UEFA.com works better on other browsers
For the best possible experience, we recommend using Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

Sampdoria lead rested eight

Eight teams, including UC Sampdoria, get their group stage campaign under way tonight while a further nine clubs attempt to lift their tally to six points.

Sampdoria meet Steaua
SK Slavia Praha, Brøndby IF, UC Sampdoria, PFC Litex Lovech, FK Crvena Zvezda, PFC Levski Sofia, AFC Rapid Bucuresti and Sevilla FC all sat out Matchday 1 a fortnight ago, with the pick of their debut matches perhaps Sampdoria's encounter with FC Steaua Bucuresti in Group C, the Romanian side having defeated RC Lens in the most convincing of the opening-night results.

Holders go to Heerenveen
None of the other seven teams playing their opening game face a side that won two weeks back, though Sevilla welcome a Beşiktaş JK team that drew 1-1 with Bolton Wanderers FC but have since appointed Jean Tigana as coach. Bolton themselves meet Group H leaders FC Zenit St. Petersburg, while another Russian club in action, holders PFC CSKA Moskva, hope to bounce back from losing to Olympique de Marseille when they visit Group F rivals SC Heerenveen.

Six-point aim
There are two matches between sides who both hold three points. In Group A, Hamburger SV welcome a Viking FK team that shocked AS Monaco FC in Norway, while FC Shakhtar Donetsk go to VfB Stuttgart in Group G. US Città di Palermo, Middlesbrough FC and RC Strasbourg are also seeking second wins, against FC Lokomotiv Moskva, FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Tromsø IL in Groups B, D and E respectively.

Selected for you