Mitch Freeley

Tuesday evening will see eight sides battling out for a place in the last sixteen in the penultimate group games of this seasons Champions League.  Liverpool has a chance to qualify in Sevilla, Beşiktaş need a point over Porto to progress and Borussia Dortmund need a miracle against Tottenham and hope Real Madrid slip up against APOEL if they are to make it out of Group H. Here we have previewed all the action from Tuesday evening’s Champions League games. 

In Group E, Liverpool head to Sevilla knowing that a victory will seal their place in the round of sixteen for the first time since the 2008/2009 season. Jurgen Klopp will be without defender Joël Matip for the game, who failed to travel with the side. The Cameroonian defender also missed out on Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Southampton over the weekend. Sevilla also knows that a win guarantees a place in the round of sixteen for the second consecutive season.  Last time the sides played in the first group encounter, Sevilla fought back to secure a 2-2 draw with Argentine midfielder Joaquin Correa levelling the scores fifteen minutes from time.

Spartak Moscow could put pressure on Liverpool and Sevilla, providing they can defeat Maribor at home in the other group E tie. Moscow will be without influential defender Georgi Dzhikiya who is suspended for the match. 

Manchester City has already confirmed their place in the next round and Pep Guardiola is expected to blood some young talent for the home match against bottom of the group Feyenoord. One major injury doubt for the Citizens is central defender John Stones, who is expected to be out for five months after limping off during their 2-0 win over Leicester in the Premier League. French defender Eliaquim Mangala is expected to cover for Stones. Pep Guardiola may also call up young midfielder Phil Foden, who won the U-17 World Cup with England over the summer.

Feyenoord cannot qualify for the next round but could be in with a shout of a Europa League place providing they can keep three points behind third-placed Napoli. Shakhtar is just one point away from qualification and will have an uphill task when they take on Napoli away from home.  Boss Paulo Fonseca will be hoping for a repeat of the home leg match in which  Shakhtar won 2-1. 

In Group G Beşiktaş host Porto at the Besiktas Park knowing that just a point will confirm them as group winners. The Black Eagles have been in fine form in Europe on home soil and are undefeated in eleven games. As for Porto, head coach Sérgio Conceição has no injury concerns going into the match and will be looking to avoid the same fate as match day 1 when they lost 3-1 at home to Beşiktaş.

Monaco is in doubt of missing out on qualifying for the group stage and need a home victory against RB Leipzig to realistically have any chance of making the knockout stage for the second consecutive season. As for Leipzig, they are aiming to get to the round of sixteen in their first ever Champions League campaign. 

Over in Group H and Borussia Dortmund are in desperate need of a result against already qualified Tottenham Hotspur, if they are to make up any ground on Real Madrid. Last season’s Quarterfinalists Dortmund has made a terrible start to the campaign, only picking up points against APOEL in the group. They will be taking on a Tottenham side who will be hurting, following their comprehensive 2-0 defeat to bitter local rivals Arsenal in the north London derby.

Real Madrid will seal their place in the round of sixteen with a point away from home against APOEL. Los Blancos are looking for an unprecedented third straight Champions League crown and could be without keeper Keylor Navas who did miss Madrid’s 0-0 derby draw with Athletico Madrid.