From a showdown between Italian and English giants fighting for a top-eight spot to Dortmund aiming to break their poor run against Barcelona’s Hansi Flick, Gulf News brings you all the key storylines ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League action.
When UEFA revamped this season’s Champions League, they promised more high-stakes clashes in the early stages - and Wednesday evening delivers with a heavyweight showdown as Borussia Dortmund host Barcelona.
Both teams come into the match level on 12 points, with Barcelona in third place and Dortmund just behind in fourth. With eight teams separated by just two points, this encounter could prove pivotal in the race to finish inside the top eight and secure an automatic spot in the knockout stages.
Dortmund, still seeking their first competitive win over Barcelona, boast an unbeaten home record across all competitions this season, a statistic they’ll hope to extend against the Catalan giants.
Barcelona, meanwhile, are aiming to bounce back from a frustrating 2-2 draw with Real Betis over the weekend, a game where the La Liga leaders twice let their lead slip. Their recent form has been inconsistent, with two wins, two draws and two losses in their last six outings.
History, however, favours the five-time Champions League winners. Manager Hansi Flick has a flawless record against Dortmund, having won all five of his previous encounters. If that trend continues, Barcelona will leave Signal Iduna Park with all three points and all but secure their spot in the last 16.
**Juventus and Man City look to get back on track**
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After ending their seven-game winless streak with a victory over Nottingham Forest last week, Manchester City were unable to make it two wins on the bounce, settling for a draw against Crystal Palace over the weekend.
Pep Guardiola’s side will hope this doesn’t signal the start of another slump as they prepare for a crucial trip to Italy on Wednesday night to face Juventus. The match is surely a must-win if City are to keep their hopes of a top-eight finish alive and secure automatic qualification for the Champions League knockout stages.
Currently sitting 17th in the standings, City are two points behind the top eight after a rocky campaign that included a humbling 4-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon and a 3-3 draw with Feyenoord - where they surrendered a three-goal lead in the final 15 minutes.
Guardiola’s team have already set some unwanted records during their earlier winless streak, and another could be added in Turin if they concede two or more goals. Remarkably, Guardiola has never overseen a side that conceded two or more goals in three consecutive Champions League matches during his illustrious career.
City may take some encouragement from Juventus’ struggles, as Thiago Motta’s side find themselves in a similar position, level on points with City but two places lower in the standings. The Old Lady are winless in their last three European outings but can take heart from their unbeaten record in their last five meetings with City.
However, if Guardiola’s men manage to break their streak and secure their first victory in six attempts against the Italian giants, it would mark just the second time this century that Juventus have suffered back-to-back home defeats in the Champions League.
**Arsène Wenger’s former teams meet**
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Arsenal and Monaco, both clubs once managed by Arsène Wenger, face off in Europe for the third time on Wednesday evening, each boasting identical Champions League records this season: three wins, one draw, and one loss.
Those results place both teams inside the top eight heading into the gameweek, with Arsenal in seventh and Monaco in eighth, each on 10 points and five behind leaders Liverpool.
Historically, this matchup has favoured the away side. Monaco secured a memorable 3-1 win over the Gunners at the Emirates in 2015, and while Arsenal triumphed 2-0 in the return leg, it wasn’t enough to prevent their elimination from the Champions League at the round of 16 stage.
Bukayo Saka has two goals in this season's competition Image Credit: AFP
That trend may change on Wednesday, as Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have been formidable at the Emirates, winning six of their last seven Champions League matches on home soil, including victories over French sides Lens and Paris Saint-Germain.
Monaco, on the other hand, have struggled for consistency on the road in Europe. Their 1-0 win over Bologna on matchday four ended an eight-game winless streak in away European fixtures, but they have not managed consecutive away wins in the competition since that triumph over Arsenal.
With Arsenal’s strong home form and Monaco’s patchy away record, the signs point to the Gunners maintaining their top-eight position and securing another vital win in their pursuit of a first ever Champions League trophy.