PSG host Barcelona in a top-of-the-table blockbuster

Another blockbuster Barcelona reunion awaits Luis Enrique and his Paris Saint-Germain charges on Tuesday evening, when the Champions League holders welcome one of their fiercest rivals for the crown to the Parc des Princes in a top-of-the-table league phase clash.

Both Les Parisiens and La Blaugrana are two for two in Europe in 2026-27, the former taking down Slovan Bratislava and Manchester City while Hansi Flick‘s side have torn apart Galatasaray and Feyenoord.

Top dogs in Europe for the past two seasons and already top of the continental tree this time around, PSG are on course to sail through to the last 16 as league-phase winners.

After failing to win any of their first three Ligue 1 games of the season, Les Parisiens have now triumphed in six on the spin in all tournaments.

Hardly masters of the rearguard arts themselves, Barcelona can only boast one clean sheet from their last seven games across all competitions, but the La Liga champions have also let their absorbing attack do the talking this term.

The joint-second highest scorers in the 2026-27 Champions League with nine goals – the same number as Aston Villa and one fewer than PSG’s unrivalled 10 – Barca put five past Feyenoord last month before hitting Galatasaray for four in Istanbul on matchday two, coming from a goal down to prevail 4-1.

Flick’s men have netted multiple goals in every single one of those triumphs too – firing in 48 in total – while Saturday’s success saw Barcelona become the first team since Real Madrid in 1968 to win each of their first nine La Liga matches in a single season.

However, the last two head-to-heads between PSG and Barcelona have seen the French champions prevail.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

Liverpool to maintain perfect record when they welcome Villarreal

Liverpool will look to maintain their perfect Champions League record on Tuesday, when Villarreal travel to Anfield.

The Reds are fifth in the league phase table with six points from six following their 6-3 success against LASK Linz on October 14, whereas the Spanish visitors are 14th with three points.

While many of the matches that the Reds have played this term have been closely fought, it should be noted that they have won six of their last eight fixtures in all competitions, and their only defeat in that time came against Man City, who had a player advantage for the final 30 minutes of the contest.

Results at Anfield have not been particularly strong this term, with the club losing one, drawing two and winning two of their five outings at the stadium.

Villarreal will arrive in England having settled for a goalless stalemate with Elche in La Liga, a result that left them 12th in the table with nine points from a possible 27.

While that draw was disappointing, they did at least emerge as 3-1 victors in their second Champions League game of the campaign, beating Napoli 3-1.

Head coach Inigo Perez will hope to oversee his side’s second triumph against Liverpool in five attempts, though his club have lost each of their last three meetings with Liverpool.

Reds fans should not expect a straightforward encounter given Villarreal have proven difficult to beat in recent weeks, but it would be surprising if the hosts failed to claim three points.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

Ailing Napoli  welcome Bodo/Glimt to Stadio Maradona

Still without a point in this season’s Champions League, ailing Napoli will welcome Bodo/Glimt to Stadio Maradona on Tuesday.

Also struggling in Serie A, the Italian side must try to get off the mark at their third attempt, but Bodo beat Borussia Dormund last week and are on a four-game winning run.

After losing at home to Arsenal on the opening matchday, Napoli visited Villarreal last week

and lost 3-1.

So, having failed to escape the league phase last term – finishing 30th in the 36-team table – Napoli could be treading the same path this season.

A former finalist with Juventus, current coach Massimiliano Allegri has now lost eight of his last nine Champions League matches – as many defeats as in the previous 40 combined.

Across all competitions, Napoli have lost five of their first nine fixtures this season, which represents their worst start for 25 years.

Still seeking their 100th win in Europe, the Campanian club will now meet Bodo/Glimt for the first time since winning both legs of a 1976 European Cup Winners’ Cup tie – their only competitive games against Norwegian opposition.

Meanwhile, Bodo have enjoyed meeting several Italian sides in the recent past, narrowly losing against AC Milan in 2020, before beating both Rome clubs, then toppling mighty Inter Milan last term.

None of Bodo/Glimt’s last 34 European matches have finished goalless, so there should be some final-third action at the Maradona.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

Man City look to return to winning ways against AEK Athens

A week after suffering a 4-2 beatdown by European champions Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City welcome AEK Athens to the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, looking to return to winning ways in the Champions League.

Enzo Maresca‘s men did secure maximum points in the Premier League at the weekend to maintain their unblemished record in the competition, but their overall performances remain mixed ahead of the Greek side’s visit.

Man City returned to the Etihad on Saturday, three days after PSG had all but played them off the park on home soil, needing a strong showing to overcome the promoted visitors.

The Norwegian, however, was one of five players who gave Maresca a fright during the match, leaving observers to wonder how the Sky Blues would handle the upcoming period of three fixtures in around three weeks before the next international break.

Nonetheless, Maresca’s men will remain professional and embrace an us-against-the-world mentality as they seek to extend their four-match unbeaten run against Greek sides in the Champions League.

AEK’s rested legs and established strike partnership could expose a City defence that conceded four goals against PSG before allowing promoted Ipswich to score twice at the weekend.

Nevertheless, the Yellow-Blacks’ miserable away record in the Champions League proper suggests that Maresca’s rotated side will return to winning ways with room to spare.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

FIXTURES

Fenerbahçe 16:45 Slavia Prague