Champions League Action This Evening: Manchester City v Bayer Leverkusen & Additional Games

Welcome to another night of thrilling Champions League soccer. 9 games are scheduled for this evening, with three English teams in action. Chelsea take on Barça in the marquee fixture of the evening, while The Magpies visit Marseille and Manchester City host Leverkusen.

League Table

It's the midway point of the league phase, so the rankings is taking form. All six English teams are currently in the top 12, however there are only two pts separating fifth and sixteenth position, thus there's a whiff of volatility about the whole thing. Everything is to play for.

This Evening's Games

Here are tonight’s matches, each starting at 8pm except where noted:

  • Ajax 0-1 Benfica (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

Lineup Changes

Fofana, Caicedo, Alejandro Garnacho, Gusto and Estevao are included in the Blues team. Excluded are Tosin Adarabioyo, Santos, Gittens, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.

Yamal is in the starting lineup for Barça; Rashford is among the substitutes.

Chelsea (probable four-three-three) Robert Sanchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Marc Cucurella; Gusto, Caicedo, Enzo; Estevao, Neto, Garnacho.

Subs: Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Liam Delap, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, Andrey Santos, Pedro, Hato, Leo George, Acheampong, Marc Guiu, Buonanotte.

Barça (probable four-two-three-one): Joan Garcia; Jules Kounde, Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde; Garcia, Frenkie de Jong; Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Ferran Torres; Robert Lewandowski.

Subs: Wojciech Szczesny, Kochen, Raphinha, Marcus Rashford, Christensen, Marc Casado, Gerard, Dani Olmo, Bernal, Dro Fernandez, Roony Bardghji.

Official Slavko Vincic (Slovenian).

Previous Encounters

The only previous meeting between Marseille and Newcastle was the Uefa Cup semifinal of 2003-04, won by an emerging star from Ivory Coast. Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen have not faced each other previously. 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 one-nil advantage away to Ajax.

Newcastle’s Trip to Marseille

Although Newcastle traveled to the south of France fresh from their restorative 2-1 home Premier League victory against Manchester City on the weekend, and having defeated Union Saint-Gilloise, Benfica and Athletic Bilbao in the European Cup, their only away win since early April came in the Belgian capital at Union SG.

It's not that Eddie Howe was overly keen to discuss the mental side of this away form issue. “The European Cup is distinct from Premier League games,” said the coach, whose team are 6th in the European table, with nine pts from a possible twelve and direct progression to the knockout phase almost within touching distance. “I am not sure if you can draw parallels between them.”

A dedicated live feed is available for Barcelona vs Chelsea. Murray, the MBM equivalent of Diego Maradona is handling for that.
Gregory Reid
Gregory Reid

A professional blackjack player and strategist with over a decade of experience in casinos worldwide.