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Jose Mourinho thanked Chelsea's supporters for their vocal backing in Wednesday's 2-1 Champions League victory over Dynamo Kiev.
Willian's free-kick seven minutes from time earned the hosts a crucial three points at Stamford Bridge, moving them up to second place in Group G with just a second win from their last nine matches in all competitions.
It had looked like another frustrating result was in store for Mourinho's men after Aleksandar Dragovic had atoned for his first-half own goal by netting an equaliser in the closing stages prior to the Brazilian's brilliant intervention.
The Portuguese manager has come under intense pressure with Chelsea struggling for form and down in 15th in the Premier League, but he was delighted to have been consistently backed by the home crowd, who he repeatedly acknowledged on the touchline during the nervous win.
"Obviously I prefer the team's performance, but what they [the fans] did for me is not normal," he told BT Sport after the match.
"Or they don't read papers. Or they don't listen to television and pundits and commentators. Or they have a big heart. Or they recognise that I am a good professional, I give everything to the club, I brought great moments for the club and great memories.
"But such support is not normal, not just with the bad run of results, but with what people read in newspapers and listen to on television.
"I really don't know how to thank them. The only thing I can say is until my last day in this club – whether it is four years, 10 years,15 years it doesn't matter – however long I stay here I will give everything for them."
Only Mourinho can get Chelsea back on track - Sneijder
4 November 2015
Galatasaray midfielder Wesley Sneijder believes Jose Mourinho is the only manager capable of turning Chelsea's fortunes around and feels he deserves more respect.
The reigning Premier League champions have experienced a testing start to their title defence and sit 15th in the table after 11 games, some 14 points adrift of leaders Manchester City.
Off the pitch, Mourinho has been dogged by controversy, including being sent to the stands during a 2-1 defeat at West Ham, fined by the Football Association, handed a stadium ban and reportedly losing support in the Chelsea dressing room over the past few weeks.
Nevertheless, Sneijder has little doubt his former boss will get Chelsea back on track.
"It is always difficult when you are losing games and your players are struggling," Sneijder was quoted as saying by O Jogo.
"But the way I know Mourinho, he will fight and get back on top. That is the reason why Chelsea have not fired him. He is the only person who can turn the situation around.
"I am surprised that people are questioning him. It is incredible. Mourinho deserves a lot more respect.
"People seem to like it when he is not doing well. He has done nothing but good work at all clubs where he has worked. He deserves respect.
"Mourinho will bounce back. Don't write him off. He is not just a good coach, but a good person as well."
Sneijder worked with Mourinho at Inter, winning the treble in 2009-10.
Villas-Boas: Success won't change my decision, I'm leaving
By Matthew Sherry
Nov 4, 2015 23:48:09
The Portuguese coach admits that being away from his family is making life in Russia difficult, even if he is doing well
Andre Villas-Boas says he will not consider staying on as Zenit coach beyond this season despite his success.
Villas-Boas has been a big hit in Russia, with the 2-0 win at Lyon on Wednesday night securing his side's progression to the last 16 of the Champions League with two games to spare.
Yet he revealed in September that this would be his last campaign at the helm after turning down a contract extension.
Zenit are the only side with a 100 per cent record in Europe's premier competition, which was preserved by Artyom Dzyuba's double in Wednesday's 2-0 win over Lyon.
But when asked if the strong performances could make him reconsider his position, Villas-Boas revealed that being away from his family is too difficult, but says he hopes to help boost the club's stature.
The Portuguese boss told the club's official website: "At different moments in different situations I get asked these questions.
"I am very happy to be coach of the Zenit, but you know that my family lives in Portugal, and it is not easy."
"I am particularly pleased that we have reached the next round. It is important for the Zenith and Russia in the Uefa coefficients>
'I did not recognise my team' - Wenger slams Arsenal after Bayern rout
By Dom Farrell
Nov 4, 2015 22:50:08
The Frenchman was upset with his side's display at the Allianz Arena but insists the Gunners can still qualify for the knockout stages
Arsene Wenger offered a scathing assessment of Arsenal's defending in the humbling 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
The Premier League team bounced back from Group F defeats to Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiacos to secure a rousing 2-0 victory over Bayern at Emirates Stadium two weeks ago – a result that was emphatically avenged by the Bundesliga champions.
Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring in the 10th minute and, after Mesut Ozil had a goal disallowed for handball, Thomas Muller made it 2-0 before the half-hour mark.
Full-back David Alaba scored a stunning third and laid on the fourth for substitute Arjen Robben either side of half-time, with Muller grabbing his second in the final minute after Olivier Giroud netted a classy consolation.
Injuries deprived Wenger of right-back Hector Bellerin and centre-back Laurent Koscielny, but the manager had little sympathy for the players that took to the field in their absence at the Allianz Arena.
"You have to give credit to Bayern for their quality, but we made things easy for them," the Frenchman told reporters.
"We were extremely poor defensively – not at the races.
"Defensively, I did not recognise my team."
Arsenal must win both remaining group matches to stand any chance of progressing to the knockout rounds, but Wenger is not giving up hope entirely.
"There is still a chance to qualify," he added. "It's a small chance, but there is still a real one."
Kums: Gent's first Champions League victory deserved
Nov 4, 2015 23:58:49
The Belgian side's captain has set his sights on qualifying from a very open Group H after their surprise win over Valencia, which leaves them two points off second place
Gent midfielder Sven Kums believes his side fully deserved their first Champions League win over Valencia.
The Belgian club's captain netted from the penalty spot in the 49th minute to renew their hopes of qualifying from Group H after Antonio Barragan had blocked a cross with his arm.
Gent sit in third place on four points, two behind Valencia, going into their final matches against Zenit and Lyon.
"I did not think too much [when taking the penalty]," Kums told reporters. "I just thought I have to put it in..
"We played a good match and deserved to win so I am happy I scored the penalty. We had enough chances in the first half, played well, but did not score.
"At half-time we said we should just continue like this and chances would come and that was the case."
Zenit have sealed their place in the knockout phase following a 2-0 win over bottom-side Lyon but Gent's victory leaves second spot up for grabs.
"I think this group is pretty open," Kums added. "We just heard that Lyon lost, so for us that is good news."
The former Chelsea goalkeeper has acknowledged the Gunners were not good enough to hold off the German giants, but is adamant they can still progress in Europe
Petr Cech has admitted Bayern Munich were superior to Arsenal in Wednesay's Champions League encounter at the Allianz Arena, but refuses to give up hope of reaching the knockout stages.
Arsene Wenger's men had recorded a 2-0 win over the Bundesliga champions in the reverse fixture, but were outclassed in Munich as Bayern cruised to a 5-1 win.
"It's tough to take but in a way you have to accept that the team you were playing against was superior to us today in everything they did, especially in the first half," Cech told the official Arsenal website.
"You now need to win two games and we need to make sure that the head to head against Olympiacos is in our favour. Then you can go through.
"Everything is possible. We have two games to play, we have to regroup and continue fighting until the last minute.
"It was not a day we wanted, but every game comes thick and fast. You need to make sure that you recover and move on to the next one."
Arsenal sit fourth in Group F with three points from four games, trailing second-placed Olympiacos by six points.
Jesse Lingard say Louis van Gaal instructed Manchester United to shut out the chants from supporters unhappy with the performance against CSKA Moscow
Manchester United forward Jesse Lingard said manager Louis van Gaal told his players at half-time to "ignore the fans" in the 1-0 Champions League victory over CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford.
United supporters vocalised their frustration towards the Dutch boss throughout the European tie, chanting "attack, attack, attack" at Van Gaal, with his preferred possession-based style wearing thin with fans accustomed to a more direct approach.
The home side had failed to score in 404 minutes before Wayne Rooney's headed winner with 11 minutes remaining, and Lingard – who supplied the assist – admitted he was trying to excite the fans.
"I was trying to be as direct as I could and get the crowd on their feet," the 22-year-old attacker said.
"Obviously I had to be direct at the right time, so we had to be patient sometimes. I'm glad the goal came."
When asked what advice Van Gaal had given the players during the interval, Lingard said: "Just to keep going and perform the same as the first half. Be patient, ignore the fans and keep playing your own game."
United moved to the top of Group B with their victory and hold a one-point lead over PSV and Wolfsburg.
Pogba needs time to grow into Juventus role - Del Piero
By Tom Beck
Nov 5, 2015 09:32:48
The 40-year-old believes Juve's new number 10 must be given more time to develop into the role, following calls for improvement from Massimiliano Allegri
Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero has called for patience towards Paul Pogba after his slow start to the season.
Pogba has struggled for form since taking over the iconic number 10 shirt in Turin at the start of the campaign, and this has coincided with the Serie A champion's worst domestic start in over 30 years.
Despite setting up Stephan Lichtsteiner in the 1-1 Champions League draw with Borussia Monchengladback on Wednesday, coach Massimiliano Allegri urged he still must improve.
Yet Del Piero feels he must be given time to grow into the role.
"Today it [the no. 10 shirt] is being worn by a very young and very talented player who half of Europe want to sign," he said.
"Let's give him time to learn, to make mistakes and to grow."
Del Piero - the 2006 World Cup winner - also refused to rule out a playing comeback, despite last appearing in an official match in December 2014.
"I've never said [that I am definitely retired]. Football is my passion but there has to be a time when you officially say it is time to stop," he added. "Who knows what will happen.
"I'm going through a period of reflection at the moment. I will always live my life through football, even if I end up doing something else and I'll never fully turn my back on it."
Miralem Pjanic slotted a penalty with just 10 minutes left on the clock to finally seal the points, and their coach praised the heart shown after being pegged back
Rudi Garcia felt Roma showed superb resilience to beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 in the Champions League after giving away a two-goal lead at the Stadio Olimpico.
Mohamed Salah and Edin Dzeko found the net before the interval to give Roma a comfortable advantage, but Admir Mehmedi and Javier Hernandez levelled with two quick goals after the break.
Miralem Pjanic eventually made the difference, however, when he converted an 80th-minute penalty that saw Roma climb to second place in Group E with five points from four games, one point ahead of Leverkusen.
"We could have scored three or four in the first half, so we were a little rueful in the dressing room at half time," Garcia said at a news conference.
"We're working on our defensive lapses. Usually the team comes out firing after the break, not tonight. The team still showed character to come back after going 2-2, winning and claiming the three points. We did well not to collapse after it went to 2-2.
"The team once again showed they can handle pressure. We showed the right competitive spirit in the first half but less so after the break. We have to improve on that. But I'm pleased with the game as whole. The lads responded out there as they needed to."
The Bundesliga side's coach remains hopeful his side can reach the knockout stages of the Champions League despite Wednesday's defeat to Roma
Roger Schmidt stressed Bayer Leverkusen are not giving up hope of reaching the Champions League knockout stages, but admits his side must win both of their remaining games after Wednesday's 3-2 defeat to Roma.
The Bundesliga side fought back from a 2-0 half-time deficit in the Group E clash thanks to goals from Admir Mehmedi and Javier Hernandez, but Omer Toprak's red card for shoving Mohamed Salah in the area led to Miralem Pjanic scoring the winner from the penalty spot.
Leverkusen subsequently drop to third with four points from as many matches, one adrift of second-placed Roma, while they sit six behind Barcelona.
Schmidt is adamant that Leverkusen can reach the round of 16, but says they will have to beat BATE and shock defending champions Barca to have any hope.
"Congratulations to Roma, but we are not giving up," Schmidt said at a news conference.
"It was annoying that we conceded the 3-2 after we had managed to fight ourselves back into the game after going two goals down.
"We now have to win both of our remaining games and we would obviously have preferred to be in a better position.
"We allowed them too much time to play that first ball from the back and build counterattacks. It is difficult to contain them then."
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno, meanwhile, was pleased with his side's mentality, but concedes Leverkusen were lucky to be just two goals down at the break.
"Of course it's annoying, but the fact that we came back shows that the team has a good mentality," Leno added.
"We had to attack, but we left them too much room and they really took advantage of the fast players they have in attack. We waited too long and were too afraid. In the end we were lucky it was only 2-0 at half-time."
The Gunners boss insisted that their struggle son the road are psychological issues that can be overcome by playing more games away
Arsene Wenger says Arsenal have no fear in European away games and believes the Gunners have shown over the years they can beat any opponent.
Arsenal initially struggled in away games when they first made it into the Champions League, drawing with Lens and losing to Dynamo Kiev to crash out in the group stages in 1998-99.
Draws away to Fiorentina and Barcelona a season later saw them again fail to reach the knockout stages.
Since then they have reached the final in 2005-06 and the semi-finals again in 2008-09, with Wenger claiming the club has gotten rid of the fear that held them back before, although they have not progressed beyond the round of 16 in the previous five campaigns.
"The Champions League was a new competition for us when we first started playing in it. We were in a position where the players made too much of it. The unknown can create a little bit of fear or apprehension," Wenger told the official Arsenal website.
"Slowly we got rid of that. Since then we have created a positive history. We have won at Real Madrid, we have won at Bayern, we have won in Milan, that shows we shouldn't be scared.
"We have won everywhere in Europe. So let's just go out now and play our game.
"It's a psychological issue, of course, and you can get rid of these issues by creating history and the number of games you play away from home."
Irrespective of Wenger's insistence that Arsenal no longer have any fear in away games, the team have been struggling when they leave their Emirates Stadium home in the Champions League this season.
They were beaten 2-1 at Dinamo Zagreb in September and were thrashed 5-1 by Bayern Munich last week, consequently finding themselves in fourth place in Group F with just three points from four games played.
The Gunners host Dinamo on November 24 before travelling to Olympiacos on December 9 in their last group game and need to earn a maximum of six points from those two matches to reach the knockout stages, while also needing Bayern to beat Olympiacos on matchday five.
Champions League & Europa League fixtures to go ahead as planned
By Alex Fisher
Nov 18, 2015 13:29:05
Six co-ordinated attacks in Paris killed 129 people, with further security concerns seeing two international friendlies cancelled, but next week's European games will go ahead
The next round of Champions League and Europa League matches will go ahead as planned despite the recent terror attacks, Uefa has announced.
Six co-ordinated attacks, including one targeting the Stade de France during France's 2-0 win over Germany, killed 129 people in Paris on Friday night.
Further security concerns saw Belgium's friendly at home to Spain cancelled on Monday, with Germany against Netherlands the second match to be postponed by officials.
However, Uefa is confident the return of European football next week will run smoothly. "All matches are scheduled to go ahead as planned," European football's governing body said in a statement.
"Uefa has very strict rules regarding safety and security in relation to the organisation of matches and is working closely with the home clubs and local authorities to ensure all necessary measures are implemented to guarantee safety for all involved.
"Uefa has not issued directives about travelling fans, it is up to the relevant authorities to decide on such matters."
Uefa ban Ademi for four years after doping violation
By Joe Wright
Nov 20, 2015 19:08:25
The midfielder received a lengthy suspension for his failed drugs test after Dinamo Zagreb's Champions League match against Arsenal, but insists he is innocent
Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Arijan Ademi has been given a four-year ban from football after failing a drugs test, the club have announced.
The 24-year-old tested positive for a banned substance following Dinamo's 2-1 Champions League victory over Arsenal in September, prompting Uefa to launch an investigation.
Following a hearing in Switzerland, European football's governing body has issued a lengthy suspension to the Macedonia international, who insists he remains innocent of any offence.
"I find it hard to even describe in words how I feel right now," he said via the club's official website.
"I'm not guilty, I know I did not do any wrong, and I got such a drastic punishment. I feel terrible.
"I would like to thank everyone who has called me in recent days and sent messages, but it's really hard for me to talk about it, and I pray for understanding."
Dinamo have thrown their support behind the player, adding: "As a club, we are shocked and extremely, unpleasantly surprised by such a turn of events, and we will do everything we can in these difficult times with Arijan."
Uefa has already confirmed that Dinamo will not face any points deductions in the Champions League as such sanctions are only issued if two or more players fail doping tests.
Van Gaal confident Manchester United will progress in Champions League
By Stefan Coerts
Nov 22, 2015 18:15:16
The Dutch coach has urged his side to beat PSV on Wednesday but is expecting a tough test at Old Trafford
Louis van Gaal is optimistic about Manchester United's chances of confirming a spot in the the knockout stages of the Champions League with victory over PSV in midweek.
The Old Trafford side sit top of Group B ahead of Wednesday's match with seven points from four games and victory over the Eredivisie champions will secure their progression.
The Red Devils go into the game on the back of a 2-1 win over Watford on Saturday and Van Gaal says it is important his side pick up all three points.
"You always have to win your home matches and that point in Moscow is very important for us," Van Gaal told reporters.
"I said after the away draw against CSKA Moscow that we are on schedule and I still think I am right about that.
"If we beat PSV, then we will have qualified.
"It is very important to win, but it is not easy because every game you have to play you cannot say we will beat them.
"PSV also beat Wolfsburg and I think that they are a very good team. They also beat Manchester United of course."
United were beaten 2-1 by PSV in the reverse fixture in Eindhoven, with Hector Moreno and Luciano Narsingh cancelling out Memphis Depay's opener.
Zenit v Valencia: Feghouli demands response with knockout stages in sight
22 November 2015
Sofiane Feghouli has demanded a response to a turgid draw against Las Palmas on Saturday when Valencia attempt to dent Zenit's perfect record and qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.
Valencia can secure their passage into the round of 16 with a win at the Petrovsky Stadium if Gent fail to beat Lyon in the other Group H encounter on Tuesday.
However, Nuno Espirito Santo's side head to Russia on the back of a poor showing in a 1-1 Liga draw against Las Palmas at Estadio Mestella.
It was a far cry from the performance that saw Valencia batter Celta Vigo 5-1 before the international break, and a tense home crowd voiced their displeasure at a team that has failed to match the lofty standards that saw them finish fourth in La Liga last term.
Midfielder Feghouli accepts the criticism from the supporters, but is sure Valencia have what it takes to bounce back.
"It was a bad game. Las Palmas had a lot of possession and we didn't know how to recover the ball," he told the club's official website.
"This draw feels like a defeat and we understand the anger everyone has. But we have another game on Tuesday and we must move on.
"We'll face it with a lot of ambition and I am sure we will react."
In contrast to Valencia's worries, Russian champions Zenit head into the contest on the back of a convincing 3-0 win over Ural.
Zenit have stuttered in the defence of the Russian Premier League, but their win leaves them seven points off leaders CSKA Moscow with just over half the season gone.
Head coach Andre Villas-Boas - who was an assistant at Porto when Valencia boss Nuno was a back-up goalkeeper in his playing days - has overseen Zenit's best start to a Champions League campaign.
A 2-0 win at Lyon last time out confirmed their passage to the knockout stages, and Zenit are the only team with a 100 per cent record in this season's group stages.
Zenit - who won the reverse fixture 3-2 - know that a point will be enough to confirm top spot in the group, but defender Igor Smolnikov is not interested in playing for the draw.
"We always go out onto the pitch and play only for victory," he told Zenit's official site. "In the match against Valencia we will play to win."
Zenit are without suspended duo Aleksandr Anyukov and Javi Garcia, while Viktor Fayzulin (knee) is also absent.
For Valencia, Alvaro Negredo (appendicitis), Diego Alves and Rodrigo (both knee) are unavailable.
CSKA Moscow v Wolfsburg: Prolific Bundesliga side face out-of-form Russians
23 November 2015
Bottom-of-the-table CSKA Moscow must avoid defeat to Wolfsburg in Group B on matchday five in order to maintain their hopes of Champions League progression.
The Russian outfit - looking to avoid a third straight group-stage elimination - lie two points adrift of their German opponents but have the opportunity to build on their four-game unbeaten run at home in Europe this year at Arena Khimki on Wednesday.
Dieter Hecking's side slipped to third place following their 2-0 defeat to PSV Eindhoven last time out, but remain one point off Manchester United in top spot.
Wolfsburg will head to Russia's capital on the back of a 6-0 Bundesliga mauling of Werder Bremen.
Hecking believes the result provided a huge boost in confidence for his players ahead of the away trip.
"When you win 6-0, there is very little to criticise," he said.
"Klaus Allofs [Wolfsburg's sporting director] and I wanted to find the right point in time to address the emotionless displays in Eindhoven and Mainz.
"Something which I found very positive was how the team got together without the presence of those sportingly responsible. Apparently we, and the players, found the right words.
"Now we can go into the Champions League game in Moscow very confidently, although we are very well aware that it is a completely different game."
CSKA, meanwhile, have lost four consecutive matches in all competitions following their 2-0 defeat to out-of-form Krylya Sovetov in the league.
Head coach Leonid Slutsky admits there are problems within his team and he is eager to achieve a positive result against Wolfsburg to address their slump.
"We are not in the best state. You must try to compensate for this, [but] today it could not done," he said following Saturday's loss.
"It is clear that the following match is extremely important, we are not approaching it in the best emotional state. But we will try our best to change the situation.
"Each team has periods of recession. It would be better that these declines were minimal - or not at all. Unfortunately, we are now just in this state."
Slutsky confirmed he would be without Roman Eremenko, Seydou Doumbia and Vasili Berezutski for the clash due to injury.
Wolfsburg's Julian Draxler scored the only goal of the game in the reverse fixture in September.
Bayern Munich v Olympiacos: Arsenal need a favour from Guardiola´s men
22 November 2015
Bayern Munich host Olympiacos in the Champions League on Tuesday looking to win Group F with victory, although a draw will send both sides through and eliminate Arsenal.
The Gunners need Pep Guardiola's men to secure a victory as well as beat Dinamo Zagreb in their match if they are to stand any chance of progression to the last 16 ahead of their matchday six clash with the Greek side.
Bayern romped to a 3-0 victory in Greece in the reverse fixture with Thomas Muller's double and a Mario Gotze goal doing the damage.
The Bundesliga champions warmed up for the game with a 3-1 win at Schalke on Saturday, a result that put them eight points clear of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table.
Olympiacos' derby match against Panathinaikos was called off due to crowd trouble. Marco Silva's side are on a stunning run of form though, having won 10 and drawn one of their 11 games since the loss to Bayern in September.
The Greeks have a poor record in Germany, however, with only one win and five defeats to show for their six trips to play against Bundesliga opposition.
Forward Muller says Bayern are becoming accustomed to opposition sides doing anything possible to stop their free-flowing attack.
"You have to work hard for every single victory," he said. "Our opponents make it difficult for us, the back five is quite popular at the moment.
"Our opponents try everything, so we have to give 100 per cent in every match. We played reasonably well [against Schalke] but it was annoying to concede the equaliser from a counter-attack."
David Alaba is a doubt for the game after injuring his ankle in the win over Schalke, as is Juan Bernat (groin).
Gotze (groin), Franck Ribery (ankle) and Sebastian Rode (thigh) are all out.
Olympiacos are expected to be without Giannis Maniatis (knee) and Alejandro Dominguez (hamstring).
Goalkeeper Roberto was frustrated not to be able to play the game against Panathinaikos, in what was a major disruption to their Bayern preparations.
"We came to play a football match and we leave very disappointed," he said.
"We wanted to play. We are very disappointed that this battle was cancelled because of things happened that have nothing to do with football."
Shakhtar Donetsk v Real Madrid: Benitez seeks response after Clasico humiliation
23 November 2015
Real Madrid will finish top of Group A in the Champions League if they bounce back from a painful loss to Barcelona with victory over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.
Rafael Benitez's men were humbled 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first Clasico of the season on Saturday and subsequently lost ground on their rivals in the Liga title race.
However, Madrid have already ensured their place in the last 16 of the Champions League prior to the midweek trip to Ukraine and know a fourth victory of the campaign will guarantee top spot.
A draw in Lviv could prove sufficient for Benitez and Madrid, if Paris Saint-Germain fail to beat Malmo, although the coach knows only a convincing victory will help divert attention from their poor Clasico display.
"Rather than analysing the game, which of course we will do, what matters most now is lifting the group's spirits quickly and getting everyone to see the importance of the upcoming fixtures," Benitez said after the loss at the Bernabeu.
"We also have a duty to the fans to get three points in our next match."
Benitez will be without defenders Marcelo (adductor) and Sergio Ramos (shoulder) as Madrid prepare to face a Shkahtar side whose hope of progression are all but over despite a 4-0 win over Malmo last time out.
Mircea Lucescu's men realistically need to beat Madrid and hope PSG fail to collect maximum points in Sweden to have a chance of progression.
Shakhtar will also stay in contention with a draw, provided the French champions are beaten, and defender Vasyl Kobin feels some factors are in Shakhtar's favour.
Asked whether Madrid's qualification could help Shakhtar, Kobin told the club's official website: "Just a bit ... the cold weather might affect it [the outcome] too.
"But one way or another, the players of Real Madrid are masters of their craft. They know how to handle the ball.
"Everything will depend on the development of the game. Los Merengues have begun to play more defensively. Previously, they focused solely on attacking, while under the current mentor [Benitez] they drop deep and play on the counter more frequently.
"Playing away, we lost to Real Madrid. But this time our fans will come to the stadium. We have to play our game and then act based on the score. Personally, I do not feel any pressure."
Lucescu will be without suspended pair Oleksandr Kucher and Darijo Srna for the visit of Madrid.
Juventus v Manchester City: Chiellini wary of City after Liverpool humiliation
23 November 2015
Giorgio Chiellini fears Juventus could feel the brunt of a Manchester City backlash when they host the Premier League side in Champions League Group D.
Manuel Pellegrini's team lost their place at the summit of England's top flight in brutal fashion on Saturday as they were thrashed 4-1 by Liverpool, producing a display that made their manager "more than angry".
Juve beat City in Manchester at the start of the group campaign but consecutive draws against Borussia Monchengladbach have seen them cede the initiative, as their opponents beat the Bundesliga side before chalking up home and away triumphs over Sevilla.
A dominant 3-1 victory in Spain secured qualification for the knockout stages with two matches to spare for City, and another win in Turin would seal top spot and a seeded place in the last-16 draw.
Having been paired with and beaten by Barcelona after qualifying as runners-up over the past two seasons, City are expected to place significant value on topping the pile in the round-robin stage this time around.
Nevertheless, Chiellini – who scored an own goal when the teams met at the Etihad Stadium – believes it will be wounded professional pride rather than this ambition that lends an edge to City at Juventus Stadium.
"I'd have preferred to see a more peaceful and secure Manchester," Chiellini told Sky Italia.
"They're a squad of great talents, maybe it would be easier to take advantage of an opportunity if they were more relaxed.
"Having already qualified, at this point they could be a bit more relaxed. Now though they'll be super-attentive, super-eager for redemption.
"So we'll play a great match, because we want to get through on Wednesday."
Pellegrini's tactics and selection came under considerable scrutiny after the Liverpool loss – a far cry from the praise he earned when a dynamic midfield dismantled Sevilla earlier this month.
The decisions to leave defender Nicolas Otamendi and midfield lynchpin Fernandinho on the bench after travelling back from World Cup qualifying action in South America backfired on Pellegrini, as Liverpool overran his team in central areas, City centre-backs Martin Demichelis and Eliaquim Mangala in particular turning in shambolic displays.
Pellegrini does not expect to be able to bolster his defence by selecting Vincent Kompany, a troublesome calf injury again the source of his captain's woes, while playmaker David Silva (ankle) is also set to miss out alongside hamstring injury victims Wilfried Bony and Samir Nasri – the latter having recently undergone surgery.
"The important thing is to try to recover our performance," said Pellegrini, who insisted the weekend experience will not force him to abandon his attacking instincts.
"It's important to try to win, we always try to win.
"If you can't win then, of course, it's always good to get a point, but we are not going to go to Juventus just to try to draw."
Juve have injury problems of their own ahead of the match, with Hernanes (groin) and Sami Khedira (muscular injury) ruled out.
Former Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra was substituted after 29 minutes of a 1-0 Serie A win over AC Milan on Saturday and will be assessed alongside Martin Caceres (thigh).
BATE v Bayer Leverkusen: Hernandez out to continue hot streak
22 November 2015
In-form striker Javier Hernandez wants Bayer Leverkusen to build on a morale-boosting weekend victory when they travel to BATE for a pivotal Champions League Group E clash.
Leverkusen ended a run of three straight defeats in all competitions by seeing off Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 on Saturday.
A first-half brace from Hernandez set Roger Schmidt's team on their way - the former Manchester United player scoring for the seventh consecutive club match, during which time he has amassed 10 goals.
Mexico international Hernandez began this hot steak with another double in the 4-4 draw against Roma last month, while his first goal in Leverkusen's colours came when BATE were dispatched 4-1 at the BayArena in September.
"We're really pleased with the three points and we need to keep going in this flow," Hernandez said after the victory in Frankfurt.
"On Tuesday we're going to try to do the same against BATE in the Champions League."
Leverkusen and BATE are third and fourth in the group respectively but victory for either will see them head into the final round of matches occupying the second qualifying spot, providing Roma are beaten on their trip to face holders Barcelona.
By contrast, if Roma spring a surprise at Camp Nou and the match in Belarus ends all square, BATE and Leverkusen will go out.
With the stakes high, Schmidt unsurprisingly views Hernandez as his trump card.
"It does the team a lot of good to have a striker like Chicharito who scores regularly," he said.
"He's integrated himself very well into our style of play. The fact he's scoring so often is extraordinary."
BATE have failed on their previous four attempts to reach the last 16 but they boast a formidable home record in the Champions League this season.
Dundalk, Videoton and Partizan were all seen off in the qualification rounds, while coach Aleksandr Yermakovich masterminded a stunning victory 3-2 victory over Roma that keeps their hopes of reaching the knockout stages flickering.
Leverkusen have not won on the road in the Champions League since a 2-1 triumph at Zenit last November and have lost all three away matches this time around, including a 1-0 reverse in their eventual qualifying success over Lazio.
Vitali Rodionov remains BATE's only injury absentee with a knee problem, while Schmidt must reckon without suspended duo Omer Toprak and Kyriakos Papadopoulos.
Leverkusen's Germany midfielder Lars Bender is battling to return from an ankle problem that has ruled him out for the past month.
