Football – Champions League | Atletico puts new stadium to the test against Chelsea

Chelsea’s Alvaro Morata

Atletico Madrid will try to extend its successful home streak when it makes its Champions League debut at the new Wanda Metropolitano Stadium tomorrow [Thursday, 2:45am] against Chelsea.

It will be Atletico’s third match at the venue which replaced the Vicente Calderon Stadium, where Atletico was unbeaten in its last 11 games in the European competition.

Thursday, 2:45am
Atletico v Chelsea
H 2.18, D 3.3, A 4

Atletico has won both of its matches at the Wanda Metropolitano — 1-0 against Malaga and 2-0 against Sevilla, both in the Spanish league

“The Metropolitano has the feel of a Roman circus,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said.

Barcelona travels to Portugal to face Sporting Lisbon tomorrow, riding a seven-game winning streak that includes the emphatic 3-0 win over Juventus in its Champions League opener.

Sporting, off to a great start in the Portuguese league, can make it two wins in a row to start its Group D campaign.

Early today, Sevilla will host Maribor, which is coming off its first loss of the season against Atletico Madrid.

Thursday, 2:45am
CSKA v Manchester United

H 6, D 3.9, A 1.7

The Champions League provides Russian authorities with a key test of their World Cup readiness this week, and a glimpse at the welcome fans can expect next year. Two of England’s fiercest rivals, Liverpool and Manchester United, play on consecutive nights in Moscow.

Liverpool is first up against Spartak Moscow, and CSKA Moscow plays United the following night. There isn’t typically disorder when the teams — separated by about 48 kilometers in northwest England — meet on home soil. But since England fans were attacked by Russians at the 2016 European Championship in Marseille, concerns have heightened about hooliganism in the 2018 World Cup host nation. United and Liverpool fans have been advised by the British government not to wear club colors on the streets of Moscow and to avoid walking alone.

On the pitch, United and CSKA both won their opening games in Group A. Liverpool and Spartak are chasing their first wins after starting Group E with draws.

Thursday, 2:45am

Paris St. Germain v Bayern
H 2.05, D 4, A 3.75

A bust-up between Edinson Cavani and Neymar combined with a goalless draw at Montpellier have generated a sense of trouble at Paris Saint-Germain ahead of Bayern Munich’s visit tomorrow.

Cavani and Neymar have reportedly made peace after arguing on the pitch, but PSG dropped its first points this season following a dismal performance at Montpellier that raised concerns about the side’s dependence on its Brazilian star.

Neymar sat out Saturday’s game because of a toe injury and his absence was obvious. Facing a very defensive side which closed spaces efficiently, PSG did not find a way to break the deadlock in a 4-3-3 system that lacked rhythm and creativity.

“We need to push more in order to score goals,” PSG coach Unai Emery said. “This match leaves us with a lot of things to analyze in order to continue our progression.”

Neymar is expected to return for the Bayern game in Group B.

Thursday, 2:45am
FK Karabakh v Roma
H 8.2, D 4.75, A 1.46

Roma will be hopeful of ending a woeful away record in the Champions League when it travels to Azerbaijan for the first time, to play Qarabag tomorrow.

Including qualifying, Roma has won only one of its past 13 matches on its travels in Europe’s elite competition, with that sole victory coming against Basel in 2009.

But coach Eusebio Di Francesco will be hopeful of success against Qarabag, which lost 6-0 at Chelsea in the last round.

He will again look to an in-form Edin Dzeko, who netted his fifth goal in three matches in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Udinese.

Stephan El Shaarawy scored twice in that match and Di Francesco has described him as “the ideal attacker” for his preferred 4-3-3 formation, which he hopes will boost Roma in Europe as well as domestically.

AP/ oddschecker.com