Cavani aiming to pull level with Ronaldo – Champions League in Opta numbers
Tuesday’s Champions League action sees a number of European giants looking to book their spots in the last 16.
Manchester United host Benfica at Old Trafford, while Paris Saint-Germain’s formidable attack – including the in-from Edinson Cavani – takes on Anderlecht.
Chelsea face a difficult clash against Roma in Italy, with Barcelona and Juventus facing away ties against Olympiacos and Sporting CP respectively.
Here, we look at the Opta numbers behind Tuesday’s matches.
Basel v CSKA Moscow
31 – CSKA Moscow are currently enduring a 31-game streak without keeping a Champions League clean sheet, last managing it in the 2011-12 campaign.
3 – Basel’s three Champions League games against Russian sides have all ended in victories; 2-0 at home and away against Spartak Moscow in the 2002-03 first group stages as well their 2-0 away win against CSKA last time out.
Manchester United v Benfica
10 – Manchester United have never failed to score against Benfica (10 games).
3 – This is the first time that Benfica have lost their opening three games in the Champions League group stages; since the current format was set up in 2003-04, no team has ever lost their opening three group games and gone on to progress to the Last 16.
We’re on our way to Manchester. The @ChampionsLeague is back! #MUFCSLB pic.twitter.com/8pzP59i42X
— SL Benfica EN (@slbenfica_en) October 30, 2017
Paris Saint-Germain v Anderlecht
7 – Edinson Cavani comes into this game as the third player to score in seven consecutive Champions League appearances after Ruud van Nistelrooy (nine) and Cristiano Ronaldo (eight).
3 – The Belgian side have played three previous Champions League group games in France, failing to win any of those matches (D2 L1), their last such match came against PSG in the 2013-14 campaign (1-1).
Celtic v Bayern Munich
12 – No Scottish side has beaten Bayern Munich in a competitive match since February 1989 when Hearts claimed a 1-0 victory against them in the UEFA Cup; Bayern Munich have gone 12 matches unbeaten since that game (W8 D4).
3 – Three of the last five Champions League goals recorded by Bayern Munich have seen the direct involvement of Joshua Kimmich (two goals and one assist), the defender getting on the scoresheet last time out versus Celtic.
#TheBest support in the will be back at Paradise tomorrow night! #MondayMotivation #CELFCB #UCL pic.twitter.com/bfCX82cgR2
— Celtic Football Club (@celticfc) October 30, 2017
Atletico Madrid v Qarabag
5 – Five of Atletico Madrid’s last seven goals in this competition have come from set-pieces (four from the penalty spot and one coming from a corner).
4 – Qarabag have recorded a competition-low of four shots on target this term; no game has seen fewer attempts on target in the Champions League during the 2017-18 season to date than the reverse encounter between these sides (four).
Roma v Chelsea
3 – Edin Dzeko scored a brace against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on matchday three, converting both of his attempts that were on target; he’s looking to get on the scoresheet in three successive Champions League games for the first time since 2009-10 (whilst at Wolfsburg).
13 – Eden Hazard has created more goalscoring chances than anybody else this season in the Champions League (13).
The squad have been training this morning, ahead of their trip to Rome… pic.twitter.com/bktEIPRjko
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 30, 2017
Sporting CP v Juventus
17 – Sporting have kept only one clean sheet in their last 17 Champions League games, that came against Legia Warsaw in September 2016 (2-0).
4 – Mario Mandzukic has scored in each of his last four Champions League games (four goals), his longest run in the competition.
Olympiacos v Barcelona
9 – Silvio Proto made nine saves in the last outing against Barcelona; no goalkeeper has managed more in a Champions League game this season.
6 – Ernesto Valverde took charge of six Champions League matches with Olympiacos in the 2011-12 group stages, winning three and losing three.
We’re headed to Athens this morning for tomorrow’s #OlympiacosBarça in the Champions League! pic.twitter.com/5JKRShh1AE
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 30, 2017
