Day: October 1, 2018

Tottenham would be looking to continue their recent run of good form and pile more misery on Barcelona as they welcome the Champions League favourites to the Wembley Stadium.

The Lilywhites have endured an up-and-down start to the season, but they come into this game on the back of a three games winning streak across two competitions.

Last season, they were placed in a tough Champions League group with eventual winners Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, and they won 5 of their 6 group games. While they still have the chance to repeat those heroics, they haven’t started this season’s edition well.

They were beaten 2-1 at Inter Milan in their first Champions League game this season, and that loss could largely be attributed to their inexperience after leading the Italians for much of the game. This game offers them the chance to get their first win.

Barcelona aren’t exactly flying at the moment and the end could be near for Ernesto Valverde.

The La Liga leaders nearly slumped to a second consecutive defeat in midweek as they were led 1-0 deep into the dying minutes of their game against Athletic Bilbao.

Munir helped them salvage a point from that game, but they remain winless in their last 3 games. With the quality in their ranks, you wouldn’t expect them to have drawn with Girona, lost to Leganes before another draw against Bilbao in their last three games, so the stakes are high for them in this game.

Tottenham won all their home group games in the Champions League last season, while Barcelona have won just once in their last seven trips in the Champions League.

Liverpool head to Napoli after a thrilling 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Saturday and Jurgen Klopp’s men would be looking to continue their fine start to the season in this game.

The Reds have looked good so far in their tough run of games that has seen them play Tottenham, PSG,  and Chelsea, with games against Napoli and Manchester City up next. So far, they have only lost to Chelsea thanks in no part to a magical Eden Hazard goal.

They beat PSG in their first Champions group game this season, and they would be going all out for the win here again as they look to reach the final like they did last season. However, Napoli are a good side when they play at home and this game is sure to be a thrilling contest.

Napoli suffered their second defeat of the season at the weekend when they were beaten 3-1 by Juventus. Since the loss of Maurizio Sarri, they have maintained a good form at home and all their three wins this season have come at home.

They were held to a goalless draw in their first Champions League game this season by Red Star Belgrade, however, that was away from home and they won three of four Champions League home games last season.

The only previous competitive encounter between Napoli and Liverpool came in the 2010/11 Europa League group stages, with Napoli claiming a point on home soil but losing 3-1 at Anfield.

What started as a feud between Jose Mourinho and Paul Pogba is beginning to have an effect on the team spirit at Manchester United, and a bad result in this game could spell the end for the Portuguese manager.

The Red Devils were beaten 3-1 by West Ham at the weekend to continue a bad run of results that has now become their worst start to the league season since 1989.

That loss was also the 3rd time the Red Devils have failed to win a game in their last three games and their second defeat in as many games.

So the stakes are high for Jose Mourinho ahead of the visit of this Valencia side who are beginning to gel after a summer of major additions.

Valencia beat Real Sociedad to record their first win of the season at the weekend, but they have not been losing much either. As a matter of fact, Los Che have only lost twice this season as they have 5 draws from 8 games so far.

They lost their first Champions League game at home to Juventus, while Manchester United won their first game away at Young Boys.

However, this match would be tougher for the Red Devils as Valencia have only conceded 8 times in as many games this season even though they have also scored just 5 times.