A look at what’s happening in the Champions League on Wednesday:
GROUP A
European champion Bayern Munich can secure a place in the knockout rounds with another win over Salzburg. The Austrian team put up a fight against Bayern in their last game and took the early lead but was eventually overwhelmed 6-2. Bayern’s main concern is its leaky defense. Bayern has conceded at least once in all of its last five games and dropped points in a 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Atlético Madrid, which plays Lokomotiv Moscow, hasn’t lost since the opening game against Bayern Munich in Germany. It has won five of its six games in all competitions since then, including against Barcelona in the Spanish league on Saturday. Diego Simeone again won’t be able to count on striker Luis Suárez because of a positive coronavirus test.
GROUP B
No one expected Real Madrid and Inter Milan to be struggling halfway through the group stage. Still, that's what has happened in a topsy-turvy group where neither Madrid nor Inter has beaten either of the supposed outsiders Borussia Mönchengladbach and Shakhtar Donetsk. That means Madrid's visit to Italy could leave one of the big two on the verge of elimination. “It's a final,” Inter coach Antonio Conte said. “We have to win.” Real Madrid will be without several players because of injuries, including Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos and Federico Valverde. Out because of positive coronavirus tests are defender Militão and forward Luka Jovic. Gladbach hammered Shakhtar 6-0 away and can extend its lead in the group with another win over the Ukrainian club.
GROUP C
One of four teams to have a 100% record after three group games, Manchester City needs just a point from its trip to Olympiakos to qualify for the round of 16 for an eighth straight season. City has netted three goals in each of its opening games, a far cry from its form in the Premier League where scoring has — somewhat unusually — been an issue for Pep Guardiola's team. Sergio Aguero could make his latest return from injury to strengthen City's attacking options after staying on the bench for the 2-0 loss to Tottenham on Saturday. Olympiakos starts the game in third place and three points behind Porto, which is away to a Marseille team that has yet to score a goal or collect a point this campaign. In fact, Marseille faces the humiliating prospect of setting a Champions League record of 13 straight defeats in the competition. Marseille shares the worst streak of 12 losses with Belgian club Anderlecht.
GROUP D
Liverpool can secure a spot in the knockout stage with two games to spare, and go a long way to clinching a first-place finish in the group, by beating Atalanta in their return match at Anfield. The English champions made it three wins from three by thrashing the Italian side 5-0 in their first meeting before the international break and are five points clear of both Atalanta and Ajax, who appear to be vying for the second spot. “It was a harsh result in the first leg but we start this game at 0-0,” Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini said. Mohamed Salah is available to play for Liverpool after returning to training following repeated negative tests for the coronavirus.
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A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Saturday:
GERMANY
Bayern Munich can seal a record 10th consecutive Bundesliga title in style with three games remaining with a victory at home over second-placed Borussia Dortmund. Bayern is hoping to continue its strong record against Dortmund after winning their last seven encounters. In Europe’s top five leagues, Bayern is tied for the record of nine consecutive titles with Juventus, which won Serie A every season from 2012 to 2020. For Dortmund, Erling Haaland ended a goal drought by scoring twice against Wolfsburg last week amid speculation over his future. Elsewhere, Leipzig hosts Union Berlin for the second time this week after winning their German Cup semifinal, and Champions League-chasing Freiburg hosts Borussia Mönchengladbach. Bayer Leverkusen visits last-placed Greuther Fürth, Eintracht Frankfurt takes on Hoffenheim, and Cologne plays Arminia Bielefeld.
PSG's Kylian Mbappe, center right, celebrates his goal with teammates during the League One soccer match between Angers and Paris Saint Germain, at the Raymond-Kopa stadium in Angers, western France, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (AP PhotoJeremias Gonzalez)
FRANCE
Paris Saint-Germain is just one point away from sealing a record-equaling 10th league title. With five matches left to play this season, Mauricio Pochettino’s players have the opportunity to wrap up their dominant campaign in front of their home fans against Lens at the Parc des Princes. PSG has a 15-point lead over Marseille and can be crowned even if it loses against Lens on the condition that Marseille does not beat Reims on Sunday. PSG is set to move level with Saint-Etienne, which won its 10th title in 1981 and is fighting to stay up this season. Only two of PSG's previous titles — in 1986 and 1994 — were conquered before Qatar Sports Investments took over PSG in 2011 with the aim of turning it into a world-class club. Also, Saint-Etienne hosts in-form Monaco and Montpellier travels to Lyon.
ENGLAND
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola gestures during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (AP PhotoDave Thompson)
Manchester City can move four points clear of second-placed Liverpool in the back-and-forth Premier League title race with a home win over relegation-threatened Watford. A victory for City would put pressure on Liverpool ahead of its Merseyside derby against Everton on Sunday. More intrigue this weekend might lie in the race for Champions League qualification, with two candidates meeting at Emirates Stadium when fifth-placed Arsenal hosts sixth-placed Manchester United. Arsenal is tied on points with fourth-placed Tottenham, with United three points back. Tottenham visits Brentford in a match between Christian Eriksen's past and present clubs. Last-placed Norwich is eight points from safety heading into a home match against Newcastle, and Leicester hosts Aston Villa in the other game.
SPAIN
Real Betis and Valencia play the final of Spain’s Copa del Rey in Betis’ hometown of Seville. The match will be at Estadio La Cartuja, a neutral ground where Spain’s national team played its group phase matches for last year’s European Championship. Valencia will be seeking its ninth Copa del Rey after winning No. 8 in 2019. Betis’ second and last cup title came back in 2005. The winner will also earn a Europa League berth.
ITALY
Inter Milan forward Edin Džeko could bring up a century of Serie A goals by scoring twice against his former club as the defending champion hosts Roma. Džeko has a total of 98 goals in the Italian league — 13 for Inter this season and the rest in five years at Roma. A win would send Inter to the top of Serie A, with current leader AC Milan playing at Lazio on Sunday. Inter will also be buoyed after beating Milan 3-0 midweek to reach the Italian Cup final. A win could reignite Roma’s challenge for a Champions League berth. Atalanta has seen its hopes of a top-four finish evaporate following a run of three straight defeats and it visits relegation-threatened Venezia. Two other sides battling the drop, Sampdoria and Spezia, travel to Hellas Verona and Torino respectively.
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