Champions League is back! Welcome to our All Football Champions League Preview! For the group stage!
Real Madrid vs Galatasaray (Group A)
Kick-off time (Your time):
UTC 2019/11/06 20:00
Probable Lineups:
Real Madrid News:
James should be back in the matchday squad after missing out at the weekend due to the birth of his child.
Zidane has confirmed Bale is not ready to play, which could pave the way for teenager Rodrygo to start once again. Vazquez is also an option but he is not yet at full fitness.
Marcelo will push to get his starting spot back at left-back after Mendy got the nod at the weekend.
Focus:
Real Madrid were held to a 0-0 draw by Real Betis at the weekend.
Galatasaray bounced back from successive 1-0 defeats to Real Madrid and Besiktas with a 2-0 victory over Rizespor on Friday.
Barring any remarkable results, the best Madrid can hope for in Group A is second place and a victory here should pretty much confirm that.
Madrid are unbeaten at home this season and will be expected to get three points on Wednesday.
Prediction:
Real Madrid 2-0 Galatasaray
Lokomotiv Moscow vs Juventus (Group D)
Kick-off time (Your time):
UTC 2019/11/06 17:55
Probable Lineups:
Juventus News:
Cuadrado is suspended for one match after reaching the limit for yellow cards (3) in the UCL this season. Danilo will get a start at right-back as a result.
De Sciglio, Costa and Pjanic have overcome recent injuries to offer Sarri more options.
Chiellini, Pjaca and Perrin remain unavailable for Juventus through injury.
Matuidi will miss out against Atletico in their next UCL match if he is booked on Wednesday and may not be risked as a result.
Ramsey and Rabiot are both struggling for starts at the moment and may have to settle for a place on the bench here.
Higuain will hope to take Dybala's place in the team away to Lokomotiv Moscow in midweek.
Focus:
Juventus are unbeaten in all competitions this season. The Serie A outfit are yet to hit top form, however.
Juventus' last five victories have been by a one goal margin.
Prediction:
Lokomotiv Moscow 0-1 Juventus
Atalanta vs Man City (Group C)
Kick-off time (Your time):
UTC 2019/11/06 20:00
Probable Lineups:
Man City News:
Silva misses out for Manchester City after picking up a muscle injury at the weekend. He joins Sane, Zinchenko, Rodri and Laporte on the sidelines.
With Liverpool to face this weekend, Guardiola may have one eye on their crucial Premier League clash and make changes here accordingly.
Angelino could keep his place in the team as a result, while Cancelo and Otamendi should also start at the back. Youngster Garcia may even get minutes.
Foden is suspended after being sent off in City's 5-1 win over Atalanta last time out in the competition.
Focus:
Manchester City have won their first three group games and are on the brink of qualifying for the next stage, though they still have some potential banana-skin matches.
Guardiola will have to ensure his players are focused on this match and not their encounter with Liverpool on Sunday.
After winning the reverse match 5-1, City are the obvious favourites heading into Wednesday's match.
Prediction:
Atalanta 1-2 Manchester City
Bayern vs Olympiakos (Group B)
Kick-off time (Your time):
UTC 2019/11/06 17:55
Probable Lineups:
Team News:
Bayern sacked Kovac after their 5-1 defeat away to Frankfurt on Saturday and assistant Flick has been promoted into caretaker charge of at least their next two games.
Boateng was sent off at the weekend but is free to play here. Despite Boateng's notable decline, Bayern have little choice but to give him another go here with both Sule and Lucas ruled out.
Lewandowski will undergo a minor groin operation during the next international break but will not miss any Bayern games in the meantime.
Alphonso Davies has started at left-back in recent matches for Bayern but it remains to be seen whether that will still be the case now Kovac has been dismissed.
Muller will hope a change of coach will improve his fortunes at Bayern this season. It may also make him re-consider his desire to leave.
Focus:
A 5-1 defeat away to Frankfurt proved the straw that broke the camel's back for Bayern Munich, as they swiftly dismissed Kovac.
Bayern will qualify for the knockout phase if they win here or FK Crvena Zvezda drop points against Tottenham in the group's other game.
Bayern are the obvious favourites but do not be surprised if this is a hard match for them after the sacking of Kovac.
Prediction:
Bayern 2-1 Olympiacos
PSG vs Club Brugge (Group A)
Kick-off time (Your time):
UTC 2019/11/06 20:00
Probable Lineups:
Team News:
PSG could be without Neymar, Kehrer, Herrera, Verratti, Meunier and Silva on Wednesday.
Cavani last started a game for PSG in August but Tuchel may give him a chance from the off here.
Marquinhos tends to play in central midfield in the UCL but may be required at the back if Silva misses out.
Di Maria will miss out against former club Real Madrid if he is booked on Wednesday and it wouldn't be a surprise if he was rested here.
Sarabia and Choupo-Moting will hope to benefit from any rotation against Club Brugge.
The absence of Verratti and Herrera once again would really limit PSG's options in midfield.
Focus:
PSG only need to avoid defeat on Wednesday to secure a place in the next round. A victory will put them in a very strong position to claim top spot.
PSG beat Club Brugge 5-0 in the reverse meeting but the Ligue 1 giants required a 12-minute hat-trick from Mbappe off the bench to secure all three points.
PSG are yet to concede in Europe this season and are expected to run out comfortable winners here.
Prediction:
PSG 3-0 Club Brugge
Red Star Belgrade vs Tottenham (Group B)
Kick-off time (Your time):
UTC 2019/11/06 20:00
Probable Lineups:
Team News:
Lloris misses out for Tottenham, while Kane, Lamela and Vertonghen, who all sat out the 1-1 draw at Everton, will be assessed.
Son and Aurier may both play no part in this match after their unintentional involvement in Andre Gomes' ankle fracture dislocation at Goodison Park.
Lo Celso and Foyth were both second half subs in the stalemate on Merseyside and could start.
Focus:
Tottenham's 5-0 win in the reverse fixture is their only victory in their last six after they were pegged back by Everton late on to share the spoils.
Spurs have tasted victory just the once in their last 18 away matches, that coming in a 1-0 win over Dortmund in the UCL, and will find the going tough in Belgrade.
Indeed, while Spurs romped to victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Red Star Belgrade, like they did against Liverpool last season, could spring an upset here.
Prediction:
Red Star Belgrade 2-1 Tottenham
Leverkusen vs Atletico (Group D)
Kick-off time (Your time):
UTC 2019/11/06 20:00
Probable Lineups:
Team News:
Neither Gimenez nor Savic recovered in time to face Sevilla at the weekend and both are doubts coming into this game.
Felix is not far away from returning to first-team action but is not expected to feature here, while Vrsaljko is out.
Correa turned in a WhoScored Man of the Match display in their 1-1 draw with Sevilla and will surely keep his place in the team after Costa came off the bench and missed a penalty that would have given Atletico the lead late on.
Trippier and Lemar were hauled off at half-time against Sevilla and could both lose their places in the starting XI here. Trippier's replacement, Arias, registered the assist that got Atletico back in the game.
Focus:
Leverkusen have only won one of their last seven matches in all competitions.
Atletico are unbeaten in their last 11 matches in all competitions but have drawn seven times in that sequence, including their last two.
Prediction:
Leverkusen 0-1 Atletico Madrid
UEL Clash
Vitoria Guimaraes vs Arsenal
Kick-off time (Your time):
UTC 2019/11/06 15:50
Probable Lineups:
Team News:
Xhaka has missed Arsenal's last two matches after his fall-out with supporters but has since apologised. It remains to be seen whether he is ready to feature just yet.
Emery will ring the changes from Saturday's 1-1 draw with Wolves.
Expect the likes of Bellerin, Willock, Kolasinac and Martinelli to start here.
Focus:
This Europa League match is being played on Wednesday to ease the pressure on the city, with Braga at home on Thursday.
It's also an afternoon kick-off as Champions League and Europa League matches are not allowed to overlap.
Arsenal are unbeaten in their last four matches but have drawn their last three. The Gunners have won just one of their last six on the road.
Is another slip-up on the cards for Emery's side here?
Prediction:
Vitoria Guimaraes 2-2 Arsenal