UEFA Champions League Games Preview (31st October, 1st November)

The high-fliers for next weeks games have last 16 in sight - Chelsea FC, FC Bayern München, Valencia CF, Olympique Lyonnais and Manchester United FC have all yet to drop a point, and they are not the only ones strongly placed to advance going into the next set of fixtures on 31 October and 1 November. Liverpool FC, PSV Eindhoven, AS Roma, Real Madrid CF, Celtic FC and AC Milan can also get their names into the hat early should results go their way. Group AChelsea need three points from their visit to FC Barcelona to be sure of their berth in the first knockout round. If they win at the Camp Nou and Werder Bremen fail to beat PFC Levski Sofia, then the English champions will be assured of first place with two games to spare. Levski will slip out of the reckoning altogether if they lose at home to Bremen and Barcelona win. Group BA home draw with Sporting Clube de Portugal would be enough to earn Bayern qualification. The group leaders can even secure first place if they beat Sporting and FC Internazionale Milano fail to take three points against FC Spartak Moskva. If Sporting and Inter both win, Spartak will be left playing for third place only - and UEFA Cup football - in their remaining games. Group CLiverpool and PSV need to each take three points from their respective home fixtures against FC Girondins de Bordeaux and Galatasaray SK for both to secure their progress to the last 16. A draw will be enough only if the other fixture goes the way of the home team. Group DValencia will advance if they defeat FC Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. They can also draw and go through provided second-placed Roma overcome Olympiacos CFP in Italy. A Roma win will seal the Giallorossi's progress, meanwhile, so long as Shakhtar do not beat Valencia. As for the two strugglers, a win or draw at Roma will keep Olympiacos in contention; Shakhtar must either beat Valencia or hope Roma do not pick up maximum points. Group ELyon will qualify for the knockout stage if they win or draw their home game against FC Dynamo Kyiv and FC Steaua Bucuresti lose at Madrid. Lyon will also go through with a win if Steaua fail to take three points. Madrid will secure their progress by beating Steaua, provided Dynamo fail to win in France, as they will have won both head-to-head meetings against the Romanian club. If Madrid get a better result against Steaua than Dynamo manage in Lyon, the Ukrainian team will drop out of the reckoning. Group FUnited will advance if they beat FC København in the Danish capital. A draw will suffice for United if Celtic win the section's other game at SL Benfica. Celtic will go through if they win and København do not beat United. If United and Celtic each win, Benfica and København will be involved in a battle for third place. Group GNo team can book their place in the next round, whatever the outcome of the matches between Arsenal FC and PFC CSKA Moskva, and Hamburger SV and FC Porto. However, Hamburg will be out of the running if they lose, and consigned to last place if they lose and Arsenal take a point or more. Group HThe last 16 awaits Milan provided they beat RSC Anderlecht at San Siro, and AEK Athens FC do not do the same against LOSC Lille Métropole. If Milan take at least a point and AEK lose, the Greek club can no longer earn a top-two finish. MATCHDAY 4 - Tuesday, 31 OctoberFC Barcelona v Chelsea FC A - Camp Nou, Barcelona 20:45 CET Levski Sofia v Werder Bremen A - Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia 20:45 CET PFC FC Spartak Moskva v FC Internazionale Milano B - Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow 18:30 CET FC Bayern München v Sporting Clube de Portugal B - Fußball Arena München, Munich 20:45 CET Liverpool FC v FC Girondins de Bordeaux C - Anfield, Liverpool 20:45 CET PSV Eindhoven v Galatasaray SK C - PSV Stadium, Eindhoven 20:45 CET CET FC Shakhtar Donetsk v Valencia CF D - RSC Olympiyskiy Stadium, Donetsk 20:45 CET AS Roma v Olympiacos CFP D - Stadio Olimpico, Rome 20:45 MATCHDAY 4 - Wednesday, 01 NovemberReal Madrid CF v FC Steaua Bucuresti E - Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid 20:45 CETCET Olympique Lyonnais v FC Dynamo Kyiv E - Stade de Gerland, Lyon 20:45FC København v Manchester United FC F - Parken Stadium, Copenhagen 20:45 CETSL Benfica v Celtic FC F - Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benf, Lisbon 20:45 CETArsenal FC v PFC CSKA Moskva G - Arsenal Stadium, London 20:45 CETHamburger SV v FC Porto G - Arena Hamburg, Hamburg 20:45 CETAC Milan v RSC Anderlecht H - Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan 20:45 CETAEK Athens FC v LOSC Lille Métropole H - Athens Olympic Spyros Louis St, Athens #1 Betfair Bonus £25 Free Bet.#2 Ladbrokes £25 Free Bet.#3 Paddypower Bonus £20 Free Bet.