What to watch out for in the Champions League
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Article summary
Reunions for Ángel Di María and Jesús Navas, seven teams eyeing early qualification, a long wait for Galatasaray and hope for Arsenal – what to look forward to on matchday four.
Article top media content
Article body
Seven teams eye early progress
Only Zenit have a 100% record halfway through the group stage, but Valencia, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester City all have a chance of booking their round of 16 places with two games to spare.
Di María returns to Real Madrid
Having played three-quarters of the 0-0 Group A draw with Madrid on matchday three, Paris forward Ángel Di María returns to the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday for the first time since leaving in August 2014. Victory for either side could be enough to qualify. "I don't know how the people will react and how they will treat me when I go back," said Di María. "I still have everything I achieved at that club in my heart."
Real Madrid v Paris – Tuesday
Sevilla's impressive home record
In Group D, meanwhile, City winger Jesús Navas travels back to Sevilla, the club where he spent a decade. He and his team will have their work cut out against the UEFA Europa League holders, who have won their last ten European fixtures at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán.
Sevilla v Manchester City – Tuesday
BATE have herculean task
Beaten 2-0 at home by Barcelona in Group E last time out, BATE Borisov face a seemingly mountainous task in Catalonia. The holders put nine goals past the Belarusians in the 2011/12 group stage – triumphing 5-0 away and 4-0 at home – and have won seven in a row at the Camp Nou in this competition. In fact, they have lost only one of their last 34 UEFA Champions League home matches, winning 27.
Barcelona v BATE – Wednesday
Arsenal have hope in Bavaria
The Gunners, seeking to reach the last 16 for the 16th successive season, lost their opening two games before injecting life into their Group F campaign by felling Bayern München on 20 October. Now they go to Bavaria eyeing an even more notable scalp. They will no doubt be buoyed by their two most recent visits there, in the 2012/13 and 2013/14 round of 16, when they won 2-0 and drew 1-1 respectively.
Bayern v Arsenal – Wednesday
Chelsea under the cosh
The Premier League title holders have won one, drawn one and lost one in Group G. Though it is not as slow a start as they have made in the Premier League – 11 points from their first ten outings – the Londoners can ill afford another slip. Lose to Dynamo Kyiv and they could be four points off the top two with just two matches remaining. Their Ukrainian guests, though, have never won in 12 trips to England, drawing twice.
Chelsea v Dynamo Kyiv – Wednesday
Galatasaray look to end 31-month wait
Galatasaray have not picked up maximum points in a UEFA Champions League away fixture since a 3-2 victory at Schalke in the 2012/13 round of 16 second leg; their record on the road since is D2 L7. The Group C assignment in Lisbon represents their next opportunity to change that.
Benfica v Galatasaray – Tuesday
Two yet to get off the mark
Shakhtar Donetsk and Maccabi Tel-Aviv, the only two teams still to register a point at this midway stage, will attempt to open their respective Group A and G accounts at home to Malmö and Porto.
Shakhtar v Malmö – Tuesday
Maccabi v Porto – Wednesday