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Manuel Pellegrini said Manchester City are suffering from a "crisis of confidence" as they look set for an early UEFA Champions League exit.
The Premier League champions suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat by CSKA Moscow on Wednesday and are now bottom of Group E with two games remaining.
Seydou Doumbia scored twice in the first half at the Etihad Stadium either side of a Yaya Toure free-kick as CSKA secured their first win against an English side.
Fernandinho and Toure were sent off in the second half as lacklustre City's European campaign reached a new low.
The hosts were furious that Pontus Wernbloom was not sent off for a second bookable offence when he pulled back Sergio Aguero, with Sergei Ignashevich cautioned instead by referee Tasos Sidiropoulos.
But City boss Pellegrini refused to use to pin blame on the referee for his side's flat performance.
He told Sky Sports News: "I don't think the sendings off decided the match, it was in the first half when we weren't ourselves.
"It is a crisis of confidence and we must find out why by talking to the players every day and working together."
City are two points adrift of CSKA and Roma with games against Bayern Munich, who are already assured of a place in the last 16, at home and then the Serie A side away to come.
Pellegrini has not given up hope that can pull off a remarkable turnaround and go through with pool winners Bayern.
He added: "You can never imagine you are out when the maths says you are still in. We must try and work hard and get back to our normal style of play."
Daniele De Rossi believes it was "impossible" for Roma to beat Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
Bayern shocked Europe by running out 7-1 victors in the Italian capital two weeks ago, and midfielder De Rossi said that result - coupled with injuries to several first-team players - meant the Serie A side had no chance of avenging that in Germany.
Pep Guardiola's formidable Bayern outift once again had too much for Roma, as goals from Franck Ribery and Mario Gotze gave them a 2-0 win and top spot in Group E.
"It wasn't easy to lose 7-1," De Rossi told Sport Mediaset. "We gave our all and took a different approach, admitting they are superior and taking counter-measures.
"We hoped it would be enough to take home a point, but at least we gave a better account of ourselves.
"[Winning] was an impossible task tonight. Let's not forget we are missing fundamental players."
Fellow Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan added: "We are aware that Bayern are a couple of steps ahead of us.
"We tried to adapt to their style of football and generally didn't allow them many clear opportunities, so today we proved that we are a team who can play this way too.
"The important thing tonight was to send a signal to ourselves that last time was just a one-off. We showed that we are also capable of defending and counter-attacking, while we wasted a few chances.
"We are still second [in the group] and things are not that bad. We got the approach wrong [at home to Bayern], wanting to take the initiative, and conceded two early goals that made everything more complicated.
"If we play with this determination, we can do well."
Roma are second in Group E, level on points with CSKA Moscow and two above Manchester City with two fixtures remaining.
Bayern Munich defender David Alaba faces tests on Thursday on a knee injury he suffered during the 2-0 UEFA Champions League win over Roma.
The 22-year-old defender was substituted in the 81st minute of Wednesday's match at the Allianz Arena, which Bayern won courtesy of goals from Franck Ribery and Mario Gotze to reach the last 16.
After the game, Bayern confirmed via their official Twitter account: "David Alaba picked up a medial collateral ligament injury in the match. There will be further tests in the morning."
Coach Pep Guardiola added: "We must adapt to the situation. We hope he comes back quickly."
Bayern's victory on Wednesday ensured their place in the knockout stages as winners of Group E.
The German champions, who have a 100 per cent win record from their four games in this season's competition, dominated Wednesday's game, producing 24 attempts on goal to Roma's five.
It was a tighter game than the one between these two teams in Italy two weeks ago, which finished 7-1 to the Germans.
"I'd like to congratulate my players. I never expected to qualify and win the group after four matches," said Guardiola.
"The 7-1 was more of a coincidence, something like this happens once in a lifetime.
"Roma didn't want to suffer again so they played very defensive, with six defenders. Nevertheless we were dominant, especially in the second half."
Gotze, who took his tally of goals in 2014-15 to seven with his team's second on Wednesday, paid tribute to Guardiola, who is currently in his second season at Bayern.
"It's fun to play in this team. We won 2-0 and are very happy with this," said the World Cup winner.
"We knew that it would take some time to understand our coach but now we know how to fulfil his wishes."
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has brushed aside criticism of his team selection against Real Madrid from the likes of Gary Lineker.
Former England striker Lineker was among those to express amazement at the line-up chosen by Rodgers for Tuesday's meeting with the European champions in Group B of the UEFA Champions League.
Captain Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling and Jordan Henderson were among those to be left on the bench as Rodgers made seven changes to the team beaten 1-0 by Newcastle United on Saturday, seemingly with one eye on this weekend's clash against Premier League leaders Chelsea.
In a series of posts on Twitter, Lineker suggested Rodgers had "thrown in a white towel" and said: "Selecting a weakened side in Europe's premier competition, especially against Real Madrid, is unbefitting of a club of Liverpool's stature".
Yet after seeing his side go down by just a solitary Karim Benzema goal, two weeks after Real had eased to a 3-0 triumph at Anfield, Rodgers remained defiant over his decision-making.
"Gary is a figure I respect and he was a top player but he has never been a manager, so probably doesn't truly understand what you are up against in terms of planning forward that way," said the Northern Irishman.
"We were certainly far from throwing it away. You know, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in every game since the Spanish Super Cup final [and didn't score in this match]. That shows you how hard we defended and how hard we worked.
"Right to the very end I think my players put in a performance that showed their passion, their commitment and their quality. That would be my answer. I am not bothered about the criticism."
Lineker did post a further tweet after the match, adding: "Rodgers intimating that many of his players were dropped for being awful at Newcastle rather than being rested. If that's true, fair enough."
While Real are now assured of a place in the last 16, Liverpool trail second-placed Basel by three points in Group B with two matches to play.
'Pellegrini has fallen short in the Champions League'
By Mark Bowering
Nov 7, 2014 17:17:00
Dennis Tueart says that the Chilean has failed to impress with his tactical choices in continental competition and claims he is "mystified" by the use of Yaya Toure
Manchester City great Dennis Tueart has questioned manager Manuel Pellegrini's tactical nous and Champions League credentials.
A 2-1 home defeat by CSKA Moscow on Wednesday – when City finished the game with nine men following the second-half dismissals of Yaya Toure and Fernandinho – leaves Pellegrini's men bottom of Group E with games against Bayern Munich and Roma to come.
It leaves City – yet to win in this season's competition – likely to require two victories in their remaining two group games to have any chance of reaching the last 16, though even that might not be enough.
Pellegrini is in the spotlight as City have lost three of their last four games in all competitions and Tueart - who scored the club's winning goal in the 1976 League Cup final – thinks that the Chilean's team selections have backfired.
"Well, I think it's an all-in responsibility," Tueart told Perform. "The manager picks the team, he has to assess the opposition, decide what their strengths and weaknesses are and select his team accordingly and, unfortunately, in the last couple of years, at the Champions League level with the manager, he's fallen short in both elements.
"What's come through after the last few games - Newcastle, West Ham and CSKA - is two things. First of all, team selection has to be analysed - whether the team selection we're making is suiting the quality players that are in the team.
"Secondly, without question, the value of David Silva ... I mean, that has been possibly not valued as great but without him we are a different side.
"Yaya [Toure]'s performances have been a little disjointed but I always go back to the [Roberto] Mancini reign when Yaya was at his marauding best, when we played a team selection of two holding midfield players with Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry allowing Yaya to use his element of attacking force and his power and his ability to get forward, without any real defensive responsibilities, with having those two holding midfield players.
"And we very rarely had that team selection again since and it mystifies me why that's not happening.
"I think you have certain levels of qualities when you're a Premier League club. You have the domestic trophies, you have the Premier League competition and you also have the Champions League.
"In each stage, there's a grade above the previous stage and I think we've acquitted ourselves very well in the Premier League but, in the Champions League, we haven't been able to get our strategy right, our team selection right, our attitude right ... all the things you need when you're playing in the next stage of quality."
He added: "When the owners look at the amount of money they've invested in the squad, individual salaries, and individual price-tags, they're quite entitled to expect a better performance and I would sort of understand where they're coming from and say 'we need to address this very quickly'."
The iconic former Manchester United manager wants to determine whether or not football could follow rugby by introducing timed suspensions in the Champions League
Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson says that he is looking into the feasibility of introducing ‘sin-bins’ into football.
Already implemented in rugby, the practice would see players sent off for a set period of time for certain offences before being allowed back onto the pitch.
Ferguson, now heading a Uefa panel of elite coaches, is keen on the idea but wants to be certain that it would work.
He told reporters: "I chair a forum of elite coaches that meet every year and I'm a member of the technical study group of the Champions League and the European Championship so I'm still involved in football at the highest level.
"Right now we're looking at the possibility of introducing sin-bins like they have in rugby - a 10-minute suspension during the match - but we want to be careful that somehow it isn't exploited if it's introduced."
Ferguson welcomed Uefa's decision to wipe out yellow cards accumulated in the Champions League when the competition reaches the quarter-final stage to avoid players missing the final through suspension.
"We lost Darren Fletcher from the 2009 Champions League final against Barcelona and also missed Keane and Scholes for picking up cards in the 1999 final against Bayern Munich," he recalled.
"Now, they'd all played in all the previous rounds so it wasn't fair that they missed out.
"We're also looking at allowing 11 substitutes on the bench for big finals in Europe. That way you can recognise the contribution the squad's made and allow a wider range of substitutions.
"Mind you, it wouldn't work in the Premier League. Too many chairmen would moan about the increase in bonuses they'd need to pay!"
Del Bosque backs Madrid to defend Champions League crown
Nov 17, 2014 11:34:41
The Spain coach thinks his former club will be hard to stop in this year's competition
Vicente del Bosque believes Real Madrid are well-placed to defend their Champions League crown.
Former Madrid boss Del Bosque, now in charge of the Spain national team, has been impressed by the work of current Bernabeu chief Carlo Ancelotti and is confident they can repeat their success of last season in Berlin next May.
He told Perform: “Real Madrid’s history is so long. There were bad moments but now they are going through bright times. They have a great team for the future and the club’s togetherness is making things work out.
“They are a complete team that have performed extraordinarily in their recent games. They are in position to repeat their Champions League triumph.”
Key to Madrid’s success has been the form of Cristiano Ronaldo but Del Bosque was too savvy to reveal who he thought was better: the Portuguese or Barcelona rival Lionel Messi.
“Messi and Ronaldo are both fantastic examples. For those who like football, we like them both. And if people like one over the other that’s normally up to the team they support. Both of them are fantastic.”
Messi and Ronaldo have been shortlisted for the 2014 Fifa Ballon d’Or but Del Bosque has suggested a German could win it following their World Cup glory in Brazil in the summer.
“This is a World Cup year and when we [Spain] won it in 2010 we would have liked one of our players to have claimed the award,” said Del Bosque reflecting on Messi’s success four years ago.
“We already know who the best players are but at the same time they will have the competence of the Germans as one of them could win it because of what they achieved as a team.
“Football is not only an individual matter but also a collective one. Germany are an excellent team full of great elements.”
Pep Guardiola is on the shortlist for coach of the year and Del Bosque is immensely proud of his countryman’s progress at Bayern Munich.
“For any Spanish manager it’s such a joy to see one of our colleagues working abroad,” he said. “And if it happens to be at a club like Bayern, which has done unbelievable things in the past, we have to feel proud for that.”
Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray have been fined for crowd disturbances in their UEFA Champions League fixture earlier this month.
The Group D encounter at Signal Iduna Park on November 4, which finished 4-1 in favour of Dortmund, had to be halted twice after flares and firecrackers were thrown onto the pitch by supporters.
Earlier this month, UEFA confirmed that disciplinary proceedings would be opened against the two teams, with Dortmund charged with throwing objects and insufficient organisation and Galatarasary charged with crowd disturbances, field invasions by supporters and the setting off/throwing of fireworks and missiles.
Subsequently, Turkish club Galatasaray have been hit with a hefty €70,000 fine, while Bundesliga outfit Dortmund were sanctioned to the tune of €32,000.
A statement from UEFA read: "Galatasaray have been fined €70,000; The Turkish club has also been ordered to contact Borussia Dortmund within 30 days for the settlement of the damages caused by its supporters.
"Borussia Dortmund have been fined €32,000."
Galatasaray were also charged for a similar incident in their Champions League meeting with Arsenal in October.
Elsewhere, BATE have been ordered to close part of their Borisov Arena stadium for their next Champions League home match against Porto on Tuesday.
The Belarus team were found guilty of racist behaviour of supporters during their 7-0 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk on October 21.
"The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body has ordered the partial closure of the FC BATE Borisov stadium during the next [1] UEFA competition match in which BATE will play as the host club, and, in particular, the sector D1 of their stadium," the statement added.
David Silva will miss Manchester City's crucial UEFA Champions League tie with Bayern Munich at Eastlands on Tuesday.
The Spanish attacking midfielder suffered ligament damage in his left knee in City's Premier League clash with Newcastle United in October.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini said Silva's return to the park had been pushed back, with the 28-year-old still suffering soreness in the problem area.
The Chilean boss said he could not put a timeline on the World Cup winner's return.
"We don't know [when Silva will be available], because David still feels some pain in his knee, so he's not able to kick the ball," Pellegrini said on Friday.
"We'll see if next week he can be ready at the end of the week.
"It will depend on the way he improves in the next few days."
Pellegrini refuted the suggestion Silva had suffered a setback with his injury, and was hopeful of an improved prognosis within the week.
"In the last day, he still feels a little pain but not very, very hard [pain] so I hold out [hope] in the next week we have good news about David," he added.
Silva's confirmed absence against Bayern - already unsurpassable atop Group E - is a further blow for Pellegrini, who will be without suspended midfielders Yaya Toure and Fernandinho for the crucial clash.
City sit bottom of the group on two points, two shy of second-placed Roma.
CSKA Moscow-Roma Preview: Victory could send Garcia's men into Champions League knockouts
By Sacha Pisani
Nov 24, 2014 09:00:00
A win for the Serie A giants will be enough to seal their place in the next round should Manchester City fail to beat Bayern Munich
CSKA Moscow will be out to exact revenge on Roma, who can book their spot in the last 16 of the Champions League on matchday five.
Leonid Slutsky's CSKA were humbled 5-1 by Roma in the opening Group E clash in September.
Roma were in devastating form in Rome, with the Serie A outfit racing out to a four-goal lead after just 31 minutes.
CSKA have the chance to avenge that comprehensive defeat, when the two teams meet at the Arena Khimki on Tuesday.
The Russians can also edge closer to the knockout phase, though their task is more complicated than Roma's.
CSKA are level on four points with Roma after rallying to draw 2-2 at home to Manchester City and stunning City 2-1 in the return clash two weeks later, with Seydou Doumbia scoring three goals in the two matches.
Roma occupy the second and final qualifying spot behind leaders Bayern Munich due to their superior head-to-head record against CSKA following the opening matchday rout.
With that in mind, Rudi Garcia's Roma can advance to the round of 16 on Tuesday if they win on the road and City fail to win at home to Bayern.
And the Italians head into the Champions League fixture in Russia, where they have won six of seven matches previously, on the back of a hard-fought 2-1 win over Atalanta in Serie A on Saturday.
Goals from Adem Ljajic and Radja Nainggolan were on target as Roma stayed within three points of defending champions Juventus.
"Winning when coming from behind is always difficult and even more so in Bergamo, as Atalanta are tough fighters," veteran Francesco Totti said post-game.
"Many compliments to Michele Somma for his Serie A debut, which represents a source of pride for our youth academy."
Hosts CSKA ,on the other hand, come into the game after back-to-back defeats in the Russian Premier League.
CSKA lost 1-0 to rivals Dinamo Moscow prior to the international break, while they conceded two goals in the opening six minutes as Krasnodar triumphed 2-1 on Saturday.
Manchester City v Bayern Munich: Pellegrini putting pressure on himself
23 November 2014
Manuel Pellegrini has heaped the pressure on himself ahead of Manchester City's must-win UEFA Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.
City's hopes of progression to the knockout stages are hanging by a thread after claiming just two points from their first four matches.
Pellegrini's men suffered a morale-sapping 2-1 home defeat to CSKA Moscow in Europe's premier club competition earlier this month in a match that saw them finish with nine men.
The Premier League champions have enjoyed plenty of success domestically in recent years, with two league titles and glory in the FA Cup and League Cup appeasing the club's super-rich owners - at least for now.
However, City's backers still long for European joy - something that has not been forthcoming.
Knocked out in the group stages in 2011-12 and 2012-13, City reached the round of 16 before being eliminated by Barcelona last term.
Ahead of the visit of the German champions in Tuesday's Group E clash, Pellegrini said: "My own pressure to continue to the next round is an important pressure - more maybe than the owners.
"Of course, I think we must be in the next stage.
"A lot of times you don't reach the target you are supposed to do…but we have to play two more games and we will see what happens."
City midfielder James Milner is staying positive and added: "It's two games - win them both and we're through. We can do that.
"We went to Bayern last year and beat them in their own backyard and it's important that we get the three points."
Milner was outstanding in City's 3-2 win at the Allianz Arena last term and scored the winner.
He is likely to be relied on again - as are Frank Lampard and Fernando - given the absence of suspended pair Yaya Toure and Fernandinho, and the injured David Silva (knee).
Edin Dzeko (calf) is also set to miss for City, but captain Vincent Kompany did return from a similar issue in the club's 2-1 Premier League win over Swansea City on Saturday.
Stevan Jovetic and Toure scored in that come-from-behind win that kept the champions eight points behind leaders Chelsea.
Bayern - who lead the group by eight points and have already qualified for the last 16 - had things far easier on Saturday, easing past Hoffenheim 4-0 to extend their lead atop Bundesliga to seven points.
Mario Gotze's stunner set up Bayern's big win as Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben and Sebastian Rode also got on the scoresheet.
Bayern last lost a competitive game in April in the second leg of last season's Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
And while they have already qualified, Pep Guardiola is sure to put out a team more than capable of causing problems for City, despite a lengthy injury list that contains the likes of Philipp Lahm (ankle), David Alaba, Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez (all knee).
In better news for Bayern, Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger returned from a long-term knee problem of his own on Saturday.
Bayern beat City 1-0 in September thanks to a superb stoppage-time strike from Jerome Boateng, who they signed from the English club.
The German side have won three of the five competitive encounters between the two but City fans will be hoping history repeats this year.
In both the 2011-12 and 2013-14 Champions League campaigns - in which they played each other in the group stages - Bayern won the first clash before City responded with a win of their own.
Barcelona enter Tuesday's Champions League clash at APOEL in high spirits after Lionel Messi broke yet another record.
Messi, already Barcelona's top scorer of all time, became La Liga's leading marksman on Saturday as his hat-trick helped the Catalan giants to a 5-1 win over Sevilla.
The Argentina star has now netted 253 top-flight goals in Spain, as he eclipsed the tally set by legendary Athletic Bilbao forward Telmo Zarra almost 60 years ago.
The Sevilla victory was Barca's third in a row in all competitions, though Luis Enrique's side remain two points behind leaders and rivals Real Madrid.
Away successes at Ajax and Almeria followed disappointing consecutive defeats to Real and Celta Vigo, and Luis Enrique's men appear to be back on track ahead of their trip to Cyprus for the Group F fixture.
Midfielder Xavi is confident his side will only to continue to improve after Saturday's emphatic showing.
"We played a great game," Xavi is quoted as telling AS.
"We have seen a great Barca - a very complete performance. We certainly enjoyed playing our football.
"We've seen the best Barca of the season and the best Messi. We have to continue on this path. We have to continue improving.
"There are 25 players and we're all compatible. The coach is responsible for picking who plays but we're all compatible."
Neymar and Ivan Rakitic also scored for Barca, but all the attention was on Messi - who coach Luis Enrique described as a "unique" talent.
Andres Iniesta and Jeremy Mathieu (calf) are both in doubt for Barca, while the match will come too soon for Thomas Vermaelen despite the ex-Arsenal man returning to training after hamstring and thigh issues.
Barca sit second in Group F, one point adrift of Paris Saint-Germain, but are assured of their progression to the last 16.
As long as they do not lose to APOEL, they can overtake PSG when they meet in the French capital on December 10.
If APOEL do not lose, they can finish ahead of Ajax and in third - which brings with it involvement in the UEFA Europa League - if they beat the Dutch champions next month.
APOEL have taken just one point in their four pool matches, but are in far better form domestically and lead the league.
They remained unbeaten in the Cypriot top flight with a goalless draw at second-placed Apollon on Friday, giving them their fourth clean sheet in a row in the league.
APOEL, who have only conceded twice in 10 matches, are already eight points ahead of Anorthosis, who sit third.
Barcelona could only edge past APOEL on matchday one, with Gerard Pique's 28th-minute goal giving them a 1-0 win in the only previous meeting between the two sides.
Paris Saint-Germain v Ajax: Dutch outfit quietly confident
23 November 2014
Ajax are quietly confident they can be the team to end Paris Saint-Germain's 20-match unbeaten run in competitive games.
The two sides meet in the French capital on Tuesday in Group F of the UEFA Champions League, with the hosts' progression to the last 16 already secured.
PSG have won three of their four matches in the group stages - their only blemish being a 1-1 draw at Ajax in September.
That sees them top the pool with 10 points - one ahead of Barcelona - while Ajax sit third and are still after their first victory.
PSG can win the group if they claim victory and Barcelona lose at APOEL. For Frank de Boer's men, who cannot progress in Europe's premier competition, victory would at least confirm third.
With that comes a place in the UEFA Europa League and it is a position that the four-time defending Eredivisie champions are targeting.
After a 4-1 league win over Heerenveen on Saturday that saw them keep the pressure on leaders PSV, Anwar El Ghazi is quoted as saying on the club's official website: "Now we have won, the good work [continues] towards Paris.
"I think there [we can] definitely get something.
"We just need to be third [in the group]…it is an advantage that Paris is already [qualified]."
Ajax trailed 1-0 with just 24 minutes remaining but were greatly benefited by Luciano Slagveer's red card and an own goal from Daley Sinkgraven.
El Ghazi, Ricardo Kishna and Arkadiusz Milik all scored in the latter stages for Ajax and although the performance was scrappy, midfielder Davy Klaassen shared his team-mate's enthusiasm.
"On the basis of today, we are not ready for Tuesday's game. But I'm quite confident," he said.
PSG almost had their winning streak, which now stands at seven matches, brought to an end against Metz on Saturday.
Laurent Blanc's men led 2-0 in the early stages but two Modibo Maiga penalties set up a nervy finish.
Ezequiel Lavezzi, who had earlier scored in the first half, was on hand to net an 83rd-minute winner for PSG, though, as they triumphed 3-2 in Zlatan Ibrahimovic's return to the starting line-up.
Schalke-Chelsea Preview: Unbeaten Blues reunited with Di Matteo
Nov 24, 2014 12:47:00
Jose Mourinho's men can book their place in the Champions League knockout stage with a win or a high-scoring draw but an old hero will be out to spoil their plans
Roberto Di Matteo can expect a warm reception from the travelling fans when Chelsea take on his Schalke side at the Veltins Arena on Tuesday.
The Italian initially joined Chelsea as a player from Lazio in 1996 and scored 26 goals in 175 appearances for the English club, before returning as Andre Villas-Boas' assistant coach in 2011.
Di Matteo then took on the top job on a caretaker basis after Villas-Boas was sacked in March 2012 and guided Chelsea to Champions League and FA Cup glory.
It did not work out for Di Matteo after he was appointed permanently, though, and his sacking in November 2012 was considered premature and harsh by many.
After almost two years on the sidelines, Di Matteo returned to management last month to replace Jens Keller at Schalke.
And he has the chance to pit his wits against Chelsea in the cauldron that is the Veltins Arena, with Schalke aware that they can move to the top of Group G with victory.
The German side cannot assure their last-16 berth in this game, nor can they be eliminated, but Chelsea can secure their progression with a win or any draw in which they score two goals or more.
Di Matteo's side ended Wolfsburg's six-match winning streak in the Bundesliga on Saturday, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's on target twice in a 3-2 home triumph.
"We played very well. We played confidently, didn't let ourselves be intimidated and we've been working very hard in training these past two weeks, which helped us today," Choupo-Moting is quoted as telling the Bundesliga's official website.
Schalke, who sit second in Group G, have won four of their seven matches under Di Matteo.
Chelsea, meanwhile, delighted manager Jose Mourinho with a "beautiful" performance in their 2-0 Premier League win over West Brom on Saturday.
Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas played key roles for the league leaders after sitting out international duty with Spain due to groin and hamstring problems.
Costa and Eden Hazard scored for a Chelsea side who have not lost a competitive match since Atletico Madrid beat them in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final last term.
Mourinho played down talk that Tuesday's clash would be dominated by the respective managers and told reporters: "This is a match between Chelsea and Schalke and not Di Matteo and me.
"We need to get enough points in these last two matches to get through to the last 16. If we lose both matches we go into the Europa League.
"This team wants to be a very good one, and so they want to play against the best teams in the best competition, so I would feel very frustrated if we have to go to the Europa League."
Schalke have not beaten Chelsea in five previous Champions League matches, scoring only one goal in the process. The Blues triumphed twice in last year's group stage, winning 3-0 on both occasions.
That goal came in this year's competition, though, as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar cancelled out Fabregas' early strike in a 1-1 draw on matchday one.
Sporting v Maribor: Montero out to continue hot streak
23 November 2014
Sporting forward Fredy Montero will be out to continue his rich vein of form when his side take on Maribor in the UEFA Champions League.
The Colombian has netted five goals in his last seven matches for the Portuguese outfit as he continues an excellent second season with the club.
Montero - who counts Seattle Sounders and Millionarios among his former teams - netted 13 times in 29 Primeira Liga appearances last term.
He has followed that up this year and claimed a double in Sporting's 5-0 Taca de Portugal win at third-tier Espinho on Friday, as Marco Silva's men reached the last 16 in style.
Now Montero wants more, telling Sporting's official website ahead of Tuesday's Group G European clash: "Goals bring confidence. I want to thank the fans for their support [of me].
"You can be sure that we are going to do everything we can in every competition."
Sporting - who sit third in their group with four points from as many matches - revived their campaign with a 4-2 win over Schalke last time out.
And while they will be out of the Champions League if they lose on Tuesday, Maribor also know their fate can be decided by defeat.
The Slovenian side have battled well for three draws in four matches but must avoid defeat to have any hopes of continuing their progress - and even that might not be enough depending on Schalke's result against Chelsea in the other game in the group.
Sporting have made a poor start to their domestic campaign by their standards, sitting eighth in the table, but they will be buoyed by their recent form, which seems them unbeaten in three, having scored 10 goals in the process.
Maribor will also be confident after winning their last three, including an impressive 4-0 victory over Koper on Saturday.
Marcos Tavares, Jean-Philippe Mendy and Arghus netted before the break for Maribor in the big win, while David Biton added the fourth late on.
They are third in the Slovenian top flight, six points adrift of table-toppers Domzale, and have won four of their last five away matches.
That one failure to win was costly, though, with Chelsea thrashing them 6-0 last month at Stamford Bridge.
Luka Zahovic's stoppage-time equaliser earned Maribor a 1-1 draw against Sporting on matchday one, the only other time the teams have met.
Zenit v Benfica: Pereira, Lima set to return for Portuguese champions
24 November 2014
Benfica are expected be boosted by the returns of Maxi Pereira and Lima for Wednesday's UEFA Champions League fixture against Zenit.
First-team regulars Pereira and Lima missed Benfica's 4-1 win over Moreirense in the Taca de Portugal on Saturday.
Uruguay international defender Pereira was rested by Benfica coach Jorge Jesus after playing against Costa Rica and Chile midweek, while Brazilian striker Lima missed the cup clash due to injury.
But the pair are set to make the important trip to Russia with Benfica's qualification hopes on the line in Group C.
"Maxi Pereira arrived a few days ago, made two appearances for Uruguay, was tired but will be an option in Russia," Jesus told reporters post-game on Saturday.
"Compared to Lima, who had a problem during the week and did not want to risk it."
The 2013-14 Europa League runners-up and Zenit have both managed to collect four points from as many games, five less than leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
After a winless start to their Group C campaign, Benfica rocketed back into contention with victory on matchday four, triumphing 1-0 over Monaco, who are in the box seat to join Leverkusen in the last 16.
The Portuguese champions must improve on their last meeting with Zenit in September, when they lost 2-0.
"We are the champions, anything can happen," the 60-year-old added. "We know that if we lose, we are out.
"Let's play the game and try to be better than them."
Zenit also head into Wednesday's showdown at the Stadion Petrovski in winning form.
Andre Villas-Boas and his Zenit side scraped past Kuban Krasnodar 1-0 on Saturday to end a run of back-to-back defeats after losing to Terek Grozny in the Russian Premier League and Leverkusen in the Champions League.
Villas-Boas was pleased with the performance and he is hoping it inspires a "set of wins".
"The Champions League is very tight, all teams depend on themselves," Villas-Boas said afterwards on Saturday.
"We know we have to play well and we know how difficult it is and we don't need anyone to remind us. Hopefully this is the start of the next set of the wins, but it is difficult.
"Now the focus is on Champions League and we will take it game by game."
Atletico Madrid v Olympiacos: Atleti on the brink of last 16
24 November 2014
Atletico Madrid will progress to the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League if they inflict more pain in Spain on Olympiacos on Wednesday.
Diego Simeone's side top Group A with two matches remaining and know a victory at Vicente Calderon would ensure they qualify for the knockout stages.
Olympiacos sit in second place and could advance if they beat the Spanish champions and third-placed Juventus draw with Malmo.
Greek champions Olympiacos have a terrible record in Spain, though, having lost 11 and drawn two of their matches on Spanish soil.
Atleti can also boast a formidable home record in European competition, winning 19 of their last 21 games at Vicente Calderon as they have established themselves a real force on the continent.
Three consecutive Champions League victories without conceding a goal have lifted last season's beaten finalists to the summit of the group - and they will fancy their chances of getting the job done this week and avoiding any tension in their final game in Turin.
Simeone's side responded to their 2-1 defeat against Real Sociedad before the international break by beating Malaga 3-1 in La Liga on Saturday courtesy of goals from Tiago, Antoine Griezmann and Diego Godin.
Olympiacos were not in action at the weekend due after all professional games in Greece being suspended indefinitely by the Hellenic Football Federation following a violent attack on Christoforos Zografos, the assistant director of the Central Refereeing Committee, outside his home.
Madrid-born Olympiacos coach Míchel has already masterminded a 3-2 victory over Atleti in September and defender Godin expects the Athens club to pose a stern test.
He said at a press conference on Monday: "Now we play a crucial match, a final to qualifying for the next stage in the Champions League in our stadium.
"So it is an important week in which we must continue to assert that strength we have at home as a team with our fans.
"We must stay focused and have the intensity and fair play, because you will not win just because of playing at home. We have to win playing as is being done at home every time we play.
"We know what is at stake and the team we face. Since we lost the first game in Greece and do not underestimate anyone. We play the same way against all teams. We will try to give our best as we did on Saturday against Malaga to get the three points."
Atletico are set to be without defender Miranda (hamstring), but hope striker Mario Mandzukic recovers from a back problem sustained against Malaga.
Olympiacos have a doubt over midfielder Jimmy Durmaz (thigh), while goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez is set to line up against the club where he started his career.
Paul Pogba feels nothing other than three points will do for Juventus in their make-or-break UEFA Champions League trip to Malmo.
Italian champions Juve visit Sweden on Wednesday in third place in Group A after their dramatic 3-2 win over Olympiacos last time out.
That victory put Massimiliano Allegri's side level on points with the Greek team, who travel to pool leaders Atletico Madrid this week, and kept their hopes of reaching the last 16 alive.
Juve have been typically dominant in Serie A this season, having dropped just five points from their 12 games so far, but have again found it tough to take that form into continental competition.
However, Pogba, who scored the winning goal in the come-from-behind success over Olympiacos, believes the attitude Juve showed to battle back from 2-1 down against Michel's side will stand them in good stead for their crucial game at Swedbank Stadion.
"We have no alternative, we must return from Sweden with three points," the Frenchman told Gazetta dello Sport after scoring twice to inspire Saturday's 3-0 win at Lazio.
"We know in the Champions League we struggle often - there is something lacking. But against Olympiacos I saw an important spirit.
"We have a good team, we can go pretty far [in the tournament], but we always need [the] concentration and continuity shown in Rome [against Lazio].
"I hope to score again - as long as it proves useful to [getting] the three points, the rest does not interest me."
Juve head to Sweden in good form, having responded to their shock 1-0 defeat at Genoa late last month by winning four games in a row while scoring 15 goals in the process.
Pogba has turned in several superb displays recently, and his performance at the Stadio Olimpico at the weekend was hailed by Allegri as the 21-year-old's best of the season to date.
It is Carlos Tevez who will likely worry Malmo most, though, with the former Manchester City striker enjoying another prolific season.
The 30-year-old has scored 11 goals in 15 games in all competitions this term - form that has earned him a long-awaited recall to the Argentina squad - and netted twice in Juve's 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture against Malmo back in September.
Wednesday could see the return of Juve's Kwadwo Asamoah from a knee problem, although the game may come too soon for Angelo Ogbonna (hamstring).
Malmo, meanwhile, go into the fixture knowing they need a win to stand any chance of qualifying from the pool.
The Swedish champions' league season is already over, and they have not played since an extra-time Svenska Cupen win over Halmia on November 15.
Age Hareide's men have struggled to make an impact in Group A and sit bottom having taken just three points from their four fixtures.
Atletico claimed a 2-0 win at Swedbank Stadion last time out - and a similar outcome on Wednesday would confirm the hosts' elimination from the competition.
Ludogorets v Liverpool: Rodgers demands improvement
24 November 2014
Brendan Rodgers has demanded an improvement from his Liverpool side ahead of a "massive" UEFA Champions League clash with Ludogorets.
The Merseyside club suffered a fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions when Crystal Palace came from behind to win 3-1 at Selhurst Park in the Premier League on Sunday.
That latest setback has left Liverpool down in 12th position following a season in which they mounted a strong challenge for the title before finishing second behind Manchester City.
Rodgers has now turned his attention to securing a much-needed victory over Bulgarian champions Ludogorets, who need a win at Vasil Levski National Stadium on Wednesday to stay in the competition.
Liverpool have lost all three Group B matches since beating Ludogorets at Anfield and face a battle to progress with leaders Real Madrid, who have won all four matches.
Both sides have only three points but know a victory would move them level with second-placed Basel, who face Liverpool at Anfield in their final group game, if the Swiss champions lose to European champions Real.
Rodgers took responsibility for the defeat to Palace, but the Northern Irishman wants his side to stand up and be counted in Sofia.
He said: "We just have to work harder. We go away bitterly disappointed with the result and the performance and we have to very quickly put it right, because we've got a massive game now in the week.
"Every game now for us, right the way through a really busy schedule, is an important game. We have to be better. We picked a team (on Sunday) that we thought could win the game, and the players who played and the ones on the sidelines are very committed.
"They give me everything every day, but at this moment in time, we're not good enough and we need to find answers very quickly.
"We've been a very close group for a couple of years, but we had to make changes in the summer. We had to bring players in - the group was very thin."
Rodgers will be hoping to welcome back Jordan Henderson after the England midfielder missed the defeat against Neil Warnock's side due to illness.
The Liverpool boss has doubts over Mario Balotelli (hamstring), Jose Enrique (knee), and Mamadou Sakho (thigh), while Daniel Sturridge (thigh), Suso (groin) and Jon Flanagan (knee) are definitely out.
Ludogorets head into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw in a top-of-the-table clash with A PFG leaders CSKA Sofia on Saturday, and know only three points will do.
A 4-0 hammering at Basel earlier this month was a major blow to their chances of reaching the last 16, having beaten Paulo Sousa's men last month.
A draw would end Georgi Dermendzhiev's side's Champions League adventure and they will be out of contention to move into the Europa League with a defeat.
Ivan Cvorovic is unavailable due to a shoulder injury.
