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Football Lukaku on the verge of personal milestone as Fenerbahçe makes UCL trip to Villa.Aston Villa vs. Fenerbahçe kicks off at 20:00 [GMT+1] on Wednesday, October 15, at Villa Park.
Aston Villa have won all three previous meetings between the clubs without conceding. Their most recent encounter came on Matchday 7 of last season’s UEFA Europa League, when Jadon Sancho scored the only goal in a 1-0 away victory. The English side also recorded a 4-0 home win and a 2-0 away victory in the first round of the 1977/78 UEFA Cup. Hence, Villa will head into Wednesday’s clash with plenty of confidence. In addition, Unai Emery’s team have won five of their seven matches against Turkish opposition, drawing one and losing one. They have also won all three home fixtures against Turkish clubs. On a broader note, Villa will enter this encounter with an impressive European record, having won 12 of their last 14 continental matches, with two defeats. They are unbeaten in their last 13 home European fixtures, drawing once and winning the ten most recent, while keeping nine clean sheets during that run, a record they would be keen to extend on Wednesday. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Nicolas Jackson in attack is expected against the Turkish side. Maatsen (ankle) is ruled out, while Leon Goretzka (fitness), Hemmings (knee), and Ruggeri (hamstring) are all in doubt.
Football Isco eyes key UCL games as Betis welcomes Porto.Real Betis vs. FC Porto begins at 20:00 [GMT+1] on Wednesday, October 14, at the Estadio de La Cartuja.
Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis began their campaign with a 3-2 victory away to LOSC Lille, extending their impressive continental record. The Seville side have now lost only three of their last 13 European matches, recording seven wins and three draws. They have also suffered just one defeat in their last 11 UEFA competition league phase fixtures, winning eight and drawing two. Betis’ attacking performances at home could prove particularly important. They have scored at least twice in each of their last nine home European matches, while only one of their last 48 continental fixtures has ended goalless. However, their most recent home campaign in Europe ended painfully against Portuguese opposition. After finishing fourth in the 2025/26 Europa League league phase with five wins, two draws and one defeat, they eliminated Panathinaikos 4-1 on aggregate before losing 5-3 overall to Braga in the quarter-finals. A 4-2 second-leg defeat in Seville ended their eight-match unbeaten home European run, comprising six victories and two draws. On a broader note, Betis have won three, drawn two, and lost three of their eight matches against Portuguese clubs. "So far, so good. We’ve played one game and won. We have two consecutive home games against Porto and Feyenoord, and I think these two matches will be key to advancing to the next round. The goal, as I said before, is to fight as hard as we can, try to get as far as possible, and compete," Betis midfielder Isco said ahead of the game. Manuel Pellegrini is expected to deploy a 4—2—3—1 formation with Troy Parrott in attack.
Football Bodø/Glimt, Borussia Dortmund clash as UCL returns.Bodø/Glimt vs. Borussia Dortmund begins at 20:00 [GMT+1 on Wednesday, October 14, at the Aspmyra Stadion.
This is Bodø/Glimt's fifth Champions League campaign, all since 2021, and their second consecutive appearance in the competition proper. Last season, they reached the round of 16 after eliminating Inter in the knockout phase play-offs, winning both legs, before Sporting CP ended their campaign. Bodø/Glimt's 5-0 defeat away to Bayern München on Matchday 1 extended their winless record against German opponents to four matches, comprising two draws and two defeats. Nevertheless, the result was only their second loss in their last 11 European fixtures, during which they have recorded eight victories and one draw. Kjetil Knutsen's side have demonstrated considerable attacking strength in European competition, scoring at least twice in 11 of their last 13 matches. They overcame Union Saint-Gilloise 6-5 on aggregate in this season's third qualifying round before defeating NEC Nijmegen 6-1 overall in the play-offs. Their home form offers further encouragement, with five consecutive European victories, each featuring three goals scored. Only five of their 116 matches in UEFA competitions have ended goalless, leaving them with plenty of confidence ahead of Wednesday’s clash despite the quality of the opposition. A 4—3—3 formation with Andreas Helmersen, Jens Petter-Hauge, and Ole Didrik Blomberg in attack is expected against Dortmund. Meanwhile, Odin Bjørtuft is suspended for this fixture.
Football “We’re built to play in the Champions League,” Enrique says as PSG visits Man City.Manchester City vs. Paris Saint-Germain kicks off at 20:00 [GMT+1] on Wednesday, October 14, at the Etihad.
City’s European consistency remains impressive. This is their 16th consecutive Champions League campaign, and they have reached the knockout stages in each of the last 12 seasons. They finished eighth in last season's league phase with five wins, one draw, and two defeats but were eliminated by Real Madrid in the round of 16 for the third successive season. City opened this UCL campaign with a 2-0 away victory against Porto, Haaland scoring both goals, leaving the Norwegian with 59 goals in 59 Champions League appearances. The Sky Blues are now gearing up for a familiar contest with PSG, whom they have met eight times, with City recording four victories against Paris' two. However, the French side won the most recent encounter, producing a remarkable comeback from two goals down to triumph 4-2 at the Parc des Princes on Matchday 7 last season. Meanwhile, City are unbeaten in four home meetings with Paris, winning three and drawing one, including each of the last three encounters. Their broader record against French opposition stands at five wins, one draw, and two defeats in their last eight matches, although they have won only once in their last four. Their home record remains formidable also, with just one defeat in their last 25 group stage or league phase matches, alongside 21 victories and three draws. Enzo Maresca is expected to leave Erling Haaland at the attacking end of City’s 4—2—3—1 once again. Should the Norwegian be on target, he would exceed Sergio Agüero’s record of Champions League 36 goals.
Football Shakhtar to play UCL ‘home’ game in Stamford Bridge with Athens set to visit.Shakhtar Donetsk vs. AEK Athens kicks off at 20:00 [GMT+1] on Wednesday, October 14, at Stamford Bridge.
Shakhtar Donetsk are appearing in the UEFA Champions League proper for the 20th time overall and the ninth time in ten seasons. The Ukrainian side will take on AEK Athens for their ‘home’ game at Stamford Bridge. Shakhtar Donetsk have failed to play any of their home games in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk due to the ongoing war. "Playing our Champions League home matches at Stamford Bridge is a special opportunity for Shakhtar. We are grateful to Chelsea Football Club for the opportunity to host our games at this special venue. Stamford Bridge is one of the most famous stadiums in world football, with an incredible history and atmosphere,” a statement from the club read in part. Shakhtar earned a 1-1 draw away to PSV Eindhoven on MD 1. They now face the Greek side in what is the first meeting between both teams in UEFA competition. Fortunately, they have an unbeaten record against Greek opposition, winning once and drawing four times in five matches. However, their most recent encounter with a Greek club ended in disappointment, as they lost to Panathinaikos on penalties in last season's Europa League third qualifying round after two goalless draws. Kauã Elias is expected at the attacking end of Shakhtar’s 4—2—3—1 setup. Eguinaldo is ruled out for the home side. Isaque and Gleiker Mendoza were rested for the 3-0 win over NK Veres Rivne on Friday night but expected to get in from the get-go on Wednesday.
Football Mourinho returns to Roma as Madrid visits Stadio Olimpico for UCL clash.Real Madrid [WWWLW] arrive in the Italian capital seeking to maintain their impressive European record under Mourinho. They narrowly defeated Inter Milan 2-1 on UCL matchday one, capitalising on high turnovers for both goals, before grinding out a 1-0 victory over Villarreal on Saturday despite Vinícius Júnior’s dismissal. Los Blancos have lost just one of their UCL main-draw fixtures under Mourinho, recording 15 wins and three draws in the process [15W, 3D, 1L]. However, their away form presents a potential weakness, with four defeats across their last eight UCL trips [4W, 0D, 4L]. Both of their competitive losses this season have also come on the road, suggesting they remain vulnerable away from the Bernabéu. Madrid will be without Éder Militão and Rodrygo. They may file out in a 4—2—3—1 setup with Kylian Mbappe leading the charge in the final third against Roma.
Football Slovan, Stuttgart go head-to-head in UCL encounter.Bratislava vs. Stuttgart begins at 20:00 [GMT+1] on Wednesday, October 14, at the Tehelné Pole.
Slovan are making their second appearance in the Champions League proper after finishing 35th in the league phase last season, having lost all eight matches. Their route back to the competition required another qualifying campaign, which they successfully negotiated for only the second time in 13 attempts. They defeated Iberia Tbilisi 3-1 on aggregate, overcame Mjällby 4-1 and then edged Celje 3-2 after extra time in the play-offs. Having suffered an embarrassing 6-1 loss to PSG on MD 1, Slovan have now lost all nine matches in the Champions League proper, conceding 41 goals at an average of 4.55 per game. Nevertheless, they have scored in each of those nine fixtures, while only one of their last 58 European matches has finished goalless. Despite the grim statistics, picking up a victory over Stuttgart will be the priority here. However, they have struggled against German opposition, going five matches without a victory, with one draw and four defeats. Their latest encounter ended in a 3-1 loss away to Bayern München in the 2024/25 Champions League, leaving them plenty to ponder upon as they make preparations to face Stuttgart. Andraz Sporar is expected at the attacking end of Stuttgart’s 4—2—3—1 formation.
Football Feyenoord aim to extend winning run against in-form Como.The UEFA Champions League League phase match, Feyenoord vs. Como 1907, begins at 17:45 [GMT] on Wednesday, October 14, at the Stadion Feijenoord. Donatas Rumšas [LTU] will be the referee for this match, while Cesar Soto Grado [ESP] will be the VAR.
Feyenoord [WLWWW] will look to translate their domestic resurgence into European success when they welcome Como to De Kuip, with both sides seeking to build on contrasting starts to the campaign. Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men are buoyed by a 2-0 victory over AZ Alkmaar last weekend, their third consecutive league win and one that lifted them to the top of the Eredivisie standings. All three victories came with clean sheets, a welcome defensive improvement after their humbling 5-1 defeat to Barcelona on matchday one in the UCL. However, De Trots van Zuid’s wider European record remains a concern, with just three wins from their last 13 UEFA matches [3W, 1D, 9L]. They will hope home advantage can inspire a turnaround, having won four of their previous five UCL matches at De Kuip [4W, 0D, 1L], including consecutive victories during the 2024/25 league phase. Como will be unfamiliar opponents, as this marks their first competitive meeting with a Dutch side. Feyenoord have struggled against Italian clubs recently, winning just one of their last seven encounters [1W, 3D, 3L], although their record at home against such opposition is considerably stronger, with five wins [5W, 2D, 1L]. The hosts nevertheless have a lengthy absentee list, including Bart Nieuwkoop, Gijs Smal, and Thomas Beelen, while Tsuyoshi Watanabe remains a doubt. The trio of Anis Hadj Moussa, Nacho Ferri, and Luciano Valente may start upfront in a 4—3—3 formation against the Lariani.
Football Key players missing as Liverpool take on LASK.Liverpool [WDWWL] arrive in Austria looking to respond after a bruising 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday. The result marked their first loss of the season under Andoni Iraola, following an impressive start that included a 2-1 victory over Atlético Madrid in their opening UCL fixture. That triumph extended the Reds’ record to 25 wins in their last 29 group-stage or league-phase matches in the competition [25W, 0D, 4L]. They have also won their last three away games at this stage, while consecutive victories to nil on the road in all competitions should provide further encouragement ahead of this encounter. The visitors were without the key trio Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Alexander Isak against City, leaving their availability an important consideration as the Reds seek an immediate response. “I think it’s going to be difficult to recover any of the players,” Iraola confirmed their absence as this fixture drew nearer. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Lewis Koumas leading the attacking line may be seen against Die Schwarz-Weißen.
Football Russia U-15 national team will begin preparations for the FIFA tournament in Azerbaijan on October 18Denis Pervushin’s team will gather to prepare for the FIFA tournament and festival, which will be held in Govsan from October 22 to 31. The extended squad includes 18 players, and the final roster will be reduced to 14 players, including two goalkeepers.
Football England thrash Greece and reach the second round of World Cup qualifyingEngland beat Greece 5-0 in the second leg of the first-round play-off of Women's World Cup qualifying and advanced on aggregate over the two matches.
Football UEFA: Todibo doubtful for Lens ahead of Sporting match, Sima will miss the gameUEFA released a guide to lineups, injuries and suspensions for the Champions League Matchday 2. It states that Sima will not play against Sporting, while Todibo has a fitness issue.