More than a first Champions League defeat of the season, Paris St Germain's 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich on Tuesday deepened the club's mounting injury concerns, extending a pattern that has hindered the European champions since the start of the campaign.

Ousmane Dembele and Achraf Hakimi both limped off during the match, continuing a run of fitness problems that has prevented Luis Enrique from having a full squad at any point this season.

"I can't remember a single match with the whole squad fit. It's a different kind of season, and we have to manage that. I'm calm and confident we'll recover our players and our level," the Spaniard said.

The latest setbacks came just as the squad was beginning to stabilise.

Dembele, who missed seven games earlier this season with a hamstring injury, was making his first Champions League start of the campaign but was forced off after 25 minutes with what appeared to be a calf problem.

"The injury has nothing to do with the previous one," Luis Enrique told reporters. "He played the time you saw — it's not a relapse."

Shortly before halftime, Hakimi also had to leave the field after a dangerous tackle from Bayern's Luis Diaz, who was sent off for the challenge.

The Moroccan full back, one of the few PSG regulars to have avoided injury this season, left the pitch in tears and was later seen exiting the Parc des Princes on crutches with a protective boot on his left foot.

"For Hakimi, that's football — it's a contact sport," Luis Enrique said. "It's unfortunate, but these are actions that happen with a bit of bad luck."

The injuries add to a long list of absentees that has already included Marquinhos, Joao Neves, Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue and Fabian Ruiz — all sidelined at various points since August. Doue is currently out with a right thigh muscle injury that will keep him unavailable for several more weeks.

After an exceptional 2024-25 season that stretched across 65 matches and yielded four trophies — the Champions League, Ligue 1, French Cup and Trophee des Champions — PSG now appear to be paying the physical price.

Their extended campaign ended only in mid-July after the Club World Cup, leaving little time for rest before the new season began.

"When you recover injured players, they're not at 100 per cent. That's something I need to manage better," Luis Enrique conceded. "It's a long season, and it's about how you handle these moments."

Despite the disruptions, PSG remain top of Ligue 1 and third in the Champions League's league phase with nine points from four games.

Luis Enrique's tone remained measured as he looked ahead. "I'm calm and relaxed because I know we'll overcome all of this," he said. "We'll get our players back and we'll find our level again."

Juventus failed to pick up a victory in their fourth straight Champions League game on Tuesday after drawing 1-1 with Sporting but new manager Luciano Spalletti said he was impressed by his side's heart and desire and is confident the wins will come.

Spalletti's predecessor Igor Tudor was sacked last month following of an eight-game winless run in all competitions.

The new coach, who accepted a short-term deal to rescue the struggling side, picked up a Serie A win over Cremonese in his first game in charge but was unable to steer them to a win on home soil that would have reignited their European campaign.

The Italians, who have three points from their four games, fell behind to Maximiliano Araujo's early opener before Dusan Vlahovic equalised with a header in the 34th minute.

"I'm pleased with the performance of the team. We showed that we have character, and the guys showed their desire to win the game," said former Italy boss Spalletti. "If we play like this going forward, we'll win plenty of matches.

"The reaction we got right from the start gave me hope, it seemed as though the whole stadium understood the team's approach well, and that's a good sign."

 

FT |⌛️| Termina in pareggio la sfida dell’Allianz Stadium ⚪️⚫️#JuveSCP #UCL pic.twitter.com/cjjMG4nahQ

— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) November 4, 2025

 

Juventus midfielder Teun Koopmeiners said they showed a lot of good things against Sporting but there were areas they had to improve on. The Dutchman was deployed in a deeper role against Sporting and said he felt more comfortable there.

"I feel much better in this position, because I am not a forward who plays with his back to goal, where I played in other games," he told Sky Sports Italia. "I told Spaletti and the representatives of the club that too."

Juventus will travel to Bodo/Glimt on 25 November for their next Champions League game.

Match Week 4 of the UEFA Champions League kicks off on Wednesday night with nine thrilling encounters, all broadcast live on SuperSport.

The spotlight falls on two headline fixtures, Shandre Campbell’s Club Brugge v Barcelona and Manchester City v Borussia Dortmund as Europe’s elite battle for crucial group stage points.

Here's a look at what the stats reveal ahead of all nine matchups on the night.

Pafos v Villarreal

This will be the first time that Pafos – managed by a Spaniard in Juan Carlos Carcedo – have faced a Spanish opponent in European competition.

The only Cypriot opponent that Villarreal have previously faced in Europe is Apollon Limassol, who they beat home (4-0) and away (2-0) in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2014-15.

The last UEFA Champions League match between Cypriot and Spanish sides was a 6-0 win for Real Madrid against APOEL Nicosia in November 2017. Indeed, the last six matches between teams from those nations in the competition have been won by the Spaniards for an aggregate score of 22-2.

Pafos are on their longest winless run in major European competition (four games – D2 L2), and have failed to score in three of those four matches. They are yet to lead at any point of a UEFA Champions League match this season; one of only five sides to fail to do so across the opening three matchdays.

Villarreal have lost 11 of their last 16 matches in the group/league phase of the UEFA Champions League (W3 D2), while their only clean sheet across those games came in a 2-0 home win versus Young Boys in November 2021.

Pafos have faced 66 shots across their three UEFA Champions League match this season (five goals conceded); the most of any side. Although they have not led at any point in a game so far, they’ve spent the longest per centage of their match time level (73 per cent - 211 minutes overall).

Villarreal have been trailing on the scoreboard for 71 per cent of their game time in the UEFA Champions League this season (losing for 204:39 in total). Through the first three matchdays of this season’s tournament, only Ajax (86 per cent) were behind for a higher per centage of their matches.

 

🇨🇾 Pafos v Villarreal 🇪🇸
🇦🇿 Qarabag v Chelsea 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
🇳🇱 Ajax v Galatasaray 🇹🇷
🇵🇹 Benfica v Leverkusen 🇩🇪
🇧🇪 Club Brugge v Barça 🇪🇸
🇮🇹 Inter v Kairat 🇰🇿
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Man City v Dortmund 🇩🇪
🇫🇷 Marseille v Atalanta 🇮🇹
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Newcastle v Athletic Club 🇪🇸

Which game will you watch tonight? pic.twitter.com/8px1WrkN9C

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) November 5, 2025

 

Pafos have recorded the fewest high turnovers (7) of any side in the UEFA Champions League this season, while opponents Villarreal had the joint-fourth fewest (14) across the opening three matchdays.

Defender David Luiz has had the most shots inside the box (4) and touches in the opposition box (5) of any Pafos player in the UEFA Champions League this season, as well as leading the Cypriot side for expected goals (0.79).

Nicolas Pépé has created 11 chances for Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League this season, with only Real Madrid pair Kylian Mbappé (16) and Arda Güler (12) creating more across the opening three matchdays of the current edition.

Qarabag v Chelsea

The previous two meetings between Qarabag and Chelsea were also in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, with the Blues winning 6-0 at home and 4-0 away in the 2017-18 edition.

Chelsea have scored 10 goals in two games against Qarabag in the UEFA Champions League, with this their joint-most in their first two matches against an opponent in the competition (also 10 v Nordsjælland).

Qarabag have lost all seven of their games against English sides in Europe, conceding 21 goals and only scoring once themselves. Indeed, their only goal came via a penalty versus Tottenham in September 2015, and have failed to score in all six matches against English opposition since then.

Including the FIFA Club World Cup, Chelsea have won 20 of their 23 games in international competition under Enzo Maresca (excluding qualifiers), scoring at least once in all 23 matches and averaging 2.9 goals per outing (66 scored in total).

After beating Copenhagen in their previous UEFA Champions League home match (2-0), Qarabag will be looking to win back-to-back home games in the same season in major European competition for the first time ever.

Chelsea have lost each of their last three away games in the UEFA Champions League, and have only once previously lost four in a row on the road in the competition (between December 2004-May 2005).

Qarabag have taken six of nine points available in the UEFA Champions League this season (W2 D1), after only winning two of 18 available in their previous appearance in this tournament (P6 D2 L4 in 2017-18). The Azerbaijani side have also already tripled their goal haul from the 2017-18 edition (2), netting six goals in three games this term.

Chelsea have already handed appearances to 25 different players in the UEFA Champions League this season, more than any other team in the first three matchdays. The Blues also had the second youngest starting XI in terms of average age in this period (23y 339d), only behind Paris SG (23y 261d).

Estêvão scored his first UEFA Champions League goal last time out against Ajax. Should he find the net in this game, the Brazilian would become the first South American player to score in consecutive appearances while aged 18 or younger.

Qarabag’s Leandro Andrade has scored three goals in five appearances in major European competition in 2025, as many as he managed in 22 European outings for the club prior to this year (three goals).

Moisés Caicedo has completed 92.9 per cent of his passes under high-intensity pressure in the UEFA Champions League this season (65/70); the third-best completion rate by a central midfielder across the opening three matchdays (min. 50 attempted), behind Arthur Vermeeren (93.3 per cent) and Aleix García (93 per cent).

Manchester City v Borussia Dortmund

This will be the seventh time Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund have faced each other in the UEFA Champions League, with the German side only managing one win in the previous six (D2 L3).

Manchester City have conceded the opening goal in four of their six UEFA Champions League games against Borussia Dortmund, but have only lost one of those four (W2 D1) and come back to win in each of the last two when going 1-0 down (2-1 in April 2021 and September 2022).

Borussia Dortmund have netted the opening goal in two of their three away matches against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, but have been denied a victory on both occasions by goals conceded from the 80th minute onwards (drew 1-1 in October 2012 and lost 2-1 in September 2022).

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is unbeaten in his last 10 games against Borussia Dortmund across all competitions (W6 D4), with his last defeat against them coming in the 2014 German Super Cup final. All three of his defeats in 15 total matches against Dortmund (W8 D4) came between 2013 and 2014 during Jürgen Klopp’s reign.

 

What is your score prediction for tomorrow night's #UCL clash? 👇

— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 4, 2025

 

Borussia Dortmund have scored 12 goals in the UEFA Champions League, despite having an expected goals total of just 4.5. Indeed, across the opening three matchdays this season, the Germans had the biggest positive differential against their expected goals (+7.5), as well as the highest shot conversion rate (37.5 per cent) of any side.

Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 22 home matches played in the group/league phase of the UEFA Champions League (W19 D3), since a 2-1 defeat to Lyon in September 2018. The only team to stop the Citizens scoring across these 22 games was Internazionale in September 2024 (0-0), who finished as runners-up in last season’s edition.

Borussia Dortmund have scored four goals in each of their last three UEFA Champions League matches (4-4 v Juventus, 4-1 v Athletic Club and 4-2 v Copenhagen). They could become the first team in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history to score 4+ goals in four consecutive games here.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland could become the first player to score in five consecutive UEFA Champions League appearances for as many as three different teams, having previously done so for RB Salzburg (November 2019, five games) and Borussia Dortmund (March 2021, six games). Haaland has netted in his last four outings in the competition for the Citizens, netting six goals in total.

Across the first three matchdays of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League campaign, the two defenders with the most line-breaking passes were Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol (51) and Borussia Dortmund’s Ramy Bensebaini (47).

Man City’s Bernardo Silva is looking to score in consecutive UEFA Champions League appearances for the first time since April 2024. An appearance in this game will see him become the fourth Portuguese player to hit 100 games in the competition, after Cristiano Ronaldo (183), Pepe (120) and Luis Figo (103), all three of whom were on the winning side in their 100th games.

Newcastle United v Athletic Club

Newcastle and Athletic Club have faced twice before in European competition, with the Basque side eliminating the Magpies from the last 32 of the UEFA Cup in 1994-95 (3-3 on aggregate over two legs, progressed on away goals).

Athletic Club’s previous away match at Newcastle came in a 3-2 defeat in the first leg of their last 32 UEFA Cup tie in October 1994. Overall, Athletic have only won one of their 10 matches away to English sides in Europe (D1 L8), with that victory coming at Manchester United in March 2012 under Marcelo Bielsa (3-2 in the UEFA Europa League – first leg of a last 16 tie).

Athletic Club have lost all three of their games against English teams in 2025, losing twice to Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League semifinals last season and versus Arsenal in their UEFA Champions League opener this term. Only one Spanish side has previously lost four games against English sides in a single calendar year in major European competition: Atlético de Madrid in 2021 (L2 v Chelsea and Liverpool).

MD2 and MD3 saw Newcastle record first their biggest ever win (4-0 v Union Saint-Gilloise) and then joint-biggest home win (3-0 v Benfica) in the UEFA Champions League – the Magpies could now win three games in the row in major European competition for the first time since March 2007 in the UEFA Cup.

Athletic Club are winless in each of their five European away games in 2025 (D1 L4), losing three of those matches by the same 4-1 scoreline – no Spanish club has ever lost three consecutive major European games and conceded more than three times in each defeat.

Newcastle have already eclipsed their points tally from their previous UEFA Champions League season in 2023-24 (5, 6 this season) and a win in this match will see them pick up as many as nine points in a group stage campaign for only the second time, previously doing so in the 2002-03 first group phase (W3 L3).

Anthony Gordon has scored four goals in the UEFA Champions League this season, becoming the first Newcastle player to score in three consecutive outings in the competition in the process. Prior to 2025-26, he had played seven matches in major European competition without scoring once.

Gorka Guruzeta has scored three goals in three UEFA Champions League appearances this season, netting in each of his last two games. If he finds the net here, he would be the first Athletic Club player to score in three consecutive outings in the European Cup/Champions League.

Jacob Murphy has provided an assist in three of his five UEFA Champions League appearances, averaging an assist every 59 minutes in the competition – Bukayo Saka (4) and Aaron Lennon (3) are the only other English players to register at least three assists through their first five appearances in the competition.

Athletic Club’s Unai Simón has conceded seven goals in the UEFA Champions League this season, despite facing an expected goals on target total of 3.75. Excluding own goals, this was the biggest underperformance by a goalkeeper across the first three matchdays of the current edition (-3.25).

Ajax v Galatasaray

Ajax and Galatasaray’s only previous meeting came earlier this year, in a 2-1 win for the Dutch side in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League. This was the first of three European away defeats for the Turkish side in 2025, who have lost every game on the road in Europe this year.

Galatasaray have never won in Europe away to a Dutch team, losing in six of their seven attempts to date (D1). Three of those seven games were played last season (D1 L2), with defeats to Ajax and AZ both coming since the turn of the year.

Ajax have lost each of their last six major European games, the joint-longest losing streak of their history along with six defeats between April 1988 and September 1989 (2 in Cup Winners’ Cup, 4 in UEFA Cup).

Following wins over Liverpool and Bodø/Glimt on MD2 and MD3 respectively, Galatasaray are aiming to win three consecutive matches in the UEFA Champions League for the first time since December 2012 under Fatih Terim – Gala had won just one of their previous 18 matches in the competition (D5 L12).

Only Bayern Munich (86 per cent winning) have spent a greater proportion of their total match time in one game state in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League than Ajax have losing (78 per cent); they have conceded with either their first (MD2) or second (MD1 & MD3) shot on target faced in each of their three games this season.

 

📍 Amsterdam#AJAvGS #UCL pic.twitter.com/qlpNOFzQRn

— Galatasaray SK (@GalatasaraySK) November 4, 2025

 

Galatasaray recorded 23 shots on MD3 in victory against Bodø/Glimt, their most in a UEFA Champions League game since having 32 v Arsenal in December 2014; 11 of those hit the target, the outright most on record (since 2003-04) by Cimbom in the competition.

No team has scored fewer goals than Ajax in the UEFA Champions League this season (1 – level with three other teams coming into MD4), while their five shots on target are also the lowest by any side in the current tournament.

John Heitinga has lost each of his three UEFA Champions League games in charge of Ajax and the only managers to lose at least each of their first four with a Dutch club in the competition are Giovanni van Bronckhorst with Feyenoord (first 5 in 2017) and Co Adriaanse with Willem II (first 4 in 1999)

Wout Weghorst scored in Ajax’s 5-1 loss to Chelsea last time out, only his third goal in major European competition since 2020 – only in one of his previous five campaigns in Europe has he scored more than once, netting twice for Wolfsburg in the 2019-20 UEFA Europa League.

Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen has scored in each of his last seven appearances in major European competition, with Robert Lewandowsi the last to go on a longer run between November 2020 and 2021 (9 for Bayern Munich).

Club Brugge v Barcelona

Club Brugge are winless in their four matches against Barcelona in Europe (D1 L3), although this will be their first meeting since a 1-0 win for Barcelona in October 2002 (UEFA Champions League).

Barcelona were beaten in their last away game against a Belgian side, losing 3-2 at Royal Antwerp in the UEFA Champions League in December 2023. Indeed, they have lost (5) more often than they have won (4) across their nine away matches against Belgian sides in Europe.

Of the 28 matches played between Belgian and Spanish sides in the UEFA Champions League, only five of them have been won by the Belgians (D8 L15). However, they have won the last two they have hosted: Club Brugge 2-0 Atlético Madrid in October 2022 and Royal Antwerp 3-2 Barcelona in December 2023.

Club Brugge are unbeaten in each of their last four group/league phase home games in the UEFA Champions League (W3 D1), their best ever run in the competition. That includes a 4-1 win over Monaco on MD1.

Barcelona beat Newcastle 2-1 on MD1 and will be aiming to win both of their first two away games in a UEFA Champions League campaign for the first time since 2020-21 under Ronald Koeman (first three).

 

FCB v FCB. ✨🔵⚫️ pic.twitter.com/5j8BksoPfE

— Club Brugge KV (@ClubBrugge) November 5, 2025

 

Club Brugge have lost four of their last five matches in the UEFA Champions League (W1), as many defeats as they suffered across their previous 15 major European games (W8 D3) – they could lose three straight in the same edition for the first time since December 2021 (4).

Since the start of last season Barcelona are the leading goalscorers in the UEFA Champions League with 52 goals and have scored 3+ goals in 11 different games, more often than any other side.

18-year-old Pau Cubarsí could make his 20th UEFA Champions League appearance in this game – the Barcelona defender would be only the third player to hit that milestone before turning 19, along with teammate Lamine Yamal (17 years, 270 days) and PSG’s Warren Zaïre-Emery (18 years, 277 days).

Only Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise (7) and Sporting CP’s Luis Suárez (6) have recorded more shots following a carry of 5+ metres than Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis (5) so far in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League.

Marcus Rashford has scored four goals in three UEFA Champions League appearances for Barcelona, after going goalless in his 12 outings in the competition prior (8 for Manchester United, 4 for Aston Villa). The only player to score five goals for the club within four appearances is Robert Lewandowski in 2022-23 (5 in 4).

Benfica v Bayer Leverkusen

Benfica have only lost one of their six games against Bayer Leverkusen (W2 D3) in European competition, while they’re unbeaten in their three home matches against them (W1 D2).

Bayer Leverkusen have only won one of their four away games against Portuguese sides in the UEFA Champions League, going winless and failing to score in the three (D2 L1) since a 2-0 win over Sporting CP in October 1997.

Benfica manager José Mourinho’s only previous meetings with Bayer Leverkusen came in the semifinals of the 2022-23 UEFA Europa League, where his Roma side eliminated them 1-0 on aggregate to reach the final. Mourinho’s side kept a clean sheet in both legs against a Xabi Alonso-led Leverkusen, winning 1-0 at home and drawing 0-0 in Germany.

Benfica have lost each of their last five UEFA Champions League games, their longest run in major European competition since an eight-game streak in the same competition between March 2017 and September 2018; 2025 is only the third calendar year in which they have lost 6+ times in Europe after 2017 (7) and 2008 (6).

When losing 7-2 to PSG on MD3, Bayer Leverkusen conceded seven goals in a European game for only the second time ever (284th game), also doing so in a 7-1 loss at Barcelona in March 2012 in the UEFA Champions League – that was as many goals as they conceded across the whole of last season’s league phase.

Benfica are one of just two teams to have suffered three defeats in this season’s UEFA Champions League along with Ajax – the Eagles have lost each of their opening four games of a major European campaign just before: the 2017-18 (first six) and 2023-24 (first four) Champions League seasons.

Bayer Leverkusen have suffered the most build up attacks against in the UEFA Champions League this season (20 – 11 on MD3, 6 on MD2, 3 on MD1), with only the opponents of Napoli (15.3s) and Eintracht Frankfurt (14.9s) averaging longer open sequences than Leverkusen’s (14.7s).

Bayer Leverkusen manager Kasper Hjulmand remains winless in nine UEFA Champions League games, conceding 32 goals across six defeats and three draws. In fact, his average of 3.6 goals against per game is the highest of any manager with at least nine games.

Vangelis Pavlidis has scored five goals in his last four UEFA Champions League appearances at the Estádio da Luz. Of the nine goals that Benfica have scored in home matches in the competition in 2025, the Greek striker has been directly involved in 67 per cent of them (6/9 – five goals, one assist).

As well as completing the most passes of any Bayern Leverkusen player (42) on MD3, Aleix García scored twice against PSG; more than he netted across his first 12 outings in the competition (1).

Internazionale v Kairat

This will be Internazionale’s first meeting with Kairat, as well as the first ever between sides from Italy and Kazakhstan in any European competition.

Internazionale have won nine of their last 10 UEFA Champions League games when meeting an opponent for the first time, with the exception being their 5-0 defeat to PSG in last season’s final.

Internazionale have won nine of their last 10 UEFA Champions League group stage games without conceding (0-1 v Bayern Leverkusen on 2024-25 MD6 the exception), and are the only team to keep 10 clean sheets in group/league phase games since the start of last season.

Kairat remain winless across their first three UEFA Champions League games (D1 L2), scoring just once and conceding nine times – the only teams to score one or fewer and concede more than 10 goals across their first four matches in the competition are Levski Sofia in 2006 (1F 13A), MSK Zilina in 2010 (1F 15A) and FC Nordsjælland in 2012 (1F 11A).

Internazionale have won each of their last three UEFA Champions League games without conceding, scoring 2+ goals in each win – only three teams have ever won four straight matches to nil while also scoring more than once each time: Bayern Munich in 2012-13, Borussia Dortmund in 2014-15 and PSG in 2017-18 (Arsenal could also do so on MD4).

On MD3, Kairat’s opponents Pafos received a fourth minute red card but the game still finished 0-0 – it was the longest a side has played against 10-men in the competition without scoring. The Kazakh club have recorded the worst conversion rate in the UEFA Champions League this season (2.4 per cent - 42 shots, 1 goal).

Internazionale’s 4-0 win at Union Saint-Gilloise on MD3 was their joint-biggest victory in the UEFA Champions League – their nine goals this season is their most through three games in an edition of the competition since 2010-11 when they were the holders (10).

Internazionale manager Cristian Chivu is aiming to be the first manager to win each of their first four UEFA Champions League games since Hansi Flick in 2020, and the first ever to do so without conceding.

Internazionale’s Lautaro Martínez has scored 24 goals in the UEFA Champions League and the only Argentinian players with more in the competition are Lionel Messi (129), Sergio Agüero (41) and Hernán Crespo (25). He has scored 11 goals in his last 10, with no player scoring more times in major European competition this calendar year (Harry Kane also 11).

Making five saves against Pafos on MD3, Kairat’s Temirlan Anarbekov (22y 7d) become the fourth youngest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet on their UEFA Champions League debut across the last 20 seasons, after Atlético de Madrid’s Sergio Asenjo in September 2009 (20y 79d), Sturm Graz’s Daniil Khudyakov in November 2024 (20y 323d) and Porto’s Diogo Costa in December 2020 (21y 81d).

Marseille v Atalanta

The previous two meetings between Marseille and Atalanta came in the semifinals of the 2023-24 UEFA Europa League. After a 1-1 draw at home in the first leg, Marseille were eliminated from the tournament following a 3-0 defeat in the return leg in Italy (lost 4-1 on aggregate).

Atalanta haven’t won any of their four games against French sides played outside of Italy (D2 L2), drawing against Lyon (September 2017) and Marseille (May 2024) in the UEFA Europa League, along with two defeats to Paris SG in the UEFA Champions League (August 2020 and September 2025).

Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi has lost seven of his nine matches against Atalanta across all competitions (W1 D1); his joint-most defeats against an opponent in his managerial career (also seven versus Juventus).

Marseille are unbeaten in each of their last eight home games in major European competition (W7 D2) and could go nine without loss for the first time this century – only between 1989 and 1999 have they have gone nine or more without loss overall in such competitions at home, setting the second longest such streak by a French Side (23, behind PSG’s 31, 2006 – 2015).

Atalanta have lost only two of their 11 UEFA Champions League group/league phase games since the start of last season (W5 D4), while only Internazionale (10) and Arsenal (8) have kept more clean sheets than the Italian side in round one matches in that same period (6).

Marseille have spent just nine per cent of their UEFA Champions League match time this season in a losing position (28 minutes), the lowest proportion of any side to have suffered multiple defeats in the competition in 2025-26. The French side do average the third worst xG difference per 90 while drawing however (-1.8, 114 minutes), behind only Eintracht Frankfurt (-2.4) and Kairat (-2.2).

Atalanta are one of only three teams to both record and face at least 45 shots in the UEFA Champions League this season (49 for, 45 against); on MD3, La Dea’s 0-0 draw with Slavia Prague saw the most shots on record (since 2003-04) in a match that finished goalless in the competition (38 – 22 for, 16 against).

Marseille’s Igor Paixão has scored three goals in the UEFA Champions League this season with André Ayew in 2011-12 the last player to net more times in a campaign for the club (4) – the only other non-French players to net more than three times in a single edition of the Champions League for the French side are Didier Drogba in 2003-04 (5) and Alen Boksic in 1992-93 (4).

Against Slavia Prague last time out, Charles De Ketelaere created six chances for the second time in a UEFA Champions League game for Atalanta (also v Club Brugge in February), the only player to do so in more than one game for the club in the competition.

Marseille pair Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (1 goal) and Igor Paixão (2 goals) have combined to score three goals in the UEFA Champions League this season, more than any other teammates in 2025-26.

Alexis Mac Allister scored the only goal as Liverpool beat Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Luis Diaz grabbed a brace as Bayern Munich sunk title-holders Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in the French capital.

Premier League leaders Arsenal won 3-0 at Slavia Prague as rising star Max Dowman came off the bench to become the youngest player in the competition's history, at just 15 years and 308 days old.

Leaders Bayern and second-placed Arsenal remain the only teams with a perfect record in the competition – alongside Inter Milan, who play their fourth match on Wednesday against Kazakh newcomers Kairat Almaty.

At Anfield, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced a stellar performance to frustrate six-time champions Liverpool.

Statement W secured 🔒

Bayern München's perfect start to 2025/26 continues 👏#UCL pic.twitter.com/r18R8fAFzy

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 4, 2025

In a performance reminiscent of his match-defining display in the 2022 final against the same opposition – which the Spaniards won 1-0 – Courtois produced eight saves to keep back the hosts.

"He is a fantastic 'keeper – we all know," Mac Allister told Amazon Prime. "But today I think we were better and deserved to win."

The Argentinian eventually broke Courtois' resistance shortly after the hour with a header from a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick in an encounter which saw former Liverpool hero Trent Alexander-Arnold return to his hometown amid a hail of boos when he emerged from the Madrid bench late on.

Arne Slot will be hoping the result marks a turning point for his side after they had come into the match with six defeats in their previous eight outings.

For previously unbeaten Madrid, it was first defeat in any competition since September's 5-2 reversal at Atletico Madrid.

"It's a tough blow to take because we came from a run of good games, but the important thing is to move forwards," Real's Fede Valverde told Movistar.

 'JUST THE BEGINNING' 

PSG welcomed Bayern to the Parc des Princes for a fixture which midfielder Vitinha had said would bring together "the two best teams in Europe".

And it was the Bundesliga champions who emerged victorious as they made it 16 wins from 16 outings in all competitions this season.

"I know the Champions League winner is not decided now, otherwise PSG would not have won it last season," Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said.

"But this was a very important three points."

Summer signing Diaz claimed the headlines as he netted a brace before being sent off for a dangerous tackle on Achraf Hakimi, all in the opening 45 minutes.

Hakimi had to be helped from the field in tears, following recent Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele who came off after just 25 minutes.

Bayern took the lead inside five minutes and then overwhelmed PSG's usually unflappable midfield and defence with their intense pressing game.

Diaz grabbed a second when he robbed Marquinhos of possession and slotted home after the half-hour.

His dismissal then changed the game as PSG fought back in the second period but Joao Neves' 74th-minute header was not enough to stop the Ligue 1 champions falling to a first defeat in this year's league phase.

Bayern, on the other hand, sit top with a perfect 12 points.

Arsenal lie just behind them after a Mikel Merino-inspired win in the Czech Republic earned them a fourth win from four.

The Spaniard netted twice in the second period to seal victory against Slavia Prague, after Bukayo Saka opened the scoring from 12 yards in the 32nd minute.

Another cleansheet meant Mikel Arteta's side are still yet to concede in the competition this year.

"We are a very strong team, we are performing in an amazing way with a lot of clean sheets," Merino said.

"But we know that this is just the beginning and we have to keep up this good work in the future to win big things."

Elsewhere, Micky van de Ven scored a stunning solo effort as Europa League winners Tottenham won 4-0 at home to FC Copenhagen.

Atletico Madrid got back to winning ways following a heavy defeat to Arsenal last time out by seeing off Belgium's Union Saint-Gilloise 3-1.

Serie A sides Napoli and Juventus both endured frustrating draws as the league champions played out a goalless stalemate at home to Eintracht Frankfurt and Sporting Lisbon held Juventus 1-1 – the Old Lady's third draw so far this campaign.

Monaco earned a first win, 1-0 at debutants Bodo/Glimt of Norway, and PSV Eindhoven drew 1-1 at Olympiacos.

On Wednesday, Inter Milan will seek to rejoin Bayern and Arsenal atop the standings, while Manchester City host Borussia Dortmund and Athletic Bilbao travel to Newcastle's St James' Park.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said the English champions must build from the back after producing their best performance of the season to beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Prior to a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, Liverpool had lost six of their previous seven games and gone 10 matches without a clean sheet.

Madrid arrived in Merseyside in free-scoring form, but were limited to very few opportunities as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois prevented an embarrassing score for the 15-time European champions.

"It is easy to say now because we won twice in a row. In a world of chaos you have to stay calm and see perspective of things," said Van Dijk.

"We all know how football works – it can change overnight."

Arsenal lead Liverpool by seven points at the top of the Premier League and have also won their opening four Champions League games thanks to a run of eight consecutive clean sheets.

Liverpool face another huge test of their title defence on Sunday when Van Dijk faces Manchester City's Erling Haaland, who has struck 26 times this season for club and country.

"You can see at the moment Arsenal are flying, and it is down to clean sheets and not conceding chances," added Van Dijk.

"We have the quality to hurt anyone on the break – it starts with the defending. Today you saw the hard work.

"We have to keep going. Sunday is going to be another difficult one."

Liverpool boss Arne Slot highlighted the importance of a return to Anfield for his side's upturn in fortunes over the past week.

Of the Reds six defeats this season, only two have come at home, one of which was when Slot fielded a much-changed side against Crystal Palace in the League Cup last week.

"It helps if you can play in front of these fans and you can play in front of Real Madrid because I think that brings the best out of my players and out of our fans," said Slot.

"A great performance against a team that only lost once all season. It could have been a bit more maybe."

Trent Alexander-Arnold was given a hostile reception on his return to Anfield as a late Madrid substitute.

The England international was once a hero of the Liverpool crowd after winning seven major trophies during his time with his hometown club.

Conor Bradley has struggled to nail down his place as Alexander-Arnold's successor at right-back in an inconsistent start to the season.

But the Northern Irishman was outstanding in locking down the threat of Vinicius Junior, while Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate kept the prolific Kylian Mbappe quiet.

"I said before the game that they have scored 26 goals in LaLiga, and Mbappe and Vinicius together have 24 goal contributions (goals or assists)," added Slot.

"If you want to win this game you have to make sure that these two are not on the scoresheet.

"Conor was outstanding. To be up against Vinicius so many times one against one is not for everyone. He did outstanding today."

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said the reigning European champions would have to wait to learn the extent of injuries suffered by star duo Ousmane Dembele and Achraf Hakimi in Tuesday's Champions League loss to Bayern Munich.

Recent Ballon d'Or winner Dembele came off after just 25 minutes before Moroccan star Hakimi had to be helped from the field in tears in first-half stoppage time as Bayern won the game 2-1 in Paris.

"We will have to wait until tomorrow to see the results of the tests to find out the extent of the injuries, but Ousmane's injury has nothing to do with his last one," said Luis Enrique.

France forward Dembele was starting for just the second time since suffering a hamstring injury playing for France at the start of September.

Hakimi, meanwhile, was taken off after his left ankle twisted awkwardly under a Luis Diaz challenge which led to the Bayern player being sent off.

"That's football, it's a contact sport," Luis Enrique said, recalling the leg fracture suffered by Bayern's Jamal Musiala during the Club World Cup quarterfinal between the same teams in the United States in July.

"It's a shame because it is complicated for the players but I remember the injury Musiala got in the summer and it is just one of these moments of bad luck."

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany added: "All that matters is that Hakimi recovers quickly.

"What can I say. The intensity levels were massive. It is an unfortunate moment and that can happen. He didn't mean to injure him."

Diaz had scored twice for Bayern in a first half they completely dominated, and the German giants held on in the second half with 10 men despite Joao Neves pulling one back for PSG.

'DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE'

Bayern have now won 16 straight games in all competitions since the start of this season and are top of the Champions League standings with the maximum 12 points halfway through the league phase.

"It is great that we managed to get a result like that holding on as a team," said Kompany, who played down the significance of his side's winning run.

"For me the main thing I tell my players is that when there is hype, please don't believe it, you're not that good, and if you lose, you're not that bad.

"Now we have won 16 but from tomorrow onwards it is back to zero. I know the Champions League winner is not decided now, otherwise PSG would not have won it last season.

"Now it is about getting to the next round and this was a very important three points."

Despite the defeat, PSG have nine points from four matches and remain very much on course to advance to the knockout phase before hosting Tottenham in their next game.

"I think in the first half they were superior to us. They created more chances than us and we gifted them goals," Luis Enrique said before returning to the issue of player fitness which has hampered his team's start to the season.

"I can't recall any game this season where we have played with everyone fit, but this is a different season and we have to handle that. I am not making any excuses."

Luis Diaz scored twice and was sent off as Bayern Munich maintained their perfect record this season with a statement 2-1 win away to title-holders Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday in a glamour Champions League tie marred by a first-half injury to Achraf Hakimi.

The Colombian gave Bayern a fourth-minute lead at the Parc des Princes and then pounced on slack defending to score again just after the half-hour mark.

However, the former Liverpool winger was then shown a red card in first-half stoppage time following a rash challenge on Hakimi which forced PSG's Moroccan star off in tears.

Joao Neves pulled one back for PSG but Bayern held on despite playing the entire second half a man down, and despite Harry Kane failing to add to his 25 goals for club and country this season.

1️⃣6️⃣ 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗔 𝗥𝗢𝗪!! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1n1wnap3BJ

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) November 4, 2025

That in part illustrates the impact on PSG of losing the attacking thrust of all-action right-back Hakimi.

The German side's sensational start to the campaign has seen them win all 16 games in all competitions, including their first four in the Champions League – they have scored 56 goals altogether and are one of only two clubs with 12 points in the 36-team standings in Europe's elite competition alongside Arsenal.

As Vincent Kompany's men march on, it remains to be seen what the consequences for PSG will be of the injury to Hakimi, who is due to lead Morocco into the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil next month.

PSG also saw Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele come off in the first half, cutting short just his second start in two months after a hamstring injury.

Luis Enrique's team, who won last season's Champions League final in style against Inter Milan in Munich, have been hampered by fitness issues in this campaign – Desire Doue, the best player in that final, was already missing here due to injury.

The actual consequences of losing this encounter may be less problematic than the injuries, however. PSG came into this midweek on top of the Champions League standings and they remain well placed to qualify for the knockout rounds halfway through the league phase.

This was a heavyweight meeting of the Champions League's top two after the first three games, and a repeat of the 2020 final, won 1-0 by Bayern in Lisbon.

HAKIMI TEARS

It was also a rerun of the Club World Cup quarterfinal won 2-0 by PSG in Atlanta in July, and that remains the German giants' last competitive loss.

This was a massive test of their credentials but the visitors scored from their first opening, as Michael Olise was denied by goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier only for the loose ball to fall to Diaz to fire in.

 

The hosts had not created anything before momentarily thinking they were level midway through the first half when Dembele chested in a Fabian Ruiz shot from close range.

However the effort was disallowed for offside and Dembele was replaced shortly after, making way for Lee Kang-in and heading straight down the tunnel in what PSG fans will hope was just a precautionary move.

A whirlwind spell around the half-hour saw Bradley Barcola come close for Paris and Serge Gnabry try a shot at the other end that hit one post and grazed the other on its way out.

Then Bayern scored again on 32 minutes as Diaz robbed a hesitant Marquinhos just outside the area and slotted in.

A Josip Stanisic strike for Bayern was ruled out before Diaz went from hero to villain on the stroke of halftime when he clumsily chopped down Hakimi, and the Moroccan's left ankle twisted awkwardly under the challenge.

As Hakimi sobbed and was helped off, being replaced by Senny Mayulu, the referee gave Diaz a yellow card and then upgraded it to red after a review.

PSG struggled to make the extra man count in the second half before substitute Neves fired in from close range from Lee's deflected cross on 74 minutes. That set up a grandstand finish, but Bayern held out.

𝗧𝗢𝗚𝗘𝗛𝗧𝗘𝗥!! ❤️🤍 pic.twitter.com/yL0gltvtUP

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) November 4, 2025

Liverpool put a miserable run behind them with a dominant performance to end Real Madrid's perfect Champions League start with a 1-0 win at Anfield on Tuesday.

Alexis Mac Allister headed in the only goal but Madrid were grateful to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for keeping the score down.

GET IN THERE!!! 👊💫 #UCL pic.twitter.com/b3aNb9gSQe

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 4, 2025

Trent Alexander-Arnold was met with a hostile reception on his return to Liverpool as a late substitute and the home crowd roared the Reds over the line for what could be a turning point in their season.

Both sides are now tied on nine points from their opening four games of the league phase.

Skipper ✊ pic.twitter.com/UvuKDV11rO

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 4, 2025

Liverpool had lost six of their last eight games in all competitions, but stopped the rot by beating Aston Villa on Saturday as Arne Slot resorted to a more tried and trusted team selection.

Florian Wirtz replaced Cody Gakpo in the only change from the weekend and Liverpool again looked more like the side that stormed to the Premier League title last season.

Madrid had lost just twice in 20 games since former Liverpool favourite Xabi Alonso took charge but relied on Courtois to avoid a similar scoreline to their only previous defeat this season – 5-2 at Atletico Madrid.

The Belgian broke Liverpool hearts when the sides met in the 2022 Champions League final with a man-of-the-match display as Los Blancos won 1-0 in Paris.

Courtois' busy night began when Wirtz teed up Dominik Szoboszlai who failed to beat the former Chelsea stopper from point-blank range.

Madrid were then rescued by a VAR review that deemed Aurelien Tchouameni's arm was in a natural position as the Frenchman blocked a shot inside his own box.

Courtois was tested once more by a thunderous Szoboszlai shot as Liverpool pushed for the opener.

It took 45 minutes for Madrid's star-studded forward line to muster a shot on target when Jude Bellingham jinked clear inside the box and fired a low effort that Giorgi Mamardashvili blocked with his feet.

Courtois continued to defy Slot's men in a blistering start to the second period as he clawed away powerful headers from Virgil van Dijk and Hugo Ekitike before denying Szoboszlai once more from a free-kick.

It took the English champions an hour, but finally the giant Madrid No 1 was beaten when Mac Allister powered in a header from Szoboszlai's free-kick.

What a winner 🤩 pic.twitter.com/9O1AndQXKn

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 4, 2025

A mural of Alexander-Arnold next to Anfield was vandalised in the hours before the game.

He was met by a chorus of boos nine minutes from time when he entered for his first appearance since September 16 after a hamstring injury.

Kylian Mbappe's scintillating form has been the major cause for Madrid's fine start to the campaign.

The French striker had only failed to score twice in 17 previous games for club and country.

Mbappe spurned the visitors best chance to level when he skewed wide from the edge of the box.

Vinicius Junior was also well-marshalled by Alexander-Arnold's one-time deputy Conor Bradley as the Spanish giants failed to score for the first time this season.

Courtois produced one last fine stop from Gakpo to ensure a nervy finale.

But Liverpool's much-criticised defence stood firm for their first Champions League clean sheet of the season.

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven got back in favour with Thomas Frank as the defender's stunning solo goal stole the show in a 4-0 rout of Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Van de Ven and Djed Spence were forced to apologise to Tottenham boss Frank this week after they ignored his plea to applaud fans following Saturday's loss to Chelsea.

The pair, frustrated by boos from angry Tottenham fans during the Premier League defeat, walked straight down the tunnel rather than follow Frank's order.

But Van de Ven retained his place in the starting line-up and made peace with his manager and the supporters in thrilling fashion.

He ran over half the length of the pitch before delivering a clinical finish that ranks among the best goals scored in the Champions League so far this season.

Micky van de Ven 🎶 pic.twitter.com/e4Ei1j681N

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 4, 2025

By then Tottenham were already leading by two goals thanks to strikes from Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert in north London.

Quality. pic.twitter.com/wvvkzHad0W

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 4, 2025

Johnson was sent off in the second half when his lunge on Marcos Lopez was upgraded from a booking to a red card after VAR intervened.

Joao Palhinha netted the fourth goal as Tottenham won for only the second time in their last six matches in all competitions.

Frank's side remain unbeaten in this season's Champions League with two wins and two draws ahead of their trip to holders Paris Saint-Germain later in November.

Our unbeaten run in the Champions League continues ✨ pic.twitter.com/FQNX2ThDWZ

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 4, 2025

Tottenham had produced only one shot on target against Chelsea as they endured yet another dismal defeat on home turf in 2025.

The lacklustre performance raised concerns about Frank's prosaic tactics, which are a contrast to the club's 'to dare is to do' ethos.

But this was exactly the kind of attacking display that Tottenham fans demand, albeit their first home win since September 24 came against weak opponents.

Frank's men were gifted the lead in the 19th minute.

SLICK SPURS

Xavi Simons' incisive long pass sent Johnson racing through on goal, prompting goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski to rashly race out of his area.

Kotarski made a complete hash of the attempt to intercept Johnson's run and the Wales winger calmly slotted into the empty net from an acute angle for his first goal in nine matches.

Randal Kolo Muani should have doubled Tottenham's lead, but the striker shot wastefully wide from six yards, then headed over from Simons' cross.

But Kolo Muani's profligacy wouldn't come back to haunt Tottenham as they struck in the 51st minute.

Once again Kotarski was at fault as he recklessly sprinted out of his area and smashed a panicked clearance straight at Kolo Muani.

The ball looped over Kotarski and Kolo Muani rolled it back to Odobert, who slotted home from close range.

Johnson was dismissed in the 55th minute after clattering into Lopez, a needless challenge that initially earned a yellow card from Erik Lambrechts before VAR sent him trudging to the dressing room.

Tottenham were still far too slick for Copenhagen and Van de Ven buried the hatchet in the 64th minute.

Advancing from inside his own half, the Dutch centre-back swept through the Copenhagen defence, evading a pair of tackles before smashing a fine low finish beyond Kotarski from just inside the area.

Van de Ven cheekily cupped his ear to the crowd before teammates made a point of embracing him to show their support after Saturday's spat.

Palhinha slid a clinical finish past Kotarski from six yards in the 67th minute.

Richarlison should have made it five but he blasted a stoppage-time penalty against the bar after Dane Scarlett was fouled by Viktor Claesson.

Some performance 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TI41uAK7bf

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 4, 2025

Juventus were held to a 1-1 draw by Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday as Luciano Spalletti's new team failed to claim a first win in this season's Champions League.

Dusan Vlahovic earned Juve a point in Turin by poking home Khephren Thuram's low cross in the 34th minute and cancelling out Maximiliano Araujo's early opener for the Portuguese champions.

Juve are hovering above the elimination places in the league table with just three points from four fixtures in Europe's elite club competition.

FT | ⏹️ | It ends level at the Allianz Stadium. #JuveSCP #UCL pic.twitter.com/KGfbukP9En

— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) November 4, 2025

Sporting meanwhile are nicely tucked in the play-off positions at the halfway point of the league phase with seven points.

Rui Borges' team are only outside the direct last-16 qualification places on goal difference, although that will change after Wednesday night's fixtures.

Sporting were the better team in the opening moments of the match and it was no surprise when Araujo crashed in the opening goal off the post in the 12th minute.

And the crossbar denied the away side a second moments later, Francisco Trincao watching his wildly deflected strike crash out off the woodwork.

That escape woke up Juve who then dominated the rest of the opening period, with a revived Vlahovic twice going close before he eventually forced home his seventh goal of the season.

Juve had tried to offload Vlahovic in the close season and the club's highest-paid player had seemed certain to leave next summer when his contract expires.

But Giorgio Chiellini, a club icon and now Juve's strategic director, said that the "door is not closed" for Vlahovic to extend his stay in Turin.

Both teams cancelled each other out after Vlahovic's leveller, until substitute Jonathan David headed a great chance straight at Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva in stoppage time.

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski said on Tuesday he is fit and ready to fire once more after an injury-hit start to the season.

The 37-year-old has struggled with a thigh problem which ruled him out of the Clasico defeat by Real Madrid in LaLiga in October.

Coach Hansi Flick also rotated Lewandowski with Ferran Torres while the former Bayern Munich striker was working on his fitness.

Flick's high praise for Lewy. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/hHEw0zFdGm

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 4, 2025

The forward missed the first few weeks of the season with a muscle problem and only started for the first time in mid-September.

Lewandowski appeared as a substitute on Sunday against Elche in LaLiga and is ready to feature against Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday.

❝I’ve never had a player more professional than Robert.❞

🎙️ Hansi Flick pic.twitter.com/kV3uAjFmr8

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 4, 2025

"The most important thing is that physically I'm good – this season I had two injuries, so I think my season has starts now," Lewandowski told a news conference.

"Before I had problems, but in the end I am always thinking about the team and helping the team.

"When you have a lot of games in the season, it's important you reach the end of the season in good condition too."

The forward admitted it felt unusual not to be a regular starter this season, after playing a key role last year as Barcelona won a domestic treble.

"It's a bit different for me, after the two injuries, but I've been working well now for the last couple of weeks," said Lewandowski.

"When I'm training I can see that I am at a very high level.

❝I love this club, I love the players. I’m very happy at Barça and in the city of Barcelona. I will give my best.❞

Hansi Flick | #BrugesBarça pic.twitter.com/7YDZjAICgD

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 4, 2025

"If we play as a team we are always very dangerous for every team to face, and if we play as a team we can win trophies."

Flick praised the Polish veteran's hard work to get back fit quickly after tearing a muscle in his left thigh in mid-October.

"I've worked with him for four years now, four-and-a-half, I've never had a player who is more professional than him," said the coach.

"When he got injured I said maybe he's out for five weeks but I don't know what he has in his DNA, he was able to play (sooner)."

'ANOTHER LEVEL'

The German coach said the striker's return could help the team return to the heights they hit last season after a shaky start to the campaign.

❝Every point is very important. Last year, we saw many teams struggle to qualify. Our focus is only on how we can win tomorrow’s match.❞

Robert Lewandowski | #BrugesBarça pic.twitter.com/PK3uPSodQQ

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 4, 2025

"When (Dani Olmo and Lewandowski) returned to training it was another level.

"We need these players to reach our highest level. It takes time and this is what you also have to see."

Left winger Raphinha has also been sidelined for several weeks.

❝There are moments in football where you have to win at all costs, I'm sure we'll return to our best level. If we work hard, we can win many things.❞

Robert Lewandowski | #BrugesBarça pic.twitter.com/nEuP260jxI

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 4, 2025

That has allowed Marcus Rashford regular game time during his loan from Manchester United.

"I've always seen Marcus has a lot of potential and from the first day at the club I've seen he was a player who could help us a lot," said Lewandowski.

"With Marcus we are stronger, and he doesn't just score, he's giving a lot of assists and we need that."

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Pascal Gross said Wednesday's Champions League opponents Manchester City are "more beatable" now than during his time in England.

Gross, speaking on Tuesday in Manchester, spent seven years at Brighton before moving to Dortmund in 2024.

During the German international's time in the Premier League, City lifted the English title on all but one occasion.

"Right now, speaking off the cuff, I'd say they're more beatable than they were a few years ago," the 34-year-old told reporters.

City finished third in England last season, 13 points behind champions Liverpool, and are already six points behind league leaders Arsenal this campaign with 10 games played.

"I do think they're undergoing a certain transition. Many established players who were instrumental to City's success for several years have left the club," Gross said.

"But they still have absolute world-class players in their ranks – they're perhaps in a phase of reinvention."

Gross singled out City striker Erling Haaland for special praise.

Likewise, Erl! 🖤💛🇳🇴 pic.twitter.com/h2qnyVrBgP

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) November 4, 2025

Haaland, who spent two-and-a-half years at Dortmund before moving to City in 2022, is in a rich vein of form, having scored 26 goals in 16 games for club and country so far this season.

But Gross rejected suggestions City were too reliant on the Norwegian striker.

"He is, of course, an absolute world-class player who is currently putting up incredible numbers," he said.

"But you have to stop him collectively. We have to stop him together, but City has enormous quality in every position."

Both Dortmund and City have won two and drawn one of their three opening Champions League fixtures.

Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said his side would "stay true to our game" despite the dangerous Haaland.

"Erling Haaland, we have to watch out for him," the Croatian added.

"But if we only barricade ourselves at the back tomorrow, it will also be difficult, because this City team also has the qualities to break down teams.

"We want to try to break free and also keep the game away from our goal. So, we'll stay true to our game."

Ready to rumble. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇩🇪🥊 pic.twitter.com/a5Cc8W3753

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) November 4, 2025

Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt played out an uneventful goalless draw on Tuesday which did little for their stuttering Champions League campaigns.

There was little goalmouth action in Naples where both teams ended their evenings on a paltry four points from four matches in this season's competition.

With a host of matches still to come on Tuesday and Wednesday, Napoli and Eintracht – sat 19th and 18th respectively – are likely to be in the elimination places at the halfway point of the league phase.

⏹️ Full time: #NapoliEintracht 0-0

💙 #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/rb6BTMVlty

— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) November 4, 2025

Scott McTominay missed the best chance of a frustrating night for the Serie A champions when he blasted over from close range following a a powerful burst down the right flank from his midfield partner Andre-Frank Anguissa.

But while Napoli can at least console themselves with a strong domestic performance thanks to their league lead in Italy, Eintracht have no such comfort.

Eintracht have won once in their last eight matches in all competitions and were also knocked out of the German Cup by Borussia Dortmund last week.

However, Dino Toppmoeller's team will probably be happier with a point from the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, especially given the hammering dished out to them by Liverpool last time out.

The Germans also earned a draw without the backing of their vociferous support.

Eintracht fans were banned from Tuesday's match, just as they were two years ago when a small but committed group of hooligans defied authorities and caused chaos in Naples.

No such incidents took place this time out, with the only crowd action of note being the tepid whistles which greeted the end of a forgettable encounter.

Mikel Merino's two second-half goals helped Arsenal to a 3-0 win at Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday, the Gunners' fourth in as many games in the competition.

For the Premier League leaders, the result also constituted a 10th straight win in all competitions and an eighth consecutive clean sheet.

Racking up our fourth win of the league phase 💪 pic.twitter.com/yjuUUkundl

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 4, 2025

They have now scored 11 goals and conceded none in the Champions League so far as they moved clear at the top of the standings.

The match also saw a moment of history as Arsenal's Max Dowman became the youngest-ever player in a Champions League game aged just 15 years and 309 days when he came onto the pitch in the 73rd minute.

15 years and 308 days old, the youngest player in Champions League history...

Max Dowman ✨ pic.twitter.com/b7ke7nuIab

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 4, 2025

Stand-in captain Bukayo Saka opened the scoring from the penalty spot on 32 minutes after Slavia captain Lukas Provod had handled the ball in the box clearing a corner.

It's bad news for Slavia Praha 👀

VAR spots a handball and it's a penalty to Arsenal 👇

📺 Stream #UCL on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/4uYPSybUIX

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) November 4, 2025

Merino made it 2-0 from a quick breakaway 30 seconds into the second half as he volleyed home at the near post after Leandro Trossard's superb pass found him unmarked in the Slavia box.

Saka x Mikel Merino 📸⚽

The Gunners are on their way to another three points in the Champions League 🙌

📺 Stream #UCL on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/uyqv4BbDEo

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) November 4, 2025

He then beat Slavia goalkeeper Jakub Markovic with a header from Declan Rice's cross on 68 minutes.

Merino was one of four changes made by Gunners coach Mikel Arteta against Arsenal's 2-0 league win at Burnley on Saturday.

The game got off to an eventful start as Gabriel Magalhaes blasted wide from outside the box and Provod followed suit at the other end inside the opening two minutes.

Any effort by Slavia to get close to the Arsenal goal stumbled on the Gunners' rock-solid defence, and the reigning Czech champions failed to produce a single shot on target during the match.

Arsenal were soon on the front foot, dominating possession and creating chances despite missing injured strikers Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli.

Saka alone had three shots on goal within eight minutes midway through the first half but was denied by Slavia's Markovic each time.

The goalkeeper also then stopped the Arsenal captain's low shot from inside the box on 60 minutes.

The loss leaves Slavia, the Czech top-flight leaders, with two points from four games in the Champions League.

Arsenal midfielder Max Dowman became the youngest Champions League player ever after coming on as a 73rd-minute substitute at Slavia Prague on Tuesday.

Dowman, who is 15 years and 309 days old, beat German striker Youssoufa Moukoko, who played for Dortmund at Zenit St Petersburg at 16 years and 18 days in 2020.

Moukoko currently plays for FC Copenhagen, who face Tottenham Hotspur later on Tuesday.

Dowman made his Premier League debut aged 15 years and 234 days during the Gunners' 5-0 win over Leeds on 23 August.

He is the second-youngest Premiership player ever after Arsenal teammate Ethan Nwaneri, who was 53 days younger on his 2022 debut.

But Dowman became the youngest-ever player to start a match for Arsenal in the Gunners' 2-0 win over Brighton in the League Cup fourth round last week.

Dan Burn has urged Newcastle to accept winning with ugly performances at times as they prepare to face Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Eddie Howe's side host Bilbao at St James' Park looking to bounce back from a lacklustre 3-1 defeat against struggling West Ham in the Premier League last weekend.

The limp loss in east London has extended Newcastle's miserable domestic away form, but they can erase the painful memories of that setback with a victory over Bilbao.

Newcastle defender Burn believes his team need to show a more tenacious streak when times are tough, rather than relying on their skill to get them out of trouble.

"It comes down to mentality. The manager will look at that and I'm sure he will come up with a plan on what we can do better and how we can win games," Burn told reporters on Tuesday.

"Probably be a bit more ugly with stuff. If you go away from home, sometimes it's important not to get beaten as well, pick up points and keep yourself ticking along.

"As long as you're winning your home games and not getting beaten away, it's better. But we have not done that well enough."

Bilbao will be missing influential brothers Inaki and Nico Williams, while Howe will make a late decision on skipper Bruno Guimaraes after he trained away from the group on Tuesday because of illness.

Howe knows how crucial the Bilbao fixture could be to Newcastle's hopes of qualifying for the last 16.

Winners of two of their first three matches in this season's tournament, the Magpies face tricky trips to Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen later in the league phase.

"It's a really important game for us because we know what we have ahead in the Champions League. But that's not to say that this game is going to be easy either," he said.

"We are back at home, we love playing here as we say many times, but Athletic Club will provide stiff opposition.

"They're a very good defensive team - their defensive numbers are very, very strong. Off the ball, they've delivered this year some really strong performances in particular.

"From that side, our attacking game is going to have to be at its very best, and of course Champions League nights here are always very special."

Erling Haaland has warned opponents he is still not the finished article despite his phenomenal goalscoring record for Manchester City.

The Norwegian forward, who faces former club Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday, has netted a staggering 26 goals in 16 games for club and country this season.

💙🇳🇴 26 goals for club and country, 13 Premier League goals in 10 games…

…and new robot celebration for Erling Haaland, dropped today. 🤖 pic.twitter.com/N7emwh9tlO

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 2, 2025

Former England striker Alan Shearer said last month that if Haaland stays long enough, he will "no doubt" shatter his own all-time Premier League record of 260 goals.

Haaland, 25, was asked at City's pre-match press conference on Tuesday whether he could beat his record for goals in a season.

"Not to sound arrogant, but which one?" he asked.

The reporter clarified that he was asking about Haaland's tally of 52 goals for City in 2022/23, when the club won the Treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

During that season, Haaland's first in England, he scored 36 Premier League goals – setting a new record for a single campaign.

The marauding 1.95-metre striker admitted he was "in a good way" this season but said he was more focused on the team than individual records.

"I can't think about records I can break," he said. "That's the last thing I think of. I try to help the team win football games. That's my job and that's my main focus.

"I know it's boring. I know you want me to say the complete opposite, but that's not how it is."

Erling 💬 (On the possibility of breaking the Premier League goalscorer record) I can’t think about records I can break. That’s the last thing I think of. I try to think about helping the team win football games. I know it’s boring but that’s how it is. pic.twitter.com/AxLwzt71Ah

— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 4, 2025

In a scary message for his opponents, Haaland said he was improving as a player, adding that he had been working on his headers.

"I think you can always get better and better," he said. "So there's something I try to practise still and you can see I'm getting better and better and there's still a long way to go."

City boss Pep Guardiola made Haaland part of his leadership team this season and described him at his own press conference on Tuesday as a "real world-class player who is incredibly humble".

"I know he wants to score goals, but I have the feeling he always wants what is best for the team," he said. "And that is difficult to find.

"He has this ability, talent, kindness, whatever you want to say. Of course he has to score goals, that's the best way to help us, that is perfectly clear, but he signed a contract for 10 years and he is involved in many things."

Pep 💬 (On Erling Haaland) It’s difficult to find a real world-class player who is incredibly humble and thinks what is best for the team. I know he wants to score goals, but I have the feeling he always wants what is best for the team... He has this ability, talent, kindness...… pic.twitter.com/IMDhnIFvPE

— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 4, 2025

Haaland himself, who became a father last year, said he was "still the same kid", just with more experience.

"I'm still the same kid in some situations, and I'm still that kid from Bryne (in Norway), but with much more experience in life," he said.

Champions League winner and Chelsea legend Salomon Kalou is joining SuperSport’s Match Centre as an expert analyst for the rest of the season, bringing his insider perspective on European football’s most prestigious tournament. 

He kicks off his debut tonight, offering unique insight into massive fixtures such as the Liverpool v Real Madrid clash , as SuperSport continues to deliver the best live UCL coverage and analysis to a rapidly growing audience.

Your World of Champions, SuperSport, is proud to announce a major addition to its UEFA Champions League coverage: Salomon Kalou, former Chelsea star and winner of European football’s most prestigious club trophy, is joining the esteemed SuperSport studio panel for the remainder of the season.

Kalou, one of Ivory Coast’s most decorated footballers, takes his seat as an expert pundit for his debut tonight, 4 November 2025, instantly elevating the SuperSport Champions League Match Centre.

Kalou brings a wealth of direct experience, having lifted the Champions League trophy with Chelsea in a night of football history on 19 May 2012.

That dramatic final saw the Blues conquer Bayern Munich in their own backyard at the Allianz Arena on penalties, with Kalou featuring in the starting line-up for the historic win.

During his six stand-out years at Chelsea, Kalou secured the coveted Champions League title alongside a League double, playing a crucial role in one of the most successful eras for the London-based club.

His experience—which also includes spells at Lille, Hertha Berlin, and Botafogo—provides a unique, champion’s perspective for SuperSport viewers.

Kalou starts his SuperSport journey with an explosive line-up of fixtures.

Tonight, the action is headlined by a classic European rivalry as Liverpool lock horns with Real Madrid at Anfield, kicking off at 10pm (SAST).

Kalou, no stranger to the Reds from his playing days, will provide his exclusive analysis for this massive European encounter, which will be shown live on Your World of Champions across SuperSport Premier League (EPL), SuperSport Football Plus Africa (FTPA), Football Plus Canal+ (FTPC), and SuperSport Football Plus Nigeria (FTPN).

Earlier this evening, at 7:45pm (SAST), Arsenal take on Slavia Praha, with Mikel Arteta’s men hoping to continue their perfect form in Europe.

The game will be broadcast on SuperSport Premier League (EPL), SuperSport Football Plus Africa (FTPA), Football Plus Canal+ (FTPC), and SuperSport Football Plus Nigeria (FTPN).

At the same time, Italian powerhouse Napoli will also take on Germans Eintracht Frankfurt in what is expected to be a thrilling encounter.

The excitement continues on 5 November 2025, with a massive 10pm (SAST) encounter between last year’s Champions League winners Paris Saint Germain (PSG) and German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich at Parc des Princes.

This high-octane match will be shown live on SuperSport Premier League Africa (EPLA), SuperSport Premier League Nigeria (EPLN), SuperSport GOtv Premier League (GEPL), and Maximo 2 (SSM2).

Before that, at 7:45pm (SAST), Kalou will bring his expert, insider analysis to his former club's game as Chelsea travel to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag.

That game is live on SuperSport Premier League (EPL), SuperSport Football Plus Africa (FTPA), Football Plus Canal+ (FTPC), and SuperSport Football Plus Nigeria (FTPN).

Wednesday also features other intriguing fixtures, including Manchester City v Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle v Athletic Club, Ajax v Galatasaray, Club Brugge v Barcelona, Benfica v Bayern Leverkusen, Inter Milan v Kairat, and Marseille v Atlanta.

Kalou joins a star-studded panel dedicated to delivering the best analysis, complementing the exhilarating live coverage SuperSport is famous for.

This commitment to quality is mirrored by the tournament’s immense growth on the continent.

According to official data from Nielsen Sports SA, the new format of the UEFA Champions League has seen a massive surge in popularity, recording a 57 per cent year-on-year increase in total unique viewers, climbing from 3.3 million to over 5.1 million.

Join Kalou as he dissects every tactical battle, every brilliant goal, and every minute that matters, live on Your World of Champions, SuperSport.

Match Week 4 of the UEFA Champions League kicks off on Tuesday night with nine thrilling encounters, all broadcast live on SuperSport.

The spotlight falls on two headline fixtures, Liverpool v Real Madrid and Bayern Munich v defending champions Paris Saint-Germain as Europe’s elite battle for crucial group stage points.

Here's a look at what the stats reveal ahead of all nine matchups on the night.

Napoli v Eintracht Frankfurt

Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt have met on four previous occasions in Europe, all of which have come at the last 16 stage – the German side won both legs in the UEFA Cup in 1994-95, before Napoli won both in the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.

The last meeting between these two sides ended in a 3-0 home victory for Napoli in March 2023, a result that eliminated Eintracht Frankfurt from the UEFA Champions League (last 16). This remains Napoli’s joint-second biggest margin of victory in a home match in the competition, only behind a 4-0 win versus Genk in December 2019.

Eintracht Frankfurt have lost their last three games against Italian sides in Europe, all without scoring (two v Napoli and one v Roma). Prior to this, they had only lost two of their first 11 matches against Italian sides across all European competitions (W6 D3).

A big week in the #UCL 🍿 pic.twitter.com/cs69t0sLMu

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 3, 2025

Only three sides have conceded more goals in the UEFA Champions League this season than Napoli (9). They’re facing an average of 16.7 shots per game, only facing more in two previous campaigns – 17 per game in 2011-12 and 16.9 per game in 2023-24.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s three UEFA Champions League games this season have all ended 5-1 (W1 L2), becoming the first team in the history of the competition to see their first three games in a season all have 6+ goals. Only Borussia Dortmund’s games (6.3) are averaging a higher goals per game this season than Frankfurt’s six per game.

Napoli have only lost one of their last 18 home UEFA Champions League matches (W11 D6), losing 3-2 to Real Madrid in October 2023. They’ve scored at least once in each of their last 21 on home soil – since a 0-0 draw with Dynamo Kyiv in November 2016 – with only Real Madrid on a longer current run (38 games).

Eintracht Frankfurt have conceded five goals in each of their last two UEFA Champions League matches – no side has ever done so in three in a row (since 1992-93). Across all major European competitions, no side from Europe’s big-five leagues has ever conceded 5+ goals in three games in a row.

Napoli manager Antonio Conte has lost two of his three UEFA Champions League group games this season – only once has he lost three in a single edition, doing so in 2019-20 for Internazionale. He is unbeaten in both previous games against Eintracht Frankfurt, however (W1 D1 in 2022-23 with Spurs).

Napoli’s Scott McTominay netted both of their goals in the 6-2 defeat to PSV on MD3 of this season’s UEFA Champions League. The only Scottish players to score more than twice in a single season in the competition are Celtic’s Kenny Miller in 2006-07 (3) and Aston Villa’s John McGinn in 2024-25 (3).

Mario Götze has three assists in his last seven UEFA Champions League appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt and his assist against Liverpool was his 15th overall in the competition, becoming the eighth German player with 15+ assists. Only Brazil and France have as many players with that many assists (both 8).

Slavia Prague v Arsenal

Slavia Prague are winless in their four meetings with Arsenal (D2 L2); only facing Anderlecht (5) more times in European competition without managing a victory.

Slavia Prague have only won one of their eight home games against English teams in European competition (D2 L5), going winless in seven since beating Leeds United in March 2000 in the UEFA Cup (2-1). After scoring twice in that game versus Leeds, they only netted one goal across the following seven.

Arsenal are unbeaten in their 10 matches against sides from Czechia, with eight of those ending in wins (D2). The Gunners have scored 27 goals across those 10 games, while only conceding three in return and keeping eight clean sheets.

Slavia Prague are winless in their last 14 UEFA Champions League matches (D6 L8) since winning their first game in the competition in September 2007 against FCSB. It’s the longest current run of any of the 36 sides in this season’s competition, and the joint longest run by a Czechia side – Sparta Prague also went 14 without a win between February 2004 and December 2005.

Arsenal have won their first three UEFA Champions League matches this season without conceding a goal, one of two sides to do this, along with Internazionale. The Gunners are looking to win their opening four games of a season for the first time since 2005-06, while the only English team in European Cup history to win their first four matches of a season without conceding were Leeds United in 1969-70.

Slavia Prague are one of four sides who didn’t score on MD2 and MD3 of this season’s UEFA Champions League, with the Czechia side accumulating the lowest xG of any side (0.84), while their shots had the lowest xG per shot value (0.04).

Only Bayern Munich (1.37) have faced a lower xG in UEFA Champions League games this season than Arsenal (1.51), while the Gunners have faced the joint fewest shots on target (6, level with Man City).

2 017 of the minutes Slavia Prague have awarded to players in the UEFA Champions League this season have been for Czechia players, the third most a team has given to players of their own affiliation, behind Athletic Club (2 717 to Spanish players) and Bodø/Glimt (2 403 to Norwegian players).

Gabriel Martinelli has scored in all three of Arsenal’s UEFA Champions League matches in 2025-26. The only Gunners player to score in their first four matches in a major European campaign was Ian Wright in the 1994-95 Cup Winners’ Cup (scored in first eight).

Mikel Arteta has won 63 per cent of his UEFA Champions League matches as Arsenal manager (won 17 of 27 games) – that’s the eighth best win ratio for a manager to take charge of 20+ games at a club, and the best at an English side.

Atlético de Madrid v Union Saint-Gilloise

Atlético de Madrid and Union Saint-Gilloise will meet for the first time here; the Spanish side have only won two of their previous six games against Belgian sides in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League (D2 L2), and are winless in the last three (D2 L1).

Atlético de Madrid have failed to score in three consecutive matches against Belgian teams in the UEFA Champions League, all of which were against Club Brugge between December 2018 and October 2022 (D2 L1).

This will be the 23rd time that a Belgian team have faced a Spanish opponent away from home in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, while they have won just two of the previous 22 (D6 L14). The last side to do so were Anderlecht in December 2005, winning 1-0 away at Real Betis (D3 L4 since then).

Atlético de Madrid have lost two of their three UEFA Champions League group games this season, as many as they lost in 2023-24 and 2024-25 combined (W10 D2 L2). They last suffered three group defeats in 2022-23.

After winning their first UEFA Champions League match 3-1 against PSV, Union Saint-Gilloise have lost their last two both 4-0, against Newcastle and Internazionale. Only two teams have lost by 4+ goals without scoring in three Champions League games in a row – Malmö FF in November/December 2015 and Crvena Zvezda in October/November 2019.

Atlético de Madrid are unbeaten in their last 16 home UEFA Champions League matches against sides from a nation outside of Europe’s big-five leagues (W11 D5), with their last five home defeats coming against sides from England (3), Italy (1) and France (1) since a 2-1 defeat to Benfica in September 2015.

Although they’ve lost their two home UEFA Champions League games, Union Saint-Gilloise won their first away game 3-1 at PSV. Only five teams have won their first two away games in the competition – most recently Brest last season – and no side has ever lost their first two home games but won their first two on the road.

Union Saint-Gilloise’s Kevin Mac Allister has scored in each of his last three away major European appearances, including his only away UEFA Champions League appearance. The only Argentinian to score in his first two away games in the competition is Julio Rossi in 2002 for Basle.

Antoine Griezmann’s next UEFA Champions League appearance will be his 109th, moving ahead of Patrice Evra (108) into the outright third spot for most games played by a Frenchman in the competition. He’s had a hand in 37 goals in 43 home appearances for Atlético de Madrid (28 goals, 9 assists), including 12 in his last 12 on home soil (9 goals, 3 assists).

Between spells at Manchester City and his current club Atlético de Madrid, Julián Alvarez has been directly involved in 15 goals in 10 home matches he has started in the UEFA Champions League (10 goals, five assists). Across those 10 starts, he has averaged a goal or assist every 59 minutes played.

Liverpool v Real Madrid

Liverpool and Real Madrid have faced each other on 12 previous occasions in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League. After winning the first three between 1981 and 2009, Liverpool have only won one of the last nine (D1 L7).

This will be the eighth time that Liverpool and Real Madrid have met in the UEFA Champions League since the start of the 2017-18 season, with the Spanish side winning five of the previous seven (D1 L1). Including all MD4 games this season, only two fixtures will have been played more often in the competition in this period: Manchester City v Real Madrid (10) and Paris SG v Bayern Munich (9).

All four of Liverpool’s wins over Real Madrid in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League have been to nil, including the most recent one in November 2024 (2-0 at Anfield). Only Juventus (5) have won and kept a clean sheet against Real Madrid across the two competitions on more occasions.

Liverpool have won 20 of their last 22 home UEFA Champions League group stage games (D1 L1), including each of their last 12 in a row. However, three of their seven home group defeats have come versus Spanish sides (one each v Barcelona, Valencia and Real Madrid).

Real Madrid have won their first three UEFA Champions League matches this season – on two of the previous four occasions they’ve started with four consecutive wins, they’ve lifted the trophy (2001-02 and 2023-24), reaching the semifinals in the other two (2011-12 and 2014-15).

Real Madrid have had the most shots on target in the UEFA Champions League this season (37), having 10+ in all three games (15 v Marseille, 12 v Kairat, 10 v Juventus). Since 2003-04, the only team to do so in four in a row are Madrid themselves in the 2013-14 campaign, though Liverpool have only faced 10+ shots on target twice since 2003-04, and never at Anfield.

Arne Slot has won 10 of his 13 UEFA Champions League matches as Liverpool manager (L3), with only Hansi Flick at Bayern Munich (10), Luis Enrique at Barcelona (11) and Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid (12) reaching 10 wins in fewer games with a club. Slot at Liverpool is the fastest any manager has won 10 games with an English club, however.

Of the 10 players with 50+ goals in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history, Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has the highest per centage scored in away matches (53 per cent - 32/60). The Frenchman netted a hat-trick in his previous away game in the competition (v Kairat on MD2), and now has the joint-most away hat-tricks of any player in European Cup/Champions League history (3 – level with Filippo Inzaghi).

This game could be Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham’s 50th UEFA Champions League appearance, reaching that total aged just 22 years and 128 days – the youngest of any player in the competition’s history. The current youngest is Iker Casillas, who hit 50 games aged 22 years and 155 days, just 115 days after Bellingham was born in 2003.

Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold could become just the second Englishman to play against Liverpool in the European Cup having previously played for them in the competition, after Nottingham Forest’s Larry Lloyd in September 1978 (played both games against Liverpool in the first round in 1978-79).

Tottenham Hotspur v Copenhagen

This will be the first meeting between Tottenham and Copenhagen, and just the English side’s second match against a Danish opponent in European competition, after a 3-2 win versus Aalborg in the UEFA Cup in November 2007.

Copenhagen have only won two of their previous 19 matches against English sides in European competition (D5 L12), with both of those victories coming against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League (1-0 in November 2006 and 4-3 in November 2023).

Copenhagen have never won away to an English opponent in Europe, losing in seven of their nine attempts (D2). Indeed, they’ve lost each of the last five in a row, with four of those coming since the start of the 2022-23 campaign.

This will be Thomas Frank’s first match against a Danish opponent since March 2016, in a 3-1 defeat against SønderjyskE while in charge of Brøndby. The Tottenham manager has faced Copenhagen on eight previous occasions – all in the Danish Superliga with Brøndby – winning just two of them (D3 L3).

Tottenham Hotspur have drawn each of their last two UEFA Champions League matches, while two of their last four games in the competition have been 0-0. Spurs haven’t drawn three in a row in major European competition since doing so between March and October 2014 in the UEFA Europa League.

Copenhagen have conceded two or more goals in each of their last five UEFA Champions League matches, shipping 14 in total (D1 L4). They’ve only won one of 19 games in the competition when shipping 2+ goals (D2 L16), a 4-3 win over Man Utd in November 2023.

Tottenham Hotspur are unbeaten in their last nine major European matches (W6 D3) – they last had a run of 10 undefeated games between December 2011 and March 2013 in the UEFA Europa League.

Excluding own goals, two of Copenhagen’s three UEFA Champions League goals this season have come via headers – they’ve scored with 33 per cent of shots via their heads (2/6), compared to just one of their 29 attempts not from a header (3.4 per cent).

Copenhagen’s Viktor Dadason netted on his UEFA Champions League debut on MD3 aged just 17 years and 113 days, the youngest ever debutant scorer in the competition’s history. The current youngest player to score in his first two appearances is Karim Benzema (18 years, 281 days), who is now the fourth highest scoring player in the competition’s history with 90 goals.

Pedro Porro has made 28 line-breaking passes across his three UEFA Champions League games this season, at least 10 more than any other Tottenham Hotspur player. The Spaniard also has the joint-most chances created for the London side in the competitions this term (4), level with attacker Mohammed Kudus.

Olympiakos v PSV Eindhoven

The only previous meetings between Olympiakos and PSV came in the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League in 2020-21, where the Greek side progressed with a 5-4 aggregate victory over two legs (won 4-2 at home in the first leg, lost 2-1 away in the second).

PSV have lost four of their last six away trips to face Greek sides in European competition (W2), including the most recent two versus PAOK Salonika (November 2020) and Olympiakos (February 2021), both in the UEFA Europa League. Their last one in the UEFA Champions League was a 4-1 loss to Panathinaikos in December 2004.

PSV have conceded 14 goals across their last four away matches versus Greek sides (W1 L3), conceding exactly four goals in each of the three defeats they suffered in this run: 4-1 losses to Panathinaikos and PAOK Salonika, along with a 4-2 defeat to Olympiakos.

Since the 2017-18 campaign, only Crvena Zvezda (77 per cent, 20/26) have lost a higher per centage of their UEFA Champions League matches than Olympiakos (76 per cent, 16/21) among teams to play 20+ games in that time. Indeed, Olympiakos have lost as many games as Man City since 2017-18, despite City playing 69 more games.

PSV’s nine UEFA Champions League matches 2025 have seen 43 goals scored (21 for, 22 against), with that average of 4.8 per game the highest of any side to feature in both last season and this season’s competition.

Between 2009-10 and 2014-15, Olympiakos won 13 out of 17 home matches in the UEFA Champions League (L4). Since then, the Greek side have only won three out of 13 games (D3 L7), failing to score in each of their last three at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium.

PSV have just three wins in their last 30 away matches in the UEFA Champions League (D9 L18) and they have gone 17 away games without a clean sheet since a 0-0 draw at Atlético de Madrid back in March 2016. 13 of their last 16 victories have come at the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven.

Ayoub El Kaabi has scored 22 major European goals for Olympiakos, netting his first in the UEFA Champions League in the 6-1 defeat to Barcelona on MD3. The only player to score more goals for a Greek club in Europe is Dimitrios Saravakos for Panathinaikos (23).

Guus Til has four assists in his last six UEFA Champions League starts for PSV, including one in each of his last three starts. No Dutch player has ever assisted a goal in four starts in a row, with Philipp Cocu in 1999/00 and Clarence Seedorf in 2007 also doing so in three in a row.

PSV’s last two UEFA Champions League goals against Napoli on MD3 were scored by Ricardo Pepi and Couhaib Driouech, who both assisted one another goals as well and both had come on as substitutes. It was only the fifth time a substitute duo had combined for goals in a match in Champions League history.

Juventus v Sporting CP

Juventus are unbeaten in their four meetings with Sporting CP to date (W2 D2), with their most recent clash seeing Juve eliminate the Portuguese side from the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals in 2022-23 (2-1 aggregate victory – won 1-0 at home, drew 1-1 away).

Sporting CP – who are winless in four games against Juventus (D2 L2) – have only faced three other sides as many as five times in major European competition without ever winning: Arsenal (7), Partizan Belgrade (6) and Bayer Leverkusen (6).

This will be the 20th time that Sporting CP have faced an Italian side away from home in Europe, while they’re still looking for their first victory (D5 L14). Indeed, they have lost in Italy in three of the last four seasons (P4 D1 L3), versus Juventus in 2022-23 (0-1), Atalanta in 2023-24 (1-2) and Napoli in 2025-26 (1-2).

Juventus are winless in their last four UEFA Champions League matches (D2 L2) since beating PSV 2-1 in February. They last had a longer winless run in the competition between April and November 2013 (6 games).

Sporting CP have won two of their last three UEFA Champions League matches (L1), only one fewer than they’d won in their previous 14 combined (W3 D4 L7). They’re looking for consecutive wins for the first time since winning their final two under Rúben Amorim in October/November last season.

Five of the six goals Juventus have scored in the UEFA Champions League this season have been when they’ve been losing, the most of any side in that game state. Although they’ve only spent 37 per cent of their games losing – the 15th most of any side – they’ve had the second-most shots when they’ve been behind (25).

Sporting CP have won just one of their 24 away UEFA Champions League matches against sides from one of Europe’s big-five leagues (D4 L19), beating Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 in September 2022.

Four of Sporting CP’s seven UEFA Champions League goals this season have been scored by substitutes, the most of any side. Indeed, of their nine goals scored across 2025, only two of them have not had an involvement from a sub either scoring (5) or assisting (4) or both.

Dusan Vlahovic’s next UEFA Champions League appearance will be his 20th for Juventus – since his debut in the competition in February 2022, he’s been involved in 11 goals (8 goals, 3 assists), more than twice as many as any of his teammates (Weston McKennie, 5).

Pote has been involved in nine goals in 16 UEFA Champions League appearances for Sporting CP (4 goals, 5 assists) – the most of any player in their Champions League history. He’s assisted a goal in three of his last four starts in the competition, all of which have been in victories.

Paris SG v Bayern Munich

Paris SG have lost each of their last four matches against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, with this being their longest ever losing run against a team in the competition.

Bayern Munich are the team that have beaten Paris SG the most times in the UEFA Champions League, winning eight of their 14 meetings in the competition (L6). If the German side win here, they would also become the only team to have won three consecutive away matches against Paris SG in the Champions League (won the last two by 1-0 scorelines – April 2021 and February 2023).

Paris SG have failed to score a single goal across their last four meetings with Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League; their longest run without scoring against an opponent in the competition. Across the four games, they have attempted a total of 40 shots and hit the target on 14 occasions without finding the net.

Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern München? #UCL pic.twitter.com/jxPxD7U2za

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 3, 2025

This will be Bayern Munich’s first UEFA Champions League match against the previous season’s winners since a 2-2 draw with Real Madrid in May 2018; a result which saw them eliminated from the tournament at the semifinal stage (lost 4-3 on aggregate). Bayern are winless in their last five matches against the competition’s reigning champions (D1 L4), conceding at least two goals in each of them (13 conceded overall).

Paris SG have won their last six matches in the UEFA Champions League, their joint best winning run in the competition – they also won their first six games in 1994-95 under Luis Fernandez. They haven’t won their fourth group match in any of the last four seasons, however (D2 L2).

Bayern Munich are looking to win four consecutive UEFA Champions League matches for the first time since winning their first four in 2023-24, while the last time they netted three or more goals in four games in a row was between September and November 2021 under Julian Nagelsmann.

Paris SG have scored more goals than any other team in this season’s UEFA Champions League (13), the most netted in a side’s first three games since Napoli scored 13 in 2022-23. The record for goals in a team’s first four matches is 17, achieved by Paris SG in 2017-18, Bayern Munich in 2021-22 and Napoli in 2022-23.

Paris SG’s Achraf Hakimi has been directly involved in a goal in each of his last five UEFA Champions League appearances (two goals, three assists); the joint-longest run by a defender in the competition (since 1992-93), along with Marcelo for Real Madrid (April-October 2018) and Ian Harte for Leeds United (February-April 2001).

Harry Kane could score in five consecutive UEFA Champions League appearances for the first time in his career (netted in each of last four – six goals), while only two other players have scored in five in a row in the competition as a Bayern Munich player (Arjen Robben in October 2013 and Robert Lewandowski on three different occasions).

Paris SG’s Vitinha has completed 92.4 per cent of his passes made under high-intensity pressure in the UEFA Champions League this season (134/145); the highest of any player to attempt 100 across the first three matchdays. Indeed, he also leads all players for total passes completed under high-intensity pressure (134).

Bodø/Glimt v Monaco

This will be the first meeting between Bodø/Glimt and Monaco, as well as just the second time that the Norwegian side have faced a French opponent in Europe (after a 1-1 draw with Nice in January this year in the UEFA Europa League).

Monaco’s only previous game against a Norwegian side in Europe came over two decades ago, losing 1-0 away to Viking in the UEFA Cup group stage in October 2005.

This will be the first match played between teams from Norway and France in the UEFA Champions League in almost two decades, with Rosenborg losing 2-1 to Lyon back on 6 December 2005 in the previous one.

Of the 10 meetings between Norwegian and French sides in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history, only one of those has been won by the Norway outfit (D2 L7): Rosenborg 3-1 Paris SG in September 2000.

Bodø/Glimt are winless in their last six matches in major European competition (D2 L4), conceding at least two goals on each occasion (15 in total). Only once previously have they conceded 2+ goals in more consecutive games in major European action (7 between October 1978 and September 1999).

Since winning three consecutive UEFA Champions League matches between March and April 2017, Monaco have only managed one more victory (4) in their last 27 matches in the competition (D7 L16).

Monaco have drawn three of their last four matches in the UEFA Champions League (L1), including the most recent two; only once have they drawn three in a row in the competition, doing so in the 1997-98 edition (3).

Only two teams – Atalanta (-4.1) and Slavia Prague (-2.8) – have underperformed against their expected goals by a bigger margin than Monaco (-2.4) in the UEFA Champions League this season. The French side have scored just three goals from an xG total of 5.4 so far.

Both of Bodø/Glimt’s goals at the Aspmyra Stadion in the UEFA Champions League have been scored by Jens Petter Hauge and assisted by Håkon Evjen (both v Tottenham Hotspur). This was just one of five instances of a player assisting a teammate twice in a Champions League match in 2025-26.

Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche has had the most shots (12) of any player yet to score in the UEFA Champions League this season. The Frenchman attempted six against Tottenham Hotspur on MD3, with only one Monaco player on record (since 2003-04) having more in a Champions League match without finding the net (7 by Javier Chevantón v PSV in March 2005).

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham is gradually making his mark after a slow start ahead of his return to England to face Manchester City on Wednesday.

Jobe joined Dortmund in the summer aged 19 for a reported fee of €30.5 million ($35 million) from Sunderland, among the most expensive transfers in Dortmund's history.

Jobe followed in the footsteps of his brother Jude, who moved to the Westfalenstadion five years earlier, aged 17.

Jude became one of the most sought-after players at Dortmund and is now a true superstar after moving to Real Madrid in 2023.

While Jobe has returned to England to play for the under-21s side he captains, Wednesday's match will be his first on English soil for his new club.

A big week in the #UCL 🍿 pic.twitter.com/cs69t0sLMu

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 3, 2025

Like City, Dortmund sit in the top eight, having won two and drawn one of their three Champions League games so far.

'ANXIETIES'

The younger Bellingham understood a move to Dortmund would provoke comparisons with Jude, but felt the club offered the best place for him to develop.

Like he did at Sunderland, the younger Bellingham has 'Jobe' on his jersey rather than his last name, due to his famous brother.

On arriving in Dortmund, Jobe admitted in pre-season comparisons with his older brother were on his mind.

"It's something you do think about. You have these anxieties, especially me as I'm only young," he told reporters, adding "I'm not perfect. I do think about these things."

With Jude's exploits in black and yellow fresh in the mind, Jobe took longer than many expected to find his feet in Germany.

A decent Club World Cup showing – Jobe started three games, scoring a goal and assisting another before missing a showdown with his brother due to a yellow card suspension – was followed by a more difficult time when the season started.

Jobe was hooked at halftime in his opening Bundesliga game. Jobe's father and agent Mark confronted Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl in the player tunnel after the match.

The incident forced Dortmund to publicly reiterate "the active area is and remains reserved for players, coaches and management, not families and advisors."

Jobe started his next league match but was then benched, only picking up minutes in the dying stages of matches and failing to record any goals or assists during his brief cameos.

In mid-October at Bayern Munich, Jobe made a high-profile error, failing to clear the ball off the goal-line, allowing Michael Olise to score what would eventually be the winner.

The setback seemed to spark the midfielder, however.

Three days later, Jobe started in the Champions League at Copenhagen, laying on two assists in a 4-2 win.

On Tuesday, Jobe helped create Dortmund's equaliser in a German Cup clash at Eintracht Frankfurt, which his side won on penalties.

And last Friday, the 20-year-old put his body on the line late to block a potential equaliser in the dying stages of a hard-fought 1-0 win at Augsburg.

A Dortmund source told German tabloid Bild on Monday Jobe was in line to start against City.

'A LOT OF QUALITY'

While the noise had grown louder around Jobe – perhaps also from inside the Bellingham family itself – Dortmund feel his development is not lagging, but actually ahead of schedule.

Speaking on Friday, Dortmund coach Niko Kovac praised the midfielder.

"You could see in our last game against Frankfurt what qualities he has. He's present. He's physical.

"I'm not concerned, on the contrary, I know what he can do.

"We're building him up slowly here and it's going even faster than what I had imagined myself, because the lad really has a lot of quality."

Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel echoed his coach's words, saying: "Jobe is doing great, he's been good in the last few games too.

"He's getting better week to week – outstanding."