Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (C) jokes with Marcelo (R) during a training session on the eve of their Champions League Group A match against Paris St Germain, at the team’s training grounds outside Madrid, Spain.
DPA/Berlin
Title holders Barcelona as well as Spanish league rivals Real Madrid and Valencia are among seven teams who can clinch early qualification for the knock-out stages of the Champions League with two games to spare.
Ex-champions Juventus, Paris St Germain, Manchester City and Zenit St Petersburg, the only team on maximum points, can also advance if all goes their way on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Record 10-times winners Real host PSG in a Group A topper at the Bernabeu, with both locked on seven points after drawing 0-0 in Paris last month. The winner will advance as long as bottom side Shakhtar Donetsk (zero) beat Malmo (three) in the other game.
“We have made a good start in the Champions League and we are already dreaming about an 11th triumph for the club. But we should not forget that there are still important group matches ahead of us,” Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas said.
“Tuesday’s game against PSG will be difficult, because they are an excellent team.”
Navas is expected back from injury along with Dani Carvajal, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema for the game which will also see the return of PSG’s Angel di Maria to his former club.
Real and Barca top the Spanish league on 24 points each, and Barca can also move into the last 16 on Wednesday.
They lead Group E on seven points and will move on with a home victory against BATE Borisov (three) and if Roma (two) don’t beat Bayer Leverkusen (four) in tbe other game.
Messi on the sidelines
Lionel Messi remains on the sidelines while Andres Iniesta and Sergi Roberto are fit again.
Valencia’s Group H could be decided on Wednesday as Zenit are top on nine from Valencia (six) and are definitely through with a home win against Gent (one). Valencia will join them if they prevail at Olympique Lyon (one).
Group D could also have both qualified teams if leaders Juventus (seven) win at Borussia Moenchengladbach (one) and City (six) prevail at Sevilla (three).
Juve are taking nothing for granted after being held 0-0 at home by the Germans who have turned around their Bundesliga season with six straight wins in a rise to fifth place from last.
“They’ve won their last six fixtures in the league and will have the advantage of playing in front of their home support,” Juve’s Claudio Marchisio said.
“Nevertheless we’ll be fighting for the three points, which would allow us to put more than one foot in the knockout stages.”
Of the other Premier League sides, Manchester United host CSKA Moscow with both locked on four behind Group B leaders Wolfsburg (six), who visit PSV Eindhoven (three).
Beleaguered Chelsea are third in Group G with four points ahead of a home date with number two Dynamo Kiev (five) while leaders Porto (seven) are at Maccabi Tel Aviv (zero).
“It’s a big game. It’s a game that we cannot lose,” manager Jose Mourinho told Chelsea TV as he looks to fend off criticism and secure his long-term future after losing six of their 11 league matches.
Arsenal go to Munich after beating them 2-0 at home last month in Group F where Bayern and Olympiacos have six each and Arsenal and Dinamo Zagreb three apiece.
Manager Arsene Wenger said he would “gladly accept a point” and that “we have to relieve the pressure whenever we can and try to score goals.”
Arsenal won 2-0 in Munich in the round of 16 in the previous camapign and drew 1-1 there in the same round in 2014 but went out on both occasions on away goals.
The 2013 winners Bayern are coming off their first dropped Bundesliga points in a 0-0 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt, with central defender Jerome Boateng urging “We have to do better against Arsenal.”
Today’s Fixtures
Group A
Real Madrid (Spain) v Paris St Germain (France); Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) v Malmo (Sweden)
Group B
Manchester United (England) v CSKA Moscow (Russia); PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) v VfL Wolfsburg (Germany)
Group C
Astana (Kazakhstan) v Atletico Madrid (Spain); Benfica (Portugal) v Galatasaray (Turkey)
Group D
Borussia Moenchengladbach (Germany) v Juventus (Italy); Sevilla (Spain) v Manchester City
