With the UEFA Champions League group stage now in full swing, there is plenty to look forward to on Matchday 2 – from a semi-final rematch to a record-breaking 21-year-old and a record-breaking 36-year-old.
UEFA.com picks out some sure-fire headline-makers.
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Tuesday 28 September
Group A: Paris vs Manchester City, Leipzig vs Club Brugge
Group B: AC Milan vs Atlético, Porto vs Liverpool
Group C: Ajax vs Beşiktaş (18:45), Dortmund vs Sporting CP
Group D: Shakhtar vs Inter (18:45), Real Madrid vs Sheriff
Wednesday 29 September
Group E: Bayern vs Dynamo Kyiv, Benfica vs Barcelona
Group F: Atalanta vs Young Boys (18:45), Manchester United vs Villarreal
Group G: Salzburg vs LOSC, Wolfsburg vs Sevilla
Group H: Zenit vs Malmö (18:45), Juventus vs Chelsea
All kick-offs 21:00 CET unless otherwise stated.
What to look out for?
Paris host City in semi-final rematch
Manchester City eliminated Paris in last season’s semi-finals, but they should expect no easy ride at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday. “It’s always special [to face City] because they are one of the best teams in Europe,” said Paris boss Mauricio Pochettino. For Lionel Messi, the game will mark another reunion with Josep Guardiola. “He has something special about him,” Messi once said of the coach who led him to two UEFA Champions League titles.
Milan back at San Siro against Atlético
AC Milan’s first UEFA Champions League home game in more than seven years comes against Atlético, the same opponents as their last. A Rossoneri team including the likes of Kaká, Mario Balotelli, Adel Taarabt and Michael Essien lost that round of 16 first leg in February 2014 to a late Diego Costa goal, succumbing 5-1 on aggregate. “The history of this club is characterised by the Champions League,” said coach Stefano Pioli. “Now we want to try to write our piece of history, we want to do something important.”
Sporting up against rampant Haaland
Erling Haaland’s ultimately decisive goal for Dortmund against Beşiktaş on Matchday 1 took his UEFA Champions League tally to 21 – moving him into the top 50 all-time competition scorers. Next up for the Norwegian sensation are a Sporting side who conceded five – four of which were scored by Sébastien Haller – at home to Ajax last time out.
Another record in Ronaldo’s sights
Ronaldo can break Iker Casillas’ all-time UEFA Champions League appearances record on Wednesday, when United take on Villarreal: the side that beat the Red Devils in last season’s UEFA Europa League final. The 36-year-old drew level with Casillas on 177 appearances on Matchday 1. “It’s about his longevity, sustainability, professionalism and quality,” said United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær.
Müller eyes elite company
Thomas Müller is just one goal away from becoming only the eighth man to reach a half-century in the UEFA Champions League – next in his sights are Dynamo Kyiv. Bringing up his 50 would also draw Müller level with Thierry Henry in the all-time scoring charts, behind an illustrious top six of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Karim Benzema, Raúl González and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Further ahead?
• Should they all feature on Matchday 2, Leonardo Bonucci, Mohamed Salah and Yaroslav Rakits’kyy would all move on to 99 UEFA club competition appearances, meaning a century beckons next time out. Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale is also one off that same milestone but is facing a lengthy lay-off with a hamstring injury.
• Real Madrid are reunited with Shakhtar on Matchday 3, looking to exact revenge for two group stage defeats last season (2-0 in Kyiv, 3-2 in the Spanish capital).
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Key dates
Group stage
14/15 September: Matchday 1
28/29 September: Matchday 2
19/20 October: Matchday 3
2/3 November: Matchday 4
23/24 November: Matchday 5
7/8 December: Matchday 6
Knockout stage
13 December 2021: Round of 16 draw
15/16/22/23 February & 8/9/15/16 March: Round of 16
18 March: Quarter-final & semi-final draws
5/6 & 12/13 April: Quarter-finals
26/27 April & 3/4 May: Semi-finals
28 May: Final (Gazprom Arena, Russia)
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