October 19, (THEWILL) – Tasteful fixtures await fans of the elite football competition in Europe, the UEFA Champions League, in Tuesday’s schedule of matchday three games.
From stadiums in France, Spain and Italy, Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan will seek to get full points from hosting while Real Madrid and the English travelling pair of Liverpool and Manchester City will be gearing to pick points off of their hosts.
THEWILL presents a preview of the electrifying matchups to look forward to in a Tuesday of games beginning with the early kickoff in the Belgian Pro League side Club Brugge.
Club Brugge Versus Manchester City – 5:45 pm
Last time out, Manchester City lost for the first time in Europe to Paris Saint-Germain, as sublime goals from Idrissa Gueye and Lionel Messi handed the Sky Blues a 2-0 defeat at the Parc des Princes.
In midweek, the Champions League group stage will reach its halfway point, with Pep Guardiola’s side travelling to Belgium to face Club Brugge in the early UCL kickoff.
The hosts, who are currently ahead of the Blues in Group A after avoiding defeats against PSG and RB Leipzig, are unbeaten in the competition so far this season.
With a win at the Jan Breydelstadion, Manchester City can leapfrog the Belgian champions, and it will be surprising if Pep Guardiola’s side does not return home on Tuesday night with three valuable points safely tucked away in their flight bag.
Paris Saint-Germain Versus RB Leipzig – 8 pm
Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig have met in the Champions League for the third year in a row, and this will be their third meeting in the competition.
Following a first-round draw with Club Brugge, the French giants enter the match in better European form, having defeated Manchester City last time out but now without injured Brazilian playmaker Neymar.
The ostensible Group A lightweights, Brugge have proven to be more than a nuisance thus far, having defeated Leipzig to leave the Bundesliga club without a point ahead of what could be their toughest game of the round.
A repeat of last season’s 2-1 win over PSG in Germany would be ideal for the visitors at Parc des Princes, where they were defeated in the reverse fixture by a Neymar penalty. Leipzig is currently eighth in the Bundesliga after an inconsistent start, while Les Parisiens are cruising atop Ligue 1 after a late comeback win over Angers on the weekend.
Atletico Madrid Versus Liverpool – 8 pm
When Atletico Madrid and Liverpool meet in Group B play on Tuesday in Spain, it will feel like an annual Champions League battle.
Both teams are in good shape heading into Matchday 3. The Reds have two wins out of two so far and lead the group with six points, while Atleti have won one and lost one leaving them in second place and ahead of third-placed Porto by three points.
The winner will be in first place at the halfway point of the group stage, while the Reds can also do so with a draw. Yet, Atletico remains one of the few teams in the world with a strong record against Liverpool, and they will look to improve on that record.
In head-to-head, Atleti has won two games and drawn two, scoring six goals and conceding four. If Mohamed Salah’s impressive goal-scoring continues, the final result could be different this time.
Inter Milan Versus FC Sheriff – 8 pm
Sheriff Tiraspol, once considered nothing more than a bottom-dweller in Group D, has stunned the footballing world by leading the group with a perfect record in its first-ever Champions League campaign.
Inter, on the other hand, is rooted to the bottom of the group after a pair of contrasting but equally frustrating performances. The Nerazzurri were defeated by Real Madrid in a 1-0 home defeat that they deserved so much more before a road draw in Ukraine, where they were fortunate to escape with a point.
Sheriff, on the other hand, has played consistently in its first two games on Europe’s biggest stage. The Moldova club beat Shakhtar 2-0 and, as THEWILL reported, went to the great Santiago Bernabeu and won 2-1, thanks to a game-winning goal in the 89th minute.
Sheriff is not the club for football purists, on or off the field, despite the underdog storyline. Also, a win for Inter would put the club back in the win column and put a stop to Sheriff’s hot start.
Shakhtar Donetsk Versus Real Madrid
Real Madrid take the road to Kyiv, where they won the 2018 Champions League, in the hopes of avoiding a third straight European defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk.
The last time the two sides met was in October 2020, when Shakhtar won 3-2 at Valdebebas after leading 3-0 at halftime. Real Madrid will now try to prevent the Ukrainian side from doing what only four teams have done in Europe: defeating Los Blancos in three consecutive matches.
In their most recent Champions League match, Carlo Ancelotti’s side were beaten 2-1 by Sheriff in one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. Real Madrid are in second place in the group, three points behind Sheriff but two points ahead of Inter and Shakhtar Donetsk.
Los Blancos’ fight to finish first in Group D could come down to Tuesday’s match.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
