🔗 Share this article

Welcome to another night of thrilling European Cup football. Nine games are set for this evening, with 3 British teams in play. The Blues take on Barcelona in the standout fixture of the night, whilst Newcastle visit Marseille and Manchester City host Bayer Leverkusen.

League Table

We're at the midway point of the group phase, so the standings is taking form. All six English sides are presently in the top 12, however there are only two points separating fifth and 16th position, so there's a sense of volatility about the whole thing. Everything is to play for.

Match Schedule

Here are tonight’s fixtures, each kicking off at 8pm unless stated:

• Ajax 0-1 Benfica (5.45pm)
• Union SG and Galatasaray level at 0-0 (5.45pm)
• Bodo/Glimt v Juventus
• Barcelona take on Chelsea
• Villarreal meet Dortmund
• Man City v Leverkusen
• Newcastle travel to Marseille
• Qarabag play Napoli
• Slavia Prague v Athletic Bilbao

Squad Updates

Fofana, Caicedo, Alejandro Garnacho, Gusto and Estevao join the Blues lineup. Excluded are Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Jamie Gittens, Joao Pedro and Delap.

Yamal starts for Barça; Marcus Rashford is among the substitutes.

Chelsea (probable 4-3-3) Sanchez; Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella; Gusto, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez; Estevao, Neto, Alejandro Garnacho.

Substitutes: Kjell Scherpen, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Liam Delap, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, Andrey Santos, Joao Pedro, Hato, Leo George, Acheampong, Marc Guiu, Buonanotte.

Barcelona (probable four-two-three-one): Joan Garcia; Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Balde; Eric Garcia, Frenkie de Jong; Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Ferran Torres; Robert Lewandowski.

Substitutes: Wojciech Szczesny, Kochen, Raphinha, Marcus Rashford, Christensen, Casado, Gerard, Olmo, Noah Darvich, Dario Fernandez, Roony Bardghji.

Referee Vincic (Slovenia).

Past Meetings

The only previous meeting between Newcastle and Marseille was the Europa League semifinal of 2004, won by an emerging superstar from Ivory Coast. Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester City have never met before. Chelsea and Barcelona have a notable history.

Early Match Updates

Only a single goal during the opening period of the early fixtures. Dahl's 6th-minute goal has given Benfica under Mourinho a one-nil advantage away to Ajax.

Newcastle’s Trip to Marseille

Although Newcastle arrived in the French south fresh from their confidence-boosting two-one home Premier League win over Manchester City on Saturday, and having defeated Union SG, Benfica and Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League, their only away win since early April came in Brussels at Union SG.

Not that Eddie Howe was overly keen to discuss the mental side of this away form issue. “The Champions League is different to Premier League games,” said the manager, whose team are sixth in the European table, with 9 pts from a possible 12 and direct progression to the knockout phase almost within touching distance. “I don’t know if you can draw parallels between them.”

A dedicated live feed is available for Chelsea v Barcelona. Scott Murray, the MBM equivalent of Diego Maradona is on duty for that.