UEFA Champions League Matchday 4 Preview, Group B: Nov. 2, 2010

Hapoel vs. Schalke

Well, things haven’t gone quite to plan for Hapoel; they have yet to get a point and have looked totally out of their depth in every single one of their matches.

They will be lucky to pick up a point from any of the matches with the way they have been playing, and Schalke aren’t exactly pushovers.

The problem is that they can’t defend to save their lives, and the German opposition they’ll be facing will punish them for it.

Shalke are bottom of the Bundesliga after losing to Leverkusen last week. They are one of a couple of German sides who are seriously struggling with their domestic performances.

They are by all rights a better side than Hapoel, although that doesn’t necessarily count for anything.

Beating the Israelis for a second time may just be enough to carry the Germans through, and the sooner they can concentrate on their league performances, the better.

If things keep on as they are at the moment then they are going to have some serious problems down the line.

Benfica vs. Lyon

Only two weeks ago, Lyon thrashed Benfica 2-0 in the reverse fixture, in a result which contrasts their league performances in a startling manner.

The French outfit have been pretty good, in fact it’s been flawless; most pundits speculate that it’s the only reason that coach, Claude Puel, is still in a job.

The board has declared that despite their poor league performances, he will remain in his post until the end of the season.

It is a mystery as to why the team seems to be performing so well in the Champions League when they can’t manage to string together any wins domestically.

The tendency to struggle to score must be hitting home by now, although if the club plays for the draw, then they should stay well on track for progression to the next round.

Benfica are still in with a chance to qualify; they are on the back foot, but a home win against the group leaders could be enough to get their ambitions back on track.

Really, it depends on how Lyon play, if they play the way they do domestically at the moment, this is Benfica’s match. On the other hand, form has not been Benfica’s friend either, recently.

Joe - livescoredaily.com - live scores and live sports