Champions League preview

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Last updated: 30th September 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Champions League preview

United travel to Denmark

Click below for individual match previews


AaB Aalborg v Man Utd, E
Villarreal v Celtic, E
Bayern Munich v Lyon, F
Fiorentina v Steaua Bucharest, F
Arsenal v FC Porto, G
Fenerbahce v Dynamo Kiev, G
BATE Borisov v Juventus, H
Zenit St Petersburg v Real Madrid, H

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Manchester United, Arsenal and Celtic all return to the European arena on Tuesday night hoping to improve on a disappointing Matchday One.

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Sir Alex Ferguson and Gordon Strachan were united in their frustrations two weeks' ago as their sides toiled to no avail against Villarreal and AaB Aalborg respectively.

United have yet to hit their stride this season but with Cristiano Ronaldo now firmly back in the frame and competition for places fierce, Ferguson can be confident his demand for no complacency in Denmark will be met.

Bruce Rioch's AaB rode their luck in coming away from Glasgow with a creditable 0-0 stalemate and again they will have to be at their best if they are to secure any kind of positive result, against what Ferguson has said will be his strongest side.

Celtic have taken just a solitary point from a possible 45 in a miserable Champions League record away from home and they will not find it easy to improve on these statistics at a talented and in-form Villarreal.

Arsenal dominated against Dynamo Kiev in their opening game but needed a late William Gallas goal to rescue a point after missing a glut of chances. A home defeat to Hull on Saturday left Arsene Wenger feeling 'physically sick' and having promised to make changes for the visit of Porto, it will be interesting to note who is sat alongside the Frenchman on the substitutes' bench.

Fenerbahce kicked off their campaign with a defeat to Porto, so will be well aware that at even such an early stage of the competition, a three-point haul is required from a home clash with Kiev.

Zenit St Petersburg have been tipped to shine this season following last term's Uefa Cup exploits, but in Group H it is the old guard Juventus and Real Madrid that lead the way after one round of matches.

Bernd Schuster's Madrid had too much for BATE Borisov but can expect a tough test on Tuesday, as they make the arduous trip to Russia to face Zenit.

On their return to Europe's premier club competition, Juventus will be looking to show the rest of the football fraternity that the Old Lady are back and coach Claudio Ranieri will be fully expecting to double his side's points tally to six by taking the spoils at BATE.

Group F looks to be one of the toughest to call as at least three of the four sides that make up the standings will be quietly confident of progression. Bayern Munich currently look down on their rivals having beaten Steaua Bucharest, while perennial dark horses Lyon were playing out a stalemate with new boys Fiorentina.

The French giants travel to Munich to play a Bayern side that have been in woeful form domestically under Jurgen Klinsmann's reign to date, while Fiorentina's hosting of Steaua in Florence should reap a first victory for the Viola.