Trio looks to clinch berths

Trio looks to clinch berths

Reigning champions Real Madrid, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund can all qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday.

MALMO V ATLETICO MADRID
Atletico can close in on a place in the last 16 with a third consecutive win in Group A when they go to Sweden to face the section's bottom club. The reigning Spanish champions have won their last four games, including a 5-0 thumping of Malmo two weeks ago and a 4-2 defeat of Cordoba on Saturday which featured a brace from Antoine Griezmann and lifted them within a point of top spot in La Liga.

JUVENTUS V OLYMPIAKOS
This encounter in Turin has the makings of a decisive encounter. Juve are three points clear at the top of Serie A but have struggled to transform their domestic form onto the European stage and were beaten 1-0 at Olympiakos in their last outing. Having collected just three points from three games in Group A, Massimiliano Allegri's side will be staring elimination in the face if they suffer another defeat at home to the Greek title-holders, and their situation would not be helped if Atletico were to win in Malmo.

BASEL V LUDOGORETS RAZGRAD
Second place behind Real Madrid appears to be up for grabs in Group B after Ludogorets beat Basel 1-0 last time out. Now the sides meet again in Switzerland, where Paulo Sousa's side have a good record in Europe, including beating Liverpool last month.

REAL MADRID V LIVERPOOL
Reigning European champions Madrid will qualify for the last 16 with a victory at home to Liverpool, who they outclassed 3-0 at Anfield two weeks ago. Few would bet against Carlo Ancelotti's side recording another comfortable win at the Santiago Bernabeu given the respective form of the two sides just now. Real turned on the style to win 4-0 at Granada on Saturday, their 11th consecutive win taking them top of La Liga. Gareth Bale, who has sat out his side's last five games with a pelvic muscle injury, has returned to training too, meaning Madrid look in rude health just now as they look to extend their 18-game unbeaten run at home in the Champions League.
In contrast, Liverpool need a boost after a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday.

ZENIT ST PETERSBURG V BAYER LEVERKUSEN
While Zenit are flying at home, the meeting with Bayer Leverkusen at the Petrovski Stadium could be decisive for them. Andre Villas-Boas's side are unbeaten in the Russian Premier League this season. However, having lost 2-0 when the teams clashed in Germany a fortnight ago, another defeat Tuesday would leave them five points behind the Bundesliga side in Group C.

BENFICA V AS MONACO
Neutrals will be hoping for a more entertaining game than the goalless draw these sides played out two weeks ago as they clash again in Lisbon. Benfica, meanwhile, need a win at all costs as they currently sit at the foot of Group C with just one point. An obstinate Monaco are second and have yet to concede a goal in the competition.

ARSENAL V ANDERLECHT
It has not been an entirely convincing start to the season for Arsenal, even if they have lost just one of their last seven games. A dramatic late turnaround saw the Gunners win 2-1 in Belgium two weeks and now they face Anderlecht in the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium knowing that another victory will see them secure their place in the last 16, provided Galatasaray do not beat Borussia Dortmund.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND V GALATASARAY
Dortmund will once again hope to find solace in the Champions League as they endure a dreadful start to the season in the Bundesliga. A 2-1 loss at Bayern Munich on Saturday was their seventh in 10 games and left them in the relegation zone. In contrast, they have won all three Group D games to date and will qualify for the last 16 with another win. Cesare Prandelli's Galatasaray have so far struggled in Europe this season but the Turkish giants can point to an impressive recent record away to German opponents, with four wins from their last six games.

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Trio looks to clinch berths

Trio looks to clinch berths

Reigning champions Real Madrid, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund can all qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday.

MALMO V ATLETICO MADRID
Atletico can close in on a place in the last 16 with a third consecutive win in Group A when they go to Sweden to face the section's bottom club. The reigning Spanish champions have won their last four games, including a 5-0 thumping of Malmo two weeks ago and a 4-2 defeat of Cordoba on Saturday which featured a brace from Antoine Griezmann and lifted them within a point of top spot in La Liga.

JUVENTUS V OLYMPIAKOS
This encounter in Turin has the makings of a decisive encounter. Juve are three points clear at the top of Serie A but have struggled to transform their domestic form onto the European stage and were beaten 1-0 at Olympiakos in their last outing. Having collected just three points from three games in Group A, Massimiliano Allegri's side will be staring elimination in the face if they suffer another defeat at home to the Greek title-holders, and their situation would not be helped if Atletico were to win in Malmo.

BASEL V LUDOGORETS RAZGRAD
Second place behind Real Madrid appears to be up for grabs in Group B after Ludogorets beat Basel 1-0 last time out. Now the sides meet again in Switzerland, where Paulo Sousa's side have a good record in Europe, including beating Liverpool last month.

REAL MADRID V LIVERPOOL
Reigning European champions Madrid will qualify for the last 16 with a victory at home to Liverpool, who they outclassed 3-0 at Anfield two weeks ago. Few would bet against Carlo Ancelotti's side recording another comfortable win at the Santiago Bernabeu given the respective form of the two sides just now. Real turned on the style to win 4-0 at Granada on Saturday, their 11th consecutive win taking them top of La Liga. Gareth Bale, who has sat out his side's last five games with a pelvic muscle injury, has returned to training too, meaning Madrid look in rude health just now as they look to extend their 18-game unbeaten run at home in the Champions League.
In contrast, Liverpool need a boost after a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday.

ZENIT ST PETERSBURG V BAYER LEVERKUSEN
While Zenit are flying at home, the meeting with Bayer Leverkusen at the Petrovski Stadium could be decisive for them. Andre Villas-Boas's side are unbeaten in the Russian Premier League this season. However, having lost 2-0 when the teams clashed in Germany a fortnight ago, another defeat Tuesday would leave them five points behind the Bundesliga side in Group C.

BENFICA V AS MONACO
Neutrals will be hoping for a more entertaining game than the goalless draw these sides played out two weeks ago as they clash again in Lisbon. Benfica, meanwhile, need a win at all costs as they currently sit at the foot of Group C with just one point. An obstinate Monaco are second and have yet to concede a goal in the competition.

ARSENAL V ANDERLECHT
It has not been an entirely convincing start to the season for Arsenal, even if they have lost just one of their last seven games. A dramatic late turnaround saw the Gunners win 2-1 in Belgium two weeks and now they face Anderlecht in the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium knowing that another victory will see them secure their place in the last 16, provided Galatasaray do not beat Borussia Dortmund.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND V GALATASARAY
Dortmund will once again hope to find solace in the Champions League as they endure a dreadful start to the season in the Bundesliga. A 2-1 loss at Bayern Munich on Saturday was their seventh in 10 games and left them in the relegation zone. In contrast, they have won all three Group D games to date and will qualify for the last 16 with another win. Cesare Prandelli's Galatasaray have so far struggled in Europe this season but the Turkish giants can point to an impressive recent record away to German opponents, with four wins from their last six games.

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