All the UEFA action tonight

UEFA Champions League’s group stage resumes on Tuesday, with Groups A through D completing the phase’s fourth round. With special focus on the day’s big match in Turin, here’s a preview of the week’s first eight games.

 

 

Juventus (Italy) vs. Real Madrid (Spain) Kickoff: 2:45 p.m. Eastern, Turin (Juventus Stadium)

 

 

Juventus' Champions League hopes hang by a thread going into Tuesday's showdown with Group B leaders Real Madrid.

 

Antonio Conte's men have just two points from their opening three games and, with second-placed Galatasaray facing rock-bottom Copenhagen, a home defeat to the Spanish giants could leave them five points adrift of a qualification spot for the last 16.

 

But Conte, who saw his side lose 2-1 at the Bernabeu, believes the home fans can make the difference.

 

"I hope the Juventus Stadium is going to be a boiling cauldron on Tuesday night, so that the fans can push us to victory," he told Juventus TV.

 

"We have already shown in Madrid what we can do. Madrid have been constructed to win their 10th European Cup, but we must not be afraid."

 

Juve were boosted on Saturday by the return from injury of influential forward Fabio Quagliarella, who played the last 15 minutes of the 1-0 win at Parma.

 

They will be without defender Giorgio Chiellini, though, after he was sent off in the reverse fixture last month.

 

The Serie A champions have lost just once in the league - a 4-2 defeat at Fiorentina, where they had led by two at the break - and have leaders Roma in their sights.

 

But demand to do well in continental competition is high at Juventus, following a successful return to the competition last term which saw them reach the quarter-finals.

 

Victory against a Real side that has reached the semi-finals in each of the last three seasons would signal Juve's intent, but Carlo Ancelotti's charges represent a substantial challenge to overcome.

 

The 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, in which Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to take his season's tally to 22 in all competitions, came on the heels of a 7-3 triumph over Sevilla, underlining the visitors' goalscoring threat.

 

Ronaldo scored both goals in the meeting between the two sides in Spain, moving him into third in the competition's all-time scorers list.

 

The Portuguese is six shy of Barcelona's Lionel Messi and 15 short of overhauling Real legend Raul, who has 71.

 

Ancelotti's side will secure their place in the knockout stages with a victory.

 

 

Manchester City (England) vs. CSKA Moscow (Russia) Kickoff: 2:45 p.m. Eastern, Manchester (Etihad Stadium)

 

 

City's qualification prospects from Group D would be greatly improved by a victory over their Russian visitors on Tuesday, but it remains to be seen who will be in goal for the hosts.

 

Pantilimon, who has kept three clean sheets in as many appearances this season, has not played in the competition since appearing in a qualifying match for Poli Timisoara in 2009.

 

The reverse fixture between the two sides in Russia, which City won 2-1, was overshadowed by Yaya Toure's claims that he had been racially abused by the home fans.

 

Uefa sanctioned CSKA, who will be forced to close part of their stadium for their next home Champions League tie, and both clubs will hope to move on from the unsavoury incident.

 

Vincent Kompany will play no part in the match as he continues his recovery from a thigh injury, which will come as good news to the away side.

 

The Russian Premier League outfit can ill afford to lose if they are to reach the last 16, with last month's defeat to City their second defeat in three group games.

 

CSKA have progressed past the group phase in their last two attempts, and reached the quarter-finals in 2009-10, but need a positive result on Tuesday to continue that pattern.

 

Since the loss to Pellegrini's side, CSKA have arrested an alarming slide in their domestic form, ending a five-match winless run with back-to-back victories over Krasnodar and Volga, leaving them fourth in the table.

 

Manager Leonid Slutsky can call upon a number of attacking prospects to trouble City, including Serbian midfielder Zoran Tosic, who broke the deadlock in their previous meeting before City hit back through a Sergio Aguero double.

 

Up front, Seydou Doumbia carries CSKA's most potent goalscoring threat, with six goals in nine league appearances.

 

 

Real Sociedad (Spain) vs. Manchester United (England) Kickoff: 2:45 Eastern, San Sebastián (Aneota)

 

 

Jagoba Arrasate's side failed to take a single point from their opening three Group A fixtures, with the most recent of their defeats coming at the hands of United, who won 1-0 at Old Trafford last month thanks to Inigo Martinez's own goal after 69 seconds - the fastest own goal in Champions League history.

 

That came on the back of a 2-0 home defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk on matchday one and a 2-1 loss at Bayer Leverkusen a fortnight later.

 

 

Sociedad's elimination will be confirmed if they lose on Tuesday, or if they draw and Leverkusen win in Ukraine in the group's other fixture.

 

While they have struggled in Europe, Sociedad have prospered recently in La Liga, winning three and drawing one of their last four matches - including a 5-0 thumping of Osasuna on Saturday.

 

United, meanwhile, sit top of the pool, undefeated with seven points from their three games thanks to a 4-2 home win over Leverkusen and a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Donetsk before their success over the Basque outfit.

 

If United win it will be their first European away victory since November 7 last year, and manager David Moyes knows the fixture will not be a simple task for his side.

 

"It will be a difficult game in Sociedad," he told reporters. "To go and play any team in Spain who have qualified for the Champions League would be a hard test.

 

"We'll go there and hopefully try and get a result which can continue our good form in the group."

 

United's most recent visit to Spain came in last year's round of 16 when they drew 1-1 with Real Madrid before losing the home leg 2-1 and being eliminated.

 

Overall, United's away record against Spanish opposition is poor with just two wins, nine draws and 10 defeats from 21 matches.

 

Domestically, Moyes' side have improved in recent weeks after a shaky start, winning three and drawing one of their last four Premier League games. Saturday's 3-1 success at Fulham leaves them eighth, eight points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

 

After the game at Craven Cottage, Moyes admitted he had a number of injury worries ahead of the trip to Anoeta.

 

"Rafael looks as if he might be the biggest doubt, going over on his ankle," the Scot said. "Tom [Cleverley] - hopefully the double vision will be okay in a day or two's time and Jonny [Evans], I couldn't tell you how his back would be

 

 

Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) vs. Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) Kickoff: 2:45 Eastern, Donetsk (Donbass Arena)

 

 

Shakhtar Donetsk will be out for revenge when they host Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday.

 

Mircea Lucescu's side were thumped 4-0 in Germany on matchday 3 in Group A, their joint heaviest defeat in the competition and Leverkusen's biggest win in the Champions League.

 

The result left Shakhtar in third place, two points adrift of Leverkusen in second and three behind leaders Manchester United.

 

After winning 2-0 at Real Sociedad in their opening game Shakhtar drew 1-1 with United at home before the comprehensive defeat to Leverkusen a fortnight ago.

 

Lucescu's charges have made an indifferent start to the defence of their Ukrainian Premier League title, currently lying second in the table, two points shy of leaders Metalist, having dropped 13 points from 15 matches, already two more than in the whole of last season.

 

They come into the game on the back of a disappointing 2-0 away defeat at Volyn, a result that ended a run of three consecutive victories in the league.

 

 

Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic) vs. Bayern Munich (Germany), Štruncovy Sady Stadium, Plzen 

 

 

Bayern Munich visit Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday knowing a win could see them qualify for the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

 

The defending champions sit three points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City at the top of Group D after three consecutive wins, scoring 11 goals and conceding just one.

 

Franck Ribery's form has been key to Bayern's success so far, the France international winger is the German side's top scorer in the tournament having found the net three times.

 

Two of those goals came in Bayern's 5-0 destruction over Plzen at the Allianz Arena last month as Mario Gotze, Bastian Schweinsteiger and David Alaba also scoring in a comprehensive win.

 

Coach Pep Guardiola will look for his Bayern side to replicate that performance, well aware that the Bundesliga champions will qualify for the round of 16 if they take all three points and Manchester City beat CSKA Moscow.

 

Bayern should be boosted by the prospective returns of winger Arjen Robben and midfielder Toni Kroos, who both missed Saturday's 2-1 win over Hoffenheim with groin injuries.

 

Defender Dante is still a doubt due to a lack of fitness, while Xherdan Shaqiri and Claudio Pizarro (thigh), Thiago Alcantara (ankle) and Holger Badstuber (knee) are all unavailable.

 

Plzen - competing in the competition for only the second time - are on the brink of elimination and need a shock win to have a realistic chance of reaching the last 16.

 

The Czech outfit have shipped 11 goals in three straight defeats and have scored in just one game, a 3-2 defeat to CSKA.

 

Attacker Tomas Wagner could be crucial if Plzen are to get a result after finding the net eight times in all competitions this season, while Daniel Kolar and Stanislav Tecl - six goals each - may also play a pivotal role.

 

Pavel Vrba's men have no major injury worries, with defender David Limbersky poised to make his Champions League comeback after recovering from a thigh injury. 

 

 

Copenhagen (Denmark) vs. Galatasaray (Turkey), Parken, Copenhagen  

 

 

Galatasaray could take a big step towards qualification for the Champions League knock-out phase when they face Copenhagen on Tuesday.

 

Roberto Mancini's men sit second in Group B following their 3-1 win over the Danish champions in the last round of fixtures last month.

 

And the Turkish side travel to Scandinavia knowing that victory could move them five points clear of Juventus, who host group leaders Real Madrid.

 

Strikers Umut Bulut and Didier Drogba should be key for Mancini's side, having each scored two goals in the competition so far.

 

The duo will be confident of adding to their respective tallies against a Copenhagen side who have shipped eight goals and earned just one point in their first three group games.

 

However, Galatasaray have conceded one more goal than their counterparts, although the majority did come in the side's embarrassing 6-1 defeat to Real in their opening fixture.

 

The visitors are still without one of their main creative talents as midfielder Hamit Altintop misses out with a knee injury.

 

Despite Hamit's absence, the Istanbul club possess a plethora of attacking talent, with the likes of Wesley Sneijder and Burak Yilmaz also in their ranks.

 

Copenhagen - competing in the Champions League group stage for only the third time in their history - are likely to be reliant on strikers Igor Vetokele and Nicolai Jorgensen if they are to earn their first win of the this season's tournament.

 

The pair have netted 11 goals between them in all competitions so far, Jorgensen scoring the opener in their surprise 1-1 draw with Juventus in September.

 

Stale Solbakken's men should take heart from that performance, and will hope that their forward line can help them to a similar result in front of their home fans at the Parken.

 

Thomas Delaney is the hosts' primary absentee, the midfielder unable to take part due to suspension.

 

 

Paris Saint-Germain (France) vs. Anderlecht (Belgium), Parc de Princes, Paris 

 

 

Anderlecht face a massive challenge on Tuesday as they travel to the French capital to face Paris Saint-Germain, who have won all three of their Group C fixtures so far, scoring a total of 12 goals and conceding only one in the process.

 

However, the scorer of six of PSG's Champions League goals - Zlatan Ibrahimovic - remains a doubt for the visit of the Belgian champions after a short spell on the sidelines with inflammation of the knee. At present the big Swede has a 50/50 chance of playing, but it could take until Tuesday before les Parisiens know for sure if he will make the squad.

 

Meanwhile, fellow striker Edinson Cavani looks set to remain on the sidelines with a hamstring problem.

 

Laurent Blanc's side hammered Anderlecht 5-0 in the reverse fixture a fortnight ago, leaving John van den Brom's men bottom of the group with no points and no goals. Couple that with the fact that Belgians were the side with the second-lowest strike rate in last year's competition and things look bleak for the visitors.

 

Defeat in Tuesday's fixture, combined with a victory for either side in the meeting between Olympiacos and Benfica, would leave Anderlecht unable to qualify for the next round.

 

In contrast to the Belgian club's poor strike rate, PSG are five away from scoring 100 European Cup goals and will feel they have chance of reaching that milestone against Anderlecht following their sensational display at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium.

 

The French champions currently sit atop Ligue 1 and have not lost in the competition since March 2 when they fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Stade de Reims, which is also the last time they failed to score.

 

Anderlecht's poor European form is also being reflected in their domestic campaign, lying five points adrift of Belgian Pro League leaders Standard Liege.

 

To make matters worse, top scorer Matias Suarez has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate knee ligament injury sustained in training. Guillaume Gillet could also miss Tuesday's encounter after suffering a gashed knee in a 1-1 draw with Standard on October 27.

 

Thiago Silva is back in training for PSG following a hamstring injury, but is unlikely to be risked on Tuesday.

 

 

Olympiacos (Greece) vs. Benfica (Portugal), Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus 

 

 

Olympiakos and Benfica will be battling it out for second place in Champions League Group C when they meet in Piraeus on Tuesday.

 

The two sides met in Lisbon in the last round of European fixtures, with the Greek club claiming a credible 1-1 draw, but they were only seven minutes away from victory when Oscar Cardozo cancelled out Alejandro Dominguez’s first-half opener.

 

After three matches in the competition, both sides have four points, but Michel's Olympiakos sit ahead of Benfica due to their neutral goal difference.

 

Benfica's last trip to the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium saw them on the wrong end of a 5-1 hammering in the 2008-09 Uefa Cup group stage, but they head to Greece in good form this time around.

 

Their only defeat in their last 12 matches in all competitions came with a 3-0 loss at Paris Saint-Germain on Champions League matchday 2, while their most recent league fixture ended in a 3-0 away win at Academica on Friday.

 

Benfica coach Jorge Jesus was satisfied with the win in Coimbra, but ahead of the return to Champions League action he insisted that the club are not prioritising any one competition over another.

 

He told Sport TV: "The Portuguese league is very important to us, but we make no distinction between one and another competition.

 

"Our attitude is always the same. We want to win all the competitions and all are important."

 

Attacker Enzo Perez added: "We now have a decisive match in the Champions League that can decide many things and we want another positive result."

 

Benfica will have to keep Kostas Mitroglou quiet if they are to keep their hosts at bay, with the Greece international in the form of his life after scoring 16 times - including four hat-tricks - in all competitions so far this season.

 

Like the Portuguese club, Olympiakos head into the encounter in good form after only one defeat from their last 16 matches in all competitions, with that solitary loss also coming against PSG.

 

In two of their last three matches, the Greek champions have scored five, with OFI and Fokikos on the wrong end of those defeats, while Saturday's derby with Panathinaikos saw them claim a 1-0 win, with Mitroglou netting the winner late on.

 

The hosts have a few injury concerns to contend with as Gaetan Bong (foot and hamstring), Paulo Machado (knee) and Ariel Ibagaza (groin) are expected to miss out, while Dominguez (thigh) and Michael Olaitan (hamstring) are doubtful.

 

Benfica coach Jesus, meanwhile, also has fitness problems to take into consideration, with Guilherme Siqueira, Lazar Markovic, Miralem Sulejmani (all thigh) and Eduardo Salvio (knee) all concerns.

 

- Goal