Champions League Matchday Five Preview

After a thrilling Matchday Four of the Champions League in which five teams advanced onto the knockout stages, and we also got to see several great games that have major advancement implications on the line for the teams involved.

From great comebacks draws by Manchester United over CSKA Moscow and by Atletico Madrid over Chelsea, to games that might have eliminated a big contender such as Bordeaux winning 2-0 in Munich over Bayern Munich, Lyon tying Liverpool at the end of regulation at the Stade de Gerland, and Rubin Kazan and Barcelona in a scoreless draw, many big European teams will be fighting for the chance to advance onto the knockout stage of the Champions League.

Here is a preview of Matchday Five of the Champions League, which truly is the biggest weak in the Champions League so far this year.

 

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Group E

Debreceni v Liverpool

After a 1-1 loss in France during Matchday Four, Liverpool now find themselves in dire need of a win in Budapest against Debreceni, as a loss here would eliminate Liverpool from the Champions League.

However, Liverpool will have to do this without Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel, who will both miss the match due to injury.

Meanwhile for Debreceni, they have yet to gain a point so far in the Champions League, and they will need to beat Liverpool here if they have any chance of qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

Fiorentina v Lyon

After getting the first knockout birth at home during Matchday Four at the expense of Liverpool, Lyon will now travel to Italy to take on Fiorentina, who will qualify for the knockout stages with a win here.

There will be a lot of pressure on Fiorentina to win this match, even against a Lyon squad that will probably rest most of their regulars because failure to win here will most likely mean that Fiorentina must win at Anfield during Matchday Six.

 

Group F

Rubin Kazan v Dynamo Kiev

The recently crowned Russian Premier League champions for a second year in a row, Rubin Kazan will look to get into a prime position to advance at home against Dynamo Kiev, who beat Rubin 3-1 during Matchday One.

Rubin could advance onto the knockout round with a win here and a Barcelona loss to Inter Milan while Dynamo Kiev are currently last in Group F, but are only two points behind leader Inter Milan from going into first in Group F.

FC Barcelona v Inter Milan

In one of the premier matches of Matchday Five, Inter Milan will travel to the Camp Nou in a battle that could cause one of these two giants to be eliminated from the Champions League.

This will be the return trip for former Barcelona star Samuel Eto'o and former assistant Barcelona assistant and current Inter manager Jose Mourinho to their old haunting grounds.

But Barcelona will have to keep their streak of not losing consecutive home Champions League matches and getting into prime position to qualify for the knockout round without superstar Lionel Messi due to a thigh injury for this match.

 

Group G

Rangers v VfB Stuttgart

Despite being in last place in Group G, Rangers find themselves in a must-win game at Ibrox against Stuttgart with a UEFA Cup spot on the line, and possibly a knockout stage spot could be on the line between the two bottom sides in Group G.

Meanwhile for Stuttgart, they could find themselves in last place with a loss here but they could still sneak into the knockout stage with a win on Matchday Six and a Rangers loss.

Unirea Urziceni v Sevilla

After getting four points in their last two matches over Rangers, Urziceni will be looking to advance onto the knockout stage with a win in Romania.

Meanwhile for Sevilla, they could be advancing onto the knockout stage with only a draw, as they are in complete control of Group G with ten points through their first four matches.

 

Group H

AZ Alkmaar v Olympiakos

After a 4-1 loss in London during Matchday Four, Alkmaar find themselves down by four points with two matches left to play, and will have to face Olympiakos, who are currently in second place.

Olympiakos will be looking to get that knockout stage spot here, needing only a draw to get them through to the knockout stage.

Arsenal v Standard de Liege

After a 4-1 home win during Matchday Four, Arsenal will look to go onto the knockout stage, needing only a home draw against Standard de Liege to advance.

Standard will be fighting for their Champions League lives in London, but will have to do so without Milan Jovanovic and Igor de Camargo due to injury.

 

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Group A

Bordeaux v Juventus

After qualifying for the knockout round in Matchday Four, Bordeaux will now have to take on Italian giant Juventus, which needs a win in order to qualify for the knockout stages.

Bordeaux currently find themselves just needing a win here in order to gain the top spot in Group A while Juventus know a loss here means that they will have to face Bayern Munich in a winner-take all match in Italy during Matchday Six.

Bayern Munich v Maccabi Haifa

After losing during Matchday Four at home, Bayern Munich now find themselves in a must-win situation, as a loss would eliminate them from the Champions League.

Meanwhile for Maccabi Haifa, they are all but eliminated from all European competition, so all that they are playing for is pride, but they could be a spoiler by winning in Germany.

Group B

CSKA Moscow v VfL Wolfsburg

After nearly winning at Old Trafford in Matchday Four, CSKA Moscow will head back home to the Luzhniki Stadium to take on VfL Wolfsburg in a must-win match for both sides.

Despite a change of manager and barely clinging onto a spot in Europe next year, CSKA Moscow find themselves in a position in which they could get into the knockout stages.

Meanwhile for VfL Wolfsburg, if they win, they are onto the knockout stage for the first time in their history but they will have to do so in the frigid weather in Moscow.

Manchester United v Besiktas

After an unbelievable comeback draw with CSKA Moscow last time out that earned them a birth in the knockout stages, Manchester United will look to clinch the top spot in Group B with a win at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile for Besiktas, they did hold United to one goal in Turkey during Matchday One, but still lost and are just playing for pride with the one point that they have earned in the Champions League this year.

Group C

Real Madrid v FC Zurich

After earning a draw at the San Siro against AC Milan during Matchday Four, Real Madrid will look to bolster a spot into the knockout stages of the Champions League at the Bernabeu.

Real will most likely be without Cristiano Ronaldo here, but will have to face FC Barcelona in "El Classico" next weekend, which will clearly be on their mind.

Meanwhile for Zurich, they are looking to get some more points in the Champions League, as they have already beaten AC Milan at the San Siro, and they could also win at the Bernabeu.

AC Milan v Marseille

After a draw against Real Madrid during Matchday Four, AC Milan will look to clinch a spot in the knockout stages with a win over Marseille.

Meanwhile, Marseille have sneaked up on the leaders with wins in their last two matches, and a win here could be the deciding factor in them making the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Group D

FC Porto v Chelsea

After both sides qualified for the Champions League knockout stages during Matchday Four, Porto and Chelsea will meet at the Estadio de Dragao in Porto in what will be the deciding factor in who will finish first in Group D.

These two sides met during Matchday One at Stamford Bridge, in which Chelsea won 1-0, but this match will be even more important with the huge Group D winner implications on the line here.

APOEL v Atletico Madrid

The only matchup of Matchday Five in which both sides were already eliminated, APOEL and Atletico Madrid meet in Matchday Five with a Europa League spot now on the line between these two sides.

On Matchday One, APOEL and Atletico Madrid had a 1-1 draw at the Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid, but this match in Cyprus could cause Atletico's already bad season to get even worse if they lose to APOEL.