It’s time for matchday 4 from the revamped Champions League which options some thrilling showdowns throughout the continent.
We take a look at Tuesday’s largest speaking factors.
⚔️ Match of the Day
There’s loads of competitors for this class however finally, the duel between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield will get the nod.
It pits the Premier League leaders in opposition to Germany’s defending double winners who’re, in fact, managed by an outdated Reds favorite in Xabi Alonso.
Liverpool are considered one of solely two groups (Aston Villa being the opposite) who deliver a 100% file into matchday 4 however in opposition to Leverkusen, they face a facet who’ve conceded simply as soon as within the competitors this season.
The sport will probably be exhilarating viewing between two of the continent’s most enjoyable and entertaining groups.
🔎 Workforce to Watch
Holders Actual Madrid aren’t firing on all cylinders coming into their mouthwatering match-up with Milan – a sport that may be a actual callback to the wealthy historical past of this competitors in a yr during which a lot has modified.
Their most up-to-date sport was 10 days in the past once they have been humiliated at residence by Barcelona in El Clásico, with their scheduled weekend fixture with Valencia being postponed on account of excessive flooding in Spain.
They’ve additionally come below hearth for his or her Ballon d’Or boycott, whereas native media have been vital of the performances of famous person duo Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham this season.
Can Los Blancos calm the mounting furore?
🔥 Participant to Watch
Leipzig are badly in want of a win from their journey to Glasgow to face Celtic, having misplaced all of their fixtures to date (admittedly from a tricky run: Atlético de Madrid, Juventus and Liverpool).
They are going to be trying to primary man Benjamin Seško to supply the spark in Scotland in opposition to a Bhoys outfit who impressed defensively of their 0-0 draw at Atalanta final day trip.
The Slovenian has scored all three of his workforce’s Champions League this season and wanted simply 10 pictures to do – with all of his team-mates combining for 34 unsuccessful efforts.
👀 Potential upset
📸 PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA – AFP or licensors
The chances are stacked in opposition to Sporting CP being the workforce to finish Manchester Metropolis’s file unbeaten streak on this competitors (which took high spot on matchday three once they made it 26 with out defeat in opposition to Sparta Prague).
However Metropolis misplaced to Tottenham within the EFL Cup final midweek and adopted it up with one other loss in opposition to Bournemouth within the league on Saturday, dropping back-to-back fixtures for the primary time in over a yr, suggesting there’s a sense of vulnerability in the mean time.
Sporting are additionally undefeated of their final three conferences with English opposition and have but to lose within the Champions League this season.
And naturally there’s the Rúben Amorim issue. There could be no higher method for the brand new Manchester United boss to log out in Lisbon than by getting one over on the facet who will quickly be his new nemesis.
📊 Fascinating stat
Bologna have by no means misplaced in any of their 28 residence fixtures in main European competitors (profitable 16 of these and drawing 12).
In truth, the one workforce to play extra at residence with out dropping in Europe are Ipswich City with 30.
Can the Italian facet shut in on that file once they host Monaco on Tuesday?
📸 INA FASSBENDER – AFP or licensors