Champions League Fixtures This Evening: Manchester City v Bayer Leverkusen & Additional Games
Welcome to a fresh evening of exciting Champions League football. 9 games are scheduled for this evening, featuring 3 British teams in play. Chelsea meet Barcelona in the key fixture of the evening, while The Magpies visit Marseille and City host Bayer Leverkusen.
Group Rankings
It's the halfway point of the league stage, meaning the table is starting to take shape. All six British teams are currently in the upper twelve, however there are only two points separating fifth and sixteenth position, so there's a hint of uncertainty about the entire situation. All remains open.
Tonight’s Fixtures
These are tonight’s matches, all starting at 8pm unless stated:
- Ajax 0-1 Benfica (5.45pm)
- Galatasaray 0-0 Union SG (5.45pm)
- Juventus face Bodo/Glimt
- Barcelona take on Chelsea
- Villarreal meet Dortmund
- Man City v Leverkusen
- Newcastle travel to Marseille
- Qarabag play Napoli
- Slavia Prague v Athletic Bilbao
Squad Updates
Wesley Fofana, Caicedo, Garnacho, Malo Gusto and Estevao join the Blues team. Out go Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Jamie Gittens, Pedro and Liam Delap.
Yamal is in the starting lineup for Barcelona; Marcus Rashford is among the substitutes.
The Blues (probable four-three-three) Robert Sanchez; James, Wesley Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Gusto, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez; Estevao, Neto, Garnacho.
Subs: Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Delap, Bynoe-Gittens, Andrey Santos, Joao Pedro, Jorrel Hato, Leo George, Joshua Acheampong, Guiu, Buonanotte.
Barcelona (possible 4-2-3-1): Garcia; Jules Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde; Garcia, De Jong; Lamine Yamal, Lopez, Ferran Torres; Robert Lewandowski.
Subs: Wojciech Szczesny, Kochen, Raphinha, Rashford, Christensen, Marc Casado, Gerard, Dani Olmo, Noah Darvich, Dario Fernandez, Bardghji.
Official Slavko Vincic (Slovenian).
Past Meetings
The sole past encounter between Newcastle and Marseille was the Europa League semi-final of 2003-04, won by an rising star from Côte d'Ivoire. Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester City have never met before. Barcelona and Chelsea have a notable history.
Initial Game Reports
Only a single goal during the opening period of the two early games. Dahl's sixth-minute sizzler has given Jose Mourinho’s Benfica a 1-0 advantage at the Dutch side.
Marseille v Newcastle Preview
Although The Magpies arrived in the south of France coming off their confidence-boosting two-one home Premier League win against Manchester City on the weekend, and having beaten Union Saint-Gilloise, the Portuguese side and Athletic Bilbao in the European Cup, their only on the road win since the start of April came in Brussels at Union Saint-Gilloise.
It's not that Howe was eager to talk about the psychological aspect of this away form issue. “The European Cup is distinct from Premier League games,” said the manager, whose team are sixth in the Champions League standings, with nine points from a available 12 and direct progression to the last 16 almost within touching distance. “I don’t know if you can compare them.”
We have a separate live blog for Barcelona vs Chelsea. Murray, the minute-by-minute equivalent of Maradona is handling for that.
