Arsenal transfer targets, Michael Olise and a new England star: What to look out for in the Champions League
Tuesday’s fixtures mark the launch of UEFA’s expanded format, with 36 teams involved rather than 32.
The familiar group-stage format is gone, replaced by a single pool that will see every club ranked in one table to determine qualification for the knockout phase.
Here are five storylines to look out for…
Michael Olise joined Bayern Munich for £50m from Crystal Palace over the summer
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Olise and Kompany step up with Bayern to the biggest stage
One ended last season clearly destined for one of Europe’s elite clubs, while the other appeared to be heading back to the Championship with Burnley, until Bayern’s protracted search for a new manager eventually led them to Vincent Kompany’s unlikely door.
Michael Olise was, with ex-Fulham man Joao Palhinha, the marquee signing of Kompany’s first summer in Munich and scored his first goal for the Germans in a 6-1 rout of Holstein Kiel last weekend.
It will be intriguing to see how both player and manager step up on Europe’s biggest stage, with Kompany out to prove that with a better squad he can live up to early billing as one of the continent’s brightest young coaches.
Alonso’s return to Anfield will light up Bonfire Night
That Kompany inherited a Bayern Munich side that, for the first time in well over a decade, are not German champions, is thanks to the astounding work of Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen.
The Spaniard led Leverkusen to the Bundesliga title as part of an unbeaten domestic season during his first full campaign in charge and missed out on an historic treble only by losing the Europa League Final to Atalanta.
When Jurgen Klopp announced his plan to leave Liverpool midway through that run, Alonso was the firm favourite to be his successor, but ruled himself out of the running soon after. In-stead, he will meet Arne Slot on the touchline and stand in the visiting dugout on Bonfire Night.
Angel Gomes made his England debut this month
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After passing England test, the spotlight will intensify on Gomes
Another man heading to Anfield this winter is newly-capped England international Angel Gomes, whose Lille side visit British shores in the penultimate round of fixtures in January.
Gomes was a surprise inclusion in Lee Carsley’s first England squad, having excelled under the interim boss at Under-21 level.
The 24-year-old was impressive on full senior debut against Finland last week but against limited opposition and there will now be an added level of scrutiny on his performances against Europe’s top clubs. As well as Liverpool, Lille also meet both Real and Atletico Madrid, as well as Juventus during the league phase.
Aston Villa return to Europe’s top table after 41 years
Aston Villa’s end-of-season awards do in May was conveniently arranged for the same night as Tottenham’s defeat by Manchester City ensured they would finish in the top four.
As a result, the club are back in the top tier of UEFA club football for the first time since 1982/83, the season after they famously won the old European Cup.
Last month’s draw has served up a number of showpiece ties, including home meetings with Bayern Munich and Juventus, as well as an all-British clash with Celtic in January that could have a huge say on knockout qualification.
Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres has eight goals in five games for Sporting this season
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Keep an eye on two who made a striking impression on Arsenal
Four games into this Premier League season and already the task of stopping a Manchester City side spearheaded by a revitalised Erling Haaland is looking thankless.
Arsenal abandoned plans to sign a new frontman this summer but will no doubt be watching closely as two players they have been heavily linked with in the past take on Europe’s best defence.
Benjamin Sesko signed a new deal at RB Leipzig at the start of the summer to kibosh the pro-spect of a move to the Emirates, while former Coventry man Viktor Gyokeres has eight goals in five games for Sporting.
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