By Tim Stannard

1) Barca look to continue unexpected start in Champions League classic

So…when Sports Burst was insinuating that Barcelona were a giant bag of chaos-causing squirrels with unhappy players, an unstable board and the footballing equivalent of Frank de Boer in terms of tactical gaps, it was only joking. 

It knew deep down that the Catalan club was the smooth machine and that it was Real Madrid who were actually set for a mini-crisis at the start of the campaign. But more on them later. 

Barca are currently swooning at the top of La Liga with three wins from three with no goals conceded. Indeed, Ernesto Valverde's men can positively embrace the concept of Juventus visiting the Camp Nou on Tuesday, the rather excellent Champions League opener that has the quality of a final. 

Indeed, Barca might even have started with Ousmane Dembele on the bench as a very expensive substitute, such is the wiggle room that Valverde has built up from a team that might not have all turbines spinning, but has certainly got enough power to keep on steaming ahead.

2) Payback time for PSG with Celtic test 

Tuesday also sees the sticking point for PSG. It's all very well whacking the likes of Metz and Toulouse out of the park, but the real challenge lies in the Champions League, where the French club should expect to be contenders. At the least. Or the guillotine might be dusted off for some PSG protagonists. 

The first challenge is an away trip to Celtic with Mbappe, Neymar and Cavani up against one of the most passionate crowds in world football in Celtic Park. PSG coach, Unai Emery, is aware that business is about to get very real indeed him and his players - “I have a lot of responsibility, with so many good players at my disposal”

That clash is live on beIN SPORTS CANADA from 2:45PM ET / 11:45 AM PT.

3) United look to turn tide on English Champions League letdowns

Another team that were also very big spenders are Manchester United who are at home to Basel, however English clubs have not been so hot in the Champions League of late – and that’s down to a tough schedule says Jose Mourinho. "But no complaining. We have a squad, if you see the players are tired then you have to play others."

A big stand-out tie of the night sees Atletico Madrid - a side that spent absolutely nothing at all against Roma - one of the most random sides in the Champions League in terms of form, capable of both winning four nil and suffering the same score-line.

Catch all the best Champions League action on the XTRA from 7PM ET / 4PM PT.  

4) Zizou admits Real Madrid lacking attacking intent

Time now to take a sneaky peak into the far and distant future…well, Wednesday, and the next set of Champions League clashes. 

And these feature Real Madrid, who Sports Burst’s first crisis team of the season proper. Two home draws in La Liga are bad enough, but now Coach Zizuo faces a month without Karim Benzema. However, everything should be ok against APOEL on Wednesday as Cristiano Ronaldo is eligible to play, however Zidane has admitted that the club is a little short up front. 

“You could say that we lack a number-nine,” admitted the club’s French coach, “but in the end, we couldn’t do anything, especially with Morata.”  Not going to say ‘told you so, but…’told you so’.

Tune into the XTRA from 7PM ET / 4PM PT for a full look ahead to Wednesday’s clashes and hear more wise words from Coach Zizou himself. 

WHAT IS SPORTS BURST?

The life philosophy of Sports Burst is that if you are not upsetting someone, then you are not trying hard enough. SB is a daily trawl and troll through the morning's sports news to bring you fact-nuggets to make you both smile and swear. Hopefully at the same time