if they are to avoid a third group-stage exit in four seasons.

 

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Paris Saint-Germain 3 Barcelona 2: Luis Enrique tastes defeat as Xavi makes history


30 September 2014

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Paris Saint-Germain inflicted the first defeat of Luis Enrique's Barcelona reign with a 3-2 win at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday.

The Ligue 1 champions were without talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic as well as Thiago Silva and Ezequiel Lavezzi, but held off late Barca pressure to end the visitors' unbeaten start to the campaign and dampen an historic occasion for midfielder Xavi.

Coming off the bench to make a record 143rd appearance in the UEFA Champions League proper, the former Spain international was on the losing side after defender David Luiz - a target for the Spanish giants in the close-season - showed his quality in the final third with a smart turn and finish to give PSG what proved to be a short-lived lead after 10 minutes.

Lionel Messi was the man to restore parity less than two minutes later in the Group F clash as he swept home Barca's 500th Champions League goal, although PSG were ahead again shortly before the half-hour mark.

After Marc-Andre ter Stegen failed to collect a deep corner, Marco Verratti headed home his first PSG goal, with Blaise Matuidi making it 3-1 early in the second half.

While Neymar's smart finish from inside the area gave Barca hope, PSG had not lost at home in Europe since November 2006 - a record they maintained with some stoic late defending.

When Sergio Busquets lost possession cheaply early on, former Barca man Thiago Motta blazed PSG's first attempt over the crossbar as the hosts began brightly.

That lively opening was rewarded when Luiz brought down Lucas Moura's free-kick and rolled the ball past Ter Stegen as Barca conceded the first competitive goal of Luis Enrique's tenure.

PSG's joy was brief, however, as Messi capped off a slick exchange with Andres Iniesta to level and end his run of three Champions League games without a goal - the Argentina star's longest goalless sequence since May 2009.

Edinson Cavani was next to go close - the Uruguayan firing over from distance after bamboozling Jeremy Mathieu - before Neymar could only prod Messi's expertly dinked throughball over the crossbar.

Verratti then took advantage of some questionable goalkeeping from Ter Stegen, heading in Motta's looping corner after 26 minutes.

While Messi came close with a curled free-kick, PSG maintained their lead until the break and Cavani threatened soon after the interval as he cut inside Jeremy Mathieu and into a shooting position, only to slip at the vital moment.

PSG's pressure eventually brought a third goal after 54 minutes when Matuidi swept home Gregory van der Wiel's delivery from the right, although, as in the first half, Barca hit back soon after.

Neymar controlled Dani Alves' delivery on his chest and delicately placed the ball past Salvatore Sirigu before Xavi came on to make Champions League history.

Iniesta - making his 100th appearance in the competition - fired over late on and Marquinhos then blocked Jordi Alba's goalbound effort.

Substitute Munir El Haddadi struck the post with a fierce drive, but Barca’s search for a point proved in vain as the home side picked up their first win in Europe this term.

 

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APOEL 1 Ajax 1: Manduca rescues point for hosts


30 September 2014

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Gustavo Manduca's first-half penalty earned APOEL their first point of this season's UEFA Champions League as they drew 1-1 with Ajax.

The Brazilian made no mistake from 12 yards to secure a share of the spoils, but the Cypriot side had to withstand intense pressure in the closing minutes.

After controlling the early exchanges Frank de Boer's side opened the scoring two minutes before the half-hour mark as Lucas Andersen netted his first European goal.

APOEL were only briefly behind, though, as Manduca converted from the spot three minutes later after Ricardo van Rhijn had been penalised for handball.

Both sides wasted second-half chances to take the lead, with Lasse Schone and Cillian Sheridan guilty of poor finishing.

The draw means Ajax have picked up a point from each of their matches in Group F so far, keeping them ahead of APOEL, who were beaten by Barcelona on matchday one.

After his hat-trick against NAC Breda on Saturday, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson should have netted his first Champions League goal in just the second minute.

Andersen sprayed a pass to the right where the unmarked Davy Klaassen played a first-time pass into the striker, but he fired wide from six yards.

Seven minutes later Ajax produced an almost carbon copy of the earlier move but once again the Iceland international was unable to convert as Klaassen's cross eluded him.

The visitors were controlling possession and in the 28th minute they got their reward as Andersen opened the scoring from the edge of the penalty area.

The Dane played a neat pass into Schone, who returned to the starting line-up following a groin injury. Schone's effort was saved by Urko Pardo but Andersen pounced on the rebound.

Three minutes later the sides were level again, though, as Van Rhijn was adjudged to have handled the ball inside his own area.

A spot-kick was awarded despite Ajax protests and Manduca, in for Tomas De Vincenti, cooly slotted home from 12 yards.

As half-time approached APOEL, having soaked up more Ajax pressure, should have taken the lead but Sheridan was agonisingly short of converting Manduca's cross.

Nine minutes after the break both sides had a chance to take the lead in the space of 30 seconds, but Schone's effort was weak and Sheridan could not divert a header on target at the other end.

APOEL felt they should have had a man advantage on 56 minutes when Cillessen brought down Sheridan outside the area. However, the Netherlands goalkeeper was only booked and Mario Sergio wasted the resulting free-kick.

Cillessen then came to Ajax's rescue as he got down brilliantly to keep out a low, 20-yard drive from Mario Sergio.

He very nearly turned provider too as his long ball forward was picked up by Sigthorsson, whose effort was blocked by Pardo.

Sigthorsson's frustrating night in front of goal continued as he saw a looping header land on the top of the goal from Niklas Moisander's free kick.

One of APOEL's rare attacks in the second half nearly resulted in a home victory but substitute De Vicenti was flagged offside, meaning his neat chipped finish did not count.

Ajax should have claimed a winner in stoppage time, but Thulani Serero dragged wide from 18 yards with Pardo out of position.

 

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Sporting Lisbon 0 Chelsea 1: Matic returns to haunt old rivals

30 September 2014

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Nemanja Matic scored on his return to Lisbon to earn Chelsea a 1-0 UEFA Champions League win over Sporting on Tuesday.

The former Benfica man spent three years in the Portuguese capital with Sporting's great rivals before returning to Chelsea in January.

And the Serbia international scored the only goal of the Group G encounter when he headed home in the 34th minute.

Matic found the net in a half dominated by the visitors, but the home side proved more competitive after the break to leave the result in doubt up until the final whistle.

The result sees Chelsea bounce back from their matchday one draw with Schalke at Stamford Bridge, while Sporting, who had previously lost just one of nine home fixtures against English opposition, will rue the end of an unbeaten run at Estadio Jose Alvalade that stretched to 16 matches in European competition.

Having previously claimed in-form frontman Diego Costa was incapable of playing multiple matches in a week, Jose Mourinho named the Spain international in his starting XI for the second time in four days, while captain John Terry made his 100th Champions League outing.

Costa was in the thick of the action early on - failing to slip a shot past advancing Sporting goalkeeper Rui Patricio after being sent clean through in the second minute.

It was the visitors who were dictating the early pace, but Thibaut Courtois had to be on guard to scoop up a low Jonathan Silva cross from the left when Sporting looked to threaten the Chelsea goal for the first time.

Patricio got down well to deny Andre Schurrle as the Germany forward tried to round the goalkeeper after getting on the end of an Oscar throughball in the 15th minute, before Islam Slimani's downward header at the other end was comfortably held by Courtois.

Schurrle should have done better than skew wide of the left-hand post when Eden Hazard found him with a cutback in the 22nd minute, but Matic finally made the breakthrough 12 minutes later.

The 26-year-old midfielder peeled off at the back post to meet a Cesc Fabregas free-kick from the left, sending a looping header over a helpless Patricio and into the back of the net.

A push by Filipe Luis on Nani on the edge of the Chelsea box drew the ire of all in green and white five minutes into the second half, before Oscar squandered a one-on-one opportunity similar to Costa's early chance.

Sporting certainly looked more alert at the start of the second half - Nani sent an effort into the side-netting, while Adrian Silva swerved a volley over the crossbar.

Filipe Luis and Mohamed Salah went close for Chelsea in the closing stages, while a curling strike from Nani whistled narrowly wide, and Mourinho may be concerned by his side's failure to put the match to bed.

However, news of a draw in Group G's other fixture between Schalke and Maribor, along with Costa's ability to last the full 90 minutes, should soon bring a smile back to the face of the Chelsea boss after picking up a valuable three points in his homeland.

 

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Schalke 1 Maribor 1: Slovenian underdogs hold firm in Germany

30 September 2014

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Damjan Bohar was the hero as Maribor continued their fine start to their UEFA Champions League campaign by drawing 1-1 away to Schalke.

Bohar, who scored two goals in the qualifying rounds to help Maribor return to the group stage after a 15-year absence, silenced the Veltins-Arena crowd following a superb passing move before half-time.

Klass-Jan Huntelaar then capitalised on a defensive error to equalise, with what was his 24th goal in 31 European appearances for Schalke.

However, despite Jens Keller's side's late pressure, the Slovenian champions held on to make it two points from two outings in Group G.

Schalke recovered from their worst start to a season since 1967-68 by recording back-to-back wins over Werder Bremen and arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund, but this setback leaves them having won just one of their last eight Champions League matches.

Schalke talisman Julian Draxler returned from suspension in place of the injured Sidney Sam, while Keller chose to start Tranquillo Barnetta ahead of Max Meyer.

Draxler was involved in creating the game's first chance for Huntelaar, whose firm strike was saved by Jasmin Handanovic, before Maribor almost punished their hosts with a goal reminiscent of David Beckham's celebrated strike for Manchester United against Wimbledon all those years ago.

Noticing Ralf Fahrmann off his line, Dare Vrsic unleashed a shot from inside his own half, which looped over the Schalke goalkeeper but went narrowly over the crossbar.

Schalke had a great opportunity to break the deadlock midway through the half.

Christian Fuchs looked up and produced a fine cross from the left for Kevin-Prince Boateng, who - despite being unmarked at the back post - headed wide.

Fahrmann did well to gather a fierce low strike from Marcos Tavares, but he was powerless to stop Maribor going ahead eight minutes before the break.

A slick one-touch passing move freed Mitja Viler down the left and, rather than squaring it across the box for Tavares, he cut a deceptive pass back into the path of Bohar, who fired the ball home from 10 yards.


Schalke levelled 11 minutes after the restart with a gift of a goal.

Viler needlessly passed the ball to Huntelaar on the edge of the box. The 31-year-old cut inside and although Handanovic got a hand to his strike, the goalkeeper was unable to prevent it creeping into the bottom corner.


Handanovic then made a one-handed save to deny Draxler on the hour, before Boateng volleyed wide.

Schalke continued to pursue a winner, but Marko Suler made one vital interception to deny substitute Meyer a chance and Barnetta had a volley blocked before the final whistle.

 

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BATE 2 Athletic Bilbao 1: Hosts secure first victory over Spanish side

30 September 2014

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BATE put in a superb display to beat Athletic Bilbao 2-1 and register their first UEFA Champions League win over Spanish opposition.

The Belarusian champions marked the Borisov Arena's maiden Champions league tie with a stirring performance that went some way to putting right the 6-0 defeat at Porto in Group H.

BATE controlled the first half and roused the passionate home crowd after 19 minutes through Denis Polyakov's close-range strike.

The lively Nikolay Signevich's wonderful volley then hit the post but Aleksandr Karnitski's deflected effort doubled the hosts' advantage.

Aritz Aduriz pulled one back just before half-time but BATE looked the more likely to score next, with Signevich going close.

And they maintained their advantage to record a first win in the competition since October 2012, with Bilbao's miserable start to the season continuing.

After a tight opening to the game, the BATE fans were sent into raptures with 19 minutes gone as Maksim Volodko's near-post corner was flicked into the path of the unmarked Polyakov and he volleyed home from close range.

Bilbao have only scored once in their five previous matches and struggled to make inroads in the first half. Even when Benat was allowed to chest the ball down under no pressure, he could only fire wide.

But the hosts were inches away from doubling the advantage as Karnitski's cross was met by a sumptuous Signevich volley on the right that cannoned back off the post with Gorka Iraizoz well beaten.

And they got a well-deserved second after 41 minutes as Signevich fed Karnitski, who created space with a neat flick 15 yards out and, though his shot was weak, a wicked deflection off Andoni Iraola wrong-footed Iraizoz as the ball spun in at the near post.

The hosts were all over Bilbao but the Liga side got back in it a minute before half-time as Iker Muniain's wonderful control allowed him to feed Aduriz, and he fired past Sergey Chernik from 12 yards for his fifth goal of the season.

Signevich proved a real handful and could have added to the lead soon after half-time but his precise effort was weak and Iraizoz made the save.

And the hosts almost caught Bilbao sleeping again after 56 minutes when a quick throw-in found Maksim Volodko in the area but he could not hit the target.

Signevich could have wrapped it up 20 minutes from time as Ander Iturraspe was dispossessed but he got the ball stuck under his feet and saw his shot diverted over, with BATE seeing the game out to record a memorable triumph.

 

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Shakhtar Donetsk 2-2 Porto: Two late Martinez goals give Portuguese point from nowhere

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Sep 30, 2014 21:39:00

Alex Teixeira and Luiz Adriano's second-half goals looked like they were set to give the hosts a win, but the Colombian netted twice in the dying minutes to secure a draw

Two last-gasp goals from Jackson Martinez rallied Porto to a stunningly late comeback to secure a 2-2 draw at Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.

Shakhtar looked destined for victory after Luiz Adriano tapped in with five minutes to go to add to the lead given to them earlier in the second half by Alex Teixeira.

However, Porto, who had a Yacine Brahimi first-half penalty saved by Andriy Pyatov, staged a stunning late fightback.

They were given a lifeline in the final minute when Yaroslav Rakitskiy was penalised for handball in the box and substitute Martinez tucked in the resulting spot kick.

And Porto claimed the unlikeliest of points when Martinez, who had been introduced in the 65th minute, stole in at the near post to finish Cristian Tello's low cross in the 93rd minute.

The draw extends Porto's unbeaten start to the season and gives them a point to add to the three they earned in the first round of Group H matches, courtesy of their 6-0 home win over BATE.

While Porto took full advantage of the numerous chances that came their way against BATE, Julen Lopetegui's men were wasteful in the extreme at Shakhtar on Tuesday until the dying moments.

Perhaps assisted by the fact that this game was played 760 miles away from Shakhtar's Donbass Stadium as a result of the unrest in Ukraine, Porto played with far greater authority than expected for an away side.

This enabled them to create a string of openings, including two in the first 10 minutes, with Vincent Aboubakar pulling an effort wide from 20 yards before Danilo went even closer with a shot of his own from further out, after having nipped in to steal the ball following a misplaced Shakhtar pass.

Midway through the half, Porto were given an even better chance to open the scoring when they were awarded a penalty for Oleksandr Kucher's trip on Brahimi.

The Algeria midfielder, who scored a hat-trick against BATE, took the spot kick himself, but placed it at a good height and too close to Pyatov, who dived to his right to palm it away.

Porto finished the half by spurning another great chance as Tello ended a marauding run forward with a shot past the far post.

However, the away side gifted Shakhtar the lead after 52 minutes.

Oliver Torres dwelt on the ball, allowing Kucher to steal it in the Porto box and draw out Fabiano before playing a square ball to Teixeira for the simplest of finishes into an empty net.

For the remainder of the game, Porto launched a siege on the Shakhtar goal, with Brahimi, Juan Quintero and Martinez all denied by the excellent Pyatov.

Porto's chance of claiming anything from the game looked to have gone with five minutes to go when Shakhtar hit them on the break and Adriano tapped home Bernard's pass at the back post.

However, Porto refused to give in and their persistence was rewarded when Rakitskiy handled in the box and Martinez slotted home from the spot before the same player found himself in the perfect place to tap in and rescue a point with the 2-2 draw.

 

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Same old, same old as Manchester City face another early Champions League exit


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Sep 30, 2014 22:44:00

Manuel Pellegrini's side were predictable in attack throughout the 1-1 draw with Roma, meaning a third group-stage exit in four seasons is on the cards after just two matches

COMMENT
By Paul Macdonald at the Etihad Stadium

This is Manchester City's fourth season in the Champions League and they don't seem to be getting any better.

They aren't learning from the flaws of previous campaigns. Yes, their draws have been unfortunate, but the City project is already long past the €1bn mark in terms of expenditure. With a team like that, the group stages should be a procession. Instead they remain a serious obstacle.

Roma collected a 1-1 draw from the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night making it one point from two games in Group E for the Blues. With Bayern Munich almost certain to win the group, results between these two sides will be crucial.

Sergio Aguero's first-half penalty was cancelled out by Francesco Totti's impudent leveller, meaning any advancement on last season’s last-16 defeat to Barcelona will be an arduous task. Sheikh Mansour would be justified in expecting more for his money.

Roma were the team to be avoided from their particular pot when the Champions League draw was made in August and their fans were the predominant voice keeping the home support, in the main, frustrated and muted. Maicon's utter stupidity aside in gifting Aguero a penalty it was a controlled display from Rudi Garcia's men, who manipulated the ball better in central areas and were not deterred by falling behind to the Premier League champions inside five minutes.

But it was because City allowed them to. The finest moments this team have produced over the past few seasons involved attacks of breakneck pace and incision. We are at the end of September and they have only fleetingly been able to replicate their best form this season. There is something of a malaise affecting the club and the players and it is making their performances all too predictable.

And that's what yet another premature Champions League exit could prove to be. We were told City were naive before, that they had to get used to a European style of play. That no longer holds water. This is a vastly qualified and experienced team now, and they've had enough trial runs. The project, at least from a continental perspective, is behind schedule.

It's difficult to pinpoint any particular problem area: whether Yaya Toure is still suffering from the bereavement of his brother, or that he'd simply rather be somewhere else, what he is providing to City at the moment isn't good enough, and even less so as part of a midfield two. Fernando may have played had he been fit but if Manuel Pellegrini persists with Aguero and Edin Dzeko in attack the problems will continue.

Pellegrini identified this deficiency in his side, bringing on Frank Lampard for the languid Dzeko, and the balance of the team improved by virtue of there being another experienced body to cover off and keep the ball.

But the best they could hope for was to stifle the Italians, and ironically the best player on the pitch would be a dream of a capture for City in their current guise. Miralem Pjanic has energy, awareness, and drive in abundance – all things that City currently lack. The fact that City had to bring on a 36-year-old loan signing to negate his influence is concerning in the extreme.

Equally so is the rashness of Vincent Kompany, evident again here as he rushed to press the ball and left Francesco Totti all on his own for the equaliser. He would argue that the midfield problem forced him out of position but it isn't the first time that he’s been ball-hunting rather than maintaining his discipline. It's the point of experience again. They all have it now, but the mistakes still happen.

There is still time to salvage this group but it will likely require a win in Rome to achieve it, and on this form, it's difficult to see City being able to raise their game. They need to wake up, and soon, or else their European season could well be over before it begins.

 

MatsHummels

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Team news ahead of Wednesday's ties

Published: Wednesday 1 October 2014, 9.00CET

Looking to use your fantasy bench tonight? UEFA rounds up the likely lineups for this evening's eight group stage games, including who is out and who is a doubt.

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FC Zenit v AS Monaco FC

Zenit: Lodygin; Smolnikov, Garay, Lombaerts, Criscito; Fayzulin, Javi García; Shatov, Danny; Rondon, Hulk
• Doubtful: Tymoshchuk (thigh), Witsel (illness)

Monaco: Subašić; Fabinho, Abdennour, Carvalho, Kurzawa; Toulalan, Moutinho, Silva; Germain, Carrasco, Berbatov
• Out: Traoré (hamstring), Borja López (knee)
• Doubtful: Abdennour (thigh)

Bayer 04 Leverkusen v SL Benfica

Leverkusen: Leno; Hilbert, Toprak, Spahić, Wendell; Reinartz, Bender; Bellarabi, Çalhanoğlu, Son; Kiessling.
• Out: Papadopoulos (shoulder), Rolfes (ankle), Brandt (ankle), Castro (muscular problems)
• Doubtful: Boenisch (heel)

Benfica: Júlio César; Maxi Pereira, Luisão, Jardel, Eliseu; Samaris; Salvio, Pérez, Gaitán; Talisca, Lima.
• Out: Artur (suspended), Sílvio (leg)
• Doubtful: Paulo Lopes (right leg)

Arsenal FC v Galatasaray AŞ


Arsenal: Szczęsny; Chambers, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Flamini, Santi Cazorla, Özil; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sánchez, Welbeck.
• Out: Ramsey (hamstring), Arteta (calf), Giroud (ankle), Monreal (back), Debuchy (ankle), Sanogo (hamstring), Walcott (knee), Gnabry (knee)
• Doubtful: Wilshere (ankle)

Galatasaray: Muslera; Semih, Melo, Chedjou; Tarık, Selçuk, Sneijder, Dzemaili, Alex Telles; Burak, Olcan.

RSC Anderlecht v Borussia Dortmund

Anderlecht: Proto; Deschacht, Nuytinck, Mbemba, Najar; Praet, Tielemans, Defour, Conté; Mitrović, Suárez.
• Out: N'Sakala (knee)
• Doubtful: Praet (calf), Vanden Borre (calf), Nuytinck (toe)

Dortmund: Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Hummels, Papastathopoulos, Durm; Bender, Jojić; Aubameyang, Kagawa, Grosskreutz; Immobile.
• Out: Kirch (thigh), Nuri Şahin (knee), Reus (ankle), Błaszczykowski (muscle tear), Mkhitaryan (right foot)
• Doubtful: Gündoğan (muscular problems), Kehl (foot)

Malmö FF v Olympiacos FC

Malmö: Olsen; Tinnerholm, Johansson, Helander, Ricardinho; Kroon, Adu, Halsti, Forsberg; Thelin, Rosenberg.
• Doubtful: Thern (broken fibula), Halsti (groin)

Olympiacos: Roberto; Elabdellaoui, Botía, Abidal, Masuaku; Milivojević, Kasami; Maniatis, Domínguez, Afellay; Mitroglou.
• Out: Siovas (thigh), Fuster (groin), Benítez (thigh), Salino (thigh)

Club Atlético de Madrid v Juventus


Atlético: Moyà; Juanfran, Miranda, Godín, Ansaldi; Koke, Tiago, Mario Suárez, Arda; Raúl García; Mandžukić
• Out: Cristian Rodríguez (thigh), Gabi (ankle)

Juventus: Buffon; Cáceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Liechtsteiner, Pogba, Marchisio, Vidal, Evra ; Tévez, Llorente
• Out: Pirlo (thigh), Barzagli (ankle), Rômulo (hernia)

FC Basel 1893 v Liverpool FC

Basel: Vaclík; Suchý, Schär, Safari, Frei; Elneny, Serey Die, Xhaka; Gashi, Streller, Gonzalez.
• Out: Díaz (suspended), Degen (match fitness), Ivanov (knee)
• Doubtful: Samuel (knee)

Liverpool: Mignolet; Manquillo, Škrtel, Lovren, Moreno; Gerrard, Henderson; Sterling, Lallana, Coutinho; Balotelli.
• Out: Can (ankle), Flanagan (knee), Sakho (thigh), Sturridge (thigh)
• Doubtful: Allen (knee), Johnson (hip)

PFC Ludogorets Razgrad v Real Madrid CF

Ludogorets: Stoyanov; Caiçara, A Aleksandrov, Moți, Minev; S Dyakov, Anicet; M Aleksandrov, Marcelinho, Abalo; Bezjak.

Real Madrid: Casillas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Modrić, Kroos, James; Bale, Ronaldo, Benzema.
• Out: Jesé (knee), Khedira (thigh), Coentrão (unspecified)
• Doubtful: Pepe (hamstring)


 
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