Champions League night: Here are the teams expected to win tonight

The UEFA Champions League trophy [Courtesy]

At this point in the season, it is safe to say, Europe’s biggest club competition, the UEFA Champions League has hit its stride.

From Cristiano Ronaldo’s shocking sending off in round one against Sevilla to Liverpool’s scintillating performance at home against Paris St Germain, the football world can only sit and wait for the rest to unfold.

On Tuesday, Portuguese giants Benfica, English champions Manchester City, Russian heavyweights CSKA Moscow, Italian duo Roma and Juventus managed to secure vital wins, compounding AEK Athens, TSH Hoffenheim, Real Madrid and Viktoria Plzen to defeats respectively. Bayern Munich, Olympique Lyon and Manchester United could only manage draws to Ajax, Shakhtar Donetsk and Valencia respectively.

Tonight, here’s what we expect:

ATLETICO VS BRUGGE

This will be the first ever meeting between these two sides since 1992. Diego Simeone’s men have won each of their four previous matches against Club Brugge. In all major competitions, Atletico have only lost twice at home in their last 30 matches, winning 23 and drawing five.

Atletico Madrid's Antoinne Griezmann celebrates scoring a goal [Courtesy]

Club Brugge have lost each of their last seven games in the Champions League, scoring five times and conceding 15. They have kept just one clean sheet in their last 16 games in the Champions League, the last one coming back in October 2005 against SK Rapid Wien.

DORTMUND V MONACO

Lucien Favre’s men will be hoping to pick up where they left off in round one as they welcome under-fire Leonardo Jardim-led Monaco to the Westfalenstadion Arena.

Dortmund met Monaco in the Champions League in 2016/17 [Courtesy]

This will be the second time in three years that these two sides are squaring off in the Champions League – the previous two ending in defeats for Dortmund. Dortmund have also lost four of their last seven games against sides from the French league in the competition. Monaco have lost only twice in 10 games against German opposition in the Champions League. BVB are winless in their last four games at home.

PSV EINDHOVEN V INTER

Inter Milan travel to PSV Eindhoven [Courtesy]

Inter Milan will be looking to secure all three points as they travel to the Phillips Stadium to face Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven.

The Italians came out victorious last time these two teams met. They have never lost to Dutch opposition in the Champions League in eight previous fixtures, winning six and drawing two. All of PSV wins in the Champions League against Italian sides have come at the Phillips Stadium. PSV are winless in their last nine Champions League home matches, drawing four and losing five.

TOTTENHAM V BARCELONA

Mauricio Pochettino’s men will have to work extra hard tonight as they welcome Spanish champions FC Barcelona to Wembley.

Tottenham played Brace in pre-season [Courtesy]

This will be third ever meeting between Spurs and the Blaugrana and the first since 1982 (semifinals of the Cup Winners’ Cup where Barcelona won 2-1). Spurs won all three home games in the Champions League last season and will be hoping this run continues as a rampant Barca have only won one of their last seven games away from home in the competition. The last one was a win over Sporting Cp. However, Barca have lost just one of their last 11 encounters in the Champions League with English sides.

PSG V RED STAR BELGRADE

The last time Red Star Belgrade face a French side in the Champions League, they won on penalties – eventually lifting the trophy (1991).

PS will look to continue on their winning run as they host Red Star Belgrade [Courtesy]

This will be the maiden meeting in a European competition between these two sides. PSG have not lost a single home game in the competition since 2004. The Serbians face an uphill task, as they are winless in their last 10 meetings with French sides, drawing 3 and losing 7.

NAPOLI V LIVERPOOL

This should be one of the matches of the season, Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli prepare to take on an inspired Liverpool side at the San Paolo Arena. This is the third time these two heavyweights are meeting in Europe, the last one in 2010 – Europa League group stage. The Italians have only won twice in their last nine European games, drawing once and losing six times. Away from home, Liverpool have only lost one in six in the Champions League.

LOKOMOTIV MOSCOW V SCHALKE 04

It’s all to play for here are Lokomotiv Moscow face German outfit Schalke 04. This will be their first ever meeting. The home side have lost each of their last five games against German clubs in Europe.

Schalke travel to Lokomotiv Moscow [Courtesy]

Schalke have faced a Russian side in the competition before, FK Krasnodar in 2016/17 – where they won home and away. Lokomotiv have also failed to score a goal in eight of their last eleven games in the group stage.

FC PORTO V GALATASARAY

Referee Michael Oliver will take over at the Estadio do Dragao as FC Porto clash with Turkish club Galatasaray. It is also the first time these two are meeting in a European competition.

Porto face Galatasaray [Courtesy]

Porto have won four of their last six games against Turkish sides in the Champions League. Galatasaray have won twice and in their last four encounters with Portuguese opponents. They are also winless in their last 11 European away matches.

There! Now you know which teams are best suited to win tonight.