Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid, Tuesday



A regular Champions League fixture nowadays, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid go into Tuesday’s encounter under very different circumstances, despite both winning at the weekend. Dortmund are top of the Bundesliga, having scored 19 goals in six games, but they are still looking for their first point in the Champions League after their defeat to Tottenham at Wembley. Real Madrid are top of the Champions League group following a comfortable win against Apoel but they are sixth in La Liga, seven points behind Barcelona after just six games.

It’s been an underwhelming start for the reigning Spanish and European champions, with a narrow 2-1 victory at bottom club Alavés on Saturday not doing much to lift their spirits. Dortmund, meanwhile, strengthened their position atop the Bundesliga with a 6-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach courtesy of a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hat-trick.

These teams have met eight times in the last five years, with neither side able to achieve an away win in any of those fixtures. Both of their matches in the group stage last season finished 2-2, with that man Aubameyang on the scoresheet in Dortmund and Madrid.

Dortmund welcome back former Barça defender Marc Bartra and midfielder Julian Weigl, who missed the trip to Wembley. Zinedine Zidane, meanwhile, can call upon Raphael Varane as well as Marco Asensio after his leg-shaving injury, with Cristiano Ronaldo expected to lead the line in the absence of Karim Benzema.

Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich, Wednesday



After convincing wins in their opening fixtures, the two overwhelming favourites in the group go head-to-head as they try to bounce back from disappointments at the weekend. Bayern surrendered a two-goal lead against Wolfsburg, dropping to third in the Bundesliga behind Dortmund and Hoffenheim. Paris Saint-Germain, who were missing Neymar, were also held to a draw as they failed to find a way past Montpellier for the third time in their last four meetings.

These sides are not that familiar with each other. They last met in the Champions League in the 2000-01 season, when both sides won their home fixture in the group. The both made it out of the group that year, with Bayern going on to win the tournament. In 22 years as a manager Carlo Ancelotti has never faced Paris Saint-Germain, the club he led to the Ligue 1 title in 2012-13; similarly, Unai Emery has never come up against Bayern Munich as a manager.

The big news for the hosts is that Neymar should be available to start in a front three with Kylian Mbappé and Edinson Cavani after apparently reconciling his differences with the latter. All three were on the scoresheet at Parkhead a fortnight ago and they will be competing for the limelight once more. Bayern could be without midfielder Thiago Alcântara but they welcome back Arturo Vidal from suspension, with Manuel Neuer sidelined until January with a foot injury.

Atlético Madrid v Chelsea, Wednesday

The Diego Costa derby. There’s no prizes for guessing which team the Spain striker will be rooting for on Wednesday night. Costa is not allowed to play for Atlético until January but his return was confirmed by Chelsea late last week. He scored for Atlético from the penalty spot the last time these sides met, in the semi-finals in 2014. Atlético won that match at Stamford Bridge 3-1, ensuring they made it to the final, where they began their run of being knocked out by Real Madrid for four seasons in a row. Having been drawn against Chelsea and Roma – with whom they played out a 0-0 draw a fortnight ago – Atlético will have to work hard to reach the knockout stages this season.

Chelsea began their Champions League comeback tour with a 6-0 rout over debutants Qarabag, but this couldn’t be a more different proposition. Diego Simeone has never lost to English opposition as coach and his team have conceded just 11 goals in 25 group stage matches – and only four at home – although it remains to be seen how they fare in the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano following their move from the Calderón this summer.

Both teams should be at full strength for this one. Fernando Torres – another player who was on the scoresheet the last time the teams met in 2014 – could play against his former club, although he’s likely to start on the bench. Álvaro Morata, Costa’s replacement, returns to Madrid fresh from a hat-trick at the weekend.

Monaco v Porto, Tuesday



A repeat of the final in 2004. Both clubs were surprise packages that year and they will hope to defy the odds again this season. That game in Gelsenkirchen was both the last time these teams met and the last time a side from France or Portugal made it to the final, with Monaco coming close last season by making the final four.

The hosts will be favourites on Tuesday. They have suffered one heavy defeat this season – the 4-0 thrashing at Nice – but they have picked up where they left off in front of goal, averaging three goals per game in Ligue 1. They have moved on well from what could have been a traumatic summer, losing Benjamin Mendy, Tiémoué Bakayoko, Bernardo Silva and Kylian Mbappé, and can always count on their captain to find the net.

Falcao had a torrid time in England but since returning to France he has been in devastating form. He looks better than ever this season and is already the top goalscorer in any major European league with 11 goals from seven games. He will hope to score a few more against the club with whom he won the Europa League title in 2011, when he scored the only goal in the final.

Falcao has scored as many goals in the league as Porto’s strike pairing of Vincent Aboubakar (six) and Moussa Marega (five). Sérgio Conceição’s men have made a strong start domestically, having won all seven of their matches so far while conceding just three goals. They need to bring some of that form to the Stade Louis II or risk an early exit from the Champions League after a 3-1 defeat at home to Besiktas last time out.

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