Gameweek 5 of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League (UCL) is set to be played on November 26 and 28.
Here are some things to keep in mind.
Clash of the Bavarians and the Parisians
FC Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain FC
In yet another mouth-watering clash, Bayern Munich will take on PSG at the Allianz Arena this Gameweek. Both teams have thus far had mixed fortunes in this season’s Champions League.
While performing well in their respective domestic leagues, the two sides haven’t been able to replicate the same form in the Champions League yet. This, however, is a far more important game for PSG, who need to get all three points from this fixture after losing to Atlético Madrid last time out. The Allianz Arena is usually a fortress for the Bavarians, who dominate opposition teams at home.
It’s going to be a great match-up between two aggressive forward lines, one which both sets of fans and the neutrals will relish.
The red-hot Reds take on the Galácticos at Anfield
Liverpool FC vs Real Madrid CF
Despite the change in personnel in management, the Reds have been near faultless thus far and sit pretty at the top of both the Premier League and Champions League tables. Real Madrid, on the other hand, have been ravaged by injuries and currently lie out of the top eight in the Champions League table and are second in LaLiga behind Barcelona.
With two losses in four games, the Galácticos cannot afford to drop any more points, making this a vitally important fixture for them. Liverpool are currently the most in-form team in Europe’s top leagues, but they won’t be taking this one lightly given their recent record against Los Blancos and will want to set the record straight, especially given they’ll be playing at home.
It’s going to be a cracker of a game as the two European heavyweights will look to outmanoeuvre each other tactically.
Sporting looking to take aim at the Gunners
Sporting CP vs Arsenal FC
Sporting CP will be looking to beat a second English team in consecutive UCL Gameweeks after thrashing Man City in the last one. Arsenal, on the other hand, will want to showcase their credentials as potential Champions League champions with a massive away win.
This will be a battle of the high-flying Sporting forward line that boasts Viktor Gyökeres, Pedro Gonçalves, and Francisco Trincão against the much-vaunted Arsenal defensive duo of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães. The Gunners have been dealing with injury issues, however, and an away game at a fully-packed Estadio José Alvalade could be a daunting task, but Mikel Arteta’s team remain the much stronger side on paper and thus expected to edge the Primeira Liga champions for the three points here.
The Villans host the Old Lady at Villa Park
Aston Villa FC vs Juventus FC
After their poor showing last time out, Aston Villa will be looking to get back to winning ways, though they have in front of them a formidable opponent in Juventus, who after the draw against Lille in the last Gameweek will look to tighten their grip on direct qualification to the knockouts with a vital away win.
Villa do possess great attacking threat up front with the likes of Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers, Leon Bailey, and Jhon Durán, though Juve’s defensive record has been far superior than their opponents thus far.
In a week in which three out of four English teams have difficult Premier League fixtures ahead of them, it will be interesting to see how they fare against their European opponents.
Other key fixtures
FC Internazionale Milan vs RB Leipzig
After their win against Arsenal in the last Gameweek, Inter Milan are set to host German Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig at the San Siro.
Even though Leipzig have fared well in their domestic league, they have lost all four encounters in the UCL so far and are languishing in the lower half of the table. As for the Nerazzurri, they are in the top half, having won three and lost one.
On the basis of form and the advantage of playing at home, this could be Inter’s game to lose, though bigger upsets have already happened in this Champions League season, so Leipzig with their talented forward line will back themselves to pull a rabbit out of the hat in this one.
AS Monaco vs SL Benfica
Monaco have been one of the surprise teams of the first UCL phase so far with three wins and one defeat. Benfica, on the other hand, started well but have suffered back-to-back losses.
Monaco boast a balanced side and play attractive football. They score goals and know how to defend, though beating Benfica will be no cakewalk. Here’s one more exciting fixture for the fans to watch out for in Gameweek 5 of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League.
Also read: UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Sponsors
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