Klopp speaks!
Righto, our report are in, which means I’m out. Thanks all for your company and comments – sorry I couldn’t use them all. Peace.
On BT, they’re having at Alexander-Arnold for letting Alvarez run off him, but Rio Ferdinand points out that when he played, he told his full-back to go to the ball and he’d cover the space in behind, saying “If I’m not there you can shout at me.” He’s not sure Matip has volunteered to do that, so he is also culpable.
Tell you what, I properly enjoyed both of those games. Given I too am getting older and more jaded, I feel I can believe myself when I say I’ve seen a load of proper good contests already this season – in the Premier League, but also around and in Europe.
“Re: when Liverpool were at their best,” tweets Kevin Smallman, “their win against Man City when they were nowhere near winning the League. With Loris Karius in goal! Klopp’s managed them brilliantly since, but they haven’t actually played better than that.”
They’ve played brilliantly too, but not – in mine – as well as often.
Looking at the tables, Napoli will go clear on six at the top of Group A if they can win in Glasgow tomorrow night. That’ll put them in a very strong position; Liverpool and Ajax have three apiece, but as below, if any of those drop points against Rangers, it’ll cost them qualification. If not, I’ve not a clue who qualifies.
Brugge, meanwhile, are clear at the top of Group B, with Leverkusen and Atlético on three and Porto on none; Bayern have beaten Inter and Barca, so are almost through already – they almost definitely will be by the time they’ve beaten Plzen twice in their next two games, meaning the double-header between the other two will probably decide which team joins them.
Otherwise, Sporting lead Group d with six; Spurs and Eintracht have three, Marseille none.
Tonight's classified football results (read by your James Alexander Gordon internal voice)
Champions League Group A
Liverpool 2-1 Ajax Amsterdam
Champions League Group B
Porto 0-4 Club Brugge
Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 Atlético de Madrid
Champions League Group C
Bayern Munich 2-1 Barcelona
Viktoria Plzen 0-2 Internazionale
Champions League Group D
Sporting Clube de Portugal 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Marseille 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
“Yes, the best period for this Liverrpol team was that period from the run-in of the 2018-19 season until the defeat to Watford,” reckons Patrick Crumlish. “Didn’t they only drop two points, at Old Trafford, in a run of over 30 league games? Won the Champions League and Club World Cup in that run, and clinched the league a few months later. Won’t recapture that.”
Those are roughly my thoughts, though i’d say they weren’t quite as good in 19-20 as they’d been in 18-19 – they won loads of games by the odd goal, which speaks volumes for the mentality monstrosity, but I don’t think they were as dominant through the 90s.
If Liverpool can beat Rangers twice – their double-header is coming up – they’ll be almost through. Unless, that is, everyone beats Rangers twice, in which case the mini-league with Ajax and Napoli will be tight as.
Full-time: Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 Atlético Madrid
Good comeback from Leverkusen after losing to Brugge.
Updated
Full-time: Marseille 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
With two defeats in two games, Marseille are almost gone.
Full-time: Liverpool 2-1 Ajax
Jurgen Klopp punches the air – he and his team needed that.
Full-time: Porto 0-4 Club Brugge
Now then.
How important this could be for Liverpool. They’ve played pretty well tonight, but had they drawn, they’d have been under big pressure to escape the group. They’re nearly there…
Full-time: Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona
That’s a brilliant win for Bayern, who were lucky to be in the game at half-time but upped it thereafter. Still, Barca are growing.
GOALS! Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 Atlético Madrid (Andrich 84, Diaby 87)
This group is going to be an almighty scrap.
GOAL! Porto 0-4 Club Brugge (Nusa 89)
Goodness me.
Updated
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Ajax (Matip 89)
They’ve done it again! Matip’s missed some serious chances tonight, but he’s been so dominant in the air it’s no surprise to see him win another, clattering a corner past Pasveer. A defender heads it out before it hits the net, but the decision review system confirms it crossed the line.
Updated
Nunez makes a terrific run in behind, down the left of the box, and diddles his man by checking back inside. He’s got options in the middle but opts to find Diaz at the far post … but Pasveer gets a little flick, taking away what’s otherwise an easy tap-in!
“While Liverpool are patently nowhere near their best,” emails David Reynolds, “I don’t think you can say they’ve been getting progressively worse over the last three years (if nothing else based on league standings in that time). That notwithstanding, they need investment in the middle of the park and I reckon Kloppo is building his third Liverpool team.”
As I said, they remained excellent, but the best this team played was three years ago – in my opinion, obviously – which means that they’ve been getting worse since then.
Here’s Liverpool’s chance! Matip finds Firmino who finds Salah, and he nips a square pass into Nunez, who need only use its pass to sweep inside the far post … but his connection isn’t true, and the ball bobbles wide!
Ajax send on Grillitsch for Taylor, looking to see out their draw and they look good for it. But with the firepower Liverpool have on the pitch and the belief they have in their hearts, that can change at any second.
“Except Van Dijk did his cruciate and came back and did rather well,” returns NS, “though naturally not at the absolute heights he had. That a team isn’t at the peak it was three years ago doesn’t mean its obituary should be read - there were bad patches before; the way the team is set up specifically risks it. Also, don’t mention Nas in the same paragraph as Bob Marley.”
Well that’s the point isn’t it? Van Dijk, and Liverpool, are still good, and I’ve not heard anyone say to the contrary. But though I’m not sure what you mean by writing obituaries, I don’t think it’s controversial to say they’re no longer as good as the best or their best, and to get that good again will probably take some money. Furthermore, both Nas and Bob Marley wrote about brilliantly about time, and many other things besides.
Eeeeeesh! Ajax do well to find Tadic, roaming down the right, and he picks out Blind at the back post, who has tiiiime to watch the flight of the ball and take aim. But looking for the far corner, he heads by far the best chance of the half – so far – wide.
Updated
Goretzka has made a big difference to Bayern – he’s a much better player than Sabitzer, even in Sabitzer’s position.
Nunez chases Timber as he tries to see the ball out, then turns good pressure into silly behaviour, unable to resist committing the foul that allows Ajax to clear. He might not stick the nut on someone again, but he still needs educating in how to be sensible. Meantime, Liverpool win a corner which Matip meets well, but heads over the bar.
Berghaus sticks Kudus in behind but Alisson beats his shot away … then the flag goes up.
Ajax are pretty comfortable, and will, I’m sure, be happy with a draw. Liverpool v Man United for a Europa League spot, anyone?
Ajax send on Sanchez for Rensch while, in Munich, Gbary replaces Mané. Decent option.
In the repechage following a corner, Matip first eschews a shot when nicely set, then tees-up Van Dijk who does likewise. Eventually, the ball goes wide, and Matip heads a decent opportunity wide.
Jota misses a half-chance then is replaced by Nunez, while Firmino comes on for Elliott.
“…writing obituaries about a great team that’s going through a bad patch early in the season should be…” emails NS. “Actually no, it’s part of modern coverage at all types of papers these days, isn’t it? Carry on.”
Er no, it isn’t actually. I’ve seen Liverpool get progressively worse, whole still being very good, over the course of three seasons, and if you don’t think their best defender doing his cruciate at 29 has a lasting impact, likewise a physical style being tough to maintain, then you need to tell Bob Marley that when he said none of them can stop the time, he was wrong, as you do Nas that time is not, in fact, illmatic.
Goretzka has replaced Sabitzer and it was Torres who came on for Raphinha – De Jong took Gavi’s place.
Pedri, skipping inside and playing a one-two off Lewandowski, lifts over Neuer and against the post from eight yards. Barca have had proper chances tonight.
“The line from a pop song that popped into my head about Virgil van Dijk’s defending these days,” says Kári Tulinius , |was ‘but it’s just like he’s in another world, he doesn’t see the danger on show’.”
In Munich, De Jong has replaced Raphinha. 2-0 down, Bayern away, 29 to go – it’s his big chance.
Back at Anfield, Liverpool are huffing and puffing, which is to say Ajax look pretty comfy. Edson Alvarez looks a player … and as I type that, he’s booked for going through the back of Jota.
The way Mazraoui is playing, Pavard will struggle to get back in the Bayern side.
GOAL! Porto 0-3 Club Brugge (Olsen 52)
Brugge are going top of Group B!
Updated
“This probably isn’t Webb-levels of insight,” exculpates Matt Turner, “but it feels to me like Liverpool have a squad of semi-ageing stars who know they are probably looking at their last World Cup in a couple of months and don’t want to get injured and lose their final chance. This seems especially relevant for Big Virg.”
I think that’s harsh – I’d be amazed if they were dialling it down. I think it’s more likely that they’ve run out of road, and FSG didn’t give Klopp the reinforcements he needed because, ultimately, they’re in it to make money, not build the best-possible team.
Updated
GOAL! Bayern Munich 2-0 Barcelona (Sané 54)
Bayern knock it about, keeping the width, then Musiala threads a clever pass between two centre-backs who are too far apart, allowing Sané to glide between them and caress a gentle finish over Ter Stegen. Bayern have found the on switch!
Updated
That goal has got Bayern going, and they’re the better team now.
“Bit harsh on Virgil?” wonders Rich Delaney. “Matip had to cover the runner, leaving Virgil to manage two.”
Yeah, maybe, but I was still surprised he allowed Bergwijn to slot in between him and Kudus so easily.
GOAL! Bayern Munich 1-0 Barcelona (Hernandez 50)
A near post corner, Hernandez loses Alonso, and charges a free header past Ter Stegen. Barca will be feeling very poorly, because they should already be clear.
Updated
GOAL! Porto 0-2 Club Brugge (Sowah 47)
The Belgians are in dreamland!
Bergwijn bounces down the right, skins Thiago and cuts back for Kudus, who doesn’t realise Salah is on him, so takes a touch and miscontrols. Then Liverpool go straight up the other end and Jota, moving away from Alvarez, shoots wide.
And we’re off again everywhere else as well.
…and in seconds, Bayern give the ball away, Raphinha taking it on an hammering wide.
We’re away again in Munich…
“I said maaaaybeh, I don’t really wanna knoooow…”
Half-time correspondence: “Van Dijk needs to stop thinking he can defend via Bluetooth and start making attackers fear him again by getting his hands dirty,” tweets Orlando Moore, “especially when we have wing-backs like Trent (who isn’t exactly famed for his defensive abilities).”
At his age, it’s hard to come back from an ACL injury the same player, and he doesn’t have a steady partner alongside him, nor great protection in front. But I agree, he wasn’t physical enough when allowing Kudus to escape him.
Half-time: Liverpool 1-1 Ajax
Liverpool have dominated, but Ajax hung in well and found a brilliant equaliser. The second half should be decent.
Other half-times
Porto 0-1 Club Brugge
Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Atlético Madrid
Marseille 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Half-time: Bayern Munich 0-0 Barcelona
Barca had by far the better of a belting half. Gavi and Pedri are just absolute money, and were Lewandowski on it, their team might be out of sight already.
GOAL! Marseille 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (Lindstrom 1)
The atmosphere at the Velodrome ratchets up another level.
Matip pokes into Diaz, who’s wandered central, and he finds Alexander-Arnold, free down the right. He cuts inside, working a shooting angle, leathers an effort … but it’s straight at Pasveer, who saves then saves the follow-up. “He hit that too well,” insights Steve McManaman in co-comms.
Gavi and Pedri are bossing Bayern, the latter picking a terrific ball into Lewandowski from out wide, only for his mate’s first touch to let him down.
“Thiago is such a talent he could nutmeg you in a phone box,” reckons Gary Byrne. “(Younger readers, ask your parents).”
Unlike Said Benrahma, who can, we’re told, nutmeg a mermaid.
“Bayern faced my club Stuttgart this weekend,” advises Kári Tulinius, “and it was a bit odd. Their play felt precariously unbalanced. There was a moment, when they led 1-0, and Kimmich made a preposterous dive which led to a Stuttgart goal. It was subsequently overruled by VAR on weird grounds, and the Bayern players didn’t look surprised at all. The team just isn’t used to things not going their way, so they take unnecessary risks. Most of the time it works, but not always. The game ended in a draw, both Stuttgart goals coming from Bayern mistakes.”
Yes, I guess they can win the Bundesliga without being fully-focused, like Man United in 96-97 or 00-01, but will eventually get found out in Europe. I also think Nagelsmann is struggling to balance his side.
Saaaaved! Van Dijk dives to earn himself a free header when Alexander-Arnold picks him out with an outswinging corner, but once he got there he ought to have done better than direct an effort down … but too close to Pasveer, who makes a decent stop.
Watching Barca in Munich, I’m wondering, as I have been for the last few months, if we’re about to see an uptick in Champions League standards. There are, I think, more good teams this season than at any point in the last few, and all of them have brilliant attackers but I’m not sure any are all that at the back.
“Glad to see Mo is just beginning to find his Mojo,” emails Colum Fordham. “The goal should give him the confidence to rediscover his inner Mo (Jo?). Also curious to see how Tsimikas steps into Robertson’s boots.”
I think he’s a good player, and if Tsimikas played on the right, he’d still have started tonight.
That goal wasn’t coming, exactly, but Ajax have loads of attacking verve and Liverpool just aren’t that hard to score against. Again, their defence was turned by a runner, and again, Van Dijk allowed his man to get away from him.
WHAT A GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Ajax (Kudus 27)
It’s been all Liverpool but Ajax pull them apart down the left, Blind finding Alvarez down the left and running off Alexander-Arnold. He pulls back for Kudus, pulling towards him off Van Dijk as Bergwijn does really well to get in between them … then Kudus lashes a glooooorious finish inside the near post and in off the bar! What a talent! What form! What a game we now have!
Updated
Another terrific clearance from Alisson finds Tsimikas, high and wide as you’d expect. His cross is a good one too, but at the near post, Salah can’t force a shot on target.
My coverage dropped out, then returned for me to see Van Dijk knocking down a cross – following a corner I think – that Diaz drills wide with Pasveer rooted to his line. Then Thiago, who’s conducting nicely here, sets Jota for a shot which lasers wide.
Gosh, Lewandowski has missed another chance! Bayern are struggling here, and have sent on Mazraoui for Pavard, who I think is injured.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Ajax (Salah 17)
He needed that, they needed that! Diaz flicks an Alisson punt into the middle and suddenly Jota has a man over … and it’s Salah! He slides him in and though the first touch is perhaps a little heavy, it also commits the keeper, allowing Salah to stretch into a finish that directs the ball inside the near post. That’s a very smart finish.
Updated
Eeesh, Gavi plays a fine pass into Lewandowski’s stride and his first touch is a lush one, sitting the ball up for a stretch-volley … that he directs over the bar. I did not expect to see that.
GOAL! Porto 0-1 Club Brugge (Jutgla pen)
Wow! What a start Brugge have made to this competition.
I read this earlier:
Boehly: "I think Tuchel is obviously extremely talented. He is someone who has had great success at Chelsea. Our vision for the club was finding a manager who really wanted to collaborate with us. There’s a lot of walls to break down at Chelsea." #CFC
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) September 13, 2022
And really, dearie me: a football novice sacking a Champions League-winning manager for showing insufficient deference to his footballing expertise. Er, OK mate.
Manuel Neuer, progenitor of football, passes straight to Lewandowski, but right when a goal looks likely, Upamecano does brilliantly to sprint back and buffet him away from goal at cost of a corner – which comes to nowt.
“Agreed on Bassey,” emails Ronan Heffernan, '“Shirley he is destined for big things.”
Yup, he’s the man with the Midas touch. On which point, one of my mates had a terrifying nan who gave not a rabbit one about voicing her avant-garde opinions, and about whom we used to sing Old Vera, she’s the gran, the gran with the rinsing touch. Now that you ask.
Meanwhile, Barca are into it in Munich, fashioning a chance for Pedri, who takes a lovely first touch across his man only to drive a shot into Neuer’s legs from 10 yards. That should’ve been 0-1.
Lovely give-and-go from Salah and Alexander-Arnold, who turns in the box to slide into his mate’s path. But again, Ajax crowd Liverpool out.
In Munich, the home side have had the better of the opening exchanges. I’m excited to see, though, once the game settles, if Gavi and Pedri are good enough to dominate against Kimmich and Musiala – I think they are, but Bayern have the edge at full-back and might deploy that to win the midfield numbers game.
Liverpool have started well, Thiago finding Elliott loitering down the right. He crosses to the back post, where Blind does enough, and Tsimikas lamps over the top. On which point, Elliott looks like a very serious player – if not the kind who can allow the kind of full-back play we’ve seen from Alexander-Arnold and Robertson over the last few seasons.
Salah immediately raids down the right, but his low cross is humped away by Bassey. I’ve seen a fair bit of him over the last couple of seasons and he looks a really smart replacement for Lisandro Martínez, quick, strong and intelligent.
“A silence impeccably observed by many but not by everyone,” says Darren Fletcher on BT. For what it’s worth, I didn’t hear much noise, but there are, without doubt, people in Liverpool who feel the city has been let down by official bodies over the decades,
We’re away in Munich, while at Anfield, there’s a minute’s silence.
Meanwhile, outside the Stade Vélodrome 👀🔥
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) September 13, 2022
pic.twitter.com/B29ilhsQlG
Marseille police already using tear gas, according to @gouffa83, in an attempt to prevent OM fans & Frankfurt supporters from getting to close to each other. Kick-off is still 2 hours way.
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) September 13, 2022
Breaking | 3 arrests have already been made around the Stade Vélodrome for throwing projectiles at the police, according to @npelletier18. Inside the ground, @gouffa83 reports that riot police are already intervening in the away end.
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) September 13, 2022
Here is footage of Nazi salutes being made from the away end in Marseille:
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) September 13, 2022
pic.twitter.com/6CHKJaGhfi
Goodness me, the state of Bayern’s bench. I wonder what the plan is for Gravenberch, who’s on the bench – he didn’t sign for that – and also whether Goretzka is no longer considered a big-game starter. I hope not, because he’s a brilliant player and a top man, but perhaps the injuries have taken their toll.
Here come our teams…
“Daniel, you mention Sporting scoring a second time against Spurs as if this is a bad thing?” asks Ian Copestake. “The question intonation signalled by my incorrect use of the question mark for a non-question is entirely deliberate, in case any former students/pedants are itching to ‘av a go.”
Copestake’s upspeak, I call it.
Focusing on Bayern v Barca for a moment, the team Xavi’s sent out tonight tells us plenty about who his first choices are. I’m a little surprised Marcos Alonso plays ahead of Jordi Alba, but otherwise, Gavi, Pedri and Busquets are reunited in midfield – against Plzen, De Jong and Kessie played – and in attack, Raphinha replaces Fati. Last week, the main man was Ousmane Dembele, and I can’t wait to see how he does tonight, against better opposition, but also this season, now he’s focused, injury-free and alongside Lewandowski. the first time I saw him play I thought I’d seen a superstar, and I hope he gets as good as his talent says he should.
“Nails athletes,” says Dan from Walthamstow. “You’ve hit the proverbial on the head. The high press, the full-back-cum-wingers; the Bobby F smoking a cigar; they all work just dandy when there are three high-energy midfielders (Barney had a great description of them I think as a ‘highly committed removal firm’ ) but right now the core of the team just look knackered and drained, like that woman from Bristol who couldn’t believe there was another flipping general election. Looking forward to an early Ajax goal followed by an hour or so of fruitless attacks!”
I also think that Klopp inspired a bunch of very good players to become world beaters. It was amazing to see, but because they don’t quite have the technical ability to fall back on, it might expire sooner than teams tend to because of that. Truth is, the best football this side have played, I think, came three seasons ago.
Rio Ferdinand reckons Alexander-Arnold is good enough to see off the best left-wingers around, but I’m not so sure. He doesn’t have recovery pace nor does he smell danger, which isn’t to say he can’t work, but I think he needs the team to be in proper working order for that.
Klopp tells BT that he’s hoping for a big performance but has to acknowledge the quality of Ajax. He’s hoping for a performance from Thiago and notes the choice he had between three fine centre-forward – I guess Jota has most credit, having been injured, and does, reckons Klopp, combine the qualities of the other two. That sounds a little generous to me, but he’s a very good player, and picking him was not, we’re told a difficult decision. Of Ajax, he says they’re coming from the opposite pole – “they are flying, we are not” – and off he trots.
Full-time: Sporting 2-0 Spurs
Oh man, Sporting have scored again! They lead Spurs 2-0, playing injury-time.
Elsewhere…
Preston North End have issued a lifetime stadium ban to a supporter for a derogatory tweet about the royal family
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) September 13, 2022
that 'crossed the boundary of acceptability'.
Story: @seaningle https://t.co/Bsbdke4qmi
Sporting have taken the lead against Spurs, with just a few minutes left. I’m sure Antonio Conte will see the funny side, but.
Oh, and Inter now lead 2-0 in Plzen.
And that, I think, is really the crux of Klopp’s problematic. He could get away with full-back playmakers when he had three nails athletes in midfield, but now Wijnaldum has left and Henderson is old, that’s no longer possible, and though Thiago offers subtlety that was missing before him – when he’s fit – having him also means they have to play differently – except they don’t.
I do wonder, though, whether Fabinho and “Trent” would’ve survived had Klopp had serious alternatives. Fabinho was just so lax last week, while Alexander-Arnold will, for as long as he plays right-back, be a ludicrous strength against almost everyone, but a serious weaknesses against against anyone good enough to examine his defensive ability, or attack the space in behind him.
Jürgen Klopp makes four changes to the side that collapsed so peculiarly at Napoli: Andy Robertson is injured, so Kostas Tsimikas comes in, while Joe Gomez, James Milner and Roberto Firmino are dropped, replaced by Joel Matip, Thiago and Diogo Jota.
Email! “If Liverpool’s Five Days of Truth are anything like the ‘truth sessions’ that were a well-meaning but squirm-inducing part of undergraduate housemates’ life, then Klopp can look forward to his players displaying all the insight and wisdom that a roomful of callow 18-year-olds can muster, i.e. very little and none, respectively.”
Oi! I was an extremely mature 18-year-old, I’ll have you know.
*Er, I wasn’t.
Tonight's teams
Group A
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Thiago, Elliott; Salah, Jota, Diaz. Subs: Adrian, Davies, Gomez, Milner, Firmino, Nunez, Carvalho, Arthur, Bajcetic, Phillips.
Ajax: Pasveer; Rensch, Timber, Bassey, Blind; Berghuis, Álvarez, Taylor; Tadic, Kudus, Bergwijn. Subs: Stekelenburg, Gorter, Klaassen, Brobbey, Ocampos, Kaplan, Lucca, Sanchez, Grillitsch, Baas, Regeer, Magallan.
Group B
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky; Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba, Hincapié; Aranguiz, Andrich; Hlozek, Demirbay, Hudson-Odoi; Schick. Subs: Bakker, Sampaio Filho, Azmoun, Amiri, Aranguiz, Fosu-Mensah, Frimpong, Lomb, Neutgens.
Atlético Madrid: Grbic; Molina, Felipe, Witsel, Hermoso, Reinildo; Koke, Llorente, Saúl; Joao Félix, Morata. Subs: Kondogbia, De Paul, Griezmann, Santos, Correa, Carrasco, Diez, Gomis, Moreno A, Moreno M, Mestre.
**
Porto: Diogo Costa, João Mário, Pepe, David Carmo, Zaidu, Otávio, Uribe, Eustáquio, Pepê, Galeno, Evanilson. Subs: Cardoso, Marcano, Foneseca, Ramos, Grujic, Conceicao, loader, Franco, Wendell, Costa, Lopez, Borges.
Club Brugge: Mignolet; Odoi, Mechele, Sylla, Meijer; Nielsen, Vanaken, Onyedika; Skov Olsen, Jutgla, Sowah. Subs: Sobol, Balanta, Larin, Boyata, Nusa, Yaremchuk, Audoor, Lammens, Sandra.
Group C
Bayern Munich: Neuer, Upamecano, Pavard, L. Hernández, Davies; Kimmich, Sabitzer, Musiala; Sané, Mané, Müller. Subs: De Ligt, Gnabry, Goretzka, Choupo-Moting, Ulreich, Gravenberch, Tel, Mazraoui, Stanisic.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Araujo, Christensen, Koundé, Marcos Alonso; Sergio Busquets, Gavi, Pedri; Dembélé, Lewandowski, Raphinha. Subs: Bellerin, Pique, Fati, Torres, Memphis, Alba, Kessie, De Jong, Garcia, Pena, Balde, Tenas.
Group D
Marseille: Pau López; Clauss, Bailly, Balerdi, Kolasinac; Tavares, Veretout, Rongier, Gerson; Payet, Alexis Sanchez. Subs: Ngapandouetnbu, Guendouzi, Suarez, Under, Gueye, Kabore, Blanco, Harit.
Eintracht Frankfurt: Trapp; Knauff, Ndicka, Tuta, Jakic; Sow, Hasebe, Gotze, Kamada, Lindstrom; Kolo Muani. Subs: Smolcic, Alidou, Rode, Borre, Alario, Chandler, Ebimbe, Grahl, Ramaj.
Updated
Latest scores: in Group C, Inter, away to Viktoria Plzen, lead 1-0, while in Group D, Sporting and Spurs are goalless. Follow that game here with Scott Murray:
Preamble
“The Champions League group stages are a waste of time and just a way for Uefa and the clubs to harvest more money” is a frequent refrain around this time of year, and rightly so: loads of games to eliminate only half the teams with half of those earning a playoff to enter the Europa League instead, before the richest ones contest the knockouts. Football is the winner!
Well, perhaps not this term. Though the competition still serves the interests of Baron Mammon, its early stages look pretty tasty and tonight should be a belter.
At Anfield, Liverpool, who were lucky to escape with a mere 4-1 battering in Naples last week, take on Ajax, who were brilliant in dismantling Rangers 4-0. Jürgen Klopp talked yesterday of “five days of truth,” during which his players have been forced to confront themselves, and he’ll hope that as encounter with what they think is rock bottom inspires them to compete properly tonight. However, it remains the case that their physical, hyperactive style is exhausting not just just to play against but to play, and Ajax, in great form with Mohammed Kudus on a ridiculous buzz, will demand the kind of mental and athletic effort of which the collective that may no longer be capable.
That game and group would be enough on their own, but there’s more – loads more. Because not only do we have Bayern Munich v Barcelona after both teams were impressive in victory last week, but with the additional kicker of Robert Lewandowski returning to Bavaria and Internazionale hoping to pip one or other to a last-16 spot.
Then, elsewhere, we’ve got Eintracht Frankfurt visiting Marseille – expect the atmosphere there to be the hot side of steaming – and Club Brugge, who beat Leverkusen in glorious fashion the other day – trying their luck against Porto. Here we go!
Kick-offs: 8pm BST
