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Alex Mott·1 October 2024
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Alex Mott·1 October 2024
After a fascinating opening round of matches, the Champions League returns this week.
Here are the five biggest things to look out for when matchweek two gets underway on Tuesday.
The new Champions League format is throwing up classic clashes left, right and centre but Tuesday’s game between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain looks like being not just the best of this week, but potentially the best of the entire league phase.
It’s fair to say that both of these sides have genuine ambitions of lifting the trophy come May and are so far unbeaten in their respective domestic campaigns.
In Europe though, it was a difficult matchweek one for the pair of them, with Arsenal struggling to a goalless draw with Atalanta whilst PSG needed an injury time own goal to defeat Girona.
In front of a raucous Emirates crowd and with Ousmane Dembélé having been dropped after a heated argument with Luis Enrqiue, this could be an uphill battle for the Parisiens.
Bayer Leverkusen may have claimed a draw at Bayern Munich this past weekend but it was about as comprehensive a 1-1 hammering you will ever see.
Xabi Alonso’s side were played off the park by the Bavarian giants and were more than fortunate to come away from the Allianz Arena with a share of the spoils.
Die Werkself will need to shake themselves off quickly then as they welcome a rejuvenated Milan to the BayArena.
The Italian giants have used their derby win as a springboard for the season and will be aiming to recover from their 3-1 drubbing against Liverpool last time out.
If Barcelona are to claim their first win of this season’s league phase then Lamine Yamal will need to continue his remarkable form.
The EURO 2024 winner hasn’t put a foot wrong so far in 2024/25 but was a surprise substitute this weekend for the Blaugrana’s clash with Osasuna.
Coach Hansi Flick admitted it was a chance to rest the 17-year-old but his rotation backfired with the Pamplona side beating Barça 4-2.
Lamine Yamal is unlikely to be rested again as the Catalan outfit take on Swiss side Young Boys.
Have Celtic finally turned a corner in Europe?
The Scottish giants won their third Champions League match in 25 attempts last time out against Slovan Bratislava and must now overcome more history if they are to win at Borussia Dortmund.
Despite winning the European Cup in 1967 and enjoying an impressive pedigree on the continent over their history, the Bhoys have never won a game on German soil.
In fact, in 14 trips to the Fatherland, Celtic have only claimed two draws with the last of those coming at Borussia Mönchengladbach back in 2016.
Despite all that baggage, and up against a Dortmund side who have conceded nine goals already so far, Brendan Rodgers’ side can get a result.
Slovan Bratislava’s match with Manchester City is their first ever home game in the Champions League.
The Slovakian side won all of their previous European Cup home games, with their last ever such fixture coming against Derby County in 1975, a match they won 1-0.
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