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Goal! 58 min: Atalanta 1-1 Athletic Club (Guruzeta)
Gorka Guruzeta pounces for the visitors and it’s all square in Bergamo! The goals are flying in now. What a rush.
Updated at 16.18 EST
Goal! 55 min: Bayern Munich 2-0 Union Saint Gilloise (Kane pen)
He doesn’t miss those. Not very much anyway. That’s 2-0 in Munich.
Updated at 16.18 EST
Goal! 56 min: Juventus 1-0 Benfica (Khéphren Thuram)
Khéphren Thuram dances into the box and smacks a right-footed shot low into the corner. Luciano Spalletti 1-0 José Mourinho.
ShareGoal! 52 min: Bayern Munich 1-0 Union Saint Gilloise (Kane)
Who else? It’s Harry Kane who heads in Michael Olise’s corner at the near post. It’s a soft goal truth be told.
Kane has 33 goals in all competitions this season. #Prolific
Bayern being held by Union Saint Gilloise is pretty remarkable.
So is Chelsea being held by Pafos, I suppose.
What does this all mean for the hallowed Champions League league phase table? Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.
Updated at 16.12 EST
Second half kick-off
We’re back! Hello again.
Updated at 16.08 EST
It’s quite literally half-time in all the games now.
Newcastle will be extremely satisfied with that.
Here’s some half time reading, see you in a few.
Updated at 15.57 EST
Liverpool now do lead in Marseille. Get the latest here, but don’t forget me.
ShareGoal! 44 min: Slavia Prague 2-2 Barcelona (Lewandowski OG)
It’s all square in freezing Prague! The Poland international forward Robert Lewandowski inadvertently flicks a corner into the net at the near post. He’s got 105 goals in the Champions League – and one OG.
According to a popular weather website it’s now -7C in Prague.
Updated at 15.50 EST
Goal! 42 min: Slavia Prague 1-2 Barcelona (López)
Pedri finds Fermín López outside the area and the home defenders stand off him. He wastes no time in belting a shot into the corner.
Fermin Lopez celebrates after scoring his second goal of the night and put Barcelona ahead. Photograph: Petr David Josek/APShare
Updated at 15.53 EST
Unai Simón makes a tremendous double save for Athletic Bilbao to prevent Atalanta from going 2-0 up. Scamacca has also had a goal ruled out for offside, although it wasn’t him who was the guilty party.
ShareGoal! 34 min: Slavia Prague 1-1 Barcelona (Lopez)
Fermín López pounces on a pass by Frenkie de Jong and finishes from a tight angle. It’s gone straight through the goalkeeper, Jindrich Stanek, who won’t want to see a replay of that. It was a typically slick passing move by Barça even if it was a poor bit of goalkeeping.
Slavia’s keeper Jindrich Stanek (left) fails to stop a shot by Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez (centre) and the visitors are back on level terms. Photograph: Martin Divíšek/EPAShare
Updated at 15.52 EST
34 min: Pafos just hit the post against Chelsea! Chelsea aren’t covering themselves in glory and Rosenior is not best pleased.
ShareGoal! 29 min: Newcastle 2-0 PSV (Gordon)
Another defensive bungle by PSV! Another goal for Newcastle! It’s Wissa this time who puts pressure on, forcing Yarek Gasiorowski into a horrible scuffed back pass intended for the goalie. Wissa dives on it to square for Gordon, and Gordon has an open goal!
PSV arrived with a tasty reputation but they’ve made two horrible defensive errors.
Newcastle United’s Yoane Wissa tackles PSV Eindhoven’s Yarek Gasiorowski (top) and passes the ball to Anthony Gordon … Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PAWho taps the ball home to double the home side’s lead. Photograph: Scott Heppell/ReutersGordon (left) celebrates with fellow goalscorer Yoane Wissa. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPAShare
Updated at 15.43 EST
“It’s been Bayern Munich all my life, let’s not change a thing,” writes Declan.
“As a season-ticket holder for USG I’m on tenter hooks. Let’s see how League Two legends Ross Sykes (Accrington Stanley) and Christian Burgess (Portsmouth) cope with Harry Kane.
“The whole USG squad is has the approximate combined value of 0.5 Harry Kanes.
“Yours in Belgian football …”
Thus far we’ve had goals for Newcastle, Slavia Prague and Atalanta.
The other four matches are goalless, including Bayern Munich v Union Saint Gilloise.
No! Liverpool do NOT lead in Marseille. Hugo Ekitike had the ball in the net but he was offside.
Liverpool lead in Marseille! Michael Butler has the details here:
Kenan Yildiz hammers a shot just wide for Juventus v Benfica. It’s 0-0 there.
I went to a game at the Gewiss Stadium a few years back. Atalanta 0-0 Udinese. Rasmus Højlund was playing. The old town is nice in Bergamo, to be fair.
17 min: Chelsea have a goal ruled out at Stamford Bridge. Fernández heads in at the far post but there was a push somewhere. Rosenior looks far from gruntled on the touchline.
Updated at 15.20 EST
Goal! 16 min: Atalanta 1-0 Athletic Club (Scamacca)
It’s that man again! I mean, since the last time he scored, whenever that was. The former West Ham hitman nods in a regulation header and the Italian club lead in Bergamo.
Atalanta’s Gianluca Scamacca (right, top) heads home to open the scoring against Athletic Club. Photograph: Michele Maraviglia/EPAScamacca celebrates with Charles De Ketelaere. Photograph: Matteo Ciambelli/ReutersShare
Updated at 15.45 EST
“Hi Luke,” emails Dan. I don’t like the look of this.
“Bayern Munich? Seriously? Please. That’s like Libération suggesting there’s a team called ‘Manchester Unifié’. Either they’re Bayern München or Bavaria Munich. Please, please, please.”
Fascinating stuff!
ShareGoal! 10 min: Slavia Prague 1-0 Barcelona (Kusej)
Vasil Kusej bundles the ball in at the far post from a corner. It’s about -6C in Prague, Matt Smith tells us on the TNT Sports Goals Show.
Slavia’s Vasil Kusej (second left) bundles the ball home to take the lead against Barcelona. Photograph: Martin Divíšek/EPAShare
Updated at 15.47 EST
Goal! 8 min: Newcastle 1-0 PSV (Wissa)
It’s there! More good pressure high up the pitch from Newcastle. A poor clearance by the PSV goalie Kovar falls to Bruno Guimarães, who slides a pass instantly to Joelinton. His Brazilian compatriot squares for Yoane Wissa, who has a relatively simple task to pass the ball into the net.
A left foot shot from Newcastle United’s Yoane Wissa opens the scoring against PSV. Photograph: Scott Heppell/ReutersWissa celebrates. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPAShare
Updated at 15.25 EST
6 min: Joelinton does well to win the ball back high up the pitch. The crowd roars but the home side can’t fashion a clear chance from it, despite precious few PSV defenders being anywhere to be seen.
Updated at 15.08 EST
5 min: Anthony Gordon lashes a volley over from a tight angle, meeting a cross from the Newcastle right that was half-cleared. Half a chance at best.
ShareFirst half kick-off!
Under way at St James’ Park – and elsewhere.
Uefa.com have an “as it stands” playoff table here, if you like that sort of thing.
Updated at 15.04 EST
Galatasaray 1-1 Atlético and Qarabag 3-2 Eintracht Frankfurt are final scores.
Qarabag are 17th in the table after that excellent win, and in with a shout of making the playoffs.
“I back the team that starts,” says Eddie Howe. “I think we’re in good physical condition to attack the game.
“I think they [PSV] will be very true to themselves. That’s what I admire about them. They will want the ball, play quite an open style. They’ve got some really good technical players … we don’t underestimate them. We know we’ve got to be really good in all aspects of our play today.”
A message for Eddie Howe and his players from the Toon Army. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 15.12 EST
Bayern Munich v Union Saint Gilloise teams
Bayern Munich: Neuer, Guerreiro, Kim, Tah, Bischof, Kimmich, Pavlovic, Olise, Karl, Diaz, Kane. Substitutes: Ulreich, Urbig, Gnabry, Goretzka, Musiala, Davies, Ito, Kiala, Daiber.
Union Saint Gilloise: Scherpen, Mac Allister, Burgess, Sykes, Khalaili, Van De Perre, Zorgane, Smith, Florucz, Ait El Hadj, David. Substitutes: Leysen, Keita, Chambaere, Barry, Patris, Rasmussen, Schoofs, Fuseini.
Referee: Rade Obrenovic (Slovenia)
“What a matchday eight it’s shaping up to be next week,” says Lynsey Hipgrave on TNT. Indeed.
ShareAtalanta v Athletic Bilbao teams
Atalanta: Carnesecchi, Kossounou, Djimsiti, Kolasinac, Zappacosta, de Roon, Ederson Silva, Bernasconi, De Ketelaere, Zalewski, Scamacca. Substitutes: Rossi, Sportiello, Hien, Musah, Sulemana, Pasalic, Samardzic, Lookman, Scalvini, Ahanor, Maldini, Krstovic.
Athletic Bilbao: Simon, Lekue, Vivian, Paredes, Boiro, Jauregizar, Rego, Gorosabel, Gomez, Navarro, Guruzeta. Substitutes: Santos, Padilla, Vesga, Sancet, Areso, Ruiz de Galarreta, Serrano, Hierro, Perez, de Luis, Ibon Sanchez, Selton Sanchez.
Referee: Danny Makkelie (Holland)
Updated at 14.46 EST
Newcastle v PSV teams
Newcastle: Pope, Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall, Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton, Barnes, Wissa, Gordon. Substitutes: Thompson, Ramsdale, Elanga, Willock, Alex Murphy, Ramsey, Shahar, Neave, Miley, Woltemade.
PSV: Kovar, Sildialli, Schouten, Gasiorowski, Saleh-Eddine, Wanner, Junior, Veerman, Man, Til, Perisic. Substitutes: Schiks, Smolenaars, Obispo, Flamingo, Driouech, Bajraktarevic, Fernandez, van den Berg, Verkooijen.
Referee: Daniel Siebert (Germany)
ShareSlavia Prague v Barcelona teams
Slavia Prague: Stanek, Holes, Zima, Chaloupek, Moses, Dorley,
Provod, Sadilek, Sanyang, Chory, Kusej. Substitutes: Markovic, Rezek, Ogbu, Saracevic, Hashioka, Mbodji, Chytil, Boril, Doudera, Schranz, Vlcek, Prekop.
Barcelona: Joan Garcia, Kounde, Eric Garcia, Gerard, Balde, de Jong, Gonzalez, Bardghji, Lopez, Raphinha, Lewandowski. Substitutes: Szczesny, Kochen, Araujo, Rashford, Casado, Olmo, Bernal, Torrents, Hernandez, Marques, Rodriguez, Cubarsi.
Referee: Christopher Kavanagh (England)
Updated at 14.41 EST
Juventus v Benfica teams
Juventus: Di Gregorio, Kalulu Kyatengwa, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso, Locatelli, Thuram, McKennie, Miretti, Yildiz, David. Substitutes: Perin, Pinsoglio, Gatti, Francisco Conceição, Koopmeiners, Zhegrova, Adzic, Kostic, Openda, Joao Mario, Rouhi, Cabal.
Benfica: Trubin, Dedic, Tomas Araujo, Otamendi, Dahl, Aursnes, Barreiro, Prestianni, Sudakov, Schjelderup, Pavlidis. Substitutes: Ferreira, Antonio Silva, Barrenechea, Bruma, Ivanovic, Manu, Banjaqui, Neto, Oliveira, Rodrigo Rego, Rego, Prioste.
Referee: Serdar Gozubuyuk (Netherlands)
ShareChelsea v Pafos teams
Chelsea: Jorgensen, Gusto, Fofana, Badiashile, Hato, James, Caicedo, Pedro Neto, Fernandez, Garnacho, Delap. Substitutes: Sanchez, Cucurella, Bynoe-Gittens, Santos, Joao Pedro, Chalobah, George, Acheampong, Guiu, Estevao, Walsh, Emenalo.
Pafos: Gorter, Sema, Luckassen, Pileas, Bruno, Pepe, Sunjic, Jaja, Orsic, Dragomir, Anderson Silva. Substitutes: Petrou, Neofytos Michael, Luiz, Goldar, Quina, Bassouamina, Dimata, Bruno Langa, Georgios Michael, Caldieraro.
Referee: Erik Lambrechts (Belgium)
Updated at 14.40 EST
The PSV manager, Peter Bosz, has a chat with TNT Sports. Will they adjust to Newcastle’s “power” game at St James’ Park?
“I think both teams have a different way of playing … the team who’s going to win is the team who performs the best with their way of playing.
“We have a way of playing which is always the same. Away, at home. Of course there is an opponent. It depends on the opponent whether we can do it or not.”
PSV are 16 points clear in the Eredivisie. Does that mean they can start to prioritise the Champions League?
“Not at all. I think every tournament for us is important … we have to perform every game, maximum.”
Updated at 14.36 EST
“Just a heads up that, while I would love it to be true, a win tonight for Newcastle doesn’t put us in the last 16,” writes David. “It puts us in the first round of 16, which is really the last 24 (playoffs), to then get into the actual last 16. Two extra matches just what everyone wants right now …”
Silly me. Thanks David.
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David Hytner
Thomas Frank was backed into a corner on every level, including team selection. The Tottenham manager had next-to-no options, only 11 established outfield players for the Champions League home game against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night.
The expectation was for an either/or choice between Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie at left-back. But when the teamsheets dropped, it turned out Frank had picked them both and left Randal Kolo Muani on the bench. It was the latest low point for Kolo Muani, who has to be regretting his decision to join on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain.
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Ben Fisher
Below the zigzagging contrails that paint the blue Brussels sky, Christian Burgess is reflecting on the latest chapters of his extraordinary journey, those since joining Royale Union Saint‑Gilloise almost six years ago. At the time he felt that his career was at risk of stagnating, but after rummaging Wikipedia to get a handle on the club and learning of their big ambitions, it felt a leap of faith worth taking.
Even so, there is a detectable disbelief at how that decision led him to the Champions League and an unlikely reunion with Harry Kane, with whom he last duelled as an 18-year-old on trial at Tottenham more than 15 years ago. On Wednesday Union play at Bayern Munich in arguably the biggest match in their history, knowing a positive result would keep alive their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.
Updated at 14.23 EST
Thoughts about any of this stuff? Mail me.
The former Chelsea legend* David Luiz.
David Luiz of Chelsea arrives before the match. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters
*There is of course no such thing as a former legend. Once you’re a legend, you’re a legend.
Updated at 14.25 EST
It’s 1-1 in both the matches that kicked off early: Galatasaray v Atlético Madrid and Qarabag v Frankfurt.
Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen (left) vies for the ball with Atlético Madrid’s David Hancko. Photograph: Khalil Hamra/APShare
Updated at 14.00 EST
Chelsea are 14th in the table as it stands, and after the expected victory tonight against Pafos and the Stamford Bridge alumnus David Luiz, may also force themselves in the reckoning for a top-eight spot.
Updated at 13.54 EST
Yesterday, Liam Rosenior insisted Enzo Fernández will be at Chelsea for the long haul amid interest from such European heavyweights as Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. Jacob Steinberg has the story:
If Newcastle beat PSV, they will secure a spot in the last 16 playoffs, while maintaining faint hope of finishing in the top eight. Will Eddie Howe be smiling come 10pm-ish?
Eddie Howe. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PAShare
Updated at 14.26 EST
Preamble
Does it get any bigger than a cold, rainy Champions League league phase night in mid-January? Yes it does, but here we are, and there is plenty on the line for all concerned.
Chelsea v Pafos, Newcastle v PSV and Juventus v Benfica are among the matches on the lineup beyond the Marseille v Liverpool encounter at Stade Vélodrome, which Michael Butler is blogging on Channel 1. There’s also Slavia Prague v Barcelona, Bayern Munich v Union Saint-Gilloise, not to mention Atalanta v Athletic Club. It’s probably raining outside your window, and it might just be raining goals on your telly later, too.
An indeterminate number of footballs will be kicked in various directions by all sorts of players. We’ll bring you all the goals, all the action, all (OK some) of the analysis and probably just shout ‘The Chaaaaaaampions!’ a lot. This is going to be fun and there will be great banter.
Kick-offs at 8pm UK time.
Updated at 13.35 EST