Action resumes in the world’s most glamorous club football competition, the UEFA Champions League, as matchday two fixtures take centre stage with the first set of games on Tuesday.
Fans were provided with an understanding of the competition’s new league format in matchday one, where a total of 57 goals were scored. The new league format provides for more excitement and drama as top-notch matches between Europe’s storied teams are guaranteed in the early stages.
With matchday two’s kick-off edging closer, Afrosport provides a rundown of the five most exciting matches to look out for that is guaranteed to keep fans on the edge of their seats.
Arsenal vs Paris Saint-Germain
Premier League big boys Arsenal are up against French champions Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday in arguably the biggest fixture of this round.
The Gunners had goalkeeper David Raya to thank last time out as the Spaniard’s penalty heroics helped Mikel Arteta’s men depart Bergamo unscathed in their goalless encounter against Europa League champions Atalanta in their opening fixture.
PSG, on the other hand, left it late to secure maximum points against Girona, whose Argentine goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga was the culprit, as his own goal gave the French side a 1-0 win at the Parc des Princes.
Bayer Leverkusen vs AC Milan
Seven-time winners AC Milan face a daunting task when they come up against a high-flying Bayer Leverkusen side led by one of football’s greatest midfielders, Xabi Alonso, on Tuesday.
The German champions thrashed Feyenoord 4-0 in their opening match, while despite jumping into an early lead, the Italian giants lost 3-1 to Liverpool at the San Siro in matchday one.
Paulo Fonseca’s Rossoneri are in need of a win to kickstart their Champions League campaign, and they know that a defeat to Leverkusen spells doom for their qualification ambition.
Meanwhile, Die Werkself, on the other hand, will be banking on the loud cries of the BayArena crowd to provide the much-needed home support in order to surpass the Italian obstacle in front of them, which makes this tie another one that will provide as much tension as possible.
Borussia Dortmund vs Celtic
Any clash between two attack-minded teams is a delight to neutrals, and that is what this game between Borussia Dortmund and Celtic offers.
Scottish champions Celtic go into this game on a high following their 5-1 home win in their opening fixture against Slovan Bratislava. With Dortmund also feeling confident after their 3-0 victory away at Club Brugge, fans can be assured of end-to-end action.
As always, Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park never stops bouncing, as it is recognised as one of the stadiums with the best atmosphere in the world. This, coupled with the passion of Celtic fans, can never go wrong, and with both teams adept at scoring goals—Dortmund (17) and Celtic (33)—this is possibly the “gold mine” fixture in this round.
Aston Villa vs Bayern Munich
For the first time since the European top-flight competition was rebranded, Aston Villa’s home, Villa Park, will play host to a Champions League fixture, and what better way to provide fans with a spectacle than to play six-time winners and German heavyweights Bayern Munich?
The 1982 European champions, who secured a comfortable 3-0 away victory over Young Boys on their return to the upper echelons of European football, take on the Bavarians, who obliterated Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 in a historic outing at the Allianz Arena on opening day.
Wednesday’s encounter, which promises exhilarating action, will see the tournament’s highest goalscorer, Harry Kane (4), and his entourage of youngsters like Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala, and Aleksandar Pavlović go head-to-head with an Unai Emery-led Villa side that parades the likes of Ollie Watkins, Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, and fast-rising Colombian forward, Jhon Duran.
Benfica vs Atletico Madrid
Two-time European champions Benfica will lock horns against two-time beaten finalist Atletico Madrid at the Estádio da Luz in a game that showcases two of football’s most compact sides.
The Portuguese club beat Red Star Belgrade 2-1 in their opening game, while in a match that had a similar scoreline, Atletico needed a late goal from Jose Gimenez to complete a comeback over RB Leipzig at the Metropolitano Stadium.
A cagey affair is expected, as both teams are defensively solid, with Benfica letting in just four goals in eight matches in all competitions this campaign, while Diego Simeone’s side has conceded five goals in nine appearances.
However, the unpredictability of this season’s Champions League tournament means any outcome is possible as both teams are also capable of scoring goals.
Coming up this week 🍿#UCL pic.twitter.com/vUdiww9CEV
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 30, 2024
