Wednesday evening brings more football from the Champions League. Manchester City host Bayern Munich while Manchester United travel to the Ukraine to play Shaktar Donetsk. Roberto Mancini takes his new club Galatasaray to Turin to play Juventus and Real Madrid play host to Danish club FC Copenhagen.
Man. City V Bayern Munich. Eastlands, The Etihad. KO 19.45 BST
City play host to European Champions Bayern Munich in mouth watering tie that should be jam packed full of attacking play.
Bayern Arrive at the Etihad in a purple patch of form in the competition having won their last six games, scoring 16 goals and conceding one.
The German outfit sit top of the Bundesliga and are undefeated so far but it hasn’t been plain sailing for Pep Guardiola in his new job.
Guardiola has had to contend with injuries a plenty to his midfield and has had to employ Philip Lahm as a make shift defensive midfielder in recent matches to help stem the flow. Not bad for one of the worlds greatest full backs. Lahm’s age is quite relevant too in that he cant always be marauding forward like he did in his younger days and at some point may drop into midfield. We know Pep is not scared to try players in different roles as with Javier Mascherano, while Barcelona manager he put the Argentinian at centre back to mixed reviews.
Manuel Pellegrini will look for his side to regain some form after the loss to Aston Villa at the weekend and will be helped by the return of David Silva and Sergio Aguero at the top end of the field.
City will want to build on the 3-0 win against Plzen in game one and make some forward strides in a competition they have found difficult at times against the very top sides. It’s a year almost to the day that City hosted eventual runners-up Borussia Dortmund and salvaged a 1-1 draw with heroics from Joe Hart and a Mario Ballotelli penalty, a draw tonight would certainly be helpful.
Prediction: 1-2.
Shaktar Donetsk V Manchester United Donbass Arena KO 19.45 BST
David Moyes takes his United side for a tough trip to the Ukraine looking to ignite some form from his players.
United have lost three of their last four games in the Premier League and the manager is under a little self induced pressure to start getting some performances from his men.
Despite league form, United and Shaktar have never met before but the Red Devils do have a good record against the other sides from the Ukraine.
Good form isn’t all United’s way however as in the four games that Shaktar have faced English opposition they have a 100% record at home proving a very tough place to go.
Robin Van Persie has made the trip over with the squad and is likely to feature from the bench, whole Rio Ferdinand will miss the game completely along with Anderson who started V WBA at the weekend.
Prediction: 1-2
AFV 