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UCL Preview: Madrid seek for the 1st win; City & PSG to keep their 100% records

  /  Freddy13

Champions League is back! Welcome to our All Football Champions League Preview! For the group stage!

Galatasaray vs Real Madrid (Group A)

Kick off time (Your time)

UTC 2019/10/22 19:00

Probable Lineups

Team News

Zidane has real problems ahead of Tuesday's trip to Turkey. Thibaut Courtois' form in goal remains an issue, while Gareth Bale and Lucas Vazquez's absence leaves them short of natural alternatives on the right.

Isco, James Rodriguez and Luka Jovic are all under performing to add to Zidane's woes and he may have to start at least two of those players given the players unavailable for Madrid heading into Tuesday's crucial Champions League match.

Eden Hazard, Dani Carvajal and Raphael Varane will all return to the starting XI in midweek and Toni Kroos is also available after recovering from a muscle strain.

Focus

Real Madrid are remarkably bottom of Group A with just one point from two games. They followed up their 3-0 defeat to PSG with a 2-2 draw with Club Bruges.

Madrid slipped to a shock 1-0 defeat to Mallorca at the weekend and anything other than three points on Tuesday will leave Zinedine Zidane's side in a perilous position in the group.

Prediction

Galatasaray 1-1 Real Madrid

Juventus vs Lokomotiv Moscow (Group D)

Kick off time (Your time)

UTC 2019/10/22 19:00

Probable Lineups

Team News

Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo are Maurizio Sarri's first-choice striker pairing, leaving Paulo Dybala on the fringes.

Other fringes players like Rodrigo Bentancur and Adrien Rabiot will push to start if Sami Khedira cannot start successive games in quick succession.

Juan Cuadrado has performed well at right-back in recent weeks but Danilo will hope to regain his spot in the team now he is back from injury.

Focus

Juventus cannot take their foot off the gas in the Champions League, as they are level on four points with Atletico Madrid. They have won their last six matches in a row in all competitions.

Prediction

Juventus 2-0 Lokomotiv Moscow

Atletico Madrid vs Leverkusen (Group D)

Kick off time (Your time)

UTC 2019/10/22 16:55

Probable Lineups

Team News

Joao Felix has been ruled out for up to three weeks with an ankle injury. Stefan Savic and Sime Vrsaljko are also sidelined.

Renan Lodi came off the bench in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Valencia but is expected in the starting XI against Bayer Leverkusen. Kieran Trippier will also return to the frame here after being rested at the weekend.

Diego Simeone will have to shuffle his midfield around with Felix injured. Koke should shift to the right, with Saul Niguez coming in field and Thomas Lemar out wide.

Focus

Atletico Madrid are unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions but have drawn five times in that sequence.

Bayer Leverkusen are winless in their last three matches and lost 3-0 at Frankfurt over the weekend.

Atletico are level on points with Juventus at the top of Group D.

Prediction

Atletico 1-0 Leverkusen

Tottenham vs Red Star Belgrade (Group B)

Kick off time (Your time)

UTC 2019/10/22 19:00

Probable Lineups

Team News

Christian Eriksen missed the 1-1 draw with Watford due to a dead leg sustained on international duty and will be assessed.

Giovani Lo Celso and Ryan Sessegnon have returned to training following respective hip and hamstring complaints, but this match may come too soon for the duo.

Hugo Lloris is a long-term absentee after sustaining a dislocated elbow.

Focus

Tottenham rescued a draw from the jaws of defeat against Watford on Saturday as Dele Alli's late strike secured a point at the weekend. However, Spurs have now won just one of their last seven competitive outings and will be looking to bounce back in the Champions League having fallen to a 7-2 loss to Bayern last time out.

Spurs have won only three competitive matches this season. That run may continue here.

Prediction

Tottenham 2-2 Red Star Belgrade

Manchester City vs Atalanta (Group C)

Kick off time (Your time)

UTC 2019/10/22 19:00

Probable Lineups

Team News

Nicolas Otamendi and Kyle Walker missed Saturday's win over Crystal Palace through injury and illness, respectively, but both returned to training on Sunday and could play a part here.

John Stones marked his comeback from injury from the bench against Palace and is in line to make his first start in over a month in midweek. His return should push Rodri back into midfield and even provide Fernandinho with a rest.

Kevin De Bruyne and Benjamin Mendy also returned from injury at the weekend to leave only Leroy Sane and Aymeric Laporte as confirmed absentees.

Aguero could make his 100th appearance in UEFA club competition, while Bernardo Silva has 49 appearances in European matches.

Focus

Manchester City have won their opening two Champions League group games and are yet to concede.

Atalanta have been hugely disappointing in the Champions League thus far, losing both matches and conceding six goals in the process.

Prediction

Man City 3-0 Atalanta

Club Brugge vs PSG (Group A)

Kick off time (Your time)

UTC 2019/10/22 19:00

Probable Lineups

Team News

Neymar has served his suspension in the Champions League but now misses out through injury.

Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani were held back on the bench for PSG on Friday night.

Thiago Silva came off at half-time in Friday's 4-1 win away to Nice but has been selected in PSG's squad.

Idrissa Gueye, Julian Draxler and Thilo Kehrer are ruled out for the away side but Colin Dogba is back from injury.

Marquinhos has started both of PSG's Champions League matches in midfield.

Focus

Paris Saint-Germain are in a dominant position in Group A, four points clear of Club Bruges, their nearest challengers. They have won their last four matches and have scored four goals in each of their last two.

Prediction

Brugge 1-2 PSG

Olympiacos vs Bayern Munich (Group B)

Kick-off time (Your time)

UTC 2019/10/22 19:00

Probable Lineups

Team News

Niklas Süle suffered a serious knee injury in the first half of Bayern Munich's 2-2 draw with Augsburg at the weekend and has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Leon Goretzka and Lucas Hernandez are back available after injury for the away side, but Jann-Fiete Arp is still sidelined.

Jerome Boateng has dropped completely down the pecking order under Niko Kovac and Bayern may even go with Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez at centre-back in midweek.

Thomas Muller may have to settle for another place on the bench, with Philippe Coutinho preferred in the No.10 role.

Focus

Bayern Munich are in a good position in Group B after starting the campaign with successive wins, including a 7-2 hammering away to Tottenham.

Bayern have actually failed to win their last two matches, which suggests they are at their best. That gives the home side a chance but Bayern are expected to come through with another three points here.

Prediction

Olympiacos 1-2 Bayern Munich