Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest

Emirates Stadium is the venue as Arsenal and Nottingham Forest go head-to-head in contrasting Premier League circumstances.

PSV Eindhoven knocked Arsenal down from a nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions (W8, D1) with a 2-0 home win in midweek Europa League action, following up the Londoners’ disappointing 1-1 league draw at Southampton last weekend. However, the ‘Gunners’ have entered this round as the Premier League leaders, albeit only two points clear of second-placed Manchester City. Despite Arsenal’s impressive domestic form, Mikel Arteta’s men haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last ten home league outings, which did not prevent them from winning the last eight on the trot (L2). Another successful weekend is on the cards, with Arsenal running out victors in seven straight Premier League clashes against newly-promoted sides and could make it eight in a row for the first time since 2014.

In the meantime, Nottingham Forest rendered the odds meaningless last weekend as they pulled off a stunning 1-0 home win over Liverpool, ending an underwhelming run of nine winless Premier League matches beforehand (D3, L6). Still nailed to the bottom of the standings, the promoted visitors are only two points adrift of safety, though their away form cannot inspire much confidence. In addition to going winless on all six Premier League travels this season (D2, L4), the ‘Tricky Trees’ have netted a league-low one goal on the road thus far. There’s a slim hope for Steve Cooper’s side, as they’ve been victorious on their last two league visits to London, each time via an identical 1-0 scoreline. By contrast, they’ve only won two of their 27 league visits to Arsenal (D11, L14)!

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Athletic Bilbao vs Villarreal

Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal are set to trade tackles at the Estadio San Mames in a top-seven La Liga six-pointer.

Athletic Bilbao’s pursuit of their first top-four La Liga finish since 2013/14 is running out of steam as they’ve alternated between drawing (2) and losing (2) in their last four league outings since a 4-0 demolition of Almeria in late September. Following a thumping 4-0 defeat away to Barcelona in the previous La Liga round, ‘Los Leones’ could lose back-to-back top-flight fixtures for the first time since May 2021. Villarreal’s visit to the Basque country couldn’t have been timed any better, with Bilbao going unbeaten in their last seven La Liga H2Hs (W2, D5). Furthermore, Ernesto Valverde’s men have only lost once in their ten previous top-flight home matches against Villarreal on home turf (W5, D4), courtesy of a 3-0 thrashing in September 2018.

In the meantime, Villarreal claimed a come-from-behind 2-1 home win over Almeria last weekend to maintain their topsy-turvy four-game form in La Liga (W2, L2). Worryingly for the visitors, who waved goodbye to head coach Unai Emery in midweek, since winning their opening two away league matches, they’ve gone winless on their last five La Liga travels (D2, L3). It’s now up to new boss Quique Setien to buck that trend and find a way to break Villarreal’s dreadful five-game scoring league duck on the road. Another scoring blank would see ‘El Submarino Amarillo’ set an unwanted piece of history and go six successive top-flight away fixtures without finding the net for the first time. On the bright side, they’ve conceded a league second-low seven goals this season, highlighting the importance of addressing their scoring woes.

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Cadiz vs Atletico Madrid

Morally-crippled Atletico Madrid take a trip to the Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla to encounter warm La Liga relegation candidates Cadiz in a must-win contest.

Desperate to stretch their La Liga status to a fifth consecutive season, Cadiz’s ill-fated 11-game league start has already thrown their survival hopes into doubt (W1, D4, L6). Since pulling off a 1-0 win at promoted Valladolid in mid-September, ‘El Submarino Amarillo’ have gone winless in five consecutive league fixtures (D4, L1) as their scoring issues continue to haunt them. A lack of firepower up top has seen Cadiz net a league-low five goals thus far, bagging more than once per game only once in 11 matches! Nothing should change at the weekend, considering they lost both last season’s La Liga showdowns against Atleti ‘to one.’ Head coach Sergio Gonzalez would settle for a point here, given the substantial gulf in class between the sides, and a three-game unbeaten home run in La Liga (D3) looks promising.

In the meantime, Yannick Carrasco’s missed penalty deep into stoppage-time during an enthralling 2-2 home draw with Bayer Leverkusen in midweek Champions League action condemned Atletico Madrid to their first group stage elimination since 2017/18. The pressure continues to mount on under-fire Diego Simeone, who has overseen the visitors’ encouraging run of five unbeaten matches in La Liga in the build-up to this trip (W4, D1). Playing outside the Metropolitano Stadium has suited ‘Los Colchoneros’ this season, as they’ve racked up an eye-catching five wins across six La Liga travels (D1). Another success would be a historic achievement for Atleti, who can win 5+ consecutive La Liga meetings with Cadiz for the first time.

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Fenerbahce vs Rennes

Fenerbahce and Rennes are set to square off in a top-table Europa League Group B six-pointer, with both sides already nailing down their places in the competition’s knockouts.

Fresh from a morale-boosting 1-0 home triumph over bitter domestic rivals Istanbul Basaksehir, Fenerbahce are looking to maintain their purple patch featuring five consecutive wins in all competitions. Defensive strength has provided a backbone for the Turks’ high-flying form as they’ve racked up five clean sheets across their last seven competitive outings. More of the same is what manager Jorge Jesus is hoping for after his side had to claw back from a 2-0 deficit to hold Rennes to a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture. Barring that stalemate, the ‘Yellow Canaries’ have won their three remaining Europa League matches this season, including both at home via an aggregate score of 4-1. After winning their last eight competitive home encounters, they’ll be confident about sinking the French visitors.

In the meantime, Rennes needed a 94th-minute penalty to oust domestic rivals Angers 2-1 at the weekend, extending their winning run in all competitions to six games. Like their hosts, ‘Les Rennais’ have won all three remaining Europa League matches this term. But with each of those triumphs yielding a single-goal margin, it’s fair to say Bruno Genesio’s men lack conviction. Before jumping the gun, you’d have to take a look at Rennes’ impressive six-match undefeated streak on hostile turf (W4, D2). Topically, they’ve won both Europa League away fixtures this term by a narrow one-goal margin, with the winning strike on each occasion arriving in the second half.

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Tottenham Hotspur vs Sporting Lisbon

This fifth Champions League matchday could be looked back on as a decisive one for an evenly-contested Group B, with all four participants heading into the evening with the potential of ending it at the top of the standings. Despite being widely expected to progress into the knockout stages, Tottenham Hotspur risk taking the top-two battle to the final round as they meet Sporting Lisbon at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With only three points separating all four teams heading into the final two group stage matchdays, Tottenham will bank on their 100% home record in Group B (W2). Antonio Conte could enter ‘Spurs’ folklore by becoming the second-ever manager to win his first three Champions League home matches in charge of the ‘Lillywhites.’ Avenging a 2-0 defeat to Sporting in the reverse fixture tops the Italian’s assignment list after Newcastle United knocked his side down from a perfect seven-game home start in all competitions (W7) with a 2-1 victory at the weekend. Since the Londoners boast an eye-catching home European record against Portuguese visitors (W6, L1), qualifiers included, this should be Tottenham’s win every day of the week.

Or maybe not? After seeing his rising stocks elevated by a come-from-behind 3-1 league triumph over Casa Pia at the weekend, Sporting boss Ruben Amorim is seeking another European upset. The highly-rated manager inspired Sporting’s thumping 3-0 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt on day one and will aim at another surprise scalp on foreign soil. However, back-to-back defeats to Marseille in the build-up to this fixture have derailed Sporting’s chances of reaching the Champions League knockouts for the second season running. Level on points with second-placed Marseille, ‘Los Leoes’ need to better the French team’s results in the final two Group B rounds as the H2H tiebreak favours ‘Les Olympiens.’ But without winning any of their last eight European matches away to English clubs (D3, L5), the visitors have every reason for concern.

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Barcelona vs Bayern Munich

Barcelona’s hopes of avoiding back-to-back Champions League group stage eliminations for only the second time in the club’s history are at stake as runaway Group C leaders Bayern Munich arrive at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Following a topsy-turvy 3-3 home draw with fellow Group C runner-up hopefuls Inter Milan, Barcelona can no longer control their effort to progress into the knockouts. While Viktoria Plzen must pull off an upset at Giuseppe Meazza to aid Barca’s bid to leapfrog Inter, Xavi Hernandez’s men must hold up their end of the bargain and arrest a five-game losing Champions League streak against Bayern. After a 2-0 defeat in the reverse fixture, the ‘Blaugrana’ could lose twice in the same Champions League season to Bayern for the fourth time. Yet Camp Nou has been a fortress this season, with the Catalan heavyweights going unbeaten in all eight competitive home matches (W6, D2). That includes a run of back-to-back La Liga wins over Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao via 3+ goals ‘to nil,’ both of which saw them score precisely three first-half goals.

On the other hand, visiting Bayern Munich thrashed Plzen 4-2 on the road in the previous round to maintain their 100% Group C record (W4) and reach the Champions League knockouts with two games to spare. Julian Nagelsmann’s free-scoring men have netted 2+ goals in all four European outings this season, averaging 3.25 goals per game. Coming into this encounter, Bayern eased past TSG Hoffenheim 2-0 in the Bundesliga to take their winning streak to four competitive matches, all of which yielded multi-goal margins. On top of that, following a poor run of consecutive road trips without winning (D1, L1), the ‘Bavarians’ have racked up three away victories on the trot, prevailing by a 2+ goal margin on each occasion.

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Benfica vs Juventus

Resurgent Juventus take a trip to the Estadio da Luz to encounter high-flying Benfica in a must-win Champions League Group H match-up.

With two games left, Benfica could find themselves in the Champions League knockouts for the second season on the trot for only the second time in club history should they avoid defeat here. Roger Schmidt’s side started their Champions League journey with back-to-back wins, including a come-from-behind 2-1 triumph at Juventus, before playing out a pair of identical 1-1 draws with fellow Group H leaders PSG. The ‘Eagles’ will take the field in high spirits after Rafa Silva’s second-half winner gave them a 1-0 win over arch-rivals Porto at the weekend, taking their unbeaten streak in all competitions to 20 matches (W17, D3). In addition to boasting a 100% win record against Juventus at home (W3), the Primeira Liga giants have only lost twice in their last 23 home European outings (W14, D6).

In the meantime, visiting Juventus have enjoyed a mini-revival following a dreadful 2-0 defeat at Maccabi Haifa in the previous Champions League running, winning back-to-back Serie A fixtures ‘to nil,’ including a 4-0 demolition of Empoli at the weekend. A narrow 1-0 victory at fellow city rivals Torino on their most recent travel ended Juventus’ embarrassing six-game winless away start across all competitions (D2, L4). However, scoring has been a massive issue for Massimiliano Allegri’s side on the road this term, as they’ve netted under 1.5 goals in all seven away matches to this point. That doesn’t bode well for the visitors’ bid to defy their woeful all-time record on Portuguese soil in European football (W1, D2, L4).

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Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leicester City

Molineux Stadium forms the backdrop for a Premier League relegation six-pointer between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City.

Wolverhampton’s life after axed manager Bruno Lage started with a hard-earned 1-0 home triumph over Nottingham Forest, but they’ve quickly re-established old habits. Despite taking the lead at Crystal Palace in midweek, the managerless ‘Wanderers’ succumbed to a 2-1 defeat, marking their fourth loss in five Premier League games (W1). After being turned down by QPR boss Michael Beale, Wolves handed interim manager Steve Davis the job until 2023 as their surprising fight against relegation continues. The number one priority on Davis’ assignment list is to revive Wolves’ uneventful frontline that has netted a league-low five goals this season, averaging a measly 0.45 goals per match. Leicester’s upcoming visit is unlikely to aid the hosts’ cause, considering they had drawn a blank in five consecutive Premier League H2Hs before running out 2-1 victors in February.

In the meantime, visiting boss Brendan Rodgers could soon face Lage’s destiny, with Leicester City coming into this matchday nailed to the bottom of the table amid the club’s worst-ever Premier League away start. Rodgers’ men have lost each of their opening five top-flight matches on the road this season for the first time since 1957/58. Leicester conceded at least twice in each of those five defeats, last enduring a longer losing streak on the road in 2014 (7), when they ominously shipped 2+ goals in all seven losses. Another sub-par result at Molineux would see the ‘Foxes’ lose back-to-back encounters against Wolves for the first time since 1992. It takes no rocket science to understand where Leicester’s problems lie, as you don’t have to look beyond their league-worst 24 Premier League goals conceded this term to get the point.

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Southampton vs Arsenal

St Mary’s Stadium is the venue as Southampton and Arsenal go head-to-head in a tasty-looking Premier League encounter.

Despite taunting chants from Southampton fans against under-pressure manager Ralph Hasenhuttl during midweek Premier League, the ‘Saints’ pulled off a narrow 1-0 win over promoted Bournemouth to halt a five-game winless league streak (D1, L4). Back to St Mary’s, where they’ve won just once in their five Premier League matches this season (D2, L2), Southampton will play against the odds to extend Hasenhuttl’s coaching career in England. Following a 1-0 victory in this corresponding fixture last season, the hosts could win back-to-back league meetings with Arsenal for only a second time in club history. However, Southampton’s defensive woes could put a dent in that bid, with Hasenhuttl’s men keeping just one clean sheet in their last 11 top-flight home outings, conceding an average of 1.9 goals per game in that sequence.

On the other hand, Arsenal squeezed past PSV Eindhoven in midweek Europa League action, courtesy of Granit Xhaka’s second-half winner, to complete a hat-trick of 1-0 wins across all competitions. The ‘Gunners’ have gone into overdrive since an underwhelming 3-1 defeat at Manchester United in early September, racking up an eight-match winning streak, including four straight triumphs in the Premier League. Arsenal headed into this matchday as sovereign league leaders, four points ahead of second-placed Manchester City, following the club’s best-ever ten-game start in the top flight (W9, L1). With only Man City (36) netting more league goals than Mikel Arteta’s men (24) this Premier League season, they’re widely expected to thrive against Southampton’s porous backline. Curiously, none of the visitors’ last 27 Premier League fixtures have ended as a draw, which stands as the fifth-longest such run in the competition’s history.

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Roma vs Napoli

Stadio Olimpico plays host to the 155th Serie A Derby del Sole as title-bidding Napoli take a trip to the Italian capital to lock horns with top-four hopefuls Roma.

Since Atalanta’s 1-0 win at Olimpico in mid-September, Roma have strung together a hat-trick of single-goal margin Serie A wins to climb to fourth in the table. But with fifth-placed Lazio only one point adrift, there’s no room for complacency as ‘I Giallorossi’ aim to defy an underwhelming six-game home league form against Napoli (W1, D1, L4). Luckily for Jose Mourinho, his men have turned Olimpico into a fortress in 2022, suffering just two defeats across 13 Serie A home outings since the turn of the year (W7, D4). Except for Atalanta’s narrow win a month ago, Mourinho’s lads have won all three remaining home league fixtures in 2022/23, netting an average of two goals per match. That said, Roma are winless in their last 12 Serie A home encounters against sides starting the day in the top four (D7, L5), including three straight defeats in the run-up to this clash.

On the other hand, Napoli pulled off an eye-catching comeback to beat Bologna 3-2 at home last weekend and maintain their 100% unbeaten Serie A start (W8, D2). It’s been a while since Scudetto hopes looked this alive for ‘I Partenopei,’ who are seeking their first Serie A title since the glory days of Diego Maradona. Luciano Spalletti’s high-flyers have racked up four victories across their five Serie A road trips this season (D1) despite failing to keep a clean sheet in each success. A scintillating 4-1 romping of newly-promoted Cremonese on their most recent league travel forms part of Napoli’s stunning ten-game winning streak in all competitions. Another win in Rome would see them equal the club-record 11-game winning run, which dates back to 1986.

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Hertha BSC vs Schalke 04

The weekend’s Bundesliga action comes to a close at the Olympiastadion in Berlin as Hertha BSC and Schalke 04 go head-to-head in a bottom-half six-pointer.

Hertha’s attempted comeback in a 3-2 defeat away to RB Leipzig last time out took their winless Bundesliga streak to five matches (D4, L1), leaving them level on points with 16th-placed Stuttgart. Another season-long fight against relegation looms after ‘Die Alte Dame’ equalled their joint-worst ten-game start in the Bundesliga since the infamous 2009/10 season when they suffered the drop. Manager Sandro Schwarz’s future hangs by a thread ahead of Hertha’s bid to extend a two-match winning top-flight run against Schalke. However, the hosts come into proceedings as the only Bundesliga side yet to win a single home fixture this term (D4, L1). It’s also worth noting they’ve yet to keep a clean sheet at the Olympiastadion in 2022/23.

Luckily for Hertha, visiting Schalke are experiencing an even worse Bundesliga start, having collected just six points from the opening ten matchdays (W1, D3, L6). Ominously for ‘Die Königsblauen,’ the last time they had a similar top-flight start, they dropped to the second tier in 2020/21. Last weekend’s 3-0 home demolition at the hands of TSG Hoffenheim marked Schalke’s fourth successive Bundesliga defeat, leaving them rooted to the relegation territory. Hoffenheim’s thumping 5-1 victory in midweek DFB-Pokal action was the final straw to break the camel’s back as Schalke dismissed manager Frank Kramer after just 13 games in charge in the aftermath. While searching for a ninth manager in just a five-year period, the visitors are looking to win an away Bundesliga fixture for the first time this season after five failed attempts (D2, L3).

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Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao

Spotify Camp Nou forms the backdrop for Barcelona’s must-win La Liga clash against top-four hopefuls Athletic Bilbao.

Three unanswered first-half goals catapulted Barcelona to an overwhelming 3-0 home triumph over Villarreal in midweek La Liga action, helping them overcome a troublesome last week. Just days after a 3-3 draw with Inter Milan put a massive dent in Barca’s attempt to avoid suffering back-to-back Champions League group stage eliminations, Xavi Hernandez’s side fell to a morale-damaging 3-1 El Clasico defeat at Real Madrid. However, back to Camp Nou, where they’ve won five straight league matches since a goalless draw with Rayo Vallecano on the opening weekend, gives the Barcelona faithful plenty to look forward to. You’d have to go back to 2001 for the Catalan heavyweights’ last La Liga home loss to Bilbao, with the ‘Blaugrana’ racking up an eye-catching 20-game unbeaten home league H2H run since (W17, D3).

In the meantime, visiting Athletic Bilbao drew 2-2 at Getafe last weekend, taking their winless La Liga streak to three matches (D2, L1), their longest wait for a top-flight win since December 2021. Playing outside the Basque country has often been troubling for Bilbao, yet they’ve not lost any of their four away league fixtures this season (W2, D2). Ex-Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has turned Athletic’s fortunes around this season, guiding ‘Los Leones’ to their most prolific ten-game La Liga start since 1982/83 (19 goals scored). Back to Camp Nou, where he won consecutive La Liga titles in 2017/18 and 2018/19, Valverde will be looking to defy Bilbao’s woeful run of 17 defeats across their last 18 top-flight visits to this venue (D1). But the Spanish manager has lost a personal joint-high number of encounters against Barcelona (15).

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Bayer Leverkusen vs Wolfsburg

Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg are set to trade tackles at the BayArena in one of the most amusing Bundesliga match-ups this weekend.

Since a scintillating 4-0 romping of Schalke on Xabi Alonso’s touchline debut, Bayer Leverkusen have returned to their old habits, losing back-to-back competitive games via an aggregate score of 8-1, including a 5-1 demolition at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt last time out. Leverkusen’s thoroughly disappointing ten-game Bundesliga start (W2, D2, L6) marks their worst points tally (8) at this stage of a top-flight season since 1982/83. With Wolfsburg arriving at the BayArena, ‘Die Werkself’ will be desperate to knock them down from a four-match winning H2H streak at this venue and win back-to-back home league matches for the first time since the tail-end of last season. Indeed, the abovementioned triumph over Schalke halted Leverkusen’s abysmal four-match winless home league start (D3, L1). It was also their first Bundesliga clean sheet at the BayArena since mid-May.

On the other hand, Wolfsburg played out an eye-catching 2-2 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach at home last weekend, extending their unbeaten Bundesliga streak to three matches (W1, D2). ‘Die Wolfe’ subsequently overcame Eintracht Braunschweig 2-1 in midweek DFB-Pokal action to bolster their spirits ahead of this trip. Playing on the road has not been Wolfsburg’s strong suit this season by any stretch of the imagination, with Niko Kovac’s men picking up just one triumph across five league travels to this point (D1, L3). Much of their poor away form has emanated from an uneventful frontline that has managed a paltry average of 0.4 goals per away league game this term, with no side scoring fewer Bundesliga goals on the road than Wolfsburg (2).

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Fiorentina vs Inter Milan

Fiorentina and Inter Milan are set to trade tackles at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in arguably the most exciting Serie A match-up this weekend.

Out-of-sorts Fiorentina may have put half a foot into the Europa Conference League knockouts, but their 10-game Serie A start has been a complete waste (W2, D4, L4). A frustrating 1-1 draw at newly-promoted Lecce last time out did enough to halt their underwhelming run of consecutive league defeats, yet it left them winless in eight of their last nine top-flight fixtures. Much of Fiorentina’s domestic form woes have emanated from an uneventful frontline that has netted a measly eight goals in the opening ten Serie A matches, netting 2+ goals per game only twice. Inter’s forthcoming visit to Florence threatens to spell the end of Vincenzo Italiano’s tenure, with Fiorentina going winless in their last ten league H2Hs against the 2021/22 Serie A runners-up (D5, L5).

Adding to this sentiment, visiting Inter Milan have enjoyed a noticeable upturn in form in the run-up to this encounter, going from back-to-back Serie A defeats to winning their last two league matches on the bounce. Edin Dzeko scored on either side of halftime to hand ‘I Nerazzurri’ a 2-1 win at Sassuolo on their most recent top-flight travel and arrest Inter’s sub-par run of three successive away league defeats. But yet to keep a clean sheet on hostile turf in Serie A this season, Simone Inzaghi’s men are unlikely to have a stroll in Florence, especially considering their last nine away league fixtures have featured over 2.5 goals and both teams scoring. However, a victory would see Inter reach a historic feat as they could beat Fiorentina in three consecutive away Serie A H2Hs for the second time in club history.

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Everton vs Crystal Palace

Goodison Park is the venue as Everton and Crystal Palace go head-to-head in a bottom-half Premier League six-pointer.

Heading into this encounter, Everton have lost three consecutive Premier League matches, sliding to just one point clear of safety as the pressure continues to mount on Frank Lampard. But Palace’s most recent top-flight visit to Goodison sparks fond memories in the ‘Toffees’ faithful as the Merseysiders came from a 2-0 down to claim a memorable 3-2 victory in this corresponding fixture last season. That triumph forms part of Everton’s ongoing seven-game unbeaten H2H home run against Palace in the Premier League (W4, D3). Despite only losing three of their last 11 home league outings (W5, D3), Manchester United’s 2-1 win in the most recent top-flight game hosted by Goodison means Everton could lose consecutive home league matches for the first time since March. With no team scoring fewer Premier League home goals than Lampard’s men (3), that’s not impossible.

On the other hand, Crystal Palace came from a narrow halftime deficit to beat Wolverhampton 2-1 at home in midweek Premier League action and take their unbeaten league streak to three (W2, D1). Despite suffering only one defeat in their last six league fixtures (W2, D3), the ‘Eagles’ are still just four points clear of the relegation zone, meaning there’s no room for complacency. Interestingly, Palace’s impressive mental fortitude has seen them rack up nine points from losing positions this season, with each of their three Premier League victories coming from behind. Worryingly for Patrick Vieira, his men are winless in their last six away league games (D4, L2), including a pair of scoreless draws in the run-up to this travel.

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Chelsea vs Manchester United

One of the most highly anticipated fixtures on the Premier League schedule pits Chelsea and Manchester United against each other at Stamford Bridge this weekend.

Graham Potter’s appointment as a new chief of staff in the wake of Thomas Tuchel’s dismissal has turned Chelsea’s fortunes around, re-establishing them as credible top-four candidates. Still unbeaten across his opening seven competitive games in charge of the ‘Blues’ (W5, D2), Potter has steered his side back into the top four, albeit they’re only one point clear of fifth-placed Man Utd. Chelsea’s three-match winning league streak ended abruptly in midweek as Brentford held them to a scoreless draw. Worryingly for Potter, the ‘Pensioners’ are winless in their last nine Premier League meetings with Man Utd (D6, L3), their third-worst winless home run against a specific opposition in the competition. But after losing none of their last eight home league outings (W5, D3), they’ll be confident of bucking that trend at the weekend.

On the other hand, visiting Manchester United outclassed fellow top-four hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur in midweek, cruising to a well-deserved 2-0 victory at Old Trafford to extend their unbeaten Premier League run to three matches (W2, D1). Aware that another triumph at the Bridge would see them leapfrog Chelsea, the ‘Red Devils’ will be out to build on their eye-catching four-game league form on the road (W3, L1). However, Erik ten Hag’s men must defy their underwhelming three-match losing Premier League streak away to London sides, their longest such streak in England’s top flight since a run of five in 1974. That’s an arduous task, considering they’ve managed just two wins across their last 20 Premier League visits to the Bridge (D8, L10)!

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AC Milan vs Monza

For the first time since acquiring the ownership of AC Milan in 1986, Silvio Berlusconi returns to the Stadio San Siro as an opponent, with Monza taking on their fellow Lombard rivals in their maiden Serie A encounter.

Stefano Pioli’s men are in a prime position to extend the former Italian Prime Minister an unpleasant welcome after a 2-1 beating of Hellas Verona last weekend made it five wins from six Serie A matches for the reigning champions (L1). Defending the Scudetto won’t be a simple task, but a three-game winning league streak suggests a three-point gap on pacesetters Napoli is not unbridgeable for this high-flying Milan side. It’s likely that they’ll make it four in a row, considering they’ve won their last six top-flight showdowns against newly-promoted sides without conceding a single goal. Curiously, the last time ‘I Rossoneri’ picked up seven wins from the opening ten Serie A rounds as a defending champion in 1992/93, they went on to conquer the league.

In the meantime, Empoli’s narrow 1-0 home triumph knocked visiting Monza down from a three-match winning Serie A streak, putting the break on Raffaele Palladino’s 100% touchline start. But ‘I Biancorossi’ took no time to bounce back as they claimed a phenomenal 3-2 win at Udinese in midweek Coppa Italia action, proving their top-flight credentials against one of the most in-form sides in Serie A. Up-and-coming head coach Palladino craves for more of the same after his men won just once on their five league road trips this season (D1, L3). Yet scoring has been a major issue for Monza this season as they’ve failed to get on the scoresheet in three of their away away league fixtures to this point.

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Juventus vs Empoli

Allianz Stadium is the venue as Juventus and Empoli go head-to-head in a mid-table Serie A encounter.

Dusan Vlahovic’s derby-deciding goal fired Juventus to an all-important 1-0 win at Torino last weekend, helping them overcome a dreadful run of back-to-back 2-0 defeats in all competitions and extending Massimiliano Allegri’s managerial stint in Turin. However, Allegri is not off the hook yet by any stretch of the imagination, with ‘I Bianconeri’ heading into this round six points adrift of fourth-placed Roma following a sub-par Serie A start. The record-time Italian champions have won less than 50% of their opening ten league outings (W4, D3, L3) as Allegri faces another must-win game. Empoli’s stunning 1-0 victory in this corresponding fixture last season halted Juventus’ jaw-dropping 17-game unbeaten H2H run in Serie A (W15, D2), issuing a warning to the hosts not to get too complacent ahead of the kick-off.

As for Empoli, last weekend’s 1-0 home triumph over Monza ended their two-game winless Serie A streak (D1, L1), but their scoring woes continue to torment head coach Paolo Zanetti. A lack of firepower in the attacking third has seen Empoli net under 1.5 goals in nine of their opening ten league matches this season, including the last five on the trot. Despite their uneventful performances upfront, ‘Gli Azzurri’ have gone unbeaten in four consecutive Serie A away games (W1, D3) since succumbing to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Spezia on their opening top-flight travel. Much of the credit for Empoli’s decent Serie A start goes to a rock-solid backline that has conceded just 11 goals in the first ten league fixtures. That’s their best defensive start to a new top-flight season since 2006/07 and the second-best overall.

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Mainz vs Cologne

The weekend’s Bundesliga action gets underway at Mewa Arena as Mainz 05 and Cologne go head-to-head in a mid-table showdown.

Out-of-sorts Mainz pulled off a massive 2-0 victory away to newly-promoted Werder Bremen last time out to arrest an underwhelming run of four winless Bundesliga matches (D2, L2) before easing past lower-league Lubeck 3-0 in midweek DFB-Pokal action. Despite winning less than 50% of their opening ten Bundesliga games (W4, D3, L3), ‘Die Nullfünfer’ head into proceedings only one point adrift of sixth-placed Gladbach and will leapfrog Cologne to seventh should they win here. However, Mainz went winless in both Bundesliga meetings against this opposition last season (D1, L1) despite getting on the scoresheet on each occasion. Connoisseurs of action-packed football may want to look elsewhere for goals, considering Mewa Arena has witnessed just seven strikes in four Bundesliga fixtures it has hosted this season.

On the other hand, visiting Cologne staged an eye-catching second-half comeback to beat Augsburg 3-2 at home last weekend and bring a three-game losing competitive streak to a halt. With one point separating them from fourth-placed TSG Hoffenheim, the ‘Billy Goats’ remain firmly in the Champions League promotion race despite languishing in seventh ahead of the kick-off. But in order to improve their chances of snatching their first Bundesliga top-four finish since 1991/92, Cologne must upgrade their away form. Steffen Baumgart’s men have picked up just one victory across their first five Bundesliga road trips (D3, L1) and have yet to keep a clean sheet away from home this season. Mewa Arena is not the best venue to embark on that mission, given that Cologne have lost seven of their 11 previous Bundesliga away encounters against Mainz (W2, D2).

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Leicester City vs Leeds United

One of the most high-stakes encounters in the young Premier League season pits rock-bottom Leicester City and Leeds United against each other at the King Power Stadium.

Brendan Rodgers’ future as a Leicester City manager is hanging by a thread after Crystal Palace held the ‘Foxes’ to a scoreless draw at the King Power last weekend, leaving them nailed to the bottom of the Premier League table. The only bright spot in an otherwise abysmal league start for Leicester was a 4-0 thumping of promoted Nottingham Forest a fortnight ago, which already looks like a fluke. Rodgers’ men have since gone winless in consecutive Premier League games against fellow bottom-half strugglers Palace and Bournemouth (D1, L1), putting their long-serving head coach at risk. There’s been some improvement, though, as Leicester kept two clean sheets across their last three top-flight outings, as many as in their previous 20! Another shutout here would see them go consecutive Premier League fixtures without conceding for the first time since March.

Encouragingly for the home side, the last time they achieved that feat, the second game was a 1-0 beating of non-other than Leeds United at this venue. Like their hosts, the ‘Whites’ have found themselves in a peculiar position early in the season following a woeful six-match winless Premier League streak (D2, L4). With only one point separating them from the relegation zone, manager Jesse Marsch could soon wave goodbye to Elland Road unless his men get back on track. The King Power Stadium looks like a good place to start these days, but Leeds’ underwhelming three-game losing away league run suggests otherwise. Another negative result would see the Yorkshire outfit suffer four successive top-flight defeats on the road for the first time since 2004. So the pressure is on Marsch to come up with the goods.

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Liverpool vs West Ham United

Resurgent Liverpool entertain bottom-half strugglers West Ham United in a high-stakes Premier League clash at Anfield.

Mohamed Salah’s second-half winner that halted his five-game scoring drought in the Premier League catapulted Liverpool to a morale-bolstering 1-0 home win over back-to-back champions Manchester City at the weekend. But with Jurgen Klopp receiving a straight red card late in the game, the ‘Reds’ will welcome West Ham without their charismatic manager, looking to win consecutive league matches for the second time this season. Liverpool’s hopes of securing another top-four finish are on thin ice as they currently trail fourth-placed Chelsea by six points, narrowing down a margin for error. So West Ham’s visit to Anfield couldn’t have been timed any better, with the Merseyside powerhouse going unbeaten in all but one of their last 49 home league H2Hs (W36, D12). Moreover, Klopp’s men haven’t lost any of their 28 home league fixtures preceding this encounter (W21, D7).

As for West Ham United, Declan Rice’s second-half equaliser rescued a point for David Moyes’ side at Southampton at the weekend (1-1), keeping them a meagre three points clear of the drop zone. After seeing their two-game winning Premier League streak go out of the window, the ‘Hammers’ will have to beat the odds to upgrade their stuttering away league record this season (W1, D1, L3). West Ham’s poor Premier League form stretches back to the turn of the year, as witnessed by the fact only Leicester City and Everton have lost more top-flight games on hostile turf than the ‘Irons’ (9) in 2022. A failed attempt to shut Liverpool out would see West Ham meet a piece of unwanted history. They are one goal away from becoming only the fourth team in Premier League history to concede 800+ goals on the road.

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TSG Hoffenheim vs Schalke 04

An all-Bundesliga DFB-Pokal third-round tie pits TSG Hoffenheim and Schalke 04 against each other at the PreZero Arena.

Less than five days ago, Hoffenheim thrashed Schalke 3-0 away from in the Bundesliga to arrest an abysmal run of three winless league matches (D2, L1) and set themselves up nicely for this contest. Back to the PreZero Arena, where they’ve been winless in their last two league outings (D1, L1), Hoffenheim will be looking to emulate their stellar form from the beginning of the season (W3). Schalke’s visit could come in handy, considering ‘Die Kraichgauer’ have come out victorious in four of their last five Bundesliga H2Hs on home turf (D1), notably netting 2+ goals in each triumph. However, scoring has been a problem for Andre Breitenreiter’s side of late, as they’ve bagged under 1.5 goals in three of their four previous home fixtures.

As for Schalke, the abovementioned H2H defeat to Hoffenheim stretched their losing Bundesliga run to three games, all of which saw Frank Kramer’s team concede at least twice. Equally unimpressive on the other side of the pitch, the ‘Miners’ have failed to get on the scoresheet in three of their five road trips to meet fellow top-flight rivals this season, netting precisely once in the other two. On the bright side, Schalke’s best away performance of the season came in the previous DFB-Pokal round, as they ran riot during a 5-0 demolition of lower-league outfit Bremer in late July. But since they’ve drawn a blank twice across their last four league visits to Hoffenheim, it’s hard to see them pulling off another similar showing.

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Sevilla vs Valencia

Midweek’s La Liga action gets underway at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan as Sevilla and Valencia go head-to-head in an exciting mid-table encounter.

Nemanja Gudelj’s sensational long-range strike fired Sevilla to a narrow 1-0 win at Mallorca last weekend, helping them arrest an underwhelming run of three winless La Liga matches (D2, L1). However, Sevilla’s poor top-flight start that’s seen them win just twice in their opening nine league games (D3, L4) sees them take the field in 14th. On top of that, ‘Los Rojiblancos’ have yet to taste victory at home this season, going winless in all six outings across all competitions (D2, L4), including four in La Liga (D2, L2). Another failed attempt to claim all three points would witness Sevilla go winless in their first five home fixtures of a new top-flight season for the first time since 1996/97.

On the other hand, Valencia were held to a topsy-turvy 2-2 home draw to rock-bottom Elche at the weekend, maintaining their see-saw form at the start of the season. Since a 2-1 defeat at Rayo Vallecano in early September, ‘Los Che’ have alternated between winning (2) and drawing (2) across their subsequent four La Liga games. Yet after beating Osasuna 2-0 on their most recent league travel, Valencia could register back-to-back La Liga triumphs on the road for only the second time since the start of the 2019/20 campaign. To achieve that feat, Gennaro Gattuso’s men will have to defy their dreadful six-match winless streak against Sevilla in La Liga (D2, L4). It’s worth noting they failed to score three times across their last five league H2Hs, netting precisely once per match in the other two.

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RB Leipzig vs Hamburg

Red Bull Arena forms the backdrop as RB Leipzig and Hamburger SV go head-to-head in a tasty-looking DFB-Pokal showdown.

Coming into proceedings, Leipzig eked out a ‘goal-friendly’ 3-2 home triumph over Hertha BSC, extending their unbeaten streak across all competitions to five games (W4, D1). Except for a 1-1 draw at Mainz in early October, Marco Rose’s side netted 2+ goals in the four remaining outings during that five-match run. That indicates HSV’s backline, which conceded at least twice in two of their last three competitive H2Hs against Leipzig, could be in for another troublesome fixture. Adding to this sentiment, ‘Die Roten Bullen’ have won their last four home matches in all competitions, bagging at least three goals on each occasion.

In the meantime, visiting Hamburg succumbed to a dreadful 3-0 defeat away to Bundesliga 2. rivals St. Pauli at the weekend, as their six-match unbeaten domestic run (W5, D1) ran out of the window. Notably, though, before losing at St. Pauli, HSV had won their opening six domestic fixtures on the road this season, including a 3-1 extra-time victory at lower-league SpVgg Bayreuth in the previous DFB-Pokal round. But manage Tim Walter will expect more urgency from his men in the defensive third after seeing them go three consecutive away games without a clean sheet. The one thing that could inspire HSV’s bid to stage an upset at the Red Bull Arena is that they’ve not lost any of their two previous competitive visits to this venue (W1, D1).

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Genoa vs SPAL

Genoa and SPAL are set to meet each other in an all-Serie B Coppa Italia second-round tie at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

Last season’s relegation to Serie B helped Genoa rally their troops and get their affairs in order, as they head into proceedings on the back of four consecutive unbeaten matches in Italy’s second-tier competition (W3, D1). Defensively robust, ‘Il Grifone’ had kept three league clean sheets on the trot before a 2-1 away beating of Cosenza at the weekend. However, a draw has been a common theme in Genoa’s recent home fixtures, as three of their last four outings at the Ferraris have seen the share of the spoils (W1), two of which yielded an identical 0-0 scoreline. Another evenly-contested low-scoring contest could be on the cards, considering their three previous home meetings with SPAL have featured under 2.5 goals (W1, D2), with both draws producing the same 1-1 score.

Meanwhile, visiting SPAL will take the field amid a rough patch, having failed to win any otheir last four Serie B fixtures (D2, L2), including a tepid goalless draw at Cittadella at the weekend. A lack of the cutting edge up top has seen SPAL go three consecutive league matches without scoring, which has been the case in their last two H2Hs against Genoa, both of which witnessed them end on the wrong side of a 2-0 scoreline. Playing away from home is unlikely to support the visitors’ bid to progress beyond this Coppa Italia round, considering they’ve won none of their five away games against fellow second-tier rivals this season (D4, L1).

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Atletico Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano

Metropolitano Stadium is the venue as Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano lock horns in a potentially tricky La Liga task for the home side.

Atletico Madrid claimed a narrow 1-0 win away to Athletic Bilbao at the weekend, taking their winning La Liga streak to three matches and solidifying their position in the top-four race. But ‘Los Rojiblancos’ can ill-afford to get complacent as they head into proceedings level on points with fifth-placed Real Sociedad. Vallecano’s visit should aid Atleti’s cause, given that Diego Simeone’s men are enjoying a seven-game winning La Liga run against this opposition. It’s worth noting they kept a clean sheet in the last six of those H2Hs, suggesting their first home shutout of the 2022/23 La Liga season could be on the cards. Indeed, Atleti’s topsy-turvy home form has seen them alternate between winning (2) and losing (2) across their opening four home league fixtures.

On the other hand, visiting Rayo Vallecano played out a tepid 0-0 home draw with bottom-half Getafe at the weekend, making it just one win from their last four La Liga outings (D1, L2). Stuck in mid-table lethargy, the visitors come into this encounter desperate to bounce back from a disastrous run of three consecutive league defeats on the road, all of which saw them concede 2+ goals. Yet Vallecano went unbeaten on their most recent top-flight visit to a Madrilenian side and could pick up points in back-to-back such match-ups in La Liga for the first time since 1996-2000. That prospect looks a bit far-fetched, considering ‘Los Franjirrojos’ have lost their last eight La Liga away meetings with Atletico, drawing a blank in each of the last three on the bounce.

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Aston Villa vs Chelsea

Villa Park forms the backdrop as Premier League underachievers Aston Villa take on resurgent Chelsea in a potentially decisive game for the hosts’ boss Steven Gerrard.

Despite going unbeaten in four consecutive Premier League outings ahead of the kick-off (W1, D3), including a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest last time out, Aston Villa boss Gerrard is not off the hook yet. With his side picking up just two wins from the opening nine Premier League rounds (D3, L4) and hovering two points clear of the relegation zone, Gerrard is on thin ice. Spanning across multiple seasons, the ‘Lions’ have grabbed only one victory in their last 13 league fixtures (D5, L6), explaining the trouble the former Liverpool cult hero has found himself in these days. However, both Villa’s top-flight triumphs this season have arrived on home turf, where they’ve suffered six defeats across their last eight Premier League H2Hs against Chelsea (W2).

Meanwhile, Chelsea claimed an all-important 2-0 win at AC Milan in midweek Champions League action to seize control of Group E heading into the final two rounds. Graham Potter’s arrival at the helm has been the confidence booster the ‘Blues’ needed following a woeful 2022/23 start under Thomas Tuchel. Potter has led Chelsea to ‘goal-friendly’ wins over Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton in his first two Premier League matches in charge, steering them back into the top four. After last weekend’s 3-0 thumping of Wolves, the ‘Pensioners’ have set their sights on keeping back-to-back clean sheets in England’s top flight for the first time since March. But after failing to hold Villa at bay across their last three league visits to Villa Park, Chelsea should be on high alert.

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Schalke vs TSG Hoffenheim

Schalke 04 and TSG Hoffenheim are set to square off at Veltins Arena in a match between the two underperforming Bundesliga sides.

Schalke’s swift return to the Bundesliga has not brought much joy to home fans’ faces as the hosts head into proceedings languishing in the dreaded relegation playoff spot following an abysmal league start. Last weekend’s 4-0 thumping at Bayer Leverkusen marked Schalke’s third top-flight defeat on the trot, two of which saw Frank Kramer’s side fail to get on the scoresheet. But it’s not the attacking game that torments Kramer but rather his team’s defensive frailties that have witnessed 21 goals conceded across the opening nine Bundesliga rounds, a record second only to rock-bottom Bochum (23). Hoffenheim’s visit to Veltins Arena won’t be dolling out any favours to the ‘Miners,’ considering they’ve racked up a mere two wins across their last ten Bundesliga H2Hs (D3, L5), though one of them was a 4-0 romping in their most recent duel here.

On the other hand, TSG Hoffenheim found themselves on the wrong side of a 2-1 scoreline against Schalke’s fellow promoted rivals Werder Bremen last time out, extending their winless Bundesliga run to three matches (D2, L1). Despite picking up just one win across their five previous top-flight outings, ‘Die Kraichgauer’ enter this round on the periphery of the top four, with fourth-placed Borussia Dortmund only two points away. Spanning back to the tail-end of the 2021/22 season, Andre Breitenreiter’s men have collected only five points from their last eight Bundesliga away matches (W1, D2, L5), meaning a victory at Veltins Arena is far from a foregone conclusion. Scoring has been a genuine issue for Hoffenheim on the road this term as they’ve netted under 1.5 goals four times across their four Bundesliga travels so far.

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Bodo/Glimt vs Arsenal

Connoisseurs of action-packed football will be looking forward to Arsenal’s Europa League road trip to Aspmyra Stadion to take on Norwegian powerhouse Bodo/Glimt.

Despite finding themselves 1-0 down at halftime, Bodo/Glimt notched up four unanswered second-half goals en route to dismantling fellow Eliteserien rivals Sandefjord 4-1 at the weekend. That was a perfect response to last week’s morale-crushing 3-0 defeat at Arsenal that threw Bodo/Glimt’s hopes of making out of the Europa League group stages for the first time. Level on points with third-placed PSV Eindhoven (4 – W1, D1, L1) and two adrift of Arsenal, who also have a game in hand, Kjetil Knutsen’s men will rely on their stellar home European form to bolster their top-two bid. Indeed, the defending Norwegian champions have won their last 14 European fixtures at Aspmyra Stadion via an aggregate score of 42-5, including a 2-1 triumph over Zurich on matchday two.

Bodo/Glimt’s sensational European record in Norway shouldn’t dampen the enthusiasm in the Arsenal camp following the Londoners’ enthralling 3-2 home win over last season’s Premier League runners-up Liverpool at the weekend. In addition to making it ten victories out of 11 competitive matches this season (L1), the ‘Gunners’ have retained the top spot in England’s top flight. Things are looking equally promising in Europe, where they’ve won both opening Europa League fixtures to seize control of Group A. Mikel Arteta’s team will feel optimistic about extending their purple patch of form after going unbeaten in all three previous European visits to Norway (W2, D1). On top of that, the visitors have been unbeaten in 13 of their last 14 Europa League outings on hostile turf (W10, D2), highlighting their skyrocketing confidence.

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Viktoria Plzen vs Bayern Munich

Viktoria Plzen and Bayern Munich are set to trade tackles at Doosan Arena in contrasting Champions League circumstances.

Drawn alongside Barcelona, Bayern, and Inter Milan in the sternest Champions League group, Czech First League table-toppers Viktoria Plzen are miles away from advancing to the competition’s knockouts for the first time ever. They have so far lived up to their status as Group C whipping boys, losing their opening three European fixtures via an aggregate score of 12-1, including a 5-0 demolition in Munich last week. That defeat forms part of Plzen’s disastrous 100% losing ratio across their five historic meetings with Bayern in major European competitions. Indeed, they’ve lost all three Champions League H2Hs in the 21st century, conceding 11 unanswered goals. Nothing should change this week, considering the Czechs have yet to keep a clean sheet across ten Champions League home outings, shipping 22 goals in total.

Meanwhile, visiting Bayern Munich have put one foot in the Champions League round of 16 after winning their opening three Group C games by an aggregate score of 9-0. Safe at the summit, the ‘Bavarians’ can seal their place in the knockouts with another win in Plzen. Owners of an outright competition record, Julian Nagelsmann’s men are unbeaten across their last 31 Champions League group fixtures (W28, D3), suggesting Sadio Mane & Co may have a field day in the Czech Republic. Nagelsmann will pray for such a scenario after seeing his side pegged back from a 2-0 lead in an enthralling 2-2 draw at fierce Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund over the weekend. Adding to Nagelsmann’s confidence, he has won his last 11 Champions League group matches, with his men netting a staggering 38 goals in that span.

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Napoli vs Ajax

Stadio Diego Armando Maradona is the venue as Napoli and Ajax go head-to-head in a handsomely-looking Champions League showdown.

Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli are unplayable these days as they followed up a 6-1 humbling of Ajax last week with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Serie A newcomers Cremonese at the weekend. ‘I Partenopei’ have taken the Champions League by storm this season, winning all three Group A matches via at least a three-goal margin, including a 4-1 trouncing of Liverpool in their only home game thus far. There’s a piece of history up for grabs as Napoli could become only the third Italian side to win their first four Champions League matches. Having racked up a sensational 13-2 aggregate score across the opening three rounds, they could also equal the record for the highest amount of goals scored by a Serie A club after the first four Champions League fixtures (14).

On the other hand, Ajax’s 5-0 thrashing of Group A whipping boys Rangers on day one looks like distant history, as they’ve lost consecutive Champions League games since via an aggregate score of 8-2. Back-to-back winless matches in Group A formed part of the Dutch side’s underwhelming four-game run without winning in all competitions (D1, L3) that they arrested by thumping Volendam 4-2 at the weekend. The ‘Lancers’ are all too aware another poor result in Naples, combined with Liverpool’s likely win at Rangers, would significantly derail their chances of reaching the knockouts. However, Alfred Schreuder’s team can find some inspiration knowing they’ve gone unbeaten across their last four Champions League visits to Italy (W2, D2). Stretching beyond the Italian borders, the visitors have avoided defeat in 21 of their previous 23 Champions League away games (W11, D10).

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Barcelona vs Inter Milan

A second-place finish in Champions League Group C is on the line as Barcelona and Inter Milan lock horns in a high-stakes encounter at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Barcelona’s Champions League campaign has reached a ‘make or break’ point following a morale-damaging 1-0 defeat at Inter last week. After losing twice in their opening three matches in the so-called ‘group of death,’ the ‘Blaugrana’ risk bowing out in the Champions League group phase twice on the spin for the first time in the 21st century. The impending return to the Spotify Camp Nou, where they overcame fellow La Liga rivals, Celta Vigo, 1-0 at the weekend, could come in handy. Indeed, the ‘Catalans’ have suffered just three defeats across their last 44 Champions League games on home turf (W36, D5), all of which came during Ronald Koeman’s lacklustre tenure. Keen to avoid the fate of his predecessor, Xavi Hernandez will hope to build on Barcelona’s eye-catching 17-game home form against Italian visitors (W13, D3, L1).

As for Inter Milan, after a 2-0 home defeat to Group C leaders Bayern Munich on day one, they’ve strung together consecutive Champions League wins to seize a coveted runner-up spot. However, you’d have to go back to 2004 for Inter’s last Champions League triumph on Spanish soil, with ‘I Nerazzurri’ going winless in eight successive such fixtures since a 5-1 thumping of Valencia 18 years ago (D1, L7). What’s more, last season’s Serie A runners-up have lost all five Champions League visits to Barcelona, failing to trouble the scoreboard on four occasions. Despite entering this contest as pre-match outsiders, Inter can at least fall back on a two-game winning streak in the run-up to this fixture, including a hard-earned 2-1 victory at Sassuolo over the weekend.

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Atletico Madrid vs Club Brugge

Thursday’s Champions League action gets underway at the Metropolitano Stadium as Atletico Madrid fight for their Group B survival against table-topping Club Brugge.

Following a dramatic 2-1 home victory over Porto on day one, Atletico Madrid’s Champions League campaign has gone into disarray, with Diego Simeone’s men losing back-to-back matches via an identical 2-0 scoreline. ‘Los Rojiblancos’ lost in Belgium last week but can draw confidence from beating Belgian visitors in all five home games across major European competitions. Extending that record is necessary to keep Atletico’s bid to progress beyond the Champions League group phase for the fifth year running. However, the Metropolitano Stadium has not been the fortress the Atletico faithful have been hoping for lately, with Simeone’s lads picking up just one win in their last nine Champions League home outings (D5, L3). Yet a tight 2-1 home beating of Girona at the weekend could inspire the Madrid side’s comeback.

In the meantime, visiting Club Brugge have defied every expectation the bookies had for them before the Champions League started, winning all three Group B fixtures by an aggregate score of 7-0. Six points clear of all other Group B participants at the halfway stage, the ‘Blauw-Zwart’ are on the cusp of achieving an unprecedented milestone and qualifying for the Champions League knockouts for the first time in club history. A victory in Madrid at long odds would see Brugge become only the second-ever Belgian outfit to win four Champions League contests on the bounce. Moreover, after a 4-0 humbling of Porto on matchday one, Brugge boss Carl Hoefkens could be the first coach to oversee consecutive Champions League away wins in charge of the reigning Belgian First Division A holders.

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Maccabi Haifa vs Juventus

Underperforming Juventus take a trip to the Sammy Ofer Stadium to encounter Maccabi Haifa in a must-win Champions League showdown.

There’s not much Maccabi Haifa can do to improve their hopes of progressing beyond the Champions League group stages for the first time in their third appearance since the start of the new millennium. Having lost each of their opening three Group H outings, the Israeli champions enter this matchday nailed to the bottom of the standings. By extension, the ‘Greens’ have lost their last nine Champions League matches and could become the fifth side in the competition’s history to suffer 10+ defeats in a row. Since beating Manchester United in 2002, Haifa have lost four consecutive Champions League games, failing to get on the scoresheet in three of them. Additionally, they’ve found themselves on the losing side in all three previous European meetings with Juventus.

In the meantime, Juventus head into proceedings on the back of a dreadful 2-0 derby defeat to fellow Serie A rivals AC Milan at the weekend, knowing another sub-par result could prove detrimental to their hopes of advancing to the Champions League knockouts. After losing their opening two Group H outings via an identical 2-1 scoreline, Juventus, inspired by Angel Di Maria’s hat-trick of assists, thumped Haifa 3-1 last week. However, without a clean sheet in five successive Champions League fixtures for the first time since 2013, ‘I Bianconeri’ cannot afford to underestimate their hosts. Moreover, Massimiliano Allegri’s men have won none of their last three Champions League away games (D1, L2), including a 2-1 defeat at PSG on matchday one. As a result, they’re staring down the barrel of multiple Champions League group stage losses for the first time since 2014/15.

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Atletico Madrid vs Girona

Metropolitano Stadium forms the backdrop as Atletico Madrid and Girona meet in only their fifth La Liga encounter.

Atletico Madrid suffered a shocking 2-0 defeat at Club Brugge in midweek Champions League action, throwing their hopes of reaching the competition’s knockouts into doubt (W1, L2). Back to domestic proceedings, ‘Los Rojiblancos’ will draw confidence from beating Sevilla 2-0 last weekend, making it two wins in three La Liga outings (L1). Girona’s impending visit to the Spanish capital will reinforce Atletico’s bid to register back-to-back league triumphs for the first time this season, as they’ve been unbeaten in all four previous top-flight H2Hs (W1, D3). However, there are plenty of concerns for Diego Simeone, whose men have already lost two La Liga matches at the Metropolitano Stadium this season (W1), only one defeat fewer than their all-time season-high under the Argentine (3). Moreover, Atletico’s poor 16.7% win ratio against Girona across all competitions (W1, D5) could dampen the hosts’ spirits.

In the meantime, Girona found themselves ahead twice in last weekend’s topsy-turvy home encounter against Real Sociedad but eventually ended on the wrong side of a 5-3 scoreline! Having won just once in five La Liga outings (D1, L3), the visitors enter this round just three points clear of the relegation zone. On top of that, ‘Los Blanquivermells’ have won none of their last eight La Liga games on the road, losing seven of them (D1), meaning they’re enduring their worst-ever winless top-flight streak away from home. Head coach Michel will urge his side to show more composure after conceding equalisers in each of their last three La Liga fixtures (W1, L2). But after scoring under 1.5 goals in all three away league games this term, it’s questionable whether they can find the net in Madrid.

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Sheriff Tiraspol vs Real Sociedad

Real Sociedad take a trip to the Stadionul Zimbru to take on Sheriff Tiraspol, looking to consolidate their place at the top of Europa League Group E.

Sheriff Tiraspol got their Europa League Group E campaign off to a flyer, claiming a clear-cut 3-0 triumph at Omonia Nicosia on day one. Yet, a 2-0 home loss to Manchester United last time out has thrown Sheriff’s hopes of progressing into the knockouts of a major European competition for the first time. But the reigning Moldovan champions have enjoyed an eye-catching improvement in the Europa League, racking up four wins in their last seven matches (L3), as many victories as in their first 21 in the competition (W3, D10, L8). Stjepan Tomas’ men have fond memories of their only previous two-legged meeting with Spanish opponents as they defied the odds to beat Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in last season’s Champions League group stages before losing at home.

As for injury-hit Real Sociedad, a morale-boosting 1-0 win at Man Utd in their Group E curtain-raiser followed up by a 2-1 home triumph over Omonia places them at the summit ahead of matchday three. Another success on Moldovan soil would see ‘La Real’ win three Europa League outings in a row for the first time since November 2017! Optimism shouldn’t be in short supply. Imanol Alguacil’s side fought back twice to pull off a stellar 5-3 away victory at fellow La Liga rivals Girona last weekend, taking their winning streak in all competitions to three matches. Adding to the visitors’ confidence, they’ve lost just one of their last nine Europa League fixtures on foreign soil (W3, D5).

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Sevilla vs Borussia Dortmund

Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan is the venue as Sevilla meet Borussia Dortmund in a high-stakes Champions League Group G fixture.

This third Champions League matchday could be considered a decisive one for Group G, with three participants, except for table-toppers Manchester City, heading into the round with the potential of ending it in second. Despite claiming just one point and drawing a blank in their opening two group matches (D1, L1), Sevilla enter this fixture trailing second-placed Dortmund by two points. However, Julen Lopetegui’s men have experienced a faltering start to the season, suffering five defeats across nine competitive outings (W1, D3), including a 2-0 home loss to fellow La Liga strugglers Atletico Madrid at the weekend. So Sevilla’s hopes of making out of the Champions League group stages for the second time in three years are running thin, especially as they’ve won just one of their previous four European clashes against Dortmund (D2, L1).

Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund spurned a 1-0 half-time lead in a disappointing 3-2 Bundesliga defeat at Cologne over the weekend, making it three losses from four competitive games (W1). Keen to avoid back-to-back group eliminations, ‘Die Roten Bullen’ slayed Group G minnows Copenhagen 3-0 on day one but then lost 2-1 at Manchester City on matchday two. Still in firm control of their fate, Edin Terzic’s men take a trip to Andalusia desperately looking to defy their sub-par 11-match form away to Spanish clubs in European football (W1, D3, L7). Dortmund’s free-scoring form in the Champions League should come in handy, with the Germans finding the net in all but one of their last 18 outings in the competition at an average of 1.83 per game. But since they’ve lost their last three competitive away contests by an aggregate score of 8-3, their confidence might be a bit rocked.

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Salzburg vs Dinamo Zagreb

Red Bull Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb are set to square off in a high-stakes Champions League Group E showdown at the Red Bull Arena.

Despite drawing their opening two Group E matches by an identical 1-1 scoreline, Salzburg could seize the top stop in the section should they beat Zagreb and AC Milan collapse at Chelsea. Widely expected to bid the Champions League farewell during the group stage, the perennial Austrian champions could still defy the odds and claim their second straight berth in the competition’s knockouts. Extending a five-match unbeaten home streak in the Champions League (W3, D2) would be the first step toward that goal, and there’s a fair probability they’ll achieve that. Indeed, ‘Die Roten Bullen’ have won both previous meetings with Zagreb in the competition via an aggregate score of 9-3, bagging 4+ goals on each occasion. But after winning their first four competitive home outings this season, Matthias Jaissle’s men have drawn the last three.

In the meantime, visiting Dinamo Zagreb enjoyed a stellar Group E start, defeating Chelsea 1-0 at home but then slumped to a 3-1 defeat at Milan on matchday two. Zagreb’s collapse at the San Siro was no major surprise, considering they’ve not won an away match in the Champions League since 1998, going winless on 19 consecutive travels in the competition since (D3, L16). What’s more, you’d have to go back to 1999 for Zagreb’s last Champions League clean sheet on foreign soil, with the ‘Blues’ conceding an average of 2.9 goals per game across their 18 competition trips since. Yet after registering four wins in their last five away fixtures across all competitions (L1), Ante Cacic’s men may believe their time has come.

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RB Leipzig vs Celtic

Red Bull Arena is the venue as RB Leipzig and Celtic go head-to-head in a bottom-half Champions League Group F six-pointer.

It’s been a disastrous European start for Leipzig as they’ve lost both opening group stage fixtures via an aggregate score of 6-1, including a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Shakhtar Donetsk at this stadium. Since a 2-0 triumph over Istanbul Basaksehir in their first home game of the 2020/21 Champions League season, ‘Die Roten Bullen’ have failed to keep a clean sheet in seven consecutive home outings in the competition. With Leipzig’s vulnerable backline conceding an average of two goals per game during that seven-match sequence, their hopes of beating Celtic in their second home European H2H are up in the air (W1). Not even a managerial shift early in the season has helped the Germans find their feet as they’ve blown hot and cold across four competitive fixtures under Marco Rose (W2, L2).

On the other hand, goals on either side of halftime catapulted Celtic to a 2-1 home win over fellow Scottish Premiership rivals Motherwell at the weekend, ending their poor three-game winless streak in all competitions (D1, L2). However, Celtic’s hopes of making it out of the Champions League group phase for the first time since 2012/13 are hanging by a threat after they’ve won none of their first two Group F contests (D1, L1). Having fallen three points behind second-placed Shakhtar in the race for a runner-up finish behind undisputed leaders Real Madrid, the ‘Hoops’ will take the field aiming to post their first-ever European victory on German soil. Indeed, the Scottish heavyweights have gone winless on their previous 13 visits to the country (D3, L10), frustratingly drawing a blank on nine occasions.

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