1. How badly will Real Madrid be affected by Ramos and Bale losses?
GARETH BALE AND Sergio Ramos have both been ruled out of tonight’s clash between Real Madrid and Liverpool.
The 25-year-old attacker last played in Wales’ Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, and has scored five times in 12 games for the Spanish side this season.
Meanwhile, Ramos is considered as one of La Liga’s best defenders, making the FIFA/FIFPro World XI three years in a row from 2011 to 2013.
Both are important players for Madrid, but surely given the wealth of talent at the club, they shouldn’t struggle too badly as a result of their absences, particularly against a Liverpool side who are themselves missing a key player in Daniel Sturridge.
2. Will Brendan Rodgers keep faith with Mario Balotelli?
Despite a promising start to his Liverpool career at Tottenham, Mario Balotelli’s form has dipped since his debut, with the striker particularly poor in their recent Champions League match with Basel.
He has just one goal and 0 assists in eight games since joining Liverpool, and his off-the-ball work isn’t exactly impressive either, prompting some critics — including Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher — to suggest he should be dropped for the Real game.
Liverpool’s alternative options — Rickie Lambert, Fabio Borini, Raheem Sterling in the false nine position — aren’t exactly guaranteed hits either, leaving Brendan Rodgers with plenty to contemplate.
Advertisement
Yet against a side as accomplished as Real Madrid, the Reds are inevitably going to go long spells without the ball, hence they can’t afford to accommodate luxury players who are unprepared to put in a shift for the greater good.
Consequently, Rodgers may well decide that Balotelli does not merit a starting spot this evening.
3. Can Arsenal continue prevail despite poor league form
Andrew Matthews
Andrew Matthews
Arsenal have endured a poor start to their league campaign so far, and there was no sign of that improving at the weekend, as they drew 2-2 with Hull at the Emirates thanks to a last-gasp Danny Welbeck goal.
The draw has left the Gunners 11 points behind Chelsea at this early stage in the season, having won just two games in the campaign so far.
Nevertheless in spite of their indifferent domestic form, they managed to brush aside Galatasaray 4-1 with Welbeck scoring a hat-trick in the last round of games.
Furthermore, Anderlecht won’t exactly be confident going into this match. They have a poor record against English sides (losing 18 and winning just six of their 28 encounters so far), while they were also beaten twice by the Gunners in the 2009-10 Champions League campaign.
4. Is Diego Simeone ‘the best coach in the world’?
According to Malmo boss Age Hareide, there is no better coach in modern football than Diego Simeone.
Certainly, Simeone’s achievement in getting Atletico to the Champions League final and masterminding their La Liga triumph was no mean feat, particularly for a side with such limited resources to overshadow the big-spending likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Yet if they’re not sniping about their rivals á la Mourinho and Wenger, opposition managers tend to heap exaggerated praise on their opposite numbers in pre-match press conferences, ostensibly in an attempt to reduce the pressure on their own team should they lose.
But Atletico are currently only fifth in La Liga, and showing mixed form in Europe — oddly losing to Olympiakos before beating Juventus, after losing some key players in the summer.
The Spaniards should have enough to find a way past Malmo at home tonight, yet Simeone arguably faces a bigger challenge than ever to get anywhere near emulating last season’s achievements. Should he succeed, surely then his level of greatness will no longer even be debated.
5. Gunners youngsters must step up
Even at this early stage in the season, Arsenal’s squad depth is being tested.
There lack of resources in this regard is also perhaps part of the reason for the underwhelming start to their league campaign, with Olivier Giroud in particular proving to be a big loss through long-term injury.
Against Anderlecht tonight, Wojciech Szczesny is suspended following his red card against Galatasaray, while substitute goalkeeper David Ospina is injured, meaning 22-year-old Emiliano Martinez is expected to start.
However, in better news, Calum Chambers is likely to return, meaning Nacho Monreal will likely no longer have to serve as a makeshift centre-back, as he did in last Saturday’s game.
5 things to look out for in tonight’s Champions League games
1. How badly will Real Madrid be affected by Ramos and Bale losses?
GARETH BALE AND Sergio Ramos have both been ruled out of tonight’s clash between Real Madrid and Liverpool.
The 25-year-old attacker last played in Wales’ Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, and has scored five times in 12 games for the Spanish side this season.
Meanwhile, Ramos is considered as one of La Liga’s best defenders, making the FIFA/FIFPro World XI three years in a row from 2011 to 2013.
Both are important players for Madrid, but surely given the wealth of talent at the club, they shouldn’t struggle too badly as a result of their absences, particularly against a Liverpool side who are themselves missing a key player in Daniel Sturridge.
2. Will Brendan Rodgers keep faith with Mario Balotelli?
Despite a promising start to his Liverpool career at Tottenham, Mario Balotelli’s form has dipped since his debut, with the striker particularly poor in their recent Champions League match with Basel.
He has just one goal and 0 assists in eight games since joining Liverpool, and his off-the-ball work isn’t exactly impressive either, prompting some critics — including Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher — to suggest he should be dropped for the Real game.
Liverpool’s alternative options — Rickie Lambert, Fabio Borini, Raheem Sterling in the false nine position — aren’t exactly guaranteed hits either, leaving Brendan Rodgers with plenty to contemplate.
Yet against a side as accomplished as Real Madrid, the Reds are inevitably going to go long spells without the ball, hence they can’t afford to accommodate luxury players who are unprepared to put in a shift for the greater good.
Consequently, Rodgers may well decide that Balotelli does not merit a starting spot this evening.
3. Can Arsenal continue prevail despite poor league form
Arsenal have endured a poor start to their league campaign so far, and there was no sign of that improving at the weekend, as they drew 2-2 with Hull at the Emirates thanks to a last-gasp Danny Welbeck goal.
The draw has left the Gunners 11 points behind Chelsea at this early stage in the season, having won just two games in the campaign so far.
Nevertheless in spite of their indifferent domestic form, they managed to brush aside Galatasaray 4-1 with Welbeck scoring a hat-trick in the last round of games.
Furthermore, Anderlecht won’t exactly be confident going into this match. They have a poor record against English sides (losing 18 and winning just six of their 28 encounters so far), while they were also beaten twice by the Gunners in the 2009-10 Champions League campaign.
4. Is Diego Simeone ‘the best coach in the world’?
According to Malmo boss Age Hareide, there is no better coach in modern football than Diego Simeone.
Certainly, Simeone’s achievement in getting Atletico to the Champions League final and masterminding their La Liga triumph was no mean feat, particularly for a side with such limited resources to overshadow the big-spending likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Yet if they’re not sniping about their rivals á la Mourinho and Wenger, opposition managers tend to heap exaggerated praise on their opposite numbers in pre-match press conferences, ostensibly in an attempt to reduce the pressure on their own team should they lose.
But Atletico are currently only fifth in La Liga, and showing mixed form in Europe — oddly losing to Olympiakos before beating Juventus, after losing some key players in the summer.
The Spaniards should have enough to find a way past Malmo at home tonight, yet Simeone arguably faces a bigger challenge than ever to get anywhere near emulating last season’s achievements. Should he succeed, surely then his level of greatness will no longer even be debated.
5. Gunners youngsters must step up
Even at this early stage in the season, Arsenal’s squad depth is being tested.
There lack of resources in this regard is also perhaps part of the reason for the underwhelming start to their league campaign, with Olivier Giroud in particular proving to be a big loss through long-term injury.
Against Anderlecht tonight, Wojciech Szczesny is suspended following his red card against Galatasaray, while substitute goalkeeper David Ospina is injured, meaning 22-year-old Emiliano Martinez is expected to start.
However, in better news, Calum Chambers is likely to return, meaning Nacho Monreal will likely no longer have to serve as a makeshift centre-back, as he did in last Saturday’s game.
Tonight’s fixtures (kick-off time: 7.45pm):
Why are the RTÉ panel, Conor McGregor and Jonny Sexton releasing butterflies this week?>
Redknapp: Taarabt the worst professional I have ever come across>
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
5 things UEFA Champions League Preview Anderlecht Arsenal Liverpool Real Madrid