🔗 Share this article

Welcome to another evening of exciting European Cup football. Nine matches are set for tonight, featuring three British teams in action. The Blues face Barcelona in the standout fixture of the night, whilst Newcastle travel to the French side and Manchester City host Leverkusen.

Group Rankings

We're at the midway stage of the league stage, so the standings is starting to take shape. All six British clubs are currently in the upper twelve, but there are only two points between fifth and 16th place, so there's a sense of snakes and ladders about the entire situation. Everything is to play for.

Match Schedule

These are tonight’s games, each kicking off at 8pm unless stated:

• Ajax 0-1 Benfica (17:45)
• Galatasaray 0-0 Union SG (5.45pm)
• Juventus face Bodo/Glimt
• Chelsea v Barcelona
• Dortmund v Villarreal
• Leverkusen visit Man City
• Newcastle travel to Marseille
• Qarabag play Napoli
• Slavia Prague v Athletic Bilbao

Team News

Fofana, Moises Caicedo, Alejandro Garnacho, Gusto and Estevao are included in the Blues team. Excluded are Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Jamie Gittens, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.

Lamine Yamal is in the starting lineup for Barça; Marcus Rashford is among the substitutes.

The Blues (possible 4-3-3) Sanchez; James, Wesley Fofana, Chalobah, Marc Cucurella; Malo Gusto, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez; Estevao, Neto, Garnacho.

Substitutes: Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Delap, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, Andrey Santos, Pedro, Jorrel Hato, George, Joshua Acheampong, Guiu, Facundo Buonanotte.

Barcelona (possible four-two-three-one): Joan Garcia; Jules Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde; Eric Garcia, De Jong; Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Ferran Torres; Robert Lewandowski.

Subs: Szczesny, Diego Kochen, Raphinha, Rashford, Christensen, Marc Casado, Gerard, Olmo, Noah Darvich, Dro Fernandez, Roony Bardghji.

Official Slavko Vincic (Slovenia).

Past Meetings

The only previous meeting between Newcastle and Marseille was the Uefa Cup semi-final of 2004, claimed by an emerging star from Côte d'Ivoire. Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen have never met before. Chelsea and Barcelona have a notable history.

Initial Game Reports

Only a single goal during the opening period of the early fixtures. Dahl's sixth-minute strike has earned Benfica under Mourinho a one-nil lead at Ajax.

Marseille v Newcastle Preview

Even though Newcastle traveled to the French south fresh from their confidence-boosting 2-1 home Premier League victory against Manchester City on the weekend, and having beaten Union Saint-Gilloise, Benfica and Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League, their only on the road victory since early April came in the Belgian capital at Union SG.

It's not that Eddie Howe was eager to discuss the mental side of this away form issue. “The Champions League is different to domestic games,” said the coach, whose team are sixth in the Champions League standings, with nine pts from a possible twelve and direct progression to the knockout phase nearly secured. “I am not sure if you can draw parallels between them.”

We have a separate live blog for Chelsea v Barcelona. Murray, the minute-by-minute equivalent of Maradona is on duty for that.