Euro-files
Champions League Group Stages TUESDAY
GROUP A Manchester United v FC Basle (Old Trafford, 7.45pm) BASLE look ideal opposition as United return to the n CL, but the Swiss champions have drawn at Old Trafford in both their previous visits. Michael Carrick is the last member of United’s 2008 CL winners still at the club. OTHER GROUP GAME: Benfica v CSKA Moscow GROUP C Chelsea v FK Qarabag (Stamford Bridge, 7.45pm) JUST four months after helping Real Madrid lift the n trophy, Alvaro Morata will be Chelsea’s goalscoring hope against Qarabag of Azerbaijan. Nothing less than three points will do with Atletico Madrid and Roma next. OTHER GROUP GAME: Roma v Atletico Madrid GROUP B Celtic v Paris Saint-Germain (Parkhead, 7.45pm) WELL, it doesn’t get much tougher than this for n Brendan Rodgers. And he knows it. He said: ‘There’s a wee bit of pain in there for supporters and players as you’re so used to dominating. But it’s the level we’re at!’ OTHER GROUP GAME: Bayern Munich v Anderlecht
WEDNESDAY
GROUP E Liverpool v Sevilla (Anfield, 7.45pm) THE Champions League is back at Anfield for the first n time in three years. And defender Andy Robertson will need to have his skates on against former Manchester City flyer Jesus Navas. OTHER GROUP GAME: NK Maribor v Spartak Moscow GROUP F Feyenoord v Manchester City (De Kuip Stadium, 7.45pm) FEYENOORD are Dutch champions again after 18 n years of hurt and Pep Guardiola’s side face a hostile atmosphere in Rotterdam. The Dutch side’s goalkeeper is Brad Jones who spent five years at Liverpool. OTHER GROUP GAME: Shakhtar Donetsk v Napoli GROUP H Tottenham v Borussia Dortmund (Wembley, 7.45pm) ASSUMING Real Madrid qualify from the group and Apoel Nicosia won’t, Tottenham’s opener already has a winner-takes-all feel to it. Spurs won only once in four European games at Wembley last season. OTHER GROUP GAME: Real Madrid v Apoel Nicosia THE Champions League returns this week and Irish viewers will be able to watch all the action on RTÉ, TV3 and BT Sport , while the eir Sport Pack will play host to every live televised game from the competition. BT’s portfolio now includes every CL game and Europa League game, 42 Premier League matches per season, 24 FA Cup games, Scottish football plus live games from France, Germany and Italy. Their CL coverage will be fronted once again by Gary Lineker (right).
Europa League Group Stages THURSDAY
GROUP E — Atalanta v Everton (Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia, 6.0pm) RONALD KOEMAN’S well-organised side conceded only once in four matches to reach the group stages — and Gylfi Sigurdsson’s goal from the halfway line in Split will be talked about for years. OTHER GROUP GAME: Apollon Limassol v Lyon GROUP H Arsenal v FC Cologne (Emirates Stadium, 8.05pm) ARSENAL lost the 2000 UEFA Cup final on penalties to Galatasaray and this is their first game back in the second-tier competition. Cologne lost striker Anthony Modeste to Chinese club Tianjin this summer. OTHER GROUP GAME: Red Star Belgrade v BATE Borisov