The focus turns to a crucial round of continental clashes. Two fascinating fixtures headline the schedule, with teams fighting for crucial standings as the group phase continues.
Which iteration of the London club will appear in Bergamo? Their previous European performance was a statement, a comprehensive three-goal win against the Catalan giants that stood as a high point for their manager's reign. Yet, form has proven elusive since then. A credible draw with their London rivals was followed by a loss at Leeds, and a lackluster stalemate at Bournemouth has left them with confidence sapped.
They face a tricky opponent who are level on points alongside them. La Dea endured a heavy loss in their first game in Paris yet have gone undefeated in Europe ever since, defying somewhat modest domestic form.
Similar to their rivals, Ange Postecoglou's side have been famously inconsistent. A 5-3 defeat in Paris, sandwiched between painful defeats to Arsenal and Fulham, piled scrutiny on manager the Danish coach. But, recent domestic outings – a win and a draw from six – have provided some stability.
This evening, they welcome a Slavia Prague side yet to win in this year's tournament. This is precisely the kind of match that simply must be won if they are to climb towards the knockout places, particularly given upcoming challenges versus Borussia Dortmund and Frankfurt on the horizon.
The action is not limited to those two matches. One notable game, the Blaugrana will aim to respond from their defeat as they welcome the German side. Meanwhile, high-flying PSV pose a stern test to the backline of Diego Simeone's team. Rounding out the night, Monaco entertains the Turkish champions in a match which promises to be a high-scoring affair. Every game kick off at 8pm GMT.
A crucial night in the group stage is upon us, as clubs striving to secure a route into the latter stages.
A geospatial analyst with over a decade of experience in terrain modeling and environmental data visualization.
