European Cup Matches This Evening: Chelsea v Barcelona & Additional Games
Welcome to a fresh night of electrifying Champions League soccer. Nine games are set for this evening, with 3 English teams in action. The Blues face Barcelona in the key fixture of the night, whilst Newcastle travel to the French side and City welcome Leverkusen.
Current Standings
We're at the midway stage of the group phase, so the rankings is taking form. Each of the six British clubs are presently in the upper twelve, however there are only 2 pts separating 5th and sixteenth position, so there's a whiff of volatility about the whole thing. Everything is to play for.
This Evening's Games
These are this evening's fixtures, all starting at 8:00 PM unless stated:
- Benfica lead Ajax 1-0 (5.45pm)
- Galatasaray 0-0 Union SG (17:45)
- Bodo/Glimt v Juventus
- Barcelona take on Chelsea
- Villarreal meet Dortmund
- Man City v Leverkusen
- Newcastle travel to Marseille
- Qarabag play Napoli
- Slavia Prague v Athletic Bilbao
Team News
Wesley Fofana, Moises Caicedo, Alejandro Garnacho, Gusto and Estevao are included in the Chelsea team. Out go Tosin Adarabioyo, Santos, Gittens, Joao Pedro and Delap.
Yamal starts for Barcelona; Rashford is among the substitutes.
Chelsea (probable four-three-three) Sanchez; Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella; Malo Gusto, Caicedo, Enzo; Estevao, Neto, Garnacho.
Subs: Kjell Scherpen, Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Liam Delap, Bynoe-Gittens, Santos, Joao Pedro, Hato, George, Acheampong, Guiu, Facundo Buonanotte.
Barcelona (probable 4-2-3-1): Garcia; Kounde, Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Balde; Garcia, Frenkie de Jong; Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Torres; Robert Lewandowski.
Substitutes: Szczesny, Kochen, Raphinha, Rashford, Andreas Christensen, Marc Casado, Gerard, Dani Olmo, Bernal, Dario Fernandez, Bardghji.
Referee Vincic (Slovenia).
Past Meetings
The only previous meeting between Newcastle and Marseille was the Uefa Cup semifinal of 2003-04, won by an rising star from Ivory Coast. Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen have never met before. Barcelona and Chelsea have some past encounters.
Early Match Updates
Just one goal during the opening period of the early fixtures. Dahl's 6th-minute sizzler has given Jose Mourinho’s Benfica a 1-0 advantage away to the Dutch side.
Newcastle’s Trip to Marseille
Although Newcastle traveled to the French south coming off their confidence-boosting two-one home Premier League win against Manchester City on Saturday, and having defeated Union Saint-Gilloise, the Portuguese side and Bilbao in the European Cup, their only on the road victory since early April came in the Belgian capital at Union Saint-Gilloise.
Not that Howe was eager to discuss the mental side of this travel sickness. “The Champions League is different to Premier League games,” said the manager, whose side are sixth in the European table, with nine points from a available twelve and automatic progression to the knockout phase nearly secured. “I am not sure if you can compare them.”
We have a separate live blog for Chelsea v Barcelona. Scott Murray, the MBM equivalent of Diego Maradona is handling for that.
