2019/20 UEFA Champions League Matchday-2: Real look to avoid 3 consecutive home European defeats, Bayern travel to Tottenham in big game

Bhargav
2019-20 UEFA Champions League.
2019-20 UEFA Champions League.

The first matchday of the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League saw 45 goals scored, the same number as was scored at the same stage of the competition a season ago. In key games on the first matchday, champions Liverpool started their title defence with a defeat at Napoli, Real Madrid fell to a 0-3 defeat at Paris St. Germain, Barcelona were held to a goalless draw at Borussia Dortmund, Juventus were held 2-2 draw by Atlético and Bayern Munich beat Crvena Zvezda 3-0 at home.

The second matchday of the competition on 30 September 2019 would see resurgent 13-time champions Real Madrid at home to Club Brugge, striving to avoid three consecutive European home defeats in 38 years. In other key games on the day, PSG travel to Galatasaray, Juventus welcome Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Turin and German champions Bayern Munich travel to last season's runner-up Tottenham Hotspur.

Here is how groups A to D line-up on matchday-two of the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League:

Group A

PSG got the better of Real on matchday one.
PSG got the better of Real on matchday one.

French champions Paris St. Germain are the early frontrunners in the group following their 3-0 win over 13-time champions Real Madrid at home, while the other group game between Galatasaray and Club Brugge ended in a 1-1 stalemate. On matchday-2, Madrid welcome Brugge to the Santiago Bernabéu while PSG are away at Galatasaray.

Real Madrid vs Club Brugge

2017-18 winners Real Madrid
2017-18 winners Real Madrid

Record 13-time winners Real Madrid play their first European home game of the season against Belgian side Club Brugge. Following an overwhelming 0-3 reverse at Paris St. Germain on the first matchday, the record champions, who lost 0-3 at home to CSKA Moscow in the last group game of the 2018-19 group stage and 1-4 to Ajax in the Round of 16, would be keen to avoid a third straight European home reverse for the first time in 38 years.

Madrid lost 2-0 to Club Brugge away and drew goalless at home in 1976-77, in their only two previous meetings with their matchday-2 visitors. Standard Liège (1969-70) is the only one of five Belgian clubs to have played and won at the Bernabéu.

A resurgent Real, who have kept three clean sheets on the trot and lead the Spanish Primera Liga after seven matchdays, would look to continue their recent defensive solidity by taking all three points against the Belgian league leaders.

Galatasaray vs Paris St. Germain

Paris St. Germain star Angel Di Maria.
Paris St. Germain star Angel Di Maria.

Group leaders Paris St. Germain travel to Turkish side Galatasaray on matchday-2, buoyed by their solitary goal win at Bordeaux which kept the capital club top of the pile in France.

In their only visit to Galatasaray in the competition, PSG lost by a solitary goal in the second group stage of the 2000-01 season.

Group B

Five-time winners and table-toppers Bayern Munich travel to last season's runner-up Tottenham Hostpur on matchday-two, following their 3-0 home win over Crvena Zvezda and Tottenham's 2-2 draw at Olympiacos on the first matchday.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Bayern Munich

2012-13 winners Bayern Munich
2012-13 winners Bayern Munich

Last season's runner-up Tottenham Hotspur welcome 2012-13 winners Bayern Munich on matchday-2. In 25 previous meetings with German opposition, Tottenham have won 13 times and lost 8 times.

Tottenham would be playing Bayern in the Champions League for the first time. In their only two competitive meetings with Bayern, Spurs drew 1-1 at home in the 1982-83 Cup Winners Cup second round and won 2-0 in a 1983-84 UEFA Cup/Europa League game.

In their last visit to England, Bayern drew goalless with eventual winners Liverpool in the Round of 16 last season. The Bavarian giants would, however, be enthused by the fact that they triumphed in four of their last five visits to London.

Crvena Zvezda vs Olympiacos

Olympiacos
Olympiacos

Olympiacos recovered from a two-goal deficit to draw with last season's runner-up Tottenham in their first European game of the season on matchday-1.

On the second matchday, the Greek league leaders travel to 1990-91 winners Crvena Zvezda of Serbia. This would be the first competitive meeting between the two sides.

In 11 previous meetings with Greek opposition, Crvena have won six times and lost on five other occasions. The Serbian champions have never lost to a Greek club at home in five meetings, winning all five of such match-ups.

Also check out: Champions League Schedule Champions League table Champions league top scorers

Group C

The Champions League is Pep Guardiola's Manchester City's final frontier.
The Champions League is Pep Guardiola's Manchester City's final frontier.

Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb are the surprise leaders of Group C, leading English champions Manchester City on goal difference, after a thumping 4-0 home win over tournament debutants Atalanta of Italy on matchday-one.

On the second matchday, Dinamo travel to Manchester City while Atalanta play host to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Dinamo Zagreb vs Manchester City

Dinamo Zagreb
Dinamo Zagreb

Group - C leaders Dinamo Zagreb visit English champions Manchester City on the second matchday.

In 13 previous meetings with English clubs, Dinamo triumphed just twice while finishing second best on 8 occasions, while Manchester City would be playing against Croatian opposition for the very first time.

Dinamo's Croatian midfielder Mislav Oršić is one of two players (also Erling Braut Håland) to topping the Champions League scoring table for this season, with three goals after the first matchday.

Atalanta vs Shakhtar Donetsk

Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar Donetsk

Ukrainian league leaders Shakhtar Donetsk travel to Italian debutants Atalanta on matchday-2, hoping to bounce back from from a humbling 0-3 home loss to English champions Manchester City on the first matchday.

Atalanta have never met Ukrainian opposition before while Shakhtar have won just six times against 22 previous meetings with Italian clubs.

Group - D

Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow are the surprise Group-D table toppers following their 2-1 win at Bayer 04 Leverkusen and a 2-2 draw between Atlético de Madrid and Juventus at the Wanda Metropolitano, after the first matchday of group games.

On matchday-2, Lokomotiv welcome Atlético to the Russian capital while Italian champions Juventus play host to Bayer Leverkusen.

Lokomotiv Moscow vs Atlético Madrid

Lokomotiv Moscow
Lokomotiv Moscow

Lokomotiv Moscow play host to Spanish side Atlético de Madrid on matchday-2, hoping to build on the momentum gained from their unexpected 2-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen.

The Russian club, who are second in their domestic league table, have just two wins from 15 previous meetings with Spanish opposition, which includes a draw and two losses against their matchday-2 visitors.

In contrast, Atlético have lost just twice in 11 previous meetings with Russian clubs, which includes two wins in three games against Lokomotiv.

Juventus vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Juventus
Juventus

Juventus squandered a two-goal lead at the Wanda Metropolitano on matchday-1 to split points with Atlético Madrid while Bayer Leverkusen fell to a 1-2 home defeat to Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow.

On matchday-2, Juventus welcome Bayer to Turin, with both sides looking for their first European wins of the season.

In 58 previous meetings with German clubs, Juventus have won 27 times and lost on 18 occasions. In their lone pair of meetings with Leverkusen, the Bianconeri lost 1-3 away and won 4-0 at home in the 2000-01 second group stage of the Champions League.

All-time Champions League top-scorer Cristiano Ronaldo (126 goals) has scored 26 goals against German clubs - which is his highest goal tally against clubs from any country. The Portuguese striker has netted against all 4 German clubs (Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Schalke 04, and Wolfsburg) he has faced in the competition.

Also check out: Premier League Table La Liga Table Champions League Schedule

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Edited by S Chowdhury