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With Groups A-D taking the centre stage on Tuesday night, Groups E-H in the Champions League will be on display on Wednesday night with some exciting match-ups to watch out for. Here is a group by group preview of the action to look forward to on Matchday five.
GROUP E
Michael Ballack will welcome his former club Chelsea to the BayArena as Bayer Leverkusen look to take advantage of Chelsea’s wobbling domestic fortunes and press for a home win, thus sealing qualification. Leverkusen began their campaign with a loss to the Blues at the Stamford Bridge, but have since recovered to the bridge the gap within two points of Andre Villas-Boas’ men. Chelsea meanwhile have seen their form take a large dip, especially in the Premier League campaign with their defence continually exposed. Villas-Boas, who is under extreme pressure, will look to stem the rot by sealing qualification in Germany, but Ballack will not be swayed by sentiments for his former club, nor will his team give in easily.
Infuriated by their recent loss to Real Madrid in the league campaign in which they felt they were robbed of a result due to a controversial decision, Valencia will look to vent their frustration out on bottom team Genk at the Mestalla. Valencia lie a solitary point below Leverkusen and will play for a win, knowing fully well that they could go second above Leverkusen if Chelsea seal qualification. Genk lie at the bottom with two points and their last outing was a shock draw with the might Chelsea, but they will hard pressed for a result in Valencia.
Bayer Leverkusen vs Chelsea (20:45 CET, 01:15 IST)
Valencia vs Genk (20:45 CET, 01:15 IST)
GROUP F
With things in the league back on track, Wenger seeks knockout qualification for the 12th successive season
Buoyed by their impressive form in the league, Arsenal will look for the final push in knockout stage qualification when they entertain Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates. With a one point advantage at the top of the table, victory will seal Arsenal’s progress beyond the group stage for the 12th successive season as Wenger’s mean seek a key marker in what has been an extraordinary turnaround in a season that began disastrously. Dortmund were once down and out in the group, but a win against Olympiacos rekindled their slender hopes of qualification. They come in to the match on the back of a league win over Bayern Munich which blew open the title race, and thus possess momentum. Dortmund lie 3 points adrift of second placed Marseille and the odds are stacked against them, but they will look to make their momentum count against rejuvenated Arsenal.
A solitary point away from leaders Arsenal, Didier Deschamp’s Marseille can seal qualification for the second time in seven seasons if they win at home against Olympiacos. Things on the domestic front have not been rosy for Marseille, but that has not deterred them from putting up fine displays in the Champions League, most notably an away draw at the Emirates. With European qualification for next season being a tough ask as of now, for they lie tenth in Ligue 1, Marseille will look to make the most of their stay this time around. Olympiacos’ three points in the campaign came in a big home win against Borrusia Dortmund and defeat could mean their elimination from all European competitions.
Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund (20:45 CET, 01:15 IST)
Marseille vs Olympiacos (20:45 CET, 01:15 IST)
GROUP G
Apoel Nicosia chase the Cypriot dream
Toast of the season and the surprise package in a group filled with Europa League winners, Cypriot club Apoel Nicosia are the shock leaders of Group G. They chase history when they look to become the first Cypriot club to qualify for the knockout stages by beating Zenit St. Petersburg away. A team built on highly organized defensive marking and counter-attacking, Apoel are still unbeaten in the competition, a remarkable feat considering their anonymity in Europe. It is a run they will look to extend with three points in Russia. Providing them with a stern test will be Zenit St. Petersburg, who are a point away from the leaders and chase history themselves of qualifying for the first time. Known for their invincibility at home, Luciano Spalletti’s side will look to stall the great Cypriot dream.
Porto with four points and Shakhtar Donetsk with two are Group G’s bottom sides who will fight it out at the Donbass Arena, looking to stay alive in the competition. Porto, with a solitary win this campaign, know that they must win in Ukraine if they are to harbour hopes of staying in the competition. Bottom club Shakhtar are winless and will look to revive their fading hopes and think of progressing to the Europa League by tipping Porto to third place.
Zenit St. Petersburg vs Apoel Nicosia (18:00 CET, 22:30 IST)
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Porto (20:45 CET, 01:15 IST)
GROUP H
Zlatan Ibrahimovic vs Pep Guardiola: Preparing for battle
Matters are already done at dusted in Group H, with Milan and Barcelona having already qualified. Yet, the meeting of the top two teams at the San Siro is one to behold, for it will see two opposing footballing philosophies in action. It will also be a fight for the top spot as Milan look to grab it from the Catalans by thwarting them with organized defending and lightning quick counter-attack, thus one-upping their heroics at the Nou Camp in the reverse fixture. Barcelona’s last trip to the San Siro was one to forget, for they lost 3-1 to Inter in the 2009/10 campaign, memories of which they will look to erase with a win over the rivals of their previous vanquishers. In Pep Guardiola’s path, there will stand one Zlatan Ibrahimovic waiting with vengeance, making it a sub-plot to relish in this high voltage encounter.
A solitary point separates Bate Borisov from Victoria Plzen at the bottom of Group H. With qualification to the knockout stages gone out of the window, third place and subsequent Europa League qualification will be the target for both teams. Bate Borisov, the home team, can seal third place if they beat their Czech opponents and they will take confidence from their famous draw over Milan.
AC Milan vs Barcelona (20:45 CET, 01:15 IST)
Bate Borisov vs Victoria Plzen (19:00 CET, 23:30 IST)
