UEFA Champions League Round 5 (26 Oct) : Preview

Four points clear of Group B and still scoring goals in this season’s group stage, Club Brugge are already assured of a place in the Round of 16 after a hard-fought 0-0 win over Athletic in the 4th leg. A fair result in Belgium would secure Porto a place in the top two with a game to go, and defender Fabio Cardozo ready for another test. “We continue to see every game as a final,” he said.

After losing their first six games in Belgium, Porto have won their last two.

Inter – Plzeň (18:45)

Inter were denied victory by a late goal at the Camp Nou last time out, but their head-to-head advantage over Barcelona means a zero-point victory over Pilsen will see them through to the last 16. “We could have picked up the group with two games,” coach Simone Inzaghi sighed. “We hope to give the fans satisfaction against Viktoria Plzeň.

In ten UEFA Champions League and European Cup matches, no Czech team has won away from home against a Serie A side.

Napoli – Rangers (21:00)

With a 100 per cent record in Group A, Napoli confirmed their qualification for the 4th round as Rangers’ season sank to a new low with a 7-1 defeat at home to Liverpool, the worst home defeat in their history. Still without a point, four Ajax go to the bottom of the group. We have a chance to do everything right in Napoli, midfielder Scott Arfield told UEFA.com.

Rangers have won just once in 12 UEFA away games against Italian sides. 3-2 in Livorno in the group stage of the 2006/07 UEFA Cup.

Ajax-Liverpool (21:00)

Mohamed Salah’s six-minute hat-trick at Rangers earned the Egyptian plaudits for his high standards after a slow start to the season. “If we play to our potential, we’re a pretty good football team,” said Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool, who only need to avoid defeat by Ajax to safely qualify. Alfred Schreud’s team lost 4-2 to Napoli in the 4th leg, but they played better than the score suggests.

Liverpool have scored once in their previous two away games against Ajax: a 5-1 loss in 1967 and a 0-1 win in 2020.

Atletico – Leverkusen (21:00)

Third hosts, fourth in Group C Atletico were frustrated at home to Club Brugge last time out, but a win here will secure Diego Simeone’s side at least third place. Xavi Alonso’s Leverkusen can’t afford to lose, the new coach learned in last week’s 3-0 home defeat by Porto that “small mistakes in the Champions League can be fatal”.

Atletico have won just one of their last nine home games in Europe.

Barcelona – Bayern: (21:00)

“We have 12 points from four games in the toughest group and are in the last eight,” said happy Julian Nagelsmann after Bayern completed their double in Plzen. “Now we want to lead the pack.” With Barcelona desperate for a win and ex-Bayern man Robert Lewandowski now leading the group stage with five goals, they can’t expect any favours.

Bayern have won their last four games against Barcelona, ​​scoring 16 goals and conceding two.

Tottenham – Sporting CP (21:00)

“You never know what’s going to happen in the Champions League,” Heung-Min Son said after Spurs’ Game 4 win over in-form Frankfurt, with Group D still elusive to name. Since beating Tottenham in Lisbon, Sporting have lost two games in a row against Marseille and a bunch of red suspensions.

Tottenham have won ten of their last 12 home games in the UEFA Champions League group stage, the last four of each.

“This is a brutally tight stretch,” said Eintracht captain Sebastian Rode, adding: “Anything is possible for us if we win our two games.” The Europa League winners are two points behind OM, who were in line after back-to-back wins against Sporting, although defender Chancel Mbemba was aware that there was still work to do: “Our fight is not over yet.”

Marseille lost 4-0 in the 2018/19 Europa League group stage in their only away game in Frankfurt.