The UEFA Champions League group stage is entering its home stretch as the Matchday 3 opponents meet again on Matchday 4.
Presented by Hotels.com, we pick out the potential headline-makers as the round of 16 hoves into view for a number of sides.
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Tuesday 2 November
Group E: Dynamo Kyiv vs Barcelona, Bayern vs Benfica
Group F: Villarreal vs Young Boys, Atalanta vs Man. United
Group G: Wolfsburg vs Salzburg (18:45 CET), Sevilla vs LOSC
Group H: Malmö vs Chelsea (18:45 CET), Juventus vs Zenit
Wednesday 3 November
Group A: Man. City vs Club Brugge, Leipzig vs Paris
Group B: AC Milan vs Porto (18:45 CET), Liverpool vs Atlético de Madrid
Group C: Sporting CP vs Beşiktaş, Dortmund vs Ajax
Group D: Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk (18:45 CET), Sheriff vs Inter
All kick-offs 21:00 CET unless otherwise stated.
What to look out for?
Quartet eye early qualification
Reaching the knockout phase with two matches to spare would put a smile on the face of even the sternest of coaches, and five teams are within sight of sealing their progress ahead of time. Top scorers Bayern know they will go through should they repeat their Matchday 3 victory over Benfica while fellow group leaders Liverpool, Salzburg and Juventus can also guarantee a round of 16 spot by claiming three points. Ajax will also qualify if they better Sporting CP’s result against Beşiktaş.
Ton up for lethal Lewa?
One surprising element of Bayern’s 4-0 win in Portugal on Matchday 3 was the absence of Robert Lewandowski from the scoresheet until the 82nd minute. The Ballon d’Or nominee will have further cause to celebrate in the likelihood of featuring when Benfica visit Germany, which would give him the rare distinction of becoming a UEFA Champions League centurion and provide another landmark in a career that has been as remarkably consistent as it has been clinical. As usual, you suspect Lewandowski’s focus will be firmly fixed on adding to his 78 goals in the competition, including five in three appearances this season.
Can Shakhtar dent Madrid optimism?
Karim Benzema’s added-time finish in his side’s 5-0 win at Shakhtar on Matchday 3, followed by a Clásico triumph over Barcelona means confidence is high at Real Madrid. However, Carlo Ancelotti will be wary of any distractions ahead of a potentially crucial encounter – the visitors won 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabéu last season and are seeking their first goal in the current campaign.
Further ahead?
• Several teams may already be looking nervously ahead to the final two fixtures of the group stage, especially in Group F, where leaders Manchester United and fourth-placed Young Boys are separated by only three points. The Red Devils follow their trip to Atalanta – where the Serie A side will want revenge for their late 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford – with a visit to Villarreal in a repeat of last season’s UEFA Europa League final. The result of that is likely to affect the destiny of all four teams.
• Despite a first setback in their 3-1 defeat at Inter last time out, dangerous newcomers Sheriff remain top of Group C courtesy of their shock win in Madrid on Matchday 2. Even if the Nerazzurri prevail when the teams meet again in Italy, the entertainers from Moldova can keep control of their fate when they attempt to repeat their most famous victory so far on Matchday 5.
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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