Two of the top six favourites to win this season’s Uefa Champions League title are in action when the world’s most famous club competition resumes tonight across Europe. English Premier League side Arsenal who are away to FC Porto on Wednesday are now the bookmakers third favourites to win ‘Big Ears’ behind Manchester City and Real Madrid, having overtaken Bayern Munich following the Bavarians 0-1 capitulation at the hands of Italy’s Lazio.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners travel to the Estadio do Dragao as hot favourites to subdue the 1987 and 2004 winners after blitzing 21 goals past five EPL opponents in their best start to a calendar year in almost 90 years. Porto manager Sergio Coincecao and his soon to be 41-year-old captain Pepe – the oldest player to score in the competition – are to have their hands full trying to contain the attacking trident of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard who have all been in irresistible form.
Italian Serie A leaders Inter Milan are now sixth favourites after hitting a rich vein of form that has witnessed them win eight matches in a row to build a nine point advantage over the chasing pack. Last year’s losing finalists as well as 1964, 1965 and 2010 winners host Liga Santander side Atletico Madrid tonight with both sides expected to come out all guns blazing.
Atletico Madrid may sit fourth in Spanish Primera Liga but they were joint top scorers in the group stages and served notice of their attacking prowess by dismantling Las Palmas 5-0 on Saturday. Argentine striker Angel Correa who grabbed a brace along with Marcos Llorente may not even start at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium where Atleti boss Diego Simeone is expected to reintroduce Antoine Griezmann who was rested at the weekend.
No holds barred action is expected at another salivating encounter in Holland where 1988 winners PSV Eindhoven confront 1997 titlists Borussia Dortmund. Arne Slot’s side carry a double digit lead in Dutch Eredivisie having won a record 17 consecutive games at the start of the campaign while Edin Terzic’s Dortmund have recovered from a shaky start to go on a ten match unbeaten run across all competitions.
Two struggling giants face off when Napoli host Barcelona at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Wednesday. Partenopei won Scudetto at a canter last season but have been at sixes and sevens this campaign and failed to click into top gear in drawing one-all with Genoa over the weekend. 1992, 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015 winners Barcelona were fortunate to win 2-1 at Celta Vigo and must find their A game if they are to thrive in this tie.
TUESDAY
Inter Milan v Atletico Madrid,
PSV Eindhoven v Borussia Dortmund
WEDNESDAY
FC Porto v Arsenal,
Napoli v Barcelona
