The 2023/24 UEFA Champions League enters its second matchday as groups across the continent try to separate themselves on the prime of their teams from these scrambling under.
Reigning champions Manchester Metropolis go into their journey to RB Leipzig having misplaced two video games on the bounce in all competitions, whereas the chaos surrounding native rivals Manchester United will solely improve in the event that they fail to beat Galatasaray at Outdated Trafford.
Matchday 1 was full of drama however few shocks as European heavyweights Actual Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain all picked up victories.
Here is how 90min sees this week’s Champions League fixtures panning out.
Tuesday 3 October
Tuesday’s slate of Champions League motion opens with a couple of B-list video games within the 17:45 (BST) kick-offs, with Union Berlin internet hosting Braga and Salzburg taking over Actual Sociedad.
Bayern Munich will look to take a stranglehold on Group A once they journey to Denmark to face Kobenhavn, with Harry Kane keen so as to add to his haul of twenty-two targets within the competitors. His first of these for Bayern got here within the 4-3 win over Man Utd final outing.
Manchester United themselves want a powerful efficiency at house to Galatasaray, having misplaced on the weekend 1-0 to Crystal Palace. The Pink Devils have loads of harm points however cannot afford for final season’s progress to go to waste with any slip-ups within the group stage.
|
Kick-off Time (BST) |
Fixture |
Group |
Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|
|
17:45 |
Union Berlin vs Braga |
C |
1-0 |
|
17:45 |
Salzburg vs Actual Sociedad |
D |
2-2 |
|
20:00 |
Kobenhavn vs Bayern Munich |
A |
0-3 |
|
20:00 |
Manchester United vs Galatasaray |
A |
1-0 |
|
20:00 |
Lens vs Arsenal |
B |
0-2 |
|
20:00 |
PSV Eindhoven vs Sevilla |
B |
1-1 |
|
20:00 |
Napoli vs Actual Madrid |
C |
1-1 |
|
20:00 |
Inter vs Benfica |
D |
1-0 |
Arsenal confirmed no signal of nerves on their return to the Champions League again in September, wiping the ground with PSV Eindhoven in a 4-0 thrashing. All video games in Europe current their challenges, however upcoming opponents Lens have struggled for consistency up to now this marketing campaign, sitting fifteenth in Ligue 1 even after back-to-back wins.
Arguably essentially the most glamorous fixture on Tuesday night time sees Serie A title holders Napoli battle Jude Bellingham and Actual Madrid at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The 2 sides, full of attacking expertise, aptitude and charisma, ought to serve up a footballing feast.
Final season’s finalists Inter – who presently prime Italy’s prime flight – battle it out with Benfica, who’re some extent off the tempo in Portugal’s Primeira Liga.
Wednesday 4 October
It has been some time since Atletico Madrid loved a powerful run in Europe, final reaching the UCL’s semi-finals in 2017, and had been denied an away win at Lazio by the heroics of flying goalkeeper Ivan Provedel. The Spaniards will anticipate a troublesome battle when Feyenoord, who’ve gained their final six video games in a row, take to the Metropolitano Stadium turf.
All Glasgow residents ought to guarantee they keep away from any agency hotspots earlier than Celtic host Lazio. The 2 fanbases are positive to create a raucaus ambiance when the 2 sides collide searching for their first group-stage wins.
AC Milan had been partly answerable for their snooze-fest with Newcastle at San Siro however might want to present extra intent once they go to Borussia Dortmund, themselves crushed by PSG on the opening night time.
|
Kick-off Time (BST) |
Fixture |
Group |
Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|
|
17:45 |
Atletico Madrid vs Feyenoord |
E |
2-1 |
|
17:45 |
Royal Antwerp vs Shakhtar Donetsk |
H |
1-0 |
|
20:00 |
Celtic vs Lazio |
E |
2-2 |
|
20:00 |
Borussia Dortmund vs AC Milan |
F |
2-1 |
|
20:00 |
Newcastle United vs Paris Saint-Germain |
F |
2-2 |
|
20:00 |
Crvena Zvezda vs Younger Boys |
G |
1-0 |
|
20:00 |
RB Leipzig vs Manchester Metropolis |
G |
1-1 |
|
20:00 |
Porto vs Barcelona |
H |
0-1 |
Two trendy giants enhanced by the money of West Asia meet at St James’ Park when Paris Saint-Germain go to Newcastle, who’ve scored 11 targets in three video games since that Milan draw, albeit eight coming in a single fixture in opposition to Sheffield United.
RB Leipzig have performed their manner into type properly earlier than they welcome Manchester Metropolis to Saxony. They will little doubt be buoyed by a 2-2 draw with Bayern final outing, although victory arguably slipped by means of their fingers with a 2-0 lead secured by the twenty sixth minute. The Carabao Cup exit might need been of little concern to Pep Guardiola however Saturday’s loss to Wolves got here as a shock, one he’ll be keen bounce again from with a second group stage win in as many matches.
Barcelona have maybe the hardest sport of their Group H run once they go to Porto. The Portuguese outfit can be smarting from a derby defeat to Benfica final outing. Barca look extra street-smart than ever, nonetheless, keeping off Sevilla of their most up-to-date league outing.
READ 90MIN’S FULL MATCH PREVIEWS HERE
