Arsenal, Atletico aim to bounce back from Champions League hiccups
Matchday two of the Champions League rolls along on Wednesday with four high-profile clashes featuring the Spanish champions and English powerhouses Liverpool and Arsenal.
Full coverage of the Champions League is available on FOX Soccer Plus with our brand new MultiMatch90 show, and all matches are also available on FOXSoccer2GO for streaming or on demand. Selected games are available on an authenticated basis on the FOX Sports GO app.
The day kicks off early again with Russian powers Zenit St. Petersburg hosting a depleted Monaco side (live, Wednesday, FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Sports GO, 12 p.m. ET). The Russians blew the doors off Benfica in their opener, with Hulk and Danny combining to overwhelm the Portuguese early. Axel Witsel would add the hammer blow just twenty minutes in and Benfica were never able to recover.
They should be able to handle a Monaco side that gave Bayer Leverkusen a shock in their opening match, with Joao Moutinho making the Germans pay for missing a host of chances. This is not the high-priced, high-power French side we knew -- one of the world's most costly divorces has seen the team stripped of talents like Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez -- but with Jeremy Toulalan pulling the strings and the still-deadly Dimitar Berbatov roaming the final third, Monaco can make a game interesting.
Arsenal then host Galatasaray in one of the eagerly awaited games of the day (live, Wednesday, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports GO, 2 p.m. ET). Jack Wilshere was included in the Gunners' squad but Mikel Arteta, Aaron Ramsey and Abou Diaby had to be left behind, injured. Ramsey appears to be out at least four weeks after he was removed during Saturday's derby against Tottenham with a serious hamstring injury. Arteta aggravated a calf injury in the same game is expected to return shortly, and while Wilshere's ankle is considered fragile, he is fit enough to at least make the bench.
But the injuries that are piling up for Arsenal are exposing what is looking to be a very soft side. Key striker Olivier Giroud and fullback Mathieu Debuchy are already out for an extended period, and the Gunners look to have precious little cover at either position with Nacho Monreal and Yaya Sanogo also sidelined. While Arsenal are unbeaten in the league to date, they dropped their first Champions League match at Dortmund 2-0 and were ejected from the Capital One League Cup by Southampton 2-1 earlier this month. They also aren't winning many games in the Barclays Premier League as four of their six matches have ended in draws.
Galatasaray should be just the tonic. The Turks have never won in England and needed a late, late goal from Burak Yilmaz just to snatch a home draw against a very weak Anderlecht side. Cesare Prandelli's side have some talent -- Felipe Mello and Wesley Sneijder should be well-known to American fans -- but they are also a creaky team that can be stifled by a high press. They should struggle against a slicker Arsenal side that enjoy home comforts.
Basel host Liverpool (live, Wednesday, FOX Sports 2, FOX Sports GO, 2 p.m. ET) in a rematch of a memorable tie 12 years ago. Few expect the same result -- Basel would draw Liverpool twice, edging the English side out of the group stage as a result -- after Real Madrid shipped five goals past them on matchday one. But Liverpool, racked by injuries and still adjusting to life without Luis Suarez, are hardly world-beaters, and may be ripe for the taking.
The Reds have already lost three Premier League games this season and are coming off a disappointing late draw in the Merseyside derby against Everton. Daniel Sturridge, their most potent attacker, remains sidelined and there is controversy surrounding the dropped Mamadou Sakho after he apparently left Anfield prior to the derby.
Basel are pretty good against English sides -- recall they beat Chelsea twice, home and away last season -- and while their lineup is not full of marquee names, they boast a bunch of grinders who can dig out results. Fabian Frei, Taulant Xhaka, Marco Streller and old head Walter Samuel are all experienced pros who can give Liverpool's less than fluid midfield all they can handle.
"This is a club, they're used to winning," Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers told reporters ahead of his side's clash on Wednesday. "So in their domestic league they're a big team, they play like a big team, they're used to winning games so when they come into this tournament they have that confidence and freedom to come and play."
The other key match of the day pits Atletico Madrid against a high-flying Juventus side that has yet to concede a goal in league play. Powered by Carlos Tevez, the Old Lady warmed up in style with a 3-0 win over Atalanta to cement their grip atop Serie A. But Juve are depleted for this game as Andrea Pirlo and Andrea Barzagli (injured) did not travel.
Atletico have not exactly been shabby, either, sitting third only by virtue of goal difference after recording some big wins over archrivals Real Madrid, but a shock 3-2 loss on matchday one to Olympiakos has increased the pressure on the Spaniards. Despite losing some key names -- Diego Costa, Filipe Luis and Thibaut Courtois all went to Chelsea -- Atletico still have a lot of weapons. Antoine Griezmann is already showing he may be one of the signings of the year, while Koke and Mario Mandzukic have already formed a potent partnership.
Gabi sustained an ankle injury on the weekend in Atleti's 4-0 win over Sevilla, and is a doubt according to manager Diego Simeone. Should the captain not be able to go, that would be a huge blow for the Spaniards, who rely on his holding play.
