FC Barcelona v PSG preview: Who will clinch top spot in Group F?

Team news, match facts and manager quotes for the Champions League Group F match between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
Defending as a unit will be the key to stopping Paris St Germain talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Wednesday's Champions League Group F showdown, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said on Tuesday. Barca and PSG are already through to the last 16 and the French side need only a draw to secure top spot and avoid a fellow group winner in Monday's draw for the knockout round. With one match to play, PSG lead on 13 points thanks to their 3-2 victory against Barca in Paris in September. Barca have 12 in second, with Ajax Amsterdam on two points and APOEL Nicosia on one. TEAM NEWS Barca will be without suspended Brazil right back Daniel Alves but Luis Enrique refused to be drawn on who might replace him in the starting line-up. Adriano is the obvious choice, or Martin Montoya, although the latter has barely featured this term. PSG boss Laurent Blanc has an almost fully-fit squad to pick from. Jean-Christophe Bahebeck is the only absentee with a thigh injury.

                                                             MANAGER QUOTES Luis Enrique: "Our aim is clear – we want to win and PSG want the same. They are one of the contenders to win the competition and it'll be a demanding match, defensively speaking, for us. I would prefer to finish first in the group to gain a slight advantage in the next round. PSG beat us without [Zlatan] Ibrahimović. Their squad is strong enough not to depend on any particular player, but with Zlatan in their squad they are even more dangerous. We know our mistakes in Paris cost us dearly so we have to try not to do the same." Laurent Blanc: "The quality of our play is important but tomorrow we are up against one of the best teams in Europe. In the first leg we did well but they kept us pegged back in the second half. Barcelona are going to have 70 per cent possession; when we have the ball we have to score. MATCH STATS Barcelona will win their eighth Champions League group in a row if they defeat PSG at the Camp Nou. PSG finished first in their Champions League group in each of the last two seasons – their best run in the competition. They would improve their run this season with a draw. Barcelona vs PSG and Porto vs Shakhtar are the only two games this Matchday between two sides already qualified for the round of last 16. Barcelona (90.1%) and Paris Saint Germain (89.06%) are the two teams with the highest passing accuracy in the Champions League this season. Lionel Messi is the top scorer in Champions League history with 74 goals. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has not scored against his former club Barcelona at the Camp Nou in his two CL games there since leaving, but he has netted two goals in three home appearances against them. Barcelona have lost just one of their last 10 European games against French opposition (W5 D4), but that defeat came in their last meeting against PSG earlier this season (2-3). However, the Catalan side have never defeated PSG in the Champions League/European Cup (D3 L2). They did them in the 1997 Cup Winners’ Cup Final (1-0) though. In 156 European games between Spanish and French sides, the Spaniards have won 70 and have kept 53 clean sheets (D41 L45). None of the last 11 goals scored in CL games between Barcelona and PSG have come from outside the box.

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Roma v City: The most complicated match in history

The calculators will be out in force as AS Roma and Manchester City clash for a place in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday with outsiders CSKA Moscow lurking in the background.
The head-to-head rule which UEFA use to separate teams who are level on points means that all sorts of complex connotations are possible as the three sides bid to follow runaway Group E leaders Bayern Munich into the next round. Manchester City have never won a competitive match in Italy in four previous attempts and, even if they break that taboo, could still suffer another premature group stage exit. Roma's fate is in their own hands as a win will be enough for them while a draw, paradoxically, could send either themselves or City through, depending on CSKA's performance. "City are obliged to win. They have all the pressure. Not Roma. City are in the same period that Chelsea used to be before they won it. It becomes complex until you win the trophy," Roma's Ivorian striker Gervinho said.




Roma, City and CSKA all have five points from five games after mediocre campaigns in a group dominated by Bayern. A win for Roma, still in the hunt despite losing 7-1 at home to the Bavarians, will guarantee them a second place finish, even if CSKA also win, as the Serie A side would have the better head-to-head record against the Russians.

CSKA can only qualify if they win in Munich and Roma fail to beat City while City will qualify if they win and CSKA do not. The rule fun begins if Roma and City draw. If CSKA also draw, Roma would go through, and if the Russians lose, it would come down to the head-to-head record between the Serie A and English side. A goalless draw would favour Roma and a score draw would do for City. City have gone out in the group stage twice in three attempts and their task has been made ever harder after their leading scorer Sergio Aguero was injured against Everton on Saturday, forcing him out of the tie. City will also be without midfielder Yaya Toure who is suspended, while skipper Vincent Kompany, and midfielders Stefan Jovetic and Fernandinho face late fitness tests. However, forward James Milner believes that even without Aguero and Toure City can get the result they need. "Sergio is a world class player, and has been outstanding all season so the injury has come at a bad time. "He is going to be very difficult to replace and even without him and Yaya (Toure) we have a fantastic squad of players and, with the players, we have I am not too worried." "We've had to win our last two games to qualify and I believe we can win in Rome after beating Bayern."

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Brendan Rodgers: Liverpool weren't good enough to qualify

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and captain Steven Gerrard were in total agreement about the side's performances not being good enough to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.


A 1-1 draw against Basle in a must-win encounter at Anfield, which saw substitute Lazar Markovic sent off, meant the Reds finished third in Group B and now have to face the Europa League in the new year. Just five points and five goals in six matches told its own story and Rodgers accepted they had come up short. "We are obviously disappointed to go out. We had earned the right to be in it after a wonderful season last year," he said. "Over the course of the games we weren't good enough, we didn't get enough points and ultimately went out. "First half we weren't good enough. Technically we were way short. "Our positioning wasn't good. The second half we were much better on that front. In the last 10 minutes, we just couldn't find the final pass." Gerrard, who scored a free-kick with 10 minutes to go to cancel out Fabian Frei's first-half opener and set up a grandstand finish, was equally honest about the campaign. "We haven't gone out of the competition because of our performance tonight," he told ITV1. "We've gone out because away at Basle we weren't good enough, in our last game (against Ludogorets) we conceded a stupid goal towards injury time. "You always qualify over the six games and unfortunately we haven't been good enough." Liverpool were not helped by the harsh dismissal of substitute Lazar Markovic, 15 minutes after arriving as a half-time substitute, for flicking an arm in the face of Behrang Safari. "I thought the sending off was really disappointing decision by the referee," added Rodgers. "Lazar Markovic gets sent off for that, his fingernail barely touches the nose of the defender and the defender is the guy who should be looked at for his reaction. "But we really took the fight to them with 10 men. In that final half hour we were outstanding. "A lot of decisions tonight were disappointing. It is not the Premier League and we respect that." Liverpool, without the injured Daniel Sturridge, have struggled for goals this term. Sturridge, frustrated he could play no part, wrote on Twitter: "We fought hard man. Sat here devastated wishing I could have helped. We'll come back stronger from this and i'm working hard to do the same." Basle coach Paulo Sousa admitted the red card roused Liverpool into a final flourish but he would not comment on the offence. "It created difficulties for us in the end," he said. "But it is not for me to contest these decisions. I will not contest what Rodgers says.

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Will Brendan Rodgers and Manuel Pellegrini have jobs next week?

In-depth: Liverpool are out of the Champions League. Manchester City's hopes hang in the balance tonight. And the axe looms over both managers.

City's latest troubled bid to qualify from the group stage will reach a potentially dramatic conclusion at the Stadio Olimpico in the Italian capital on Wednesday evening. City are not only vying with Roma for the runners-up spot in Group E behind Bayern Munich, but also with CSKA Moscow as all three sides go into the final round of fixtures level on five points. The permutations are complicated but basically City need to win and hope CSKA do not beat Bayern, or claim a score draw and hope CSKA lose. After reaching the last 16 for the first time last season, City were quietly confident of making a much bigger impression this time around and a failure to qualify could spark speculation over Pellegrini's position. 
But asked if that might happen, the Chilean - whose appointment was influenced by his past record in the competition - said: "I don't think so. It is a very important game and all of us want to qualify but I don't think that what happens will have some link about my future in the club. "I have never received any kind of pressure from the club. I hope we are going to qualify but I have nothing to be (concerned) about my future here." It's too late now, of course, for Liverpool. They will now compete in the Europa League after only managing a 1-1 draw at home to Basel, who progress at their expense. The failure could seal Rodgers' fate as manager despite an excellent season last time out, with qualification for next year's Champions League already appearing to be an uphill task. On the third-placed group finish, Rodgers was frank, admitting: "Over the course of the games we weren't good enough, we didn't get enough points and ultimately went out. "First half we weren't good enough. Technically we were way short. "Our positioning wasn't good. The second half we were much better on that front. In the last 10 minutes, we just couldn't find the final pass."

                                  OUR VIEW
 It's possible that, should Man City join Liverpool on the Champions League scrapheap tonight, there could be two big-name festive sackings in the Premier League. Top-level football is that competitive - and club chairmen that ruthlessly fickle - that even a coach who returned the Premier League title to the Etihad and one who almost broke an over-two-decade drought for that same prize at Anfield could be removed for not keeping that pace going at all times. However, of the two surely Rodgers is more likely to remain. Champions League football is something Liverpool feel they should be participating in every season, but even their most staunch supporters would admit their qualification last season was, for now, the exception not the rule and that the club needs long-term strengthening to return to their dizzy heights. Is Brendan Rodgers the man to build them back up long-term, or a one-year flash in the pan sparked by Luis Suarez's crazy form? Who knows - but there's a chance he'll be given time to prove which of the last two seasons was the one-off. City, meanwhile, are the league champions and have one of the biggest budgets in Europe. They absolutely crave continental validation via a Champions League trophy. It's hard to see any manager on the planet surviving repeated failure in the competition, even if they're succeeding domestically. Roberto Mancini's plight proved that. ELSEWHERE IN MEDIA Former Liverpool star Phil Thompson was critical of Rodgers' tactics against Basel - a recurring area of concern this season after Suarez's departure - but remains optimistic he will remain in charge to attempt to improve things in the January transfer window. “The manager has to have a good look at it – we’ve spoken about the change in personnel with his signings," he told Sky Sports Soccer Special. "Are they good enough to take over the mantle from Steven Gerrard? At the moment it’s not been good enough. “(Rodgers) certainly has to go into the transfer market and get quality. Instead of a whole load of players, maybe spend the money on top quality.” The Guardian's Jamie Jackson, meanwhile, had this to say of Pellegrini's position: "A night in Rome may prove the defining moment of Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City career. "The demand from the club’s owners is material progress in the Champions League. "This means that after Pellegrini took the Sheikh Mansour project into the last 16 for the first time last season, the quarter-finals are this term’s target. "The vagaries of football make reading the runes of any manager’s future an imprecise science. Especially when the side Pellegrini made Premier League champions – and claimed the Capital One Cup with – in his inaugural campaign have just won five consecutive league games to force them back into the title race. "Yet Roberto Mancini put himself under immense and what proved fatal pressure when his City team were knocked out at the group stage of the competition in their 2012-13 season as the defending domestic champions."

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Galatasaray v Arsenal: Arsene Wenger heads to Turkey for respite

Team news, manager quotes and stats ahead of the Champions League Group D match between Galatasaray v Arsenal.
Arsene Wenger will hope for a quieter time in Istanbul than he is discovering in London as Arsenal bid to top Group D. After the 3-2 defeat to Stoke on Saturday in the Premier League, a ight broke out between Arsenal fans who support Wenger and those who want to see him leave according to a report in the Sun on Sunday. One fan tweeted: "Fist fights between Arsenal fans after the game, absolute joke. Disgusting to see our own fans punching each other." Wenger remained in the dugout throughout the game so that Stoke fans, angered by him saying in the past that they were a "rugby team", could not see him. "I didn't want to give them an opportunity to show me their love," he said afterwards. Wenger has been Arsenal manager since 1996 and ended a wait of nine years without a trophy when the Gunners beat Hull City to win the FA Cup in May.



TEAM NEWS Arsenal full-back Mathieu Debuchy has returned to the Arsenal squad. Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (hip) also comes back into the starting XI, but several first-team players have remained in London, including Alexis Sanchez (groin), Danny Welbeck (knee), Kieran Gibbs (hip) and Laurent Koscielny (Achilles). Youngsters Stefan O'Connor, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Gedion Zelalem, Glen Kamara, Chuba Akpom and Alex Iwobi have all travelled. France striker Olivier Giroud, fit again following a broken foot, is not eligible in Europe until the knockout stages, while captain Mikel Arteta (calf), defender Nacho Monreal (ankle), Theo Walcott (groin), Mesut Ozil (knee), goalkeeper David Ospina (thigh) and Abou Diaby (calf) continue their rehabilitation, while midfielder Jack Wilshere is not expected back until February after ankle surgery. Provisional Squad: Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Bellerin, Flamini, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Podolski, Campbell, Sanogo, Martinez, Zelalem, Kamara, Maitland-Niles, O'Connor, Akpom, Iwobi. MANAGER QUOTES Hamza Hamzaoğlu (Galatasary): "Our goal will not just stop our opponent. We want to find the opportunity to test ourselves at this level. We'll try to pressure Arsenal up front and not let them get up the field easily. If Arsenal react well to our pressing, then we'll be strong in the defence and aim for a counter-attack." Arsene Wenger (Arsenal): "Look, the response after a defeat is always very important. We showed a lack of experience defensively (at Stoke), but we could have scored four or five goals in this game and the team response during this game was quite strong."For the rest, you expect that everyone is disappointed after that result, but the Premier League is difficult. We want to be judged at the end of the season, not after every single game where it is normal that emotion is always very high, so let us get our stability back defensively and see at the end of the season where we are."

MATCH STATS Galatasaray and Benfica are the only two Champions League sides already out of every European competition at this point. Arsenal have gone through the (1st) CL group stage for the fifteenth season in a row, the longest such run for an English club. The Gunners could win the group with a victory if Borussia Dortmund lose against Anderlecht, or if the German side draw and Arsenal win by a six-goal margin. Aaron Ramsey has scored four goals in five European appearances against Turkish opposition. Burak Yilmaz has scored two of Galatasaray’s three CL goals this season, and their only goal against Arsenal earlier this campaign at the Emirates Stadium. Yilmaz has scored 10 goals for the Turkish side in the Champions League, just three behind Hakan Sükür (13), Galatasaray’s top scorer in the competition.

Galatasaray have scored 99 goals in the Champions League. Excluding penalty shootouts, Arsenal have never lost a European game against Turkish opposition (W6 D4), keeping a clean sheet in eight of these games. In their last game against Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal kept their first clean sheet in a Champions League game since November 2013, after a run of seven games without one. Santiago Cazorla assisted both Arsenal goals against Borussia Dortmund last week, being the first Gunner to assist more than one goal in a single CL game since Olivier Giroud against Montpellier at the Emirates (2-0, Nov 2012). Galatasaray have not lost any of their last five European home games against English sides (W3 2D).

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Barcelona full of confidence before PSG clash - Pedro

Barcelona host Paris St Germain for Wednesday's Champions League Group F showdown on something of a high after securing a seventh straight victory in all competitions on Sunday, according to forward Pedro.

                               Barca appear to have put consecutive La Liga defeats just over a month ago to Real Madrid and Celta Vigo behind them and Pedro came off the bench to score in Sunday's 5-1 romp at home to city rivals Espanyol in the Spanish top flight. Wednesday's clash at the Nou Camp will decide which of Barca or PSG finishes first in the group and avoids a fellow pool winner in next week's draw for the last 16, with both sides already assured of their place in the knockout round. With one match to play, PSG lead on 13 points thanks to their 3-2 victory against Barca in Paris in September. Barca have 12 in second, with Ajax Amsterdam on two points and APOEL Nicosia on one. "We are confident and on a positive run," Pedro told Barca TV after Sunday's match. "We have played well against teams like Valencia, Espanyol, rivals who are on good form. "It (the PSG game) is going to be very tough, we know their potential and what it's going to cost us. But we are counting on our fans and on our good rhythm and the confidence we are bringing." Pedro, a World Cup and European Championship winner with Spain, has had limited playing time this season following the arrival of Uruguay forward Luis Suarez. Suarez opened his Barca account in the 4-0 win at APOEL last month but has yet to score in La Liga in six appearances and was replaced by Pedro with around 20 minutes left on Sunday. Pedro said competing with Barca's formidable forward line of Suarez, Lionel Messi and Neymar was a big challenge. "Competing with the trident is tough but I have to make the best of it," added the 27-year-old. "What I am trying to do is learn from them, improve every day and helped my team mates as best I can. "I have always have talented team mates here at Barca and that means you have to perform at a high level."

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Liverpool and Man City can make history

Can Manchester City and Liverpool grab a place in the last 16? 
                                  Here are this week's Champions League permutations.
Five knockout stage places are up for grabs in the Champions League this week, offering enough late drama to stop the final round of group matches from turning into a damp squib. Eleven teams are already through from a group stage which has produced too many one-sided matches for comfort. Only half of the matches involve teams playing for a place in the last 16 while the remainder will decide who wins each group, gaining a theoretical advantage for the draw, or qualifies for the Europa League. Real Madrid , Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Chelsea, Paris St Germain, Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk have already qualified by securing a top-two finish in the four-team groups. Italian pair Juventus and AS Roma and Manchester City and Liverpool are among 11 sides battling to join them and Roma's match at home to Manchester City on Wednesday is the highlight. Roma, City and CSKA Moscow all have five points in Group E, but the head-to-head system favours Roma who need a win to qualify, or a draw if CSKA fail to beat runaway leaders Bayern. Such a scenario barely looked likely when Roma lost 7-1 at home to Bayern, but City's defeat at home to CSKA has thrown the race wide open. English champions City need to win and hope CSKA do not beat Bayern while the Russians can only qualify if they win and Roma do not beat City. The situation is simpler in Group B where Liverpool must beat Basel to follow Real Madrid through, while the Swiss need a draw to oust the five-times European champions. Basel qualified for the last 16 at the expense of Manchester United three seasons ago and Real coach Carlo Ancelotti believes they could repeat the trick. "They're in better shape than Liverpool at the moment, they are in very good physical condition," he said after his side won 1-0 in Basel 10 days ago. "At this moment Basel have a slight advantage." In Group C, Monaco need a draw at home to Zenit St Petersburg to follow Bayer Leverkusen through, while the Russians need a win. If the game ends goalless, Monaco will qualify despite having scored only two goals in six games, one less than the previous low set by AS Roma in 2002/03 and Villarreal in 2005/06. Serie A champions Juventus need a point at home to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday to avoid a repeat of last season's failure to make it beyond the group stage. If they lose and Olympiakos beat Malmo at home, the Greek champions would qualify instead. The final place at stake is in Group G where a draw at Chelsea will be enough forSporting Lisbon if German rivals Schalke 04 fail to win in Maribor.

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Pellegrini: We must seize the "last chance" in the Champions League

Chilean coach would have to fight to the finish in the Champions League.
Coach Manuel Pellegrini is hoping that his team snatch Manchester City "last chance" to save the stalled his career in the Champions Football League against Bayern Munich, who won the tournament in 2013.

And are bottom of the league title holder Premier arrangement Group E with two points from four games and relate their hopes of qualifying for the knockout round by a thread with two games left to the end of the group stage.

If the City failed to win at Union Stadium, it will be deposited as long as the tournament has achieved AS Roma and CSKA Moscow a positive result during their meeting in Russia earlier in the same day.

Pellegrini and led the team to the City knockout stage for the first time in the club's history last season, and stressed the importance of doing so this time as well.

Chilean coach said during a news conference Monday, "It is important for this team that performs well in Europe tomorrow, the team will fight to the end to continue his career in the Champions League."

"If we do not qualify, we will analyze the reason, but we must go into tomorrow's game and then we met in front of Rome before we get to any conclusions do not feel any person, whether I am or all of the team members happy because of the way we did it and we have another chance."

City will be without midfielder dual suspended and the author of Yaya Toure and Fernandinho after their expulsion in the game that the team lost at home 2-1 to CSKA earlier this month with the injured trio David Silva and Leiden Gecko and Aleksandar Kolarov.

Bayern and suffering from several injuries, including the leader Philipp Lahm Add to Javi Martinez and David Alaba.

Pellegrini said, "They suffer from the presence of injuries, but we will miss the services of key players set the big teams have a distinct formations in addition to other group of players who can play well."

Within Bayern unbeaten in all competitions in which participate this season to qualify for the knockout and Bayern after his group achieved full mark Bhsdh 12 points from four games.

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Atlético and Arsenal 8th

Atlético Madrid and Arsenal have qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League. Juventus and Liverpool could follow in the next day.

, Atlético Madrid and Arsenal 8es L'Atlético and Arsenal have qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League.Juventus and Liverpool could

Group A: Atlético qualified, well on Juve

Finalist in the Champions League final, Atletico Madrid will be the appointment of knockout. The Spanish champions swept Olympiakos(4-0) thanks to a hat-trick Mandzukic (two heads). The Croatian has scored eleven goals this season in all competitions. The Spaniards Roberto and Botia, changing the Greeks have really helped their fellow countrymen by offering three goals in four! Griezmann played the last twenty minutes of the game and saw the referee deny a goal (88th).

On the last day, the Colchoneros will travel on the ground ofJuventus. A draw would suit everybody: Atlético end in mind andJuve would 8th. The latter managed to blow the Swedish lock inMalmo, reduced to ten very end of the match (2-0). Organized in 4-1-3-2, it has long faced Olsen has released three strikes including Claudio Marchisio. Preferred to Alvaro Morata is Fernando Llorentegave the victory to the Old Lady after a perfect opening of the Italian media (49). Morata found the bar in the 87th before Pogbawill shift Tévez for the second goal (88th). Malmö is eliminated from the race the next round.
Group B: Liverpool will win against Basel


Struggling in the cold of Razgrad, Liverpool was logically held in check (2-2). The Ludogorets opened the scoring in the third after a blunder Mignolet, criticized by Grobelaar. But Lambert took advantage of a defensive error to double-opposing his second goal in his last two games with the Reds (8th). Sterling then found Henderson at the far post for the second embodiment of Liverpool (37th). The men of Rodgers, who can thank a good Skrtel, then conceded a goal after a corner kick poorly managed by the defense. But they will qualify for the 8th he beat Basel at Anfield in a fortnight.

The Swiss, very interesting in the game, were still inclined on their lawn against Real Madrid (0-1). Best passer of the Champions League in the summer of 2012 (10), Benzema has a great job before allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to register the 71st goal of his career C1(as Raul). Inexperienced compared to an opponent who had turned the Basel failed to Keylor Navas in the 67th. They could not prevent the Real Madrid to get his 15th win in a row! Ancelotti and MourinhoMunoz joined at the head of such a series of successes. No one has done better.
Group D: Arsenal to go


That's three matches that Arsenal had not taken three points. The Gunners have launched a new drive on Wednesday, facing Dortmund (2-0). However, Londoners were deprived of many players, especially in the offensive area (Giroud, Özil, Wilshere, Walcott,Welbeck). However, Borussia won its four meetings this season C1. But Arsène Wenger had too want to validate their qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League. The French Sanogohas opened the way after a minute, a combination with SantiCazorla.

The Germans, deprived of Reus, had the opportunity to reply butMkhitaryan found Damian Martinez on his trajectory (39th). The Gunners have taken shelter in the second act. After a wonderful parade of Weidenfeller with a shot from Sanchez (51) and then a flight of Oxlade-Chamberlain (54th) that landed on the bar, the Chilean scored the goal of the break with a shot wound (57). With this success, Arsenal, who are two points behind Borussia, can still hope to take first place in the group in two weeks, if he winsGalatasaray and the Germans are inclined to Anderlecht. Belgians them beat the Turks (2-0) thanks to a brace from Mbemba!

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Arsenal hopes to snatch three points against Borussia Dortmund to qualify

Arsenal defender receives. Borussia Dortmund in the fiercest clashes fifth round of the Champions League.

Arsenal hosts Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday evening at the Emirates Stadium in the fifth round of the group stage of the Champions League competition for the new season.

The two teams engaged in the game in the absence of many of the players are expected to affect the level of the two teams, where he was the London club players and also the German club for a lot of injuries during the recent period.

It is expected to be out of the ranks of the Gunners Jack Wilshere, who had a hit in the last team Premier League game against Manchester United, and the player Laurent koscielny back to participate again after recovering from injury and after the newspaper confirmed that the player in the Chelsea squad for the match Borussia Dortmund.
It would reserve goalkeeper Damian Martinez key in the meeting to compensate for David Ospina, who had a hit in the last game of the team in the Premier League and missed the team training on Monday.

He ruled out the French coach Arsene Wenger native Olivier Giraud did not enter line to participate in the game despite the return from injury and the player scoring a goal past Manchester United, and also miss both Ozil and Dapucci and Walcott injury.

On the other side Borussia Dortmund misses Services star Marco Reus, who first suffered the injury in the previous team Bundesliga match against Paderborn causing him to miss participating with the team until the beginning of next season.

The German club faces injury 7 players in its ranks, most notably Rios and Nuri Sahin and Holmes and Socrates.

And, consequently, some facts and figures on the face of the two teams:

The German club was able to go out a winner at halftime during the last 5 games in the Champions League, while the won 8 games of the last 10 games.

Record players Borussia Dortmund at least 3 goals in the last 3 games the team in the Champions League, while Arsenal received an average of 2.5 goals in the game during the last three games the team.

Wenger Battalion recorded at least two goals in every game in the Champions League over the last three games the team championship.

In confrontations both teams had superiority of the Germans, but not by a large margin as Borussia won in three games at Arsenal during the last six encounters between the two teams, while Ganrz won two games and tied one in the positive 1-1.

Enables the London club to win in 3 games during the last 6 games the team in various tournaments while drawn one and lost two games, the team is facing some problems in the Premier League, especially after the last loss at home to Manchester United 2-1.

On the other side it was identical as Borussia won three games from the last six appearances team in various tournaments and drawn one and lost in two games, the team offers bad now in the Bundesliga where he is in 16th place Liga after the round of 12, the end of the level.

It is noteworthy that the coach Jürgen Klopp his team occupies the first place in the group with 12 points after winning four in a row, while the Gunners in second place resides with 7 points after winning two games and a draw in one and the loss of ideals.

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Real Madrid hopes to breaking records in the first visit to Switzerland

Real Madrid is a guest burden on the Basel Swiss absence of Modric and Khisa competitions within the fifth round of the Champions League.

Basel hosts Real Madrid team in the fifth round of the group stage of the Champions League football on Wednesday and all the hopes of the club regarding the indices, while dreaming of Basel achieving a positive result increases the chances to qualify for the round of 16.

Real are top of the group with 12 points and comes from beyond the Basel with six points, then Liverpool and Odogoritz with 3 points each.

And managed the club during the last round of resolving the issue of eligibility and become need one point to ensure survival in the first place, and looking through the coming confrontations but to continue to win consecutive to get to the game 15 without defeat also did it twice earlier in the last of which was under the management of Jose Mourinho former technical director.

Numbers in the face of the two teams

- Royal Club met with the Basel once before in the first round of the Champions League and was able to win.

- Baby only player who received a yellow card from the riyal during the first round match.

- First round match saw six goals from both teams but did not record any player more than a single goal.

- Ronaldo needs a five-day registration to become a historical scorer of the Champions League rather than Messi.

- Basel did not suffer a loss at home since a European that fell in front of Schalke in the group stage of the Champions Boca last season, and that was a reason not to qualify for the round of 16.

Way to play Real Madrid

Real Madrid relies primarily in the style of play on the big speed of the Parties in order to hit any defensive stability to the opposing team and not to give any player the opportunity for good concentration.

Is the set pieces of the most important weapons of Real Madrid to reach the goal, where he owns a large number of players have the ability to implement them.

The club is able to reach the goal in every way, whether it be through the rear or the parties, in addition to that is capable of playing fastball after a few passes in addition to building the attack with short and multiple passes.

Considered the biggest weakness in Real Madrid is the inability to confrontations quick counter-attack and badly positioned dorsal side with the weak level deal through crosses.

Way of playing Basel


Basel mainly depends on the speed of the young players, particularly Argentina, Alberto Gonzalez, owners of the goal the first round, in addition to the player with the 17-year-old owner of the Ghanaian assets embolo who recently starred in the Champions League and domestic league.

And owns the land owners of the center line features precision in front slider in addition to exert great effort in games and in particular on the Egyptian Muhammad because I, which plays an important role in the artistic director of the plan to build the attack from the rear.

It would attack the Basel in most times of the left front, which includes dual nature Offensive plays are Zovi, LF, and the average left field the other Ahmed Hamoudi.

Match Predictions events

- Basel will depend initially on playing three defenders at the beginning of the game, as happened to go and it will impact negatively on the team and will lead to the occurrence of errors.

- The land owners will have access to the opponent's goal through quick counter-attack.

- embolo Basel striker will have the ability to exploit Real Madrid defense errors and threaten goalkeeper Casillas strongly.

- The history of confrontations with the Basel big teams and win against Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United at home before it has supported to achieve a positive result in the game

Absences teams

- Basel suffers from the absence of the captain and the first striker Marco Strller due to injury, in addition to Ivan Ivanov, with doubts about the participation of Ghanaian Giovanni Sio.

- Real Madrid suffers from the absence of Khisi, but Luka Modric because of the long injury, as Iaramendi suffering from physical problems may deprive him of the game.

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Messi a record, but not effective

With 74 goals, Lionel Messi surpassed Raul (71) Tuesday and became the top scorer in the history of the C1. But the Argentine striker of FC Barcelona does not show the best ratio of goals / game, as in the Liga elsewhere.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BARÇA A record Messi, but not in efficacitéAvec 74 goals, Lionel Messi surpassed Raul (71) Tuesday and became the top scorer in the history of the C1. But the Argentine striker of FC Barcelona does not show the best ratio of goals / game, as in the Liga elsewhere.


By registering the second, third and fourth goal Barca Tuesday night against Apoel Nicosia (4-0), Lionel Messi became the top scorer in the history of the Champions League with 74 achievements. Argentine striker Raul dethrones 27 years (71). Cristiano Ronaldo finished third (70).

Last Saturday, thanks to a hat-trick against FC Sevilla registered, Lionel Messi had surpassed the legendary striker Telmo Zarra (251 goals) in front of the scorer of La Liga (253 projects). Messi does not mean the most effective scorer in both competitions, as it is overtaken by Cristiano Ronaldo (1.12 goals per game) and Telmo Zarra (0.9) in La Liga and Alfredo Di Stefano (0.84 ) C1. Selection, striker of FC Barcelona still points to 11 lengths of the record holder, Gabriel Batistuta (56 goals). World Cup, Messi, 5 goals, is still far from Miroslav Klose (16 goals).

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Matuidi: "We offer a final"

Between a hug Mino Raiola and a pat of David Luiz, Blaise Matuidi stressed the effectiveness of PSG, winner of Ajax on Tuesday (3-1). The media now looking forward to the clash against Barcelona which will award the first place of Group F.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PSG Matuidi: "There is a final offer" Between a hug Mino Raiola and a pat of David Luiz, Blaise Matuidi stressed the effectiveness of PSG, winner of Ajax on Tuesday (3-1) . The media now looking forward to the clash against Barcelona which will award the first place of Group F.

"Did you have a desire to leave the ball to Ajax to counter (3-1)?
No, there was just a good team in front. Ajax is a club that knows his players train, they work their game since they are young. They show they play well every weekend, that's for them. Now the important thing is to win matches. And we we win them. That's the difference. It is now used to playing in the Champions League. It has been able to provide the opportunities needed and score.
"We are especially unbeaten in all competitions. This is exceptional. "You get to follow up the victories despite numerous injuries ...
(Smiles) It has often been criticized us, so it's kind of you (reporters) make this reflection, it is right. It is best unbeaten in all competitions. This is exceptional. Let's keep it, we are in full confidence.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored, what did you think of the match?
I think he still needs to find the rhythm, but games like that will do him good. This is a great striker. When Zlatan brand Paris wins. I hope he will continue scoring.
"Messi ... was lucky enough to be of his time."

  PSG keeps his distance
You will play a decisive match in Barcelona ...
We treated ourselves to an end as they say. We'll have to give everything out there, it will not be easy. After their victory tonight they'll be confident, and Messi is a player ... extraordinary. It was the chance to be of his time. We will be happy to tell our children we played against Messi, because it will stay in the history of football. "

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City reacts, Chelsea smiled

With a hectic end of the match and a win against Bayern Munich (3-2, Sergio Aguero hat-trick), Manchester City was revived in the race for 8th finals of the C1. Crushing Schalke (5-0), Chelsea clinched qualification. The Chakthior also.

The survivor: City (3-2 against Bayern) is back in the game

Huge! We knew from the zero ripped off by CSKA against the Roma, in the early evening in Moscow (1-1) behind Bayern Munich, secured the first place in Group E, while three would be played in the last day . City took full advantage of the neutralization of rivals (3-2). The English club, who scored three times with "Kun" Agüero heroic, returns to height (5 points) and will be qualified by winning the 10 December in Rome, provided that CSKA will not prevail against Bayern Munich . The Skyblues will be passed by all states. Before, thanks to a penalty caused by Benatia expelled on action, and transformed by their Argentine striker (21st). Behind after a free kick from Xabi Alonso (40th) and a head Lewandowski (45th). They have re late and snatch the result in the last five minutes. Aguero, with the help of the post (85th) and on the lookout on a missed Boateng (90 + 1), did the job. Bayern, ten against 11 for 70 minutes conceded their first defeat since August 17.


Tenor: Chelsea 5-0 at Schalke, shiny qualified

Unreachable Tuesday, the leader of the Premier League unbeaten since last April, in all competitions. He put the way to qualify for the 8th finals by winning (5-0) on the lawn of Schalke 04. However hoped for by the former coach of the Blues, Roberto Di Matteo, has fizzled. Germans might even lose the second place in Group G Sorting in favor of Portugal, who was leading (2-1) in Maribor delayed meeting with a power failure. The Blues have swept any suspense in the 2nd minute and a victorious John Terry header from a corner. Willian has enjoyed a Fährmnann goalkeeper handled the ball to make the break after some great moves (29th). A csc Kirchhoff later (44th), Chelsea held Willian offering a goal back Drogba (76th), who himself served in conclusion Ramires (78th). The biggest win of the Outdoor Advertising Chelsea in the Champions League ...

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Enrique: Xavi commander of all midfielders

Coach Catalans emphasizes the importance of a blue dove at the club.
Xavi shift from player His simple role of leadership in the midfield again and believes Luis Enrique Barcelona coach that is very important now for the Catalan team, which is preparing to face APOEL Nicosia in the Champions League Tuesday.

It seemed a veteran commander of the player refracted self watching his team from the bench in the first games of the season and it was his decision to stay in Barcelona and do not agree to offers to end his career in the United States, Qatar, the subject of controversy.

But with the suffering of Barcelona for the stability level under new coach Luis Enrique incision Xavi tireless way again starting lineup for his team.
Scored Lionel Messi hat-trick to achieve a new record of 253 goals in the Primera Liga win at Sevilla 5-1 on Saturday and it was Xavi is one of the leading midfield.

Barcelona will meet with Apoel which has nine points from four games in Group F, one point behind leaders Paris St Germain, who beat the Catalans 3-2 Parc des Princes stadium.
And Luis Enrique said at a news conference in Nicosia "If there was a players know them when I came here understanding Xavi and (Andres) Iniesta, because I played with them."

"He is our leader .. is an important player for us and I am glad that there will be no other player like Xavi, playing style and quality."

He said the other player Ivan Rakitic The middle level of the evolution of playing next to Xavi.

He informed the player Croatian press conference, "He is a leader both midfielders and the king of the midfield."
"In light of everything that gave Xavi football I am really happy to exist in the same team and I can learn from it I enjoy watching him play at the same time fighting with him for titles."

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Manchester City seeks to inflict the first defeat of Bayern Munich

England team enters the match against Bayern Munich, one goal, namely to win, but let the European competition the most expensive in the first round.
Tonight held the fifth round of the group stage of the Champions League competition matches and will host Manchester City rival Bayern Munich stadium Union.

Seeks owners of the land to achieve surprise in front of the giant Bavarian and collect the three points to improve the team mode after poor results made in previous games, where it fought the "Satezinz" 4 games tied at three of them and lost one to contain the tally to only 3 points in the last position of the Group.
The German team tied for first place after winning in 4 games to reap 12 points, followed by Roma with 4 points and goal difference from CSKA Moscow.

Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini is facing some problems related to the important absent today and that are expected to affect much the team's performance, where he engaged in land owners meeting without midfielders Brazilian Vernandinao and ivory Yaya Toure due to receive each other's red card in the final group match against CSKA Moscow.

Doubts about the participation of Spain's David Silva, who suffers from a mild injury also exist but have not yet determined whether to allow him to participate or not, as well as the Bosnian striker Eden Dzico who is suffering from a minor injury as well.

Large loss of "Satezinz" Today may be the absence of star Sergio Aguero team that did not complete the training on Monday due to injury, as it is also a solution to Montenegro Eoffittich, is expected to miss the players on the team meeting today.
On the other hand, the Bavarian club is suffering under the leadership of the Spanish coach Pep Guardiola from the large number of injuries as well, but it does not face the same pressures as part of the team to qualify after reaped 12 points through the first four games.

It will be the most prominent absences from the Germans represented in the ranks of the leader Philipp Lahm due to injury he suffered recently, also miss David Alaba and Javi Martinez and Thiago Alcantara for the same reason, there are doubts about the participation of German Jerome Boateng heart of the Bavarian club's defense also because of injury.

Beat Bayern Munich in the last 4 games in the Champions League and was ahead of his opponent in three games against Manchester City, while the English club failed to achieve any victory in the last six games the team in the Champions League.

In terms of direct confrontation between the two teams may be greater than the German club in the last 6 clashes between him and the English Premier League champions as Bayern won in four games while winning the "Satezinz" in only two games.

Faces champion Premier League a sharp decline in the team that won two wins only during the last six games of the Premier League and the Champions League, while lost in three and drawn one game, unlike the "philosopher" Guardiola battalion, which won 5 games level and tied in a match from within the last 6 team matches in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

It is worth mentioning that the Spanish coach has stated that his team is not a stroll in the court of the Union and that the team will play the game strongly, and is not a right that has been said about the lax team in front of the "Satezinz" result to ensure qualification, what makes the position of the land owners more difficult because of the stress and anxiety about wasted the last chance to stay in the Champions League this season.

It is noteworthy that Manchester City lost in his first match in the Champions League this season before the German club 1-0 in a game played in the stadium, "Allianz Arena" and then draw in the court of the Union then in front of Roma 1-1, and also drew against CSKA Moscow in Russia after it was ahead by two goals, and finally lost in the home and in front of the fans of the Russian club 2-1.

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Rome hopes to approach the final price of the gate CSKA

Italian capital team hopes to repeat the result of the first leg when he defeated his opponent CSKA Moscow big score, in order to approach a step further to qualify for the round of 16.

Solve the team AS Roma, led by French coach Rudy Garcia, a guest of the team CSKA Moscow, the Russian coach Leonid Slutsky in the fifth round of the first round of the Champions League competition, met at the opening of the first round in the Italian capital and won the most obvious winners and losers in a tornado Rome on CSKA Moscow.

Rome enters the meeting, in search of a win only to revive their hopes of qualifying for the 16th round of the Champions League, where the team in second place with 4 points from the win and a draw and two defeats. Press reports indicate the possibility of adoption of Garcia on the way to play 4-4-2 existence Florinzi right back.

Absent from Rome team both Brazilian defender Castan, and right-back Maicon, and Tourosides, and Mbioa due to injury.

He spoke French coach Garcia about the importance of the meeting, saying: "In Europe there are teams stronger than us, in today's game will do our best to win the meeting, the meeting will not be easy against CSKA Moscow, we play to win only."

He commented on the level of CSKA Moscow: "After the first game in the capital, Rome, spoke about the strength of the Russian team and the match against Manchester City the biggest proof of this."

Russian team enters the game in the same ambitious rival Rome because he has the same points, making it difficult for the two teams meeting, CSKA Moscow and has the same opportunities to climb to the final price.

Absent from the team because both of Rasmus Elm and Nacho injury, spoke Russian coach Slutsky about the importance of the meeting at the press conference: "We have a good chance to qualify for the round of 16 .. We have some problems in the middle of the pitch but we are working on a fix, Rome strong team but we want to win the game. "

Statistics for confrontations teams

- The first game the two teams were in the Champions League Champions Trophy collected in the 91-92 season, and has made every team to win away from home, but Rome was able to qualify on aggregate.

- The two teams meet in the first leg Champions League this season in the capital Rome, where Rome won by five goals to one goal.

- Rome is the top scorer in the Ivory Coast player Gervinho with 3 goals and scorer CSKA Moscow is also Ivory Coast striker Seydou Doumbia with 3 goals.

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Forward-Defender: Mourinho is crazy

He hatched Drogba turned Benzema, Diego Costa confirmed. Jose Mourinho loves taclent attackers and prevent recovery. Before Schalke 04 and Chelsea (Tuesday, 20.45), focus on these attackers, defenders that the Portuguese coach has revealed.
1. ORIGIN, DIDIER DROGBA
When Jose Mourinho arrived at Chelsea in the summer of 2004, he won the Champions League with Porto. During his European campaign, he crossed paths with OM and a certain Didier Drogba. It was October 22, 2003 at the Stade Vélodrome. At the end of the match, Mourinho his first exchange words with DD. "Do you have a brother or a cousin who plays like you in Ivory Coast because I do not have the means to buy you?" Drogba answers tit for tat: "One day, you will be in a club can buy me. "Eight months later, Roman Abramovich spends € 37.5 million to bring the two men. The English media are skeptical.

Jose Mourinho explained his choice: "The qualities I see in him is the power and speed, and also the way he fights." Drogba then embodies the archetype of the attacker that Mourinho loves. Not a center forward who plants his aunt in front of goal and does not participate in the game. But the first defender ...

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Alonso reveals a characteristic unique to Guardiola

Xabi Alonso, midfielder Bayern Munich confirmed that the team's coach, Pep Guardiola learn "to be always alert."

The player said the former Real, in remarks to the site of the European Football Association (UEFA) "in every game tries to add new things to the team, adding more of the concepts. This makes it special, although I have played under many coaches, notes that it offers something different for the team." .

He pointed out that he had decided to leave the riyal to Bayern after winning the title for the tenth Meringa in the Champions League last season, "because I feel like I need feet on a new step, a new challenge and there was no better place it can go from here."

He explained, "I played in my hometown club, Real Sociedad, then in Liverpool and Real, this is the best place that I can go to him now. A new country, a new league and one of the best clubs in the world who are struggling to win trophies."

Spanish midfielder said he and his family enjoy in Munich, pointing out that since the first moment anticipating a good feeling in the Bayern team.

"When you move into a winning team, all things become easier, I received help many people to come here," praising the mixing between the two elements of youth and experience in the Bayern team.

He stressed that the Bundesliga "much faster" and depends on the physical greater effort compared to the Spanish league, which relies more on the tactical aspects, adding, "I've said too much to the Bundesliga closer to the Premier League him to La Liga. Atmosphere in fantastic stadiums, and this makes attractive tournament for the players. "

After crowned Champions League with former club, hopes Alonso to win the cup with ears with the Bavarians, adding, "I always have something special, it would be great to make a contribution with Bayern to this achievement. It would be fantastic for the club and for me."

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Messi is looking forward to the second record number In a week

Looking Barcelona on Tuesday in the victory indispensable in the stadium host APOEL Nicosia of Cyprus if it is to be issued in the Group F Champions League football, which could be achieved if the Paris Saint-Germain, the French stumbled in front of the Dutch home to Ajax Amsterdam.

The meeting will also see another attractive element, which is approaching the Argentine star of Bursa, Lionel Messi, from monopolizing the title of the historical scorer of the Champions League, where he is currently equal to the number of former Real Madrid player, Raul Gonzalez, with 71 goals.

The meeting comes after the brilliance of "flea" in his team's game last Saturday at home to Sevilla and register for a hat, that set the title of the historical scorer of the Spanish Liga surpassing No. legend Athletic Bilbao late, Telmo Zarra, for a tally of 253 goals.

Barcelona suffered in the first leg, which collected Babual at Camp Nou, which ended with a single goal scored by defender Gerard Pique, where rival struggled not to come out subdued big score.

And decreased performance of the Catalans in the last period dramatically and lost two games in a row in front of Real Madrid and Celta Vigo, before returning triumphantly painstakingly from Almeria Stadium.

But Albulaograna returned and wowed everyone is perhaps the best match of the season against Sevilla 5-1 to win it, and make sure that during the team does not still have much to offer in the way of excellence, and emphasized their ability to continue their way around titles.

It is expected to be repeated the same scenario for the first leg tomorrow, where the Cypriot team will defend the desire to go out with minimal losses, despite the fact that the restoration of Barcelona for his brilliance has changed things, contrary to what happened in the Camp Nou.

Within Barcelona (9 points) mathematically qualify for the round of 16 after winning the last round on the Ajax stadium with two straight goals, the same thing that happened to the pulpy SGS (10 points) after beating APOEL aim at Princes stadium.

During the remaining two rounds, all of Barcelona and the capital of the French team will struggle at the top of their group.

According to all the things that the conflict would be delayed for the last round when Barca hosts French rival at the Camp Nou stadium in two weeks.

Summoned Luis Enrique 22 players for tomorrow's game, in the list devoid of a new star in the middle of the injured Andres Iniesta, due to return in the next group match against Valencia in La Liga in Mestia Stadium.

APOEL is still topping the domestic league in Cyprus, two points behind Apollon Limassol, who drew him scoreless last Friday, to run a second meeting with him without registering a goal, knowing that he has only one goal over the past four games record in the Champions League, in the draw with the aim to like him against Ajax.

Profile expected for both teams:

APOEL: Orco Pardo, Mario Sergio, Gelarma, Carlao, Antoniades, Ephraim, Nuno Morais, or Vinicius de Vincenti, Thiago Gomes, Sheridan, Manduca.

Barcelona: Terre Stegn, Alves, Mascherano, Pique, Alba, Xavi, Busquets, Rakitic, Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar.

Referee: Gianluca Rocky (Italy).

Stadium: Nicosia (23 thousand spectators).

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