After a two-and-a-half-week layoff, which included an international break, the UEFA Champions League resumes today. During the first two gameweeks of the premier club competition, the season has already begun in thrilling form.
The dominant teams have maintained their form, but several teams have suffered unexpected losses.
Bayern Munich, for example. Juventus and Liverpool have been flying high, while Barcelona, Manchester United, and Real Madrid have found themselves in a difficult situation and must find a way out. Matchday 3 will provide us with some exciting matchups to look forward to.
Matchday 3 fixtures
In this thread, we shall be covering all Matchday 3 fixtures. Join the discussion and share your views on the various topics
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Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool
Atletico Madrid has had a sluggish start to their Champions League campaign, drawing with FC Porto in their first match and then beating AC Milan 2-1 in their most recent match. Los Rojiblancos have not been in top form in La Liga this season, but they have remained among the top teams so far, despite the fact that they did not play this past weekend due to a fixture postponement.
Liverpool, on the other side, has dominated the Champions League so far, winning both of their first two games. The Reds, in fact, are the only unbeaten English team in all competitions, and they continued their unblemished start to the season this past weekend with a 5-0 triumph over Watford in the Premier League on Saturday.
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Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool team news
Jose Gimenez and Marcos Llorente, for example, are pushing for returns after taking part in a full training session ahead of the game, and Atletico might be one of club football’s biggest beneficiaries after the international break. Llorente in particular will be a source of anxiety for Liverpool, as it was his late brace at Anfield in 2020 that effectively destroyed the Reds’ European aspirations.
Liverpool, on the other hand, is in good form. Alisson Becker and Fabinho, both Brazilians, have finished their post-international duty quarantine period in Spain and might return to the starting lineup after missing Saturday’s win against Watford.
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Atlético Madrid and Liverpool last met in the last 16 of the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League, with the Spaniards winning both legs, 1-0 at home and 3-2 away in extra-time.
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Liverpool have failed to win any of their four UEFA Champions League matches against Atlético Madrid (D2 L2), only facing Basel as often (also four times) without winning in their European Cup/Champions League history.
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Liverpool have lost six of their last seven away UEFA European matches on Spanish soil (D1) since beating Real Madrid in the last 16 of the 2008-09 Champions League. The Reds’ last win in Spain came against fellow English opponents, beating Tottenham 2-0 in the 2019 Champions League final in Atlético’s home stadium, the Wanda Metropolitano.
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Atlético Madrid are winless in four home UEFA Champions League matches (D3 L1), their joint-longest run without a home win in the competition (also four in December 2009). They have only scored once from 45 shots in this run and with an expected goal tally of 4.4, have netted 3.4 goals fewer than they would have been expected to score.
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Four of Atlético Madrid’s last seven goals in the UEFA Champions League have been scored in the final 10 minutes of play, including each of the last three in a row. Excluding extra time, Luis Suárez’s penalty (96:23) against AC Milan last time out was the latest game-winning goal in the UEFA Champions League since the start of the 2003-04 season (as far back as Opta have exact goal times).
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Shakhtar Donetsk vs Real Madrid
Real Madrid after a rather solid start under the management of Carlo Ancelotti, saw their form dither just before the international break. Indeed, after having been held to a goalless draw by Villarreal in La Liga, Los Blancos suffered a shock loss to Sheriff Tiraspol in the Champions League before losing to Espanyol in the league.
Shakhtar Donetsk are currently rooted to the bottom of Group D level on points with third-placed Inter Milan (1 point), having lost to Sheriff and drawn against the Nerazzurri . However, it must be noted that they are on a six-game unbeaten run in all competitions and thrashed Zorya Luhansk 6-1 in their most recent fixture in the domestic league.
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Shakhtar Donetsk vs Real Madrid Team News
Shakhtar Donetsk
The Miners will be without the services of Junior Moraes and Lassina Traore, who have both been sidelined through knee injuries.
Injured: Junior Moraes, Lassina Traore
Suspended: None
Real Madrid
The Galacticos head into the game with a lengthy absentee list. Dani Ceballos, Gareth Bale, Marcelo, Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal, Eden Hazard, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Mariano Diaz and Marcos Asensio are all sidelined through injuries.
Injured: Dani Ceballos, Gareth Bale, Marcelo, Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal, Eden Hazard, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Mariano Diaz, Marco Asensio
Suspended: None
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For a second consecutive season, Shakhtar Donetsk and Real Madrid will meet in the UEFA Champions League group stages – Shakhtar beat Madrid in both meetings last season (3-2 away, 2-0 home).
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Real Madrid could lose three consecutive UEFA Champions League matches against an opponent for the third time – previously they have lost four in a row versus Bayern Munich between May 2000 and April 2002 and three on the bounce against Juventus between March 2005 and November 2008.
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Shakhtar Donetsk have had the most shots of any team yet to score in the UEFA Champions League this season (32).
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Real Madrid were beaten by Sheriff Tiraspol at home last time out in the Champions League. Their manager Carlo Ancelotti has not lost consecutive games in the competition since April 2017.
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Club Brugge vs Manchester City Line Up
Club Brugge XI: Mignolet; Mata, Hendry, Nsoki, Sobol; Balanta, Rits, Vanaken; Sowah, De Ketelaere, Lang.
Man City XI: Ederson; Walker, Rúben Dias, Laporte, Cancelo; Foden, Rodri, De Bruyne; Bernardo Silva, Mahrez, Grealish.
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Joao Cancelo gives Man City the lead against Club Brugge.
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João Cancelo is Man City’s top goalscorer in the Champions League this season.
The ultimate underlapper.
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2 - João Cancelo has scored in two of his last three UEFA Champions League matches, netting as many goals as he managed in his first 30 appearances in the competition. Marauding.
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Atletico Madrid v Liverpool record
Matches: 6
Draws: 2
