The Champions League splits sharply at the top and bottom entering its third round. Nine clubs carry maximum points from their opening two matches: PSG, Barcelona, Aston Villa, VfB Stuttgart, Liverpool, Sporting CP, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Real Betis. Eight others, Inter and Napoli among them, have none.
The headline fixture is in Paris. PSG host Barcelona at Parc des Princes at 9pm local time today, with both sides sitting on six points and a +7 goal difference. The loser slips three points behind at least seven other clubs in the single-table league phase.
Also at 8pm local time, Liverpool meet Villarreal at Anfield. Liverpool are one of the perfect nine after a 2-1 win over Atlético Madrid and a 6-3 away result at LASK.
Italian crisis deepens
For Inter and Napoli, Matchday 3 is already a rescue mission. Both Serie A sides opened with two defeats. Inter lost 2-1 to Real Madrid before falling 4-3 at Club Brugge. Napoli lost 1-0 to Arsenal and then 3-1 at home to Villarreal.
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UEFA’s own matchday preview spells out the trends. The governing body notes Napoli are without a victory in their last five Champions League matches, their longest winless run in the competition. Inter have lost their last four Champions League matches, the club’s longest losing run in the competition.
Napoli is at the Arctic Circle today to face Bodø/Glimt, who sit 25th after one draw and one defeat. Inter host Shakhtar Donetsk at San Siro on Wednesday at 9pm local time. In the condensed 36-team format, where the top eight finishers go straight to the last 16 and places 9 to 24 enter play-offs, a third loss would leave either club needing a run of wins across the remaining five matchdays simply to reach the knockout stage.
Arsenal travel to Munich on Wednesday
Arsenal, one of the nine clubs on maximum points, visit Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Bayern themselves sit on four points after a win and a draw, so the fixture pits a perfect record against a near-perfect one rather than two unbeaten sides. Real Madrid, also on maximum, welcome RB Leipzig to the Bernabéu, and Aston Villa, the surprise package among the unbeaten group, host Viking.
Direct meetings between pointless clubs are also on the Wednesday card. Lille, on zero points, host Galatasaray, also on zero, in a game that will leave at least one of them still looking for a first result. Porto, another of the pointless eight, open the main Tuesday evening slate at home to PSV.
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Full Matchday 3 schedule
Tuesday, October 20, 6:45pm local time:
- Fenerbahçe vs Slavia Praha
- Sabah vs Borussia Dortmund
Tuesday, October 20, main evening slate:
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona
- Liverpool vs Villarreal
- Manchester City vs AEK Athens
- Roma vs Slovan Bratislava
- Porto vs PSV
- Napoli vs Bodø/Glimt
- Stuttgart vs Atlético Madrid
Wednesday, October 21, 6:45pm local time:
- Lille vs Galatasaray
- Como vs Manchester United
Wednesday, October 21, main evening slate:
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- Bayern Munich vs Arsenal
- Real Madrid vs RB Leipzig
- Inter vs Shakhtar Donetsk
- Sporting CP vs LASK
- Aston Villa vs Viking
- Club Brugge vs Lens
- Real Betis vs Feyenoord
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