Champions League Action Tonight: Marseille v Newcastle & More
Welcome to another evening of electrifying Champions League football. Nine matches are planned for tonight, with 3 British clubs in action. The Blues meet Barça in the key match of the evening, whilst The Magpies travel to Marseille and Manchester City welcome Leverkusen.
Current Standings
We're at the midway point of the league phase, so the standings is taking form. All six British clubs are presently in the top 12, but there are only two points between 5th and sixteenth place, so there's a sense of volatility about the whole thing. Everything is to play for.
Match Schedule
Here are this evening's fixtures, all kicking off at 8:00 PM unless stated:
- Ajax 0-1 Benfica (17:45)
- Union SG and Galatasaray level at 0-0 (5.45pm)
- Juventus face Bodo/Glimt
- Barcelona take on Chelsea
- Dortmund v Villarreal
- Man City v Leverkusen
- Marseille v Newcastle
- Qarabag play Napoli
- Athletic Bilbao clash with Slavia Prague
Squad Updates
Wesley Fofana, Caicedo, Alejandro Garnacho, Malo Gusto and Estevao join the Blues side. Excluded are Adarabioyo, Santos, Gittens, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.
Yamal starts for Barcelona; Marcus Rashford is among the substitutes.
The Blues (possible 4-3-3) Robert Sanchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Marc Cucurella; Malo Gusto, Caicedo, Enzo; Estevao, Pedro Neto, Garnacho.
Substitutes: Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Delap, Bynoe-Gittens, Santos, Pedro, Hato, Leo George, Acheampong, Guiu, Buonanotte.
Barça (probable four-two-three-one): Joan Garcia; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Balde; Eric Garcia, Frenkie de Jong; Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Torres; Lewandowski.
Substitutes: Wojciech Szczesny, Diego Kochen, Raphinha, Rashford, Andreas Christensen, Marc Casado, Gerard, Olmo, Bernal, Dario Fernandez, Bardghji.
Official Vincic (Slovenia).
Previous Encounters
The only previous meeting involving Marseille and Newcastle was the Uefa Cup semifinal of 2003-04, won by an emerging superstar from Côte d'Ivoire. Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen have not faced each other previously. Chelsea and Barcelona have some past encounters.
Early Match Updates
Just one goal during the opening period of the early fixtures. Dahl's 6th-minute goal has given Jose Mourinho’s Benfica a one-nil lead at the Dutch side.
Marseille v Newcastle Preview
Although The Magpies arrived in the south of France coming off their confidence-boosting 2-1 home English top-flight win against Manchester City on the weekend, and having beaten Union SG, Benfica and Athletic Bilbao in the European Cup, their only on the road victory since the start of April came in Brussels at Union Saint-Gilloise.
It's not that Eddie Howe was eager to discuss the psychological aspect of this away form issue. “The Champions League is different to domestic games,” said the coach, whose team are sixth in the Champions League standings, with nine points from a possible twelve and direct progression to the knockout phase almost within touching distance. “I don’t know if you can draw parallels between them.”
A dedicated live feed is available for Barcelona vs Chelsea. Scott Murray, the MBM equivalent of Maradona is handling for that.
