Armed with a ruthless 5–0 domestic demolition of FK Jablonec, Czech heavyweights Slavia Praha step into the Fortuna Arena cauldron aiming to halt an imperious Arsenal side flying high from a statement 1–0 triumph over Liverpool at Anfield.
Buoyed by a stirring 2–2 comeback away at Bayern Munich that preserved their domestic rhythm, Niko Kovač’s Die Schwarzgelben return to Signal Iduna Park seeking to protect home turf against an imperious Real Betis squad arriving with a perfect 3–0 Champions League record.
Cruising on the back of six consecutive victories after dismantling Racing Santander 3–0, José Mourinho’s rampant Los Blancos land in Greece targeting European hegemony against an AEK Athens squad desperate to rebound from a deflating 2–0 derby defeat to Panathinaikos.
Re-energised by a ruthless 6–1 dismantling of Deportivo Alavés that erased their Clásico heartbreak, Hansi Flick’s Blaugrana welcome an ambitious Aston Villa side looking to turn the page on domestic frustration and protect their unbeaten continental run.
Carrying the momentum of a breathless 5–2 thrashing of Udinese, Gian Piero Gasperini’s flying Giallorossi head to Manchester aiming to compound the misery of a reeling Red Devils squad stung by a 2–0 Stamford Bridge defeat and battling an unforgiving winless run.
Carrying the momentum of a ruthless 4–0 road display against Konyaspor, Turkish table-toppers Galatasaray welcome a fearless VfB Stuttgart squad buzzing from an electric 4–2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
Bayern Munich are sweatling over the fitness of their two senior goalkeepers ahead of a crucial Champions League trip to Atletico Madrid. Manuel Neuer missed the recent Bundesliga clash with a foot issue, while his deputy Jonas Urbig suffered a heavy blow to the head during the match against Borussia Dortmund.
