Leeds United vs Crystal Palace

Leeds United and Crystal Palace are set to trade tackles in a bottom-half Premier League encounter at Elland Road.

Following an utterly impressive 2020/21 Premier League campaign, Leeds have crumbled this season, picking up a mere two victories from their opening 13 league matches (D6, L5). An underwhelming start to the season sees the ‘Whites’ enter this round only three points clear of the drop zone, though they take on a Palace side they’ve defeated in their last five league H2Hs at home in a row. Moreover, since securing top-flight promotion last season, Marcelo Bielsa’s men have racked up five triumphs in their six midweek Premier League fixtures. Despite Bielsa’s well-documented attacking football philosophy, Leeds have averaged a measly 1.0 goals per home Premier L00 Comments in moderationeague game this season, netting under 1.5 goals in their last five on the trot. Topically, they belong to a small group of four teams yet to score over 2.5 goals per match this Premier League season.

On the other hand, a 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend knocked Crystal Palace down from a seven-match unbeaten Premier League streak (W2, D5). Away from home, the ‘Eagles’ have conceded 2+ goals in all but one of their six Premier League outings this term, with a 2-0 win over reigning champions Manchester City the solitary exception to this run. That said, Patrick Vieira’s men have gone unbeaten in their last three Premier League travels (W1, D2) since a 3-0 loss at Liverpool in mid-September, bagging over 1.5 goals on each occasion. The last time they scored 2+ goals in four top-flight away fixtures on the bounce was in January 2019. Palace’s attacking set-up usually sparks into life beyond half-time, with 14 (73.68%) of their 19 Premier League goals scored this term arriving in the second half of play.

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Newcastle United vs Norwich City

St James’ Park plays host to a Premier League basement showdown between rock-bottom Newcastle United and 19th-placed Norwich City.h

Though Norwich’s visit looks like a prime opportunity for Newcastle to record their first Premier League victory of the season (D6, L7), the visitors’ recent form speaks the opposite. The signs are ominous, as all three teams to have ever failed to win any of their opening 14 Premier League matches went on to suffer relegation. Yet, the ‘Magpies’ have avoided defeat in their last nine league meetings with Norwich at home (W7, D2) since a 2-0 loss in September 1988. Worryingly, though, the Tyneside strugglers have suffered six defeats in their last eight Premier League fixtures played over midweek (W1, D1). What’s more, their defensive frailties have seen them concede a staggering, league-high 29 goals this term and are the only Premier League side yet to keep a clean sheet to date.

In the meantime, the visitors seem to have picked themselves up from a dreadful start to the season that saw them go winless in their inaugural ten Premier League matches (D2, L8), racking up a three-game unbeaten run since (W2, D1). Adding to the confidence, the ‘Canaries’ have outplayed Newcastle in two of their last three top-flight H2Hs (D1), as many victories as they had in their previous ten in the competition (W2, D3, L5). A 2-0 triumph over the league newcomers Brentford in their most recent Premier League trip means Norwich could register back-to-back top-flight wins away from home for the first time since January 2012. New manager Dean Smith looks like a perfect candidate to lead Norwich to another success at St James’ Park, as he’s never lost a Premier League meeting with Newcastle as a manager (W3, D2).

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Salernitana vs Juventus

Underperforming Juventus will be looking to get their underwhelming Serie A season back on the rails when they meet newly-promoted Salernitana at Stadio Arechi.

Federico Bonazzoli’s last-gasp equalizer salvaged a point for Salernitana against fellow relegation strugglers Cagliari at the weekend (1-1), snapping a run of three Serie A reverses on the trot. With 17th-placed Spezia only three points ahead, Salernitana remain within touching distance of safety, but a poor home form can hardly inspire an upset here. ‘I Granata’ have only won one of their seven Serie A home fixtures this season (D1, L5), losing the last three in a row by an aggregate score of 7-2. Yet, Stefano Colantuono’s men will have an added motive to maintain their unbeaten overall Serie A home record against Juventus (W1, D1), as they could go unbeaten in back-to-back top-flight games for the first time this season. To do that, Salernitana will have to avoid conceding first, as they’ve lost five of six Serie A matches when falling behind this term (D1).

In the meantime, a 1-0 home defeat to Atalanta at the weekend saw Juventus drop seven points behind the coveted top-four, meaning they can ill-afford to lose more ground on the Champions League spots. That could be easier said than done, as ‘I Bianconeri’ have only won one of their last three Serie A away matches (D1, L1), falling behind within 20 minutes in both games they didn’t win in that sequence. Though it could sound a bit surprising, the record-time Italian champions have lost their last two Serie A encounters against newly-promoted teams and could lose three consecutive such affairs for the first time in the club’s history. A dark cloud is looming over the Allianz Stadium these days, as Juventus face the prospect of suffering three defeats in all competitions in a row for the first time since March 2011.

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Atalanta vs Venezia

High-flying Atalanta welcome 16th-placed Venezia to the Gewiss Stadium for what appears to be a straightforward Serie A task for the hosts at first glance.

A hard-fought 1-0 away win at Juventus at the weekend set Atalanta up nicely for this clash as they aim to extend their eye-catching seven-game unbeaten Serie A run (W5, D2) against sub-par opposition. Overwhelming pre-match favorites, ‘La Dea’ have recorded seven victories across their nine Serie A meetings with Venezia at home (D1, L1). Against this backdrop, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have endured an indifferent home form this season in Serie A (W2, D3, L2), with a crushing 5-2 victory over Spezia in their most recent home fixture ending a run of three winless games (D2, L1). After keeping Juventus at bay last time out, Atalanta could manage two consecutive Serie A clean sheets for the first time this season. Worryingly, though, after a run of seven straight Serie A home wins, they’ve only won one of their last eight such contests, 2020/21 included.

As for Venezia, a spirited performance against reigning champions Inter Milan was over the weekend was enough only for a 2-0 defeat, as their three-match undefeated Serie A streak (W2, D1) came to a halt. Curiously, despite averaging just 0.62 goals per Serie A away game this season, the visitors have gone unbeaten in 50% of their top-flight travels so far (W2, D2, L4). However, when they lose, it tends to be in disturbing fashion, with each of their four Serie A defeats on the road this term yielding a full-time margin of 2+ goals. Though they head into proceedings as massive underdogs, Venezia have a piece of history to play for here, as they could keep a clean sheet in three consecutive top-flight away games for the first time.

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Chelsea vs Manchester United

Chelsea and Manchester United are set to square off in a mouth-watering Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge.

A scintillating 4-0 romping of Juventus in midweek Champions League action should encourage Chelsea’s bid to end a seven-game winless H2H streak in the Premier League (D4, L3). The Premier League pacesetters have failed to find the net in their last three top-flight meetings with Man United (D2, L1), including a brace of goalless draws in the 2020/21 season. On the bright side, Thomas Tuchel’s men have won 75% of their Premier League games this season (9/12), conceding a league-low four goals in the process. Except for a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in late September, the ‘Blues’ have scored in their remaining five Premier League home outings this term (W4, D1), averaging 2.83 goals per match. Delivering action from the onset, Chelsea opened the scoring in each of those five games.

On the other hand, a humiliating 4-1 defeat away to Watford last weekend prompted the Old Trafford powerbrokers to sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and bring in Ralf Rangnick. But caretaker manager Michail Carrick, who led Manchester United to a 2-0 Champions League win over Villarreal in midweek, will be tasked with halting his side’s two-game losing Premier League streak this weekend. Despite these uncertain times for the ‘Red Devils,’ there’s a good omen here, with United going unbeaten in their last 11 top-flight visits to London (W7, D4). Having won their previous three Premier League games in the capital, Man United could make it four victories in a row in such match-ups for the first time since November 2005. However, they have suffered five defeats in their last seven Premier League fixtures (W1, D1), as many as they had in their previous 42 in the competition.

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Burnley vs Tottenham Hotspur

Turf Moor is the venue as 18th-placed Burnley take on an out-of-form Tottenham Hotspur in a hard-to-predict Premier League fixture.

An action-packed 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace last time out took Burnley’s unbeaten run in the Premier League to four matches (W1, D3), but it wasn’t enough to lift them away from the drop zone. Sean Dyche’s men have now won just one of their last 15 Premier League fixtures (D6, L8), registering a mere one clean sheet in that run. However, the signs are encouraging, with the ‘Clarets’ netting nine goals across their last four Premier League outings, more than they had across their previous 13 in the competition combined. Burnley’s resurrection will be on the line, as they go up against a Tottenham side they’ve beaten only once in their last 12 top-flight H2Hs (D3, L8), courtesy of a 2-1 win at Turf Moor in February 2019.

Meanwhile, Tottenham go into this matchday on the back of a shock 2-1 loss to sub-par Slovenian side Mura in midweek Europa Conference League action. Yet, ‘Spurs’ came from a 1-0 HT deficit to beat Leeds United 2-1 at home last time out, halting a three-match winless run in the Premier League (D1, L2). Chances have been at a premium for the visitors, with only relegation-threatened attempting fewer shots than Tottenham (124) and scoring fewer goals than ‘Spurs’ (11) so far this season. But the Londoners can draw confidence from their free-scoring form against Burnley, having found the net in all but one of their last 14 Premier League H2Hs. Tottenham recorded a telling eight clean sheets during that 14-game sequence, suggesting they could be hard to penetrate.

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AC Milan vs Sassuolo

AC Milan and Sassuolo are set to face off against each other at the Stadio San Siro in an entertaining Serie A fixture.

Brimming with confidence following midweek’s 1-0 Champions League victory at Atletico Madrid, Milan will be looking to return to winning ways in Serie A after an action-packed 4-3 defeat at Fiorentina last time out. That reverse hindered Milan’s 12-game unbeaten start to this Serie A season (W10, D2), marking their second straight league match without a win (D1, L1). Coming back to the San Siro, where they’ve won five of their six Serie A games this season (D1) is welcoming, as Stefano Pioli’s men aim for vengeance for a 2-1 loss to Sassuolo in this exact fixture in April. But, it’s worth noting that ‘I Rossoneri’ have only won 50% of their top-flight H2Hs on home turf (W4, D2, L2), with three of the last four featuring under 2.5 total goals.

Meanwhile, after putting together two straight Serie A wins down the final stretch of October, Sassuolo have gone winless in their last three league outings (D1, L2), all of which saw over 2.5 goals and both teams scoring. In turn, a high-scoring theme has highlighted Sassuolo’s Serie A away matches this season, with all six witnessing both sides on the scoresheet in matches garnering 3+ overall goals (W2, D1, L3). Though it promises plenty of excitement for neutrals, head coach Alessio Dionisi cannot be happy about his side’s lackluster defensive displays that have seen them let in 2+ goals in five of their six Serie A travels this season. Particularly vulnerable in the closing stages, ‘I Neroverdi’ have conceded at least once beyond the 75th minute in four of their six league road trips to date.

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Brentford vs Everton

The two out-of-sorts sides go head-to-head at the Brentford Community Stadium as 15th-placed Brentford take on 13th-placed Everton in a bottom-half Premier League clash.

After an enthralling 3-3 draw with Newcastle United last time out, Brentford are now winless in five Premier League matches (D1, L4), with fears of a potential return to the Championship starting to loom in the back of their minds. After racking up three clean sheets and conceding just twice in their inaugural five Premier League fixtures, the ‘Bees’ have failed to record a shutout in their last seven in a row, letting in an average of 2.1 goals per game in the process. What’s more, since a 2-0 win over Arsenal in their first-ever Premier League home outing, Thomas Frank’s men have gone winless in their subsequent five top-flight matches at the Brentford Community Stadium (D1, L4). They surrendered the points to a single-goal margin in all four defeats in that run.

As for Everton, an embarrassing 3-0 away loss to Manchester City last time out has deepened the crisis at Goodison Park, taking their winless Premier League streak to six matches (D2, L4). The pressure is ramping up on the opinion-splitting manager Rafael Benitez after his side claimed just one win from six top-flight travels this term (D2, L3), conceding 2+ goals on four occasions in the process. On the bright side, though, the ‘Toffees’ have come out victorious in five of their last six Premier League visits to London (L1), as many triumphs as they had in their previous 32 top-flight games in the capital. But it’s worth noting that Everton have won just one of the eight Premier League fixtures they entered as underdogs this season.

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Real Betis vs Levante

Real Betis will be looking to maintain their upturn in form when they take on rock-bottom Levante in a must-win La Liga match-up at the Estadio Benito Villamarín.

Fresh from securing Europa League knock-out football thanks to a 2-0 win over Ferencváros in midweek, Betis return to domestic affairs, looking to build on last weekend’s 2-0 victory away to Elche. Despite losing back-to-back league matches beforehand, ‘Los Verdiblancos’ have registered their highest points tally (24) after 14 La Liga rounds since 2012/13. Perhaps surprisingly, 45.83% of their total league points this season have come at home, where Betis have won just 42.86% of their matches to date (W3, D2, L2). Benito Villamarín has been a venue of entertainment lately, as three of Betis’ last five La Liga fixtures here have seen 4+ goals and both teams scoring. With three of their previous four top-flight H2Hs here featuring over 2.5 overall goals, another high-scoring contest could be on the cards.

In the meantime, a thoroughly upsetting start to the season sees Levante enter this round bottom of the table as the only La Liga side yet to pick up a league win so far (D7, L7). Taking the 2020/21 campaign into the equation, the visitors are now winless in their last 22 top-flight matches (D10, L12) since a narrow 1-0 triumph over Eibar in April. Adding to a long list of problems, Javier Pereira’s men have registered just one win in their last ten La Liga visits to Andalusian sides (D3, L6), courtesy of a 2-1 beating of Granada in December 2019, failing to keep a clean sheet in each of those ten fixtures. Topically, Levante have suffered four defeats in their previous five La Liga visits to Betis (W1), conceding an average of 2.5 goals per loss.

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Napoli vs Lazio

One of the most highly anticipated fixtures on this weekend’s Serie A schedule pits league-leaders Napoli against sixth-placed Lazio at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

A high-scoring 3-2 defeat away to Inter Milan last time out knocked Napoli down from a 12-game unbeaten start to this Serie A season (W10, D2), putting them in an awkward situation heading into this clash. The last time ‘I Partenopei’ lost back-to-back Serie A matches was in December 2020, coincidentally against the likes of Inter and Lazio that time! Interestingly, Luciano Spalletti’s side conceded as many goals against Inter (3) as they had in their previous ten league outings combined. Adding to Napoli’s confidence, they have defeated Lazio in their last four Serie A encounters on home turf, netting 2+ goals on each occasion, at an average of 3.5 per game. Perhaps surprisingly, only 42.31% of their Serie A goals scored this season have come at home (11/26).

Meanwhile, Lazio surrendered a three-game unbeaten Serie A streak (W2, D1) last time out with a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Juventus. However, a 3-0 away win over Lokomotiv Moscow in midweek Europa League action must have restored some confidence in the traveling camp, as ‘I Biancocelesti’ gun for their first Serie A away win since a 3-1 beating of newly-promoted Empoli in August. Maurizio Sarri’s men have since failed to win any of their five league games on the road (D2, L3), conceding an average of 2.4 goals per match. Though they stare at the prospect of losing back-to-back Serie A fixtures without scoring for the first time since January 2017, Lazio can draw confidence from their recent free-scoring form on hostile turf. The visitors have bagged 2+ goals in their last three competitive travels, with five of their seven goals scored in that run coming beyond half-time.

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RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen

RB Leipzig and Bayern Leverkusen are set to trade tackles in a mammoth Bundesliga fixture at the Red Bull Arena.

After a 5-0 humbling of Club Brugge in midweek Champions League action, Leipzig will look to get their underwhelming Bundesliga season up and running. Having won just 41.67% of their top-flight fixtures this season (W5, D3, L4), last season’s Bundesliga runners-up sit outside the European spots. However, a return to the Red Bull Arena, where they’ve mustered up 15 (83.33%) of their 18 Bundesliga points this term, must be comforting. Since an embarrassing 4-1 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich in early September, Jesse Marsch’s men have won their last four top-flight home games by an aggregate score of 15-2. Leipzig’s imperious home form seems likely to continue this weekend as they go up against a Leverkusen side they’ve lost to just once in ten historical Bundesliga H2Hs (W5, D4).

Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 home win over Celtic in midweek, cementing their place in the Europa League knock-outs in the process. But despite their eye-catching European exploits, ‘Die Werkself’ have struggled in domestic football of late, with a narrow 1-0 home triumph over newly-promoted Bochum last time out ending their four-match winless league streak (D2, L2). That said, Gerardo Seoane’s men enter this round as the only Bundesliga side yet to lose an away match this season (W3, D3), though it’s worth noting that their last two league travels have ended in scoring draws. Delivering action from the get-go, Leverkusen have got on the scoresheet within 15 minutes of play in a league-high seven of their 12 Bundesliga fixtures this term.

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Real Madrid vs Sevilla

Estadio Santiago Bernabéu plays host to a handsomely-looking La Liga showdown between pacesetters Real Madrid and third-placed Sevilla.

A comprehensive 3-0 victory at the expense of Sheriff Tiraspol in midweek locked down Real Madrid’s qualification for the Champions League knock-outs, allowing their attention to switch back to La Liga. Coming into this matchday, ‘Los Blancos’ sit atop the league standings, a virtue of an eye-catching 92.31% unbeaten ratio (W9, D3, L1), though just two points clear of visiting Sevilla. It means a victory is a must, and after beating this opposition in 11 of their last 12 top-flight H2Hs in Madrid (D1), Carlo Ancelotti’s men will relish their chances here. Though they’ve yet to lose a league game at home this term (W3, D2), ‘Los Merengues’ have failed to score in two of their last three La Liga fixtures here. By contrast, they’ve netted an average of 3.25 goals per game across their previous 12 top-flight H2Hs at home.

As for Sevilla, a 2-0 home win over Wolfsburg in midweek saw them get off the mark in the Champions League this season, leaving them in the race for a top-two finish in Group G. Interestingly, each of Sevilla’s last three victories in all competitions have yielded the same 2-0 scoreline. Away from home, ‘Los Nervionenses’ are unbeaten in three La Liga matches (W2, D1) since a 1-0 loss at Granada in early October, keeping a clean sheet in both wins. That reverse remains Sevilla’s solitary away defeat in La Liga this season (W3, D3, L1), their lowest number of road losses at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 2011/12. Entertainment has been relatively sparse in the visitors’ La Liga away games this season, with each of their seven league travels so far featuring under 2.5 total goals.

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Manchester City vs West Ham United

Etihad Stadium is the venue as Manchester City and West Ham United go head-to-head in a Premier League top-four six-pointer.

Manchester City head into proceedings in high spirits after coming from behind to beat PSG 2-1 in midweek Champions League action, taking their winning run in all competitions to four matches. Since losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace at home in late October, the ‘Citizens’ have won back-to-back Premier League matches by 2+ goals ‘to nil,’ including a 3-0 romping of Everton last time out. Interestingly, Pep Guardiola’s men have drawn a blank in two of their six top-flight home games this season, while they’ve averaged 3.75 goals per game in the other four. Though they’ve blown hot and cold defensively, the reigning English champions have been rock-solid at the back, registering five clean sheets in six Premier League fixtures at the Etihad so far (W4, D1, L1).

Only once have West Ham avoided defeat across ten Premier League encounters against Man City since Guardiola took charge in 2016 (D1, L9). What’s more, the ‘Hammers’ have recorded just one victory in their last 15 top-flight visits to the Etihad (D1, L13), courtesy of a 2-1 triumph in September 2015. But even though a narrow 1-0 defeat at Wolverhampton last weekend knocked them down from a four-game winning run in the Premier League, David Moyes’ side bounced back in midweek with a comfortable 2-0 away win over Rapid Vienna in the Europa League. Since the start of last season, the Londoners have lost back-to-back Premier League fixtures on only two occasions. Speaking of West Ham’s bounce-back ability, they have come from behind to win two of the three league away games in which they conceded first this season (L1).

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Leicester City vs Watford

Former Leicester City idol Claudio Ranieri returns home as Watford arrive at the King Power Stadium for an exciting Premier League showdown.

After racking up back-to-back Premier League wins in late October, the hosts have gone winless in their subsequent three league outings (D1, L2), conceding the opener within 30 minutes of play on each occasion. Since a narrow 1-0 win over Wolverhampton in their opening Premier League home fixture, Leicester have won just one of their last five top-flight games at the King Power Stadium (D1, L3), failing to find the net in all three defeats in that period. By contrast, the ‘Foxes’ have only lost one of their last 12 league meetings with Watford at home (W9, D2), falling to a 2-1 reverse in April 2013 in the Championship. Since then, they’ve won five consecutive league H2Hs on home turf by an aggregate score of 11-1.

In the meantime, Watford put Manchester United to the sword last weekend, securing an overwhelming 4-1 home victory to snap a two-game losing streak in the Premier League. Interestingly, just one of Watford’s 12 top-flight matches this season has ended as a draw (W4, L7), with 63.64% of the games won/lost in that sequence seeing the winner on the day keep a clean sheet. The ‘Hornets’ have alternated between winning and losing across their last five Premier League away fixtures (W2, L3). While each of their three defeats in that five-game run yielded the identical 1-0 scoreline, both victories produced a margin of 2+ goals. Worryingly, though, only Norwich City (1) have opened the scoring in fewer Premier League matches than Watford (3) this season, which seems to be turning into a pattern.

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Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa

Led by the new manage Steven Gerrard, Aston Villa take a trip to Selhurst Park to meet Patrick Vieira’s high-flyers Crystal Palace in an exciting Premier League match-up.

Crystal Palace have picked themselves up from a 3- romping at the hands of Liverpool in mid-September, racking up an eye-catching seven-game unbeaten run in the Premier League since (W2, D5). However, Patrick Vieira’s men have already earned a reputation as the ‘stalemate specialists,’ having drawn more Premier League matches (7) than any other side this term. Defensively robust, though, the ‘Eagles’ have kept three clean sheets in their six top-flight outing at Selhurst Park this season while conceding precisely once in two of the other three. That defensive strength is the main reason they are unbeaten in their opening six Premier League home games (W2, D4), last starting a top-flight campaign without a single defeat in their first seven matches at Selhurst Park in the 1990/91 season.

After snatching away a late 2-0 home win over Brighton on his managerial debut last time out, Steven Gerrard will be aiming to navigate Aston Villa to their first back-to-back Premier League victories this season. Though that triumph put Villa’s dreadful five-game losing league streak to bed, playing away from home has not been the visitors’ strong suit this term. Barring an unexpected 1-0 win over Manchester United in late September, the ‘Lions’ have lost their remaining five top-flight away matches so far, conceding 2+ goals in four of them. Furthermore, they have suffered five defeats in their previous six Premier League visits to Selhurst Park (W1), losing each of the last three in a row by a narrow one-goal margin. Away goals have been at a premium for Villa, as they’ve netted one or less in their last five league travels.

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Brighton & Hove Albion vs Leeds United

Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds United go head-to-head in a hard-to-predict Premier League affair at the Amex Stadium.

It’s been a rollercoaster season for Brighton so far, as they’ve gone from winning four of their opening five Premier League matches (L1) to a frustrating seven-game winless run in the competition (D5, L2). However, this could be Brighton’s chance to return to winning ways, as the ‘Seagulls’ have won their last five home league meetings with Leeds without conceding a single goal. That’s a stark contrast to their recent defensive showings that have seen them ship an average of 2.6 goals per game across their last four Premier League fixtures. If you’re going after goals, you may want to look elsewhere, given that four of Brighton’s six Premier League games at the Amex this season have featured under 2.5 goals, including two of the last three.

Meanwhile, languishing just two points clear of 17th-placed Burnley, Leeds go into this round winless in their last two Premier League outings (D1, L1) despite harboring a 1-0 half-time lead on each occasion. Indeed, keeping the lead has been Leeds’ ‘Achilles heel’ this season, as just two teams have dropped more points from winning positions than Marcelo Bielsa’s men (10) so far. Any hopes of ending their goal drought at the Amex will hinge on Leeds’ ability to improve their conversion rate, having turned in a league second-low 6.9% of their attempts in the Premier League this term (12 goals from 175 shots). With five of the ‘Whites’ six away league matches this season seeing both teams on the scoresheet, it’s reasonable to expect an open, end-to-end game, at least from the visitors.

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Juventus vs Atalanta

Juventus and Atalanta are set to trade tackles in a mouth-watering Serie A showdown at the Allianz Stadium.

Juventus’ confidence suffered a devastating blow in midweek Champions League action as they succumbed to a dreadful 4-0 defeat away to Chelsea. However, ‘I Bianconeri’ have got their Serie A campaign back on track of late, going from back-to-back league losses to a pair of wins, including a 2-0 away victory over Lazio last time out. That should restore some confidence in the home camp, as Juventus take on an Atalanta side they’ve beaten just twice in their last nine Serie A H2Hs (D6, L1). What’s more, Massimiliano Allegri’s men went winless in both top-flight H2Hs in the 2020/21 season (D1, L1), scoring under 1.5 goals on each occasion. Juventus have carried their goalscoring problems into this season, as evidenced by a poor return of under 1.5 goals scored in six of their last seven league outings.

In the meantime, an enthralling 3-3 Champions League draw with Young Boys in midweek extended Atalanta’s unbeaten run in all competitions to seven matches (W3, D4), with Gian Piero Gasperini’s side netting 2+ goals in each of the last six in a row. Notably, ‘La Dea’ have amassed 16 points out of the 18 available away from home this Serie A season (W5, D1), as they enter this round as the only Serie A team yet to lose a road fixture. Though two sides have scored more league goals than Atalanta (27) this season, no team has found the back of the net from open play than the ‘Bergamaschi’ (24) to date. That should set up their hopes of landing their first competitive win at Juventus since 1989, with Atalanta going winless in their subsequent 28 away H2Hs since (D7, L21).

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Bayern Munich vs Arminia Bielefeld

Bayern Munich will be looking to get back to winning ways in the Bundesliga when they take on second-from-the-bottom Arminia Bielefeld at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern Munich have bounced back from a shock 2-1 loss to Augsburg with a Champions League win over Dynamo Kyiv in midweek and another success is well on the cards. Sat just one point above second-placed Borussia Dortmund, the ‘Bavarians’ can ill-afford to drop the points against a Bielefeld side they’ve defeated in 14 of their 18 top-flight H2Hs on home turf (D3, L1). Though they’ve already equaled Koln’s Bundesliga record of 101 league goals scored across a single calendar year, Bayern have already lost five Bundesliga matches in 2021, last losing six in one calendar year in 2015. Except for an underwhelming 2-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in early October, Julian Nagelsmann’s men have won their remaining five Bundesliga home games this term, scoring an average of 4.2 goals per match.

On the other hand, a thoroughly disappointing start to the season sees Arminia Bielefeld rooted to the drop zone after winning just one of their opening 12 Bundesliga matches (D6, L5). The visitors go into this matchday as one of just two Bundesliga sides yet to hit double digits in terms of the league goals scored this season (8). Yet, Bielefeld’s solitary league win so far has come away from home, as they outscored Stuttgart 1-0 in their most recent top-flight trip, snapping a run of four winless road games (D2, L2). A low-scoring theme has highlighted Bielefeld’s away fixtures this term, with four of their five league outings featuring under 2.5 goals. Frank Kramer’s men have made a habit of falling behind without recovering, losing five of the seven Bundesliga games when conceding first this term (D2).

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Venezia vs Inter Milan

Resurgent Venezia play host to defending Serie A champions Inter Milan at the Stadio Pierluigi Penzo.

Coming into this matchday, Venezia have won back-to-back Serie A matches by a single-goal margin, as many victories as they had in their opening 11 top-flight outings this season (W2, D3, L6). As a result, they look to be on course of upsetting the odds and securing another top-flight season. Another triumph here would see ‘I Lagunari’ register three Serie A wins in a row for the first time since 1962. But Venezia’s indifferent home form this Serie A season (W2, D1, L2) casts doubt on their ability to cope with the reigning Scudetto holders. Curiously, though, four of their five home league games this term have seen both teams on the scoresheet, highlighting the potential for end-to-end action. On the bright side, they’ve won five of their 12 Serie A home meetings with Inter (D4, L3).

On the other hand, a hard-earned 2-0 home win over Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek catapulted Inter to the Champions League knock-out stages for the first time in four attempts. What’s more, ‘I Nerazzurri’ are unbeaten in their last five Serie A matches (W3, D2), beating direct title rivals Napoli 3-2 last time out. Simone Inzaghi’s men have found the net in 16 consecutive Serie A travels and are only two matches away from equaling the club’s longest-ever scoring streak on the road set in 1951. But barring a 2-0 win over Venezia’s fellow newcomers Empoli back in late October, the defending Serie A champions have failed to keep a clean sheet in their remaining six top-flight away games this season. Perhaps surprisingly, only five teams have conceded more first-half away goals in Serie A this season than Inter (5).

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Valencia vs Rayo Vallecano

Estadio de Mestalla is the venue as Valencia and Rayo Vallecano lock horns in a top-half La Liga encounter.

Stuck in mid-table after an indifferent start to the season (W4, D6, L4), Valencia go into this round on the back of two shutouts from three La Liga fixtures (W1, D2), reinforcing their top-six credentials. Though they’ve lost just one of their seven top-flight home matches this season (W3, D3, L1), three of their last four such contests have ended as a draw, all of which saw Valencia come from behind to avoid defeat. Another stalemate is well on the cards, given that three of Valencia’s last four league meetings with Rayo Vallecano have ended level (W1, L1). Regardless of the outcome, Jose Bordalas’ men are likely to find the net here, as they’ve scored in each of their last 18 La Liga outings at Mestalla, averaging 1.88 goals per game in that run.

Meanwhile, not even the most die-hard Rayo Vallecano fans could’ve hoped to see their side entering Matchday 15 in seventh, only three points adrift of fourth-placed Atletico Madrid. Though they’ve won 50% of their La Liga matches this season (W7, D2, L5), the visitors have struggled for consistency of late. None of Vallecano’s last eight top-flight games have produced the same outcome twice on the trot (W4, D1, L3). Still, their La Liga matches have been highly competitive, with eight of the last nine featuring a full-time margin of under 1.5 goals. Rayo Vallecano could make history here and beat Valencia in back-to-back top-flight matches for the first time, having registered a 2-0 victory in their most recent La Liga H2H back in April 2019.

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Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund

Volkswagen Arena is the venue as Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund go head-to-head in a Bundesliga top-six six-pointer.

Wolfsburg’s return to Bundesliga form has coincided with the appointment of new manager Florian Kohfeldt, who has navigated his side a three-game unbeaten league streak (W2, D1) since taking charge in October. That’s a significant turnaround from their five-match winless Bundesliga run (D1, L4) down the final stretch of the now ex-manager Mark van Bommel’s reign. However, to keep their form curve on the upwards trajectory, Wolfsburg will have to win against a Dortmund side they’ve failed to defeat across their last 12 Bundesliga H2Hs (D1, L12). Alarmingly, ‘Die Wolfe’ have drawn a blank in nine consecutive top-flight meetings with this opposition en route to setting an unwanted Bundesliga record. Against this backdrop, they’ve found the net in seven of their eight competitive home outings this term.

On the other hand, an underwhelming 3-1 away loss to Sporting Lisbon in midweek officially ended Borussia Dortmund’s hopes of reaching the Champions League knock-out stages. Coming back to domestic affairs, ‘Die Borussen’ take the field as the only Bundesliga side yet to draw a league match this season (W9, L3). A lack of consistency on the road has seen Dortmund alternate between winning (2) and losing (3) across their five Bundesliga travels under Marco Rose so far, with four of those five games seeing the winner on the day fail to keep a clean sheet. But the visitors will be looking to establish some consistency when they take on a side they’ve defeated in their last six top-flight away H2Hs, setting a club record for consecutive away wins against a single opposition in the competition. Worryingly, though, only 30% of Dortmund’s Bundesliga goals scored this season have arrived away from home (9/30).

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Villarreal vs Barcelona

The two out-of-form La Liga powerhouses are set to trade tackles at the Estadio de la Ceramica as Villarreal take on Barcelona.

After falling to a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Manchester United in midweek, Villarreal’s attention will turn back to domestic affairs, where they’ve failed to impress this season. Languishing in mid-table, ‘El Submarino Amarillo’ have won just 23% of their La Liga fixtures this season (3/13), playing out a league joint-high seven draws in the process. On the bright side, though, Unai Emery’s men have won three of their last five La Liga home matches (D1, L1), as many triumphs as they had in their previous 11 at La Ceramica in the competition (D3, L5). However, since the 2008/09 season, Villarreal have failed to beat Barcelona in their subsequent 12 top-flight H2Hs on home turf (W8, D4), conceding 2+ goals in each of the last four in a row.

As for Barcelona, the midweek Champions League draw with Benfica at home threw their two-finish in Group E into a corridor of doubt. However, it provides new boss Xavi Hernandez with an opportunity to become only the third Barca manager to oversee a clean sheet in his first three competitive matches in charge. That’s because he navigated the ‘Blaugrana’ to a narrow 1-0 win over Espanyol on his debut back last weekend, bringing Barcelona on the cusp of recording back-to-back La Liga triumphs for the first time this season. The Catalan heavyweights are on their longest wait for their first away league win of a new season since 1986/87, having gone winless in their opening five La Liga travels this term (D3, L2). What’s more, Barca have scored a measly average of just 0.8 goals per away league game this season.

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Liverpool vs Southampton

Anfield is the venue as third-placed Liverpool entertain a topsy-turvy Southampton side in a seemingly routine Premier League task for the home side.

Fresh from a 2-0 win over Porto in midweek Champions League action, Liverpool return to their third home fixture in a row, looking to build on a 4-0 thumping of Arsenal last time out. After a nightmarish run of six consecutive league defeats at home between late January and early March, the ‘Reds’ have turned Anfield into a fortress again, going unbeaten in their last 15 competitive matches here (W10, D5). Too hot to handle in front of goal, Jurgen Klopp’s men have netted a league-high 35 goals in the Premier League this term (2.91 on average). What’s more, they enter this round as the only team in England’s top-flight to have found the net in all 12 league games this season, scoring 2+ goals in the last nine in a row.

Liverpool’s impressive home form looks likely to go on as they go up against a mid-table Southampton side that have lost their last four Premier League fixtures at Anfield by an aggregate score of 12-0. Tucked in a mid-table lethargy, the ‘Saints’ fell to a 2-1 defeat to newly-promoted Norwich City last time out, effectively ending a run of four successive league games without a loss (W3, D1). Curiously, each of Southampton’s three wins in that four-match sequence featured an identical 1-0 scoreline. Topically, ten of Southampton’s 12 Premier League outings this season have yielded a full-time margin of under 1.5 goals, highlighting the potential for a tight contest. Worryingly, though, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men have lost 13 of their 17 Premier League away matches this calendar year (W2, D2), more than any other side in that time while conceding a staggering 43 goals in that run.

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Leicester City vs Legia Warsaw

Leicester City and Legia Warsaw go head-to-head in a crunch UEFA Europa League Group C meeting at the King Power Stadium.

Spartak Moscow’s shock 2-1 home win over Napoli means Leicester could move to the top of Group C going into the group stage finale if they exact revenge on Legia. An unexpected 1-0 defeat in the reverse H2H in Warsaw is part of Leicester’s underwhelming Europa League campaign so far (W1, D2, L1), which ties in well with their lackluster showings of late. Brendan Rodgers’ men are winless in their last five outings across all competitions (D3, L2 – 90 mins only), including an embarrassing 3-0 home loss to Chelsea over the weekend. Leicester’s defensive woes have seen them concede an alarming 2+ goals in six of their last seven competitive games at the King Power Stadium, which threatens to render their scoring proficiency meaningless.

As for Legia, a brace of three-goal defeats at the hands of Napoli across the Europa League last two matchdays have undone their two-game winning start to Group C. Any hopes of getting back to winning ways will hinge on Legia’s ability to stay water-tight at the back, given that both of their Europa League wins this season have come by the same 1-0 scoreline. Worryingly, though, the Polish heavyweights have suffered four losses across their last five away games in all competitions (W1), conceding 3+ goals in each reverse. Having avoided defeat in only previous visits to England (D2), the visitors can find some comfort as they have to upset the odds in the East Midlands to remain in contention for a top-two finish in this group.

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Bayer Leverkusen vs Celtic

BayArena is the venue as Bayer Leverkusen and Celtic go head-to-head in an exciting UEFA Europa League Group G encounter.

Despite their topsy-turvy start to this Bundesliga season under new manager Gerardo Seoane, Bayer Leverkusen have been nothing short of outstanding in the Europa League so far (W3, D1). After going unbeaten in their opening four Group G matches and scoring an average of 2.75 goals per game, ‘Die Werkself’ will progress into the competition’s knock-outs if they avoid defeat here. Back-to-back competitive home victories ‘to nil,’ coupled with an emphatic 4-0 triumph in the reverse fixture back in September, justify Leverkusen’s status as pre-match favorites. Adding to this sentiment, the German heavyweights haven’t lost a single home match in the Europa League group stage (W11, D3), notably defying a -2 handicap in four of their last five such contests (W5).

Meanwhile, the visitors have gone from a dreadful Europa League start that saw them lose their first two matches by an aggregate score of 8-3 to securing a comfortable Group G double over Ferencvaros in the last two matchdays. Sat one point adrift of second-placed Real Betis ahead of the penultimate round of fixtures, the Scottish giants can ill-afford to drop the points in Germany if they are to remain in contention for the Europa League knock-outs. Any hopes of staging an upset at BayArena will hinge on Celtic’s ability to shore up their defensive leaks after conceding the joint-most ten goals across the first four Europa League matchdays. The ‘Bhoys’ have enjoyed a noticeable upturn in form since being thrashed by Leverkusen in the reverse H2H, racking up eight wins from their subsequent nine competitive outings (D1).

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Rapid Vienna vs West Ham United

West Ham United will be looking to cement their place in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 when they take on out-of-sorts Rapid Vienna at the Allianz Stadion.

There’s no margin for error for Rapid here if they are to avoid Europa League elimination with a game to spare, as only a win would keep them in contention for a top-two finish in Group H. However, after losing three of their opening four Group H outings (W1), including a 2-0 defeat in the reverse H2H two months ago, the Austrians are justifiably pre-match outsiders. On a positive note, though, the hosts have won their last four competitive games on home turf by an aggregate score of 11-5, prevailing by a single-goal margin on three occasions in that run. Regardless of the outcome, late action could be on the cards, given that eight of Rapid’s previous nine European matches have featured at least one goal beyond the 80th minute.

In the meantime, West Ham have found Europa League Group H a stroll so far (W3, D1), netting 2+ goals in all four games in the competition. With seven of West Ham’s nine Europa League goals scored so far this season coming before the 60th minute, Rapid may feel inclined to drop deep in the opening hour of play. Though a draw here would do the trick for the ‘Hammers’ in terms of Europa League knock-out qualification, a win could be necessary to ensure automatic passage to the competition’s Round of 16. After going from five straight competitive wins on hostile turf to back-to-back travels without winning (D1, L1), West Ham’s confidence could be a bit rocked. Encouragingly, though, before drawing a blank against Wolves over the weekend, David Moyes’ side had found the net in six road trips on the trot.

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Monaco vs Real Sociedad

Monaco and Real Sociedad are set to face off against each other in a high-stake UEFA Europa League Group B encounter at the Stade Louis II.

Having alternated between winning and drawing across their opening four group stage matches (W2, D2), Monaco have their qualification destiny firmly in their hands. Following a scoreless home draw with PSV Eindhoven last time out, Monaco can afford another stalemate here, given it would keep them in the driving seat with a winnable final matchday fixture against Sturm Graz coming up next. However, ‘Les Monégasques’ head into proceedings in the midst of a rough patch, having failed to win any of their last four outings in all competitions (D3, L1). Niko Kovac’s side at least held reigning Ligue 1 holders Lille to a 2-2 home draw over the weekend, halting a three-game goal drought. Connoisseurs of action-packed football may want to look elsewhere in search of goals, considering that eight of Monaco’s last ten Europa League games have featured under 2.5 goals.

Topically, 14 of Real Sociedad’s last 17 competitive matches have failed to produce 3+ goals, including an uneventful scoreless home draw with Valencia at the weekend. Like their hosts, the Basque visitors have yet to lose a Europa League game this term, though three draws from four Group B fixtures (W1) back their growing reputation as ‘stalemate kings.’ Despite their tasty-looking second place in the La Liga standings, Imanol Alguacil’s men have had to earn their Europa League points by fighting tooth and nail, clawing back to ensure three draws when conceding the opening goal. Hard to beat on foreign turf, Sociedad have suffered only one defeat in their last nine Europa League matches away from home (W4, D4). Adding to their confidence, the Spaniards have won their previous two competitive road trips by the same 2-0 scoreline.

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Atletico Madrid vs AC Milan

Atletico Madrid and AC Milan go head-to-head in a high-stake UEFA Champions League Group B showdown at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano.

Despite reaching this Champions League group stage campaign as the defending La Liga champions, Atletico Madrid have experienced a thoroughly underwhelming Group B so far (W1, D1, L2). Since claiming a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Milan on Matchday 2, ‘Los Rojiblancos’ have lost back-to-back Champions League games. Though another lackluster result here might leave the Spaniards vulnerable to group stage elimination, Atletico’s 100% win record against Milan in European football should fill Diego Simeone’s side with confidence. Additionally, ‘Los Colchoneros’ have not lost any of their last seven European home encounters against Italian visitors (W6, D1), netting 16 goals while conceding just three in return in that run of matches. A rock-solid defense has been Atletico’s trademark under Simeone, as they’ve let in a mere 19 goals in 40 Champions League outings under the Argentine manager.

On the other hand, Milan’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League knock-out stages look far-fetched as they head into proceedings with a single point to their name (D1, L3). A victory in Madrid would keep their faint hopes of securing a top-two finish alive, but Porto’s potential win away to Liverpool would undo any positive result here. Adding to a long list of worries, ‘I Rossoneri’ have picked up just a single triumph across their last 16 match-ups against Spanish adversaries in the Champions League (D6, L9), courtesy of a 2-0 home win over Barcelona in the 2012/13 last-16. Another disappointment here would see Milan go winless in five consecutive Champions League matches for only the second time in the club’s history.

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Manchester City vs PSG

Etihad Stadium is the venue as Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain go head-to-head in a massive, heavyweight UEFA Champions League encounter.

A brace of wins on Matchdays 2 and 3 sandwiched by a pair of scoring draws on Matchdays 1 and 4 places Paris one point adrift of top-placed Man City ahead of the kick-off. Despite scoring first in three of their opening four Champions League matches, Mauricio Pochettino’s men have won just one such fixture, suggesting they have problems protecting the lead. But after going winless in their first five Champions League encounters against Man City (D3, L3), PSG won the reverse fixture 2-0 at home to boost their confidence ahead of this trip. Indeed, after claiming just one win from their first ten UEFA-sanctioned visits to England (D4, L5), ‘Les Parisiens’ have racked up two triumphs across their last three European away matches against English hosts (L1). Alarmingly, though, the Ligue 1 heavyweights are winless in their last three Champions League away games (D2, L1).

In the meantime, Manchester City head into proceedings sitting atop Group A with three wins from four games (L1) and could progress into the knock-outs with another positive result here with a game to spare. Interestingly, before drawing a blank in Paris back in late September, the ‘Citizens’ had found the net in 11 consecutive European encounters against French sides, scoring an average of 2.09 goals per game in that run. With only Bayern Munich (17) netting more goals in the Champions League group stage than Man City (15) so far, Pep Guardiola’s men are likely to return to the scoresheet this time around. Adding to this sentiment, the reigning Premier League holders take the field amid a purple patch, having won their last three competitive fixtures by an aggregate score of 9-1, including a 3-0 thumping of Everton at home over the weekend.

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Inter Milan vs Shakhtar Donetsk

Inter Milan will be looking to make a decisive step towards reaching the UEFA Champions League knock-outs when they take on an out-of-sorts Shakhtar Donetsk at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

After crashing out of the Champions League group stages in their last three attempts, Inter Milan are in a prime position to break that jinx this time around. Going into this matchday, the 2009/10 winners hold a one-point lead over third-placed Sheriff Tiraspol and have their qualification destiny firmly in their hands. ‘I Nerazzurri’ have never lost to Shakhtar in the Champions League (W2, D4), registering five clean sheets in the process, though their last three H2Hs in the competition have yielded scoreless draws. Fresh from a 3-2 home win over Napoli in Serie A over the weekend, Simone Inzaghi’s men take the field unbeaten in seven games across all competitions (W5, D2) despite failing to keep a clean sheet five times in that run.

In the meantime, Shakhtar’s hopes of making it out to the Champions League knock-outs for the first time since the 2017/18 season are set to be extended for at least one more year. Having returned just one point from their opening four Group D fixtures (D1, L3), the Ukrainians trail second-placed Inter by a whopping six points, meaning another underwhelming result here will result in elimination. On a positive note, the ‘Miners’ have suffered just two defeats in their last six Champions League away encounters against Italian opponents (W2, D2). Additionally, they’ve won three of their previous four competitive games on the road via a 2+ goal margin (L1). However, a lack of firepower up top has seen Shakhtar score just once in four Champions League group matches this season, while they’ve drawn a blank in their last four UEFA-sanctioned meetings with Inter.

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Sporting Lisbon vs Borussia Dortmund

Sporting Lisbon and Borussia Dortmund will trade tackles in a crunch UEFA Champions League Group C showdown at the Estádio José Alvalade.

Sat in third ahead of the kick-off, albeit level on points with second-placed Dortmund, Sporting could make one of the most memorable Champions League group stage comebacks in recent history. Indeed, after losing their opening two Group C fixtures by an aggregate score of 6-1, the Portuguese side looked on the verge of exiting the competition. However, a return of back-to-back wins over Besiktas in which they scored eight goals and conceded just one in return means the ‘Lions’ could leapfrog Dortmund into second if they can land their first Champions League H2H points (L3). Sporting’s overall struggle against German opponents remains a genuine concern. The Portuguese outfit have lost more matches (10) and conceded more goals (32) versus Bundesliga clubs in the Champions League than sides from any other country.

Meanwhile, Dortmund’s two-game winning start to this Champions League campaign has been undone by a brace of defeats to Ajax on Matchdays 3 and 4 as they now have a ‘make-or-break’ fixture on their hands. Though ‘Die Borussen’ boast a positive historical record against Portuguese clubs in major European competitions (W9, L4), each of those four defeats have arrived away from home. It should be an added motive for Dortmund to go for broke to pick up the three points in Lisbon and ensure qualification for the Champions League knock-outs for the fourth season running. However, after losing three of their last four competitive away fixtures (W1), Marco Rose’s men have a point to prove in the Portuguese capital. Curiously, both of Dortmund’s last two competitive travels have seen over 2.5 goals and both teams scoring, which was the case in their only previous visit to the Estádio José Alvalade.

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Liverpool vs Porto

Pressure-relieved Liverpool will play host to Group B surprise package Porto at Anfield in an exciting UEFA Champions League fixture.

Liverpool have found the Champions League ‘Group of Death’ a stroll so far, winning all four matches to earn a place in the competition’s knock-outs with two games to spare. Delivering action from the get-go, the ‘Reds’ have scored the opening goal within 20 minutes of play in all four Group B fixtures to date. What’s more, Liverpool’s outrageous first-half performances have seen them score 2+ goals before half-time in all four group outings, highlighting the potential for action-packed football in the first 45 minutes. Liverpool won’t be under any pressure to deliver at Anfield, but having gone unbeaten in their nine historical clashes against Porto in European football (W6, D3), expectations will be high. Adding to this sentiment, the Merseysiders have lost just two of their 23 Champions League home games under current manager Jurgen Klopp (W16, D5).

As for Porto, an unexpected return of just one defeat from their opening four Group B outings (W1, D2) places them in second in the standings heading into the penultimate round of fixtures. However, with Atletico Madrid richly expected to beat AC Milan at home, Porto may need to defy their humiliating overall away record against Premier League sides to retain the runner-up spot (GP22 – W1, D3, L18). On the bright side, the ‘Dragons’ have registered a clean sheet in seven of their last nine Champions League group stage fixtures, though five of the six goals they conceded across the other two came against Liverpool. Meanwhile, they have only scored once across their previous four UEFA-sanctioned visits to Anfield.

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Sheriff Tiraspol vs Real Madrid

Real Madrid will be looking to exact revenge on Sheriff Tiraspol for an embarrassing 2-1 defeat in the reverse UEFA Champions League fixture when the two sides meet at the Stadionul Sheriff.

Despite suffering a Champions League double at the hands of Inter Milan across the last two matchdays, Group D surprise package Sheriff Tiraspol can still reach the knock-outs, a virtue of back-to-back wins at the beginning of the season. One of those triumphs came at the expense of Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in what was arguably the biggest upset in European club football this term. The Moldovans have won nine domestic fixtures in a row going into this clash, which should set them up nicely for this high-stake encounter. Any hopes of defying the odds again will hinge on Sheriff’s counter-attacking proficiency, considering they are averaging the lowest Champions League possession percentage (28%) this season. That system has worked out well for the competition debutants so far, as they’ve found the net in all four Group D outings so far.

On the other hand, barring the abovementioned H2H reverse against Sheriff on Matchday 2, Real Madrid have won their remaining three Champions League games this term, meaning a draw in Tiraspol would catapult them to the competition’s knock-out stages for the 25th campaign in a row! After winning their last two Group D matches, ‘Los Blancos’ will be gunning for a third straight Champions League group stage victory for the first time since the 2018/19 season. Furthermore, ‘Los Merengues’ have won both group stage away games without conceding and could make it three consecutive Champions League road wins ‘to nil’ for the first time since February 2015. That prospect is well in the realm of possibility, given that Carlo Ancelotti’s men have won their last four competitive matches on the road by an aggregate score of 13-3.

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Villarreal vs Manchester United

Manchester United head to the Estadio de la Ceramica to take on Villarreal in a crunch UEFA Champions League encounter in the wake of Ole Gunnar Solskajer’s sacking.

A 1-1 draw away to Celta Vigo over the weekend extended Villarreal’s indifferent start to this La Liga campaign (W3, D7, L3), which is a sharp contrast to their Champions League fortunes so far. Barring a painful 2-1 defeat to Man United in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford, ‘El Submarino Amarillo’ have avoided defeat in their remaining three Group F matches (W2, D1). Though they take the field level on points with United at the top of the group, Villarreal could still drop to third if they fail to win here and Atalanta beat Young Boys in their encounter in Switzerland. Worryingly, the Spaniards have never defeated English opponents in the Champions League proper (D6, L5). Moreover, current boss Unai Emery has only won one of his eight managerial fixtures against Man United (D4, L3).

In the meantime, Manchester United have picked themselves up from a frustrating 2-1 away loss to Young Boys on Matchday 1, stringing together three straight Champions League matches without losing (W2, D1). Interestingly, the ‘Red Devils’ have avoided defeat in all three Group F games in which they conceded first, while they lost the only match when scoring the opener. United’s well-documented defensive struggles that saw them succumb to a 4-1 defeat to Watford over the weekend remain an issue. Man United have yet to keep a clean sheet in the Champions League this season, letting in an average of 1.75 goals per match. Though it may sound ridiculous, a tally of seven goals conceded after four group matches could be a good omen, as the last time they shipped as many at this stage of a Champions League campaign, they went on to lift the trophy.

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Dynamo Kiev vs Bayern Munich

Dynamo Kiev and Bayern Munich go head-to-head in the penultimate UEFA Champions League Group E fixture at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium.

Although a 6-1 thumping of Chornomorets Odessa over the weekend maintained Dynamo’s eye-catching start to their Ukrainian Premier League (W12, D2, L1), that’s a stark contrast to their Champions League fortunes. The Ukrainian heavyweights head into proceedings nailed to the bottom of Group E (D1, L3) and are the only side in the competition yet to find the net this season. Additionally, they have attempted just seven shots on target across their opening four Group E outings, which is five less than Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski has managed alone so far (12)! Despite turning Dynamo into genuine title candidates in the Ukrainian championship, current head coach Mircea Lucescu has won just one of his ten Champions League matches as a Kiev manager (D2, L7).

On the other hand, a frustrating 2-1 away defeat to Bundesliga strugglers Augsburg over the weekend halted Bayern’s three-match winning streak in all competitions. However, the ‘Bavarians’ have already booked their place in the Champions League knock-outs after winning their opening four Group E games by an aggregate score of 17-2! Yet, the perennial German champions could still make history here and become the first side in the European Cup/Champions League history to score 4+ goals in four matches on the trot. Given that Julian Nagelsmann’s men have netted an average of 4.00 goals per game in all competitions this season, that prospect looks to be very much within the realm of possibility. But it’s worth noting that Bayern have failed to win their last three Champions League fixtures on Ukrainian soil (D2, L1), playing out a goalless draw with Shakhtar Donetsk in their most recent visit to the country.

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Barcelona vs Benfica

Barcelona and Benfica are set to trade tackles in a ‘make or break’ UEFA Champions League Group E showdown at Camp Nou.

Club legend Xavi Hernandez marked his return to the Camp Nou with a 1-0 win over cross-town rivals Espanyol over the weekend. The new Barcelona manager is now entrusted with helping the Catalan powerhouse extend a two-match winning run in the Champions League and avoid suffering their first group-stage elimination in the 21st century. Barcelona started their Group E campaign with a brace of 3-0 defeats to Bayern Munich and Benfica before registering a double over group minnows Dynamo Kiev. Both victories came by the identical 1-0 scoreline as the ‘Blaugrana’ look to keep three Champions League clean sheets in a row for the first time since May 2019. Attacking output could be a problem, though, with only Swedish minnows Malmo (4) attempting fewer shots on target in the Champions League than Barcelona (6) so far.

Meanwhile, Benfica’s hopes of making it out to the knock-out stage could hinge on their ability to become the third team to beat Barcelona home and away in the Champions League group phase. Though this will be their first visit to Camp Nou since 2012, it’s worth noting that the Portuguese giants haven’t won at this venue across their previous three attempts (D1, L2). Having picked up just one win from their inaugural four Group E matches (D1, L2), Benfica trail second-placed Barca by two points. After recording back-to-back clean sheets at the beginning of their Champions League journey, the ‘Eagles’ conceded nine goals across their two group meetings with Bayern Munich, more than any other side on Matchdays 3 and 4 combined. Moreover, Benfica have only won one of their last 13 Champions League fixtures on hostile turf (D3, L9).

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Chelsea vs Juventus

Chelsea entertain Juventus in a tasty-looking top-table UEFA Champions League Group H fixture at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have found the Premier League a stroll so far (W9, D2, L1), and if it wasn’t for a 1-0 loss at Juventus in the reverse fixture, the same could’ve been said about the Champions League (W3, L1). All of Chelsea’s three Group H victories have come ‘to nil,’ which was the case in their 3-0 thrashing of Leicester City last weekend. Still, since beating Juve 1-0 in their first-ever Champions League home encounter in 2009, the ‘Blues’ have gone winless in their subsequent four H2Hs in the competition (D2, L2). That’s very much in line with Chelsea’s recent struggle against Italian adversaries, as they’ve only won one of their last ten such match-ups in the Champions League (D3, L6), courtesy of a 4-1 thumping of Napoli in 2012. Thomas Tuchel’s men have conceded the fewest goal (1) and faced the fewest shots on target (3) of any team across the opening four Champions League matchdays.

As for Juventus, a hard-fought 2-0 away win over Lazio over the weekend sets them up nicely for this trip as they look to become the first side ever to beat Chelsea in three consecutive Champions League meetings. ‘I Bianconeri’ have won their last five Champions League outings on the trot and could establish a new club record for successive wins in the competition with another success here. What’s more, the record-time Italian champions have racked up a three-match winning Champions League run away to English sides and could become the first team ever to win four consecutive such games. But after scoring precisely once in four of their last five road trips in all competitions (W3, D1, L1), breaking down Chelsea’s rock-solid defense could be a problem.

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Elche vs Real Betis

Real Betis will be aiming to get their La Liga campaign back on the rails when they take on 18th-placed Elche at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero.

Tipped for a season-long dogfight against the drop, Elche head into proceedings amid a rough patch, having lost their last five La Liga matches (D2, L3). The relegation-threatened hosts have been unexpectedly robust on home turf of late, with a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in their most recent league outing at home ending their six-game unbeaten run here (W2, D4). Elche’s top-flight credentials will face another challenging task in the shape of a Betis side they’ve only won once against across their last six league H2Hs as hosts (D3, L2). Entertainment has been relatively sparse in their La Liga meetings here, with the previous two featuring under 2.5 total goals (D2). That said, Elche’s last two home league fixtures have seen both teams scoring in games garnering 3+ overall goals.

In the meantime, the visitors have suffered a noticeable dip in form in the build-up to this trip, going from three consecutive La Liga victories to a brace of multi-goal defeats ‘to nil.’ Since a 1-1 draw with Mallorca in their first La Liga trip of the season, none of Betis’ last five away league matches have ended level (W3, L2), three of which saw the winner on the day keep a clean sheet. Betis’ hopes of getting back to winning ways are up in the air, considering they’ve only won once in their last 12 La Liga visits to Elche (D5, L6), courtesy of a 3-2 win back in 1975. Their cagey entries have seen Manuel Pellegrini’s men net just two first-half goals across their six La Liga travels this season.

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