Champions League Fixtures Tonight: Chelsea v Barcelona & Additional Games
Greetings to a fresh evening of thrilling Champions League soccer. 9 matches are set for this evening, featuring three British teams in action. Chelsea meet Barcelona in the standout fixture of the evening, while Newcastle visit Marseille and City host Bayer Leverkusen.
Group Rankings
It's the midway point of the group stage, meaning the table is beginning to form. All six English teams are presently in the upper twelve, however there are only two pts separating fifth and sixteenth position, so there's a hint of snakes and ladders about the entire situation. It’s all up for grabs.
Tonight’s Fixtures
These are tonight’s matches, all kicking off at 8:00 PM except where noted:
- Ajax 0-1 Benfica (5.45pm)
- Galatasaray 0-0 Union SG (5.45pm)
- Bodo/Glimt v Juventus
- Barcelona take on Chelsea
- Dortmund v Villarreal
- Leverkusen visit Man City
- Newcastle travel to Marseille
- Napoli v Qarabag
- Athletic Bilbao clash with Slavia Prague
Team News
Wesley Fofana, Moises Caicedo, Garnacho, Malo Gusto and Estevao all come into the Chelsea team. Out go Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Gittens, Pedro and Delap.
Lamine Yamal starts for Barcelona; Marcus Rashford is on the bench.
Chelsea (probable 4-3-3) Sanchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Malo Gusto, Moises Caicedo, Enzo; Estevao, Pedro Neto, Alejandro Garnacho.
Substitutes: Kjell Scherpen, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Delap, Bynoe-Gittens, Andrey Santos, Pedro, Hato, Leo George, Acheampong, Marc Guiu, Facundo Buonanotte.
Barcelona (probable 4-2-3-1): Joan Garcia; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde; Eric Garcia, Frenkie de Jong; Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Ferran Torres; Lewandowski.
Subs: Wojciech Szczesny, Diego Kochen, Raphinha, Rashford, Christensen, Marc Casado, Gerard, Olmo, Noah Darvich, Dario Fernandez, Roony Bardghji.
Official Vincic (Slovenia).
Historical Context
The only previous meeting between Newcastle and Marseille was the Uefa Cup semi-final of 2003-04, claimed by an emerging superstar from CĂ´te d'Ivoire. Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen have never met before. Barcelona and Chelsea have some past encounters.
Early Match Updates
Only a single goal during the opening period of the two early games. Dahl's 6th-minute goal has earned Jose Mourinho’s Benfica a one-nil lead away to Ajax.
Marseille v Newcastle Preview
Although The Magpies traveled to the south of France coming off their confidence-boosting 2-1 home Premier League win over City on the weekend, and having defeated Union SG, Benfica and Athletic Bilbao in the European Cup, their sole away victory since early April came in the Belgian capital at Union SG.
Not that Howe was eager to discuss the mental side of this away form issue. “The European Cup is distinct from domestic games,” said the coach, whose side are sixth in the Champions League standings, with 9 points from a available 12 and automatic qualification to the last 16 almost within touching distance. “I am not sure if you can compare them.”
A dedicated live feed is available for Chelsea v Barcelona. Murray, the minute-by-minute equivalent of Diego Maradona is handling for that.
