Champions League: Madrid face Dortmund rematch, Leicester host Porto

Real Madrid 

Last year’s Champions League winners Real Madrid go to Borussia Dortmund and Premier League champions Leicester City host Porto looking to claim a second win in as many games.

Group E

At Monaco

Monaco (FRA) v Bayer Leverkusen (GER)

Former runners-up Monaco will be looking to build on their impressive opening win over Tottenham Hotspur when they welcome Bayer Leverkusen to the Stade Louis II. The principality club have not lost in four previous meetings with Leverkusen, beating them home and away in the group stage two seasons ago. Leonardo Jardim’s side are fresh from beating Angers 2-1 to go top of Ligue 1. It was their eighth win in their last nine games but they were without Radamel Falcao in that game after he suffered concussion in last Wednesday’s 4-0 defeat at Nice. Leverkusen, who drew 2-2 at home to CSKA Moscow on matchday one, are mid-table in the Bundesliga but they travel to the Mediterranean coast on the back of a 3-2 win at Mainz on Saturday, in which Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez scored a hat-trick. Karim Bellarabi is out until the end of the year with a groin injury.

At Moscow

CSKA Moscow (RUS) v Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)

Tottenham will look to kickstart their European campaign in the Russian capital after losing 2-1 to Monaco at Wembley last time out. Mauricio Pochettino’s side go to Moscow for the first time and do so in second place in the Premier League after a 2-1 weekend win at Middlesbrough in which Son Heung-Min scored twice. Moussa Sissoko could miss the game after suffering concussion at the weekend and a depleted Spurs are already without striker Harry Kane while also having major doubts over Mousa Dembele, Eric Dier and Danny Rose. CSKA came from two goals down to draw in Leverkusen last time out to set them up nicely for their first Champions League game in their new 30,000-seat stadium. Leonid Slutsky’s side drew 1-1 at home to Krasnodar at the weekend with a goal from giant Ivorian striker Lacina Traore, who once had a spell at Everton.

Group F

At Dortmund, Germany

Borussia Dortmund (GER) v Real Madrid (ESP)

One of the most highly-anticipated showdowns of the group stage sees reigning champions Real Madrid head to Germany to take on 1997 winners and 2013 runners-up Dortmund at the Signal Iduna Park. Both teams are expected to progress to the last 16 and both won their opening matches, albeit in contrasting circumstances. While Dortmund romped to a 6-0 win away at Legia Warsaw, Real needed two late goals to come back and beat Sporting 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu. Madrid won 3-2 on aggregate when the teams last met in the quarter-finals in 2013/14, but they have been beaten on their last three visits to Dortmund and they do not have a good record in Germany, with just four wins from 29 trips. Zinedine Zidane’s side — for whom Pepe is set to return — are still unbeaten this season but have drawn their last two La Liga games at home to Villarreal and away at Las Palmas. Dortmund, meanwhile, have won four on the bounce in all competitions, scoring 20 goals in the process, and are unbeaten in 24 home Bundesliga games, equalling a club record, after defeating Freiburg 3-1 on Friday. Marco Reus is among the long-term absentees for Dortmund.

At Lisbon

Sporting (POR) v Legia Warsaw (POL)

These sides are expected to be fighting it out for third place and a Europa League berth in the new year and both lost their opening matches. Jorge Jesus’ Sporting were unlucky not to take something from their trip to Madrid and will be favourites at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, where they beat Estoril 4-2 on Friday with Dutch summer signing Bas Dost scoring twice as they stayed second in the Portuguese league behind leaders Benfica. Jesus serves a touchline ban against Legia, who have changed coach since their humbling home loss to Dortmund. A 3-2 home defeat to Zaglebie Lubin brought an end to Besnik Hasi’s brief reign in the dugout. Former player Jacek Magiera is the new coach of a team who have won just once in seven games.

Group G

At Copenhagen

FC Copenhagen (DEN) v Club Brugge (BEL)

The Group G outsiders meet in the Danish capital with Copenhagen looking to build on a 1-1 draw away to FC Porto last time out. Stale Solbakken’s side are unbeaten in seven European outings already this season and are four points clear atop their domestic league after defeating AGH Aarhus 2-0 at the weekend with goals from the Paraguayan forward Federico Santander and Kasper Kusk. In contrast to their hosts, former European Cup runners-up Club Brugge have had a poor start to the season and were brushed aside by Leicester City, losing 3-0 on matchday one. Since then they have won three in a row in all competitions, though. They also won 4-0 when they last went to the Parken Stadium two seasons ago in the Europa League. Bjorn Engels and Lior Refaelov miss the trip due to injury.

At Leicester, England

Leicester City (ENG) v FC Porto (POR)

The Premier League champions get set for another historic moment as they host two-time European champions Porto in the first ever Champions League game at the King Power Stadium. Claudio Ranieri’s team lost 4-1 at Manchester United on Saturday, their third league defeat already this season. However, a 3-0 win in Bruges was an ideal start to their European campaign and Porto have lost and failed to score on each of their last four visits to England. They will be familiar with the threat of Leicester’s record signing Islam Slimani from his time in Portugal with Sporting. Andre Silva scored twice as Porto beat city rivals Boavista 3-1 at the weekend. Maxi Pereira is expected to be fit for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, who were held at home by Copenhagen after beating Roma to reach the group stage.

Source: punchng