Champions League Matchday 2 preview: Stats, team news, key games

October 1, 2019 By Ali M.

Topics: TV Schedules, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Club Brugge, Tottenham, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Salzburg, Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, UEFA Champions League

Actions returns in Europe, with Tottenham taking on Bayern Munich, Barcelona hosting Inter Milan, and Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen locking horns.

2019/20 UEFA Champions League Matchday 2 fixtures - time and date

Tuesday, October 01, 2019

Atalanta vs Shakhtar Donetsk at 12:45 ET/16:45 GMT
Real Madrid vs Club Brugge at 12:45 ET/16:45 GMT
Crvena Zvezda vs Olympiakos Piraeus at 15:00 ET/19:00 GMT
Galatasaray vs PSG at 15:00 ET/19:00 GMT
Juventus vs Bayer Leverkusen at 15:00 ET/19:00 GMT
Lokomotiv Moskva vs Atletico Madrid at 15:00 ET/19:00 GMT
Man City vs Dinamo Zagreb at 15:00 ET/19:00 GMT
Tottenham vs Bayern Munich at 15:00 ET/19:00 GMT

Wednesday, October 02, 2019

Genk vs Napoli at 12:45 ET/16:45 GMT
Slavia Praha vs Dortmund at 12:45 ET/16:45 GMT
Barcelona vs Inter Milan at 15:00 ET/19:00 GMT
Lille vs Chelsea at 15:00 ET/19:00 GMT
Liverpool vs Salzburg at 15:00 ET/19:00 GMT
RB Leipzig vs Lyon at 15:00 ET/19:00 GMT
Valencia vs Ajax at 15:00 ET/19:00 GMT
Zenit vs Benfica at 15:00 ET/19:00 GMT

Team news/injuries

Real Madrid v Club Brugge

Out: Asensio (ligaments), Mendy (hamstring), James (technical decision), Bale (technical decision); Mitrović (foot), Balanta (hamstring)

Doubt: Isco (hamstring) Marcelo (neck)

Galatasaray v PSG

Out: Lemina (thigh); Neymar (suspended), Draxler (foot), Dagba (thigh), Kehrer (foot), Cavani (hip)

Tottenham vs Bayern Munich

Out: Lo Celso (hip), Sessegnon (hamstring); Arp (hand)

Doubtful: Hernández (knee)

Manchester City v Dinamo Zagreb

Out: Sané (knee), Laporte (knee), Stones (thigh); Majer (hamstring)

Doubt: De Bruyne (unspecified)

Juventus v Leverkusen

Out: De Sciglio (thigh), Danilo (thigh), Douglas Costa (thigh); Bailey (thigh)

Liverpool v Salzburg

Out: Alisson Becker (calf), Shaqiri (calf), Clyne (knee); Bernede (tibia)

Doubt: Haaland (illness)

Barcelona v Inter Milan

Out: Umtiti (toe)

Doubt: Messi (adductor), Fati (knee), Alba (hamstring), Dembélé (hamstring)

Lille v Chelsea

Out: Emerson Palmieri (hamstring), Rüdiger (groin), Loftus-Cheek (Achilles), Van Ginkel (Achilles)

Doubt: Weah (leg); Kanté (hamstring), Giroud (illness)

Key stats

Real Madrid could set an unwanted 38-year record if they lose to Club Brugge, which would be their third successive defeat in Europe for the first time since 1981.
Bayern Munich, who will travel to north London to face Tottenham, have won four of their last five visits to England.
Liverpool may have lost all three away group-stage games last season and began the new campaign with a 2-0 loss at Napoli, but the Reds are unbeaten in 22 home games in Europe – W16 D6.
Barcelona have lost only once against Inter Milan in eight games (W4, D1). However, Messi is yet to score in three encounters with the Italians.

What is social media saying ahead of Matchday 2?

No Messi, no party?

A lot of talk leading up to Matchday 2 surrounds the fitness of Lionel Messi. The Argentine picked up a groin injury in his first start for Barcelona this season, which came in the 2-1 win over Villarreal, and is now a doubt for this game.

He’s not the only doubts, as the likes of Alba, Fati, and Dembele could miss this home clash with Inter Milan. However, given how poor the Blaugrana have been, he will be missed if he isn’t deemed fit.

Fortunately, recent reports hint at the Argentine featuring. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner did return to training and could make the squad, though it’s likely he would make the bench as he did in the Dortmund game. Will he be able to bail out Valverde’s side should things go wrong? Tune in to find out.