#team-news

#team-news

Eventually storming their way to a sensational 5-1 romp in Poland, Thorsten Fink's side hold what is a dominant advantage when they return to the Cegeka Arena on Thursday night. Despite struggling to find any real domestic stability since opening up the 2025/26 campaign, the Blues have turned a recent corner. Securing a 2-1 win against Leuven, Genk have registered consecutive victories for the first time this season.

With a Champions League group stage ticket hanging in the balance on Wednesday night, Benfica will welcome Fenerbahce to Lisbon for a blockbuster second-leg showdown. Starting with the hosts, putting in a gritty performance on foreign soil last week as they eventually left Istanbul with a 0-0 stalemate, Benfica should be relishing a return to the Estadio da Luz on Wednesday night.

Starting with the hosts, while Bournemouth might have got the 2025/26 campaign underway with an action-packed 4-2 defeat away at defending champions Liverpool on August 15th, Andoni Iraola's men should take plenty of positives from their bright start to proceedings. Putting a maiden Premier League victory on the board last weekend as they landed a 1-0 victory at home against Wolves, the former Rayo Vallecano boss has seen his squad gain plenty of plaudits from across England's elite.

Pep Guardiola's men brushed aside Wolves 4-0 last weekend, with new signing Tijjani Reijnders starring on debut by scoring and assisting. Erling Haaland netted twice, while Rayan Cherki added a fourth to complete a dominant display. City, who endured a disappointing 2024-25 campaign by their high standards, appear rejuvenated and already sit top of the table. However, Guardiola has voiced concerns over the size of his squad, warning it could affect their rhythm over the course of the season.

LaLiga champions Barcelona travel to Valencia on Saturday night to face newly-promoted Levante, who are back in the top flight after winning the Segunda Division title last season. Levante's return to the big stage didn't start as planned, as they fell 2-1 to Alaves on the opening weekend - a disappointing result given both sides are expected to be involved in the relegation scrap.

"Strasbourg embarked on a sensational rise under Liam Rosenior, securing a seventh-place finish among France's elite last season and achieving a gritty 1-0 victory away at Metz."

Liam Crowley notes the excitement of the fans during the kick-off game in Dublin, highlighting the sea of red shirts and the positive atmosphere.

If Tom Farrell has one of his nights tonight and the lineout operates, they have a chance, but with Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi in the team, you need to be perfect.

Real Betis have solidified their spot as a European dark horse, booking their semi-final position with a strong 5-1 victory last time out.

Bayern Munich welcomes back Leon Goretzka for the Mainz match, while Thomas Müller and Jonas Urbig will miss it due to illness, impacting the team's lineup.