The 13-day hiatus in the UEFA Champions League comes to an end today, kicking off Matchday 4 with two initial matches followed by seven more later tonight.
After three rounds, Aston Villa and Liverpool are at the top of the group with perfect records, each amassing 9 points. Following closely is Manchester City with 7 points, emphasizing the strong presence of English teams in the top three positions.
Today's Matches: Liverpool vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Among today's games, the match where Liverpool hosts the 6th-placed Bayer Leverkusen is particularly noteworthy. Back in 2005, Liverpool defeated the German side 3-1 in both legs of the Round of 16, which propelled them to the final, where they triumphed over AC Milan (3-3, 3-2 on penalties). Currently leading the Premier League, Liverpool is seen as the favorite to win again.
Sporting vs. Manchester City Showdown
Another exciting encounter features Sporting taking on Manchester City. The Portuguese champions aim to avenge their 0-5 loss at home in 2022. Sporting has remained unbeaten in their domestic league, winning all of their first ten matches. The performance of Viktor Gyokeres, who has scored 16 goals this season and represents the Swedish national team, will be critical as they face City.
Real Madrid vs. AC Milan
The matchup between Real Madrid and AC Milan, both historically successful teams in the Champions League, is set to attract global attention. The two last met in 2010, with Real securing a 2-0 victory at that time. Despite Milan’s current struggles, former player Ruud Gullit believes Real remains the team to beat in Europe. “It’s difficult to choose a favorite for the Champions League, I’ve always liked Bayern, but Real Madrid are always favorites. Don’t forget that,” Gullit stated.
Bologna vs. Monaco
Today's encounter between Bologna and Monaco is also of interest, with the game officiated by an Azerbaijani referee team led by Aliyar Agayev. Currently, Bologna sits 29th with just one point in the standings, while Monaco holds 4th place with seven points.
Underdogs in Action
Let's not forget the underperforming teams without any points yet: Slovan, Leipzig, and Sturm will be striving to prove they deserve their spot in the Champions League. Slovan, playing at home against Dinamo Zagreb, may have the best chance to secure their first points of the campaign.
Rasim
Idman.biz
