Sports Burst - Mourinho's Last Stand?
Jose Mourinho in win-or-win Champions League clash for Manchester United against Valencia
United we stand or fall in Tuesday Champions League clash
Tuesday is a real test of whether Jose Mourinho is a glass-half-full, glass-half-empty kind of guy. Sports Burst suspects the latter. Just a hunch.
The day's Champions League clash at home to Valencia is either an opportunity to right the Manchester United ship with a rousing victory after a wobbling week to say the least, or sink further into the quicksand of footballing despair.
Mourinho was certainly in full Braveheart, rabble-rousing mode in Monday's press conference with his 'infamy, infamy, they've all got it in for me' speech about his players. "I think some care more than others," shrugged the United boss in another probable swipe at Paul Pogba.
On paper, Valencia should be a comfortable evening in Old Trafford for United in Match Day 2 of the Champions League. The Spanish side has been sluggish to say the least in La Liga, with just the single win - coming last weekend - and labored against a 10-man Juventus in the team's own Champions League opener.
Exciting news! Sports Burst is going to be created into 4D human form every day at 12PM ET / 9AM PT with a Facebook Live show trawling and trolling through the day's biggest stories. Like this one.
Real Madrid in search of goals against CSKA Moscow
Another team also knee-deep in the Champions League hoopla is Real Madrid, with the Spanish side away at CSKA Moscow today. Match Day one saw Madrid picking up all three points against Roma in a comfy 3-0 win.
The clip-notes on Madrid for those not paying too much attention is a team that started the campaign strongly, looked fine without Cristiano Ronaldo but has now discovered that there is no-one around to score the goals.
Karim Benzema, for one, hasn't even managed a shot on target in the league for five games, taking the false number-nine role to an extreme.
Just two goals have been scored in the past four league games. Which is not that great. Coach Lopetegui has traveled to Russia without the injured quartet of Gareth Bale, Isco, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos.
"I'm sure the ball will go in" said the hopeful Real Madrid boss.
Manchester City looks to end woeful Champions League record
Elsewhere in today's Champions League action, keep a beady eye out on Manchester City's away trip to take on Bundesliga side, Hoffenheim.
The match-up may look easy, but City are weirdly awful in the Champions League having lost the opening clash against Lyon at home. That completed a run of four consecutive defeats in the competition.
Bayern Munich is also under pressure today with a home game against Ajax. Bayern has dropped five points in the Bundesliga in a week, which is near unthinkable in Bavaria. Juventus is taking on Young Boys without the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo.
Catch the best of the action from across the whole day on the XTRA at 7PM ET / 4PM PT.
Barcelona heads to London for Tottenham test
Might as well go all-in on the Champions League.
Tuesday will also see coaches and players talking ahead of Wednesday's games. The stand-out affair there - although only just - is Barcelona's visit to London to take on Tottenham.
The match will be particularly fun for Spurs boss, Mauricio Pochettino, who once coached Barca's city rivals, Espanyol. Since that moment, the Argentinean has been more than keen to confirm that he would never manage at the Camp Nou. A win will be particularly enjoyable.
Another humdinger that will be poured over today will be Napoli's home clash against Europe's hottest side, Liverpool, with Carlo Ancelotti taking on Jurgen Klopp.
Head to the XTRA at 7PM ET / 4PM PT for all the predictions of Wednesday's big games