From a showdown between two giants boasting a combined 21 Champions League titles to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa chasing one of the eight automatic spots in the last 16, Gulf News dives into Wednesday’s Champions League action.
European heavyweights clash
Like Tuesday’s showdown between Bayern Munich and PSG, Wednesday brings another heavyweight clash as Liverpool host Real Madrid at Anfield in a battle of European giants.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool side are in scintillating form, boasting an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League and sitting atop the Champions League league phase as the only team with a perfect record after four matches.
However, their momentum could face a test following Mohamed Salah’s comments on Sunday. The Egyptian star, whose contract expires at the end of the season, expressed his "disappointment" at not currently receiving a new deal, admitting he feels "probably more out than in" at the club. Whether this unsettles the dressing room or impacts Salah’s remarkable output remains to be seen.
Liverpool will need their star man at his best, as Real Madrid have long been a thorn in their side. In their last eight meetings, Los Blancos are unbeaten, with seven wins - including two Champions League final triumphs - and a draw.
Yet this could be Liverpool’s moment to break that trend. Madrid, the reigning Champions League holders, have struggled this season in Europe. After going unbeaten en route to their 15th title last year, they have already lost twice in four games, falling to Lille and AC Milan. Those setbacks leave them 18th in the standings, far from the top eight needed for automatic qualification to the round of 16.
Wednesday’s encounter also carries historical significance for Madrid. A loss would mark the first time in their rich history that they’ve suffered three defeats in a single league phase/group stage of the Champions League.
Emery to etch his name into the history books against the Old Lady?
Unai Emery has built a reputation as a master of European club competitions, amassing four Europa League titles during his time in La Liga - three consecutive wins with Sevilla and one with Villarreal.
That knack for navigating tricky continental fixtures was always going to be crucial for his Aston Villa side, who have returned to Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since the 1982/83 season.
Emery showcased his tactical brilliance in Villa’s opening three games, winning all three without conceding a goal, including a memorable 1-0 triumph over six-time champions Bayern Munich under the lights at Villa Park. However, their European momentum faltered in the last gameweek with a defeat to Club Brugge, part of an ongoing six-game winless streak.
Despite that stumble, Villa remain firmly in contention, sitting in the eighth and final automatic qualification spot for the round of 16 with nine points. Earlier this month, Emery suggested his team would need 16 or 17 points to secure their place in the top eight, making the visit of Juventus to Villa Park an opportunity to get closer to that mark.
Juventus have struggled on English soil, winning just three of their last 15 encounters with Premier League opposition in European competition. Additionally, Thiago Motta’s side have managed just one victory in their last seven Champions League away games.
For Emery, this match presents a chance to make history. A win would see him become the first manager to defeat Juventus with three different clubs in the Champions League, having previously triumphed with Sevilla and Villarreal.
Red Star or Sturm Graz to pick up first points?
Red Star Belgrade and Sturm Graz may be excelling domestically, but their European campaigns tell a very different story. Both teams enter the fifth gameweek as two of just five sides yet to secure a single point in the league phase.
Red Star will aim to change that when they host a Stuttgart side that has managed only one win this campaign - though that victory came in their last away match, a unexpected triumph over Juventus. However, with Red Star conceding a league-high 16 goals in just four games, Stuttgart will fancy their chances of exploiting a vulnerable defence to secure a second win.
Such a result would push the German club closer to the top 24, where teams placed ninth to 24th will enter a play-off for a spot in the round of 16.
Meanwhile, Sturm Graz welcome Girona, who have just three points after three defeats in their first four games. This clash offers a golden opportunity for the Austrian side to get off the mark in Europe, but they’ll need to be far more clinical in attack, having scored only once across their four matches so far.
Sturm Graz will also have a different figure at the helm, with Christian Ilzer having departed the club. Caretaker manager Jurgen Samuel took charge for the first time at the weekend, overseeing a 7-0 demolition of A. Klagenfurt.
A similar display of attacking firepower will be crucial on Wednesday if Die Schwoazn are to claim their first points of the season in continental competition.
