JOE HART IS expected to return for Manchester City tonight, after being left out of the club’s last two matches in favour of Argentine stopper Willy Caballero.
After being beaten by Bayern Munich in the first game, City face a potentially pivotal match with Roma, who beat CSKA Moscow 5-1 in their opening game.
A loss would mean Manuel Pellegrini’s side would likely find themselves six points behind both Bayern and Roma.
Hart is in the firing line after some shaky performances this season, but he is expected to play this evening, with Pellegrini backing the star following recent criticism.
Another high-profile mistake however, in what is arguably City’s biggest game of the season so far, could put his spot as the club’s number one goalkeeper in jeopardy.
2. Will Chelsea risk Diego Costa?
Nick Potts
Nick Potts
There have been suggestions that Chelsea’s in-form striker is unable to start two games a week, meaning he will probably be on the bench for this evening’s clash against Sporting Lisbon.
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With the striker scoring eight goals in six games — including one at the weekend against Aston Villa — he has enjoyed a near-perfect start to his Premier League career.
Yet the 25-year-old only made the bench for Chelsea’s recent Champions League game with Schalke, as the English side put in a below-par performance in the 1-1 draw.
Costa’s training regime has also been disrupted by these injury problems, with Mourinho recently revealing: “He’s doing almost nothing in training. He’s just resting and recovering from the tight muscle he has.”
Yet with Didier Drogba not looking like the player he once was, Chelsea badly need Costa as they prepare for a difficult-looking away game in Portugal.
3. Liverpool in race for second place?
Real Madrid are strong favourites to top Group B, with Basel, Liverpool and Ludogorets all ostensibly vying for second place.
The Reds secured a far from convincing win in their opening match at home to Ludogorets, and are struggling for form in the Premier League with just two wins in six matches.
Meanwhile, Basel, who they face away from home on Wednesday, will be hoping to recover from a comprehensive 5-1 loss in their opening group game against Real Madrid.
The aforementioned scoreline would suggest Liverpool should be good enough to overcome the Swiss side in spite of their recent difficulties, but the Reds can’t afford to be too complacent, given that they’re up against a team who have taken points off both Chelsea and Manchester United in recent years.
4. Galatasaray may face a depleted Arsenal team
Daniel Hambury
Daniel Hambury
Arsenal looked poor enough in their opening Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund, and while Galatasaray at home may not seem as daunting a prospect compared with the Germans, it could be trickier than expected.
The Gunners are sweating on the fitness of Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Mikel Arteta, with all three picking up an injuries in their weekend draw against Tottenham, while long-term absentees Mathieu Debuchy and Olivier Giroud are also continuing their recoveries and won’t be fit anytime soon.
A last-minute Burak Yilmaz goal helped the Turks earn a point at home to Anderlecht in their opening match, and they will be looking to emulate their achievement of last year, where they unexpectedly qualified from a tough group that included Juventus and Real Madrid.
5. Paris St Germain set to host mouth-watering tie
Barcelona take on Paris St Germain tonight in what looks set to be one of the ties of the first round.
Some of the world’s most expensive talent will be on display, and Barcelona at least appear to be in good form — they thrashed Granada 6-0 on Saturday, with Messi bagging a brace and Neymar hitting a hat-trick.
The situation is not so rosy for PSG, however. They had to settle for a draw in their first Champions League game against Ajax, and are currently sitting just fourth in the French League, having dropped points early on.
Moreover, they will be without their star man and former Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has missed the French club’s last two matches with a heel injury.
5 talking points ahead of this week's Champions League action
1. Pressure on Joe Hart
JOE HART IS expected to return for Manchester City tonight, after being left out of the club’s last two matches in favour of Argentine stopper Willy Caballero.
After being beaten by Bayern Munich in the first game, City face a potentially pivotal match with Roma, who beat CSKA Moscow 5-1 in their opening game.
A loss would mean Manuel Pellegrini’s side would likely find themselves six points behind both Bayern and Roma.
Hart is in the firing line after some shaky performances this season, but he is expected to play this evening, with Pellegrini backing the star following recent criticism.
Another high-profile mistake however, in what is arguably City’s biggest game of the season so far, could put his spot as the club’s number one goalkeeper in jeopardy.
2. Will Chelsea risk Diego Costa?
There have been suggestions that Chelsea’s in-form striker is unable to start two games a week, meaning he will probably be on the bench for this evening’s clash against Sporting Lisbon.
With the striker scoring eight goals in six games — including one at the weekend against Aston Villa — he has enjoyed a near-perfect start to his Premier League career.
Yet the 25-year-old only made the bench for Chelsea’s recent Champions League game with Schalke, as the English side put in a below-par performance in the 1-1 draw.
Costa’s training regime has also been disrupted by these injury problems, with Mourinho recently revealing: “He’s doing almost nothing in training. He’s just resting and recovering from the tight muscle he has.”
Yet with Didier Drogba not looking like the player he once was, Chelsea badly need Costa as they prepare for a difficult-looking away game in Portugal.
3. Liverpool in race for second place?
Real Madrid are strong favourites to top Group B, with Basel, Liverpool and Ludogorets all ostensibly vying for second place.
The Reds secured a far from convincing win in their opening match at home to Ludogorets, and are struggling for form in the Premier League with just two wins in six matches.
Meanwhile, Basel, who they face away from home on Wednesday, will be hoping to recover from a comprehensive 5-1 loss in their opening group game against Real Madrid.
The aforementioned scoreline would suggest Liverpool should be good enough to overcome the Swiss side in spite of their recent difficulties, but the Reds can’t afford to be too complacent, given that they’re up against a team who have taken points off both Chelsea and Manchester United in recent years.
4. Galatasaray may face a depleted Arsenal team
Arsenal looked poor enough in their opening Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund, and while Galatasaray at home may not seem as daunting a prospect compared with the Germans, it could be trickier than expected.
The Gunners are sweating on the fitness of Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Mikel Arteta, with all three picking up an injuries in their weekend draw against Tottenham, while long-term absentees Mathieu Debuchy and Olivier Giroud are also continuing their recoveries and won’t be fit anytime soon.
Consequently, Arsene Wenger is so short of options that he’s hinted he may play 19-year-old Calum Chambers in midfield.
A last-minute Burak Yilmaz goal helped the Turks earn a point at home to Anderlecht in their opening match, and they will be looking to emulate their achievement of last year, where they unexpectedly qualified from a tough group that included Juventus and Real Madrid.
5. Paris St Germain set to host mouth-watering tie
Barcelona take on Paris St Germain tonight in what looks set to be one of the ties of the first round.
Some of the world’s most expensive talent will be on display, and Barcelona at least appear to be in good form — they thrashed Granada 6-0 on Saturday, with Messi bagging a brace and Neymar hitting a hat-trick.
The situation is not so rosy for PSG, however. They had to settle for a draw in their first Champions League game against Ajax, and are currently sitting just fourth in the French League, having dropped points early on.
Moreover, they will be without their star man and former Barcelona player Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has missed the French club’s last two matches with a heel injury.
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