Starting this summer, the two-leg preliminary round – in which 16 teams would face off in a home-and-home series – has been eliminated. Instead, all 24 teams in the event will be drawn straight into the group stage. Each of the eight groups will have three teams, and MLS and Mexican sides can’t be drawn into the same group.

Each group winner will then advance to the quarterfinals, which proceed unchanged from previous versions of the event.

The teams will be distributed into three categories for purposes of the draw:

Category 1:  Mexico 1 & 2, USA 1 & 2, Costa Rica 1, Guatemala 1, Honduras 1, Panama 1

Category 2:  Mexico 3 & 4, USA 3 & 4, Canada 1, Costa Rica 2, El Salvador 1, Honduras 2

Category 3:  Belize 1 (pending approval of suitable stadium), El Salvador 2, Guatemala 2, Nicaragua 1, Panama 2, Caribbean Football Union 1, 2 & 3

Teams from the same country can’t be drawn into the same group, though thanks to the pan-nationalism of MLS, there is a 75 percent chance that Canada’s CCL representative will be drawn into a group with one of its MLS brethren.

The new group stage comprises 48 matches. It will begin at the end of July and run through mid-October.

The four US representatives have already been decided, with the LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders in Category 1 and the Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake in Category 2. The winner of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship — contested between Toronto FC, the Montreal Impact, the Vancouver Whitecaps and FC Edmonton of the NASL — could possibly add a fifth MLS club to the party.

Group A
Manchester City vs Bayern Munich from the Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Arguably the hardest group on paper when the groups were drawn, the visiting Bavarians may have thought they’d have a harder time in this section, but already on 13 points and undefeated, they’ve already wrapped up the group. That is the good news for Manchester City, who in their first Champions League campaign have made mistakes. The bad news is they have to rely on Villarreal, who have not picked up any points and have a -12 goal difference, to hold Napoli to at least a draw for City’s hopes of qualifying.
Prediction: Manchester City 2-1 Bayern Munich

Villarreal vs Napoli from the Estadio El Madrigal, Villarreal
Napoli manager Walter Mazzarri is telling his players not to worry about events elsewhere, and just to concentrate on the job in hand in Spain. It’s quite amazing the progress the Naples side has made over the last few seasons, and if they can get through to the knockout phase of the Champions League, it will be one massive step taken. For Villarreal, they have only managed four wins in their last 25 games dating back to May 8th in all competitions, so the odds of them getting a result here, as well as giving younger players a chance like manager Juan Carlos Garrido has said, looks very slim. Napoli should end up finishing in second place, while the citizens from Manchester will end up playing in the Europa League in the new year.
Prediction: Villarreal 1-3 Napoli

Group B
Lille vs Trabzonspor from the Lille Metropole, Lille
Class this as the Group B cup final with the winner qualifying in 2nd behind Inter Milan, but a draw could also let CSKA Moscow in to 2nd if they can get a result against the Italian giants in the group’s other match. Both of these sides are competing in the tournament for the first time, and while some other groups have been tight due to big teams being in them, this one has also been tight and panned out the way many thought would; going down to the last day to decide the fate of the group.
Prediction: Lille 2-3 Trabzonspor

Inter Milan vs CSKA Moscow from the San Siro, Milan
With qualification already wrapped up, Claudio Ranieri’s Inter will be looking to play spoiler which was expected from the start of the group stages. The former Chelsea manager has said that he intends to win the game, even though it’s meaningless from his team’s point of view. What will be interesting is CSKA haven’t played in two weeks due to the Russian Premiera Liga going on winter break at the end of November, but as Russian sides have shown us all over the last few seasons, they are no pushovers and have competed well in European competition.
Prediction: Inter Milan 1-1 CSKA Moscow

Group C
Basel vs Manchester United from St. Jakob Park, Basel
In what has turned out to be a tighter group then all of us expected, everything has come down to the final matches. The home side believe not only are they playing for themselves, but for the whole of Swiss football since they were tipped to get third place behind the visitors from Manchester, and Benfica. The fact that they managed a 3-3 draw at Old Trafford is amazing in itself. Sir Alex Ferguson is relying on his players experience over the years to get his side through to the knockout phase. The atmosphere in St. Jakob Park should be cracking.
Prediction: Basel 1-2 Manchester United

Benfica vs Otelul Galati from the Estadio do Sport Lisboa, Lisbon
The Portuguese side have already secured their passage to the last 16, but they will want to finish top. Benfica have had a good season so far, but they suffered a set back this past weekend suffering their first defeat of the season 2-1 away to Maritimo in the fifth round of the Portuguese Cup. Galati have not collected a single point in their Champions League debut so far, so the odds of them getting a result in Lisbon is unlikely, which will mean Manchester United will have to win in Switzerland to conform their place in the knockout round.
Prediction: Benfica 2-0 Otelul Galati

Group D
Dinamo Zagreb vs Lyon from the Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb
With the home side already out, the eyes on this one will be on Remi Garde and his Lyon players who has openly admitted that everything has to go their way in order to qualify from Group D. Of course the only thing they can do is concentrate on their task in hand, and that is to score as many goals as possible, and then hope for the best in the other match in the group. Over the last number of years, Lyon have had some amazing results in the Champions League and experience may prove key.
Prediction: Dinamo Zagreb 0-3 Lyon

Ajax vs Real Madrid from the Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam
The Dutch champions just need one point from this final game to progress to the knockout phase, and it’s been far too long for Ajax since they were last competing against the top sides for the European Cup. The problem is this game is being overshadowed by the bitter boardroom battle between Dutch great Johan Cryuff and former manager Louis van Gaal. Real Madrid already confirmed their place, and with the small matter of a weekend match vs Barcelona to look forward to, manager Jose Mourinho should be using a lot of young players and resting their usual starters.
Predictions: Ajax 2-2 Real Madrid

Group E
Chelsea vs Valencia from Stamford Bridge, London
At some point today, someone is going to go home disappointed with these two teams level on points in joint second place, and one point behind leader Bayer Leverkusen. Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas says his side cannot think or speak about going out, and also says so far it’s their own fault why they haven’t cliched a birth in the next round yet due to silly mistakes at the end of matches. Valencia manager Unai Emery has classed this match a final, with the winner going through and the loser going home. Either side control their own destiny, so this will be one to keep an eye on today.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Valencia

Genk vs Bayer Leverkusen from KRC Genk Arena, Genk
With the home side already out, and the visitors from the Rheinland through to the next round, both managers are calling for focus from their squads. Leverkusen manager Robin Dutt knows that for his side to win the group will give them a more favorable draw for the last 16 in the new year, and that will be some achievement for his young side who many are getting a first taste of Champions League football. Genk manager Mario Been is just using the 7-0 defeat away to Valencia to motivate his players to go out of the tournament in the right way with their heads held high.
Prediction: Genk 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen

Group F
Olympiakos vs Arsenal from the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus
The home side have a list of players injured going into this encounter that will make or break their European hopes in general, let alone the Champions League. Olympiakos must win, and hope that Borussia Dortmund get the better of Marseille to advance, so it is asking a lot. There is also the possibility of Dortmund finishing above them in third and losing the Europa League place as well. With Arsenal already through, it’ll be interesting what team manager Arsene Wenger brings to Greece for this one, but we do know is they will try to win the game playing expansive football.
Prediction: Olympiakos 1-1 Arsenal

Borussia Dortmund vs Marseille from the BVB Stadion, Dortmund
We already know what Marseille need to do, but Dortmund actually do mathematically have a chance to stay in the Champions League this season too. A win here could put them in the Europa League, and a win by a big margin could have them finishing second in the group depending on what happens in Greece. Either way, it’s been a lesson for Jurgen Klopp’s side who many of the players are making their European debut’s this season. Didier Deschamps Marseille have it all in their own hands since they currently sit second. A win will do nicely, but a draw may be enough with a little help from Arsenal.
Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Marseille

Group G
Porto vs Zenit St. Petersburg from the Estadio do Dragao, Porto
This is another game that is like a final with the winner qualifying for the next round, and with Porto being the home side, manager Vitor Pereira is calling upon the fans to become the 12th man. At the beginning of the tournament, most expected Porto to win this group with a battle for second between Zenit and Shakhtar Donetsk, but it hasn’t turned out that way at all. The only thing that is guaranteed is both sides will be playing in the knockout phases in Europe in the new year, just one will be in the Champions League, the other the Europa League.
Prediction: Porto 2-1 Zenit St. Petersburg

APOEL vs Shakhtar Donetsk from the GSP Stadium, Nicosia
Let the party begin, at least that’s the tag line for how the Cyprus champions are going about it. What APOEL have achieved has been nothing short of remarkable. The draw in some ways had them avoid the big guns, but on paper you still wouldn’t have picked them to go through to the next phase, let alone win the group which is still a real possibility. While APOEL have overachieved, the same can’t be said for Shakhtar who have underachieved from their recent standards in Europe. You can point to injuries, suspensions and everything else, but they just didn’t perform to where we’ve all seen them in the last few seasons. If nobody took APOEL serious in this group like Donetsk manager Mircea Lucescu says, then teams will be doing that now.
Prediction: APOEL 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk

Group H
Barcelona vs BATE from the Camp Nou, Barcelona
With this group already being a formality, we should see some young players being given the chance by Pep Guardiola to play on the European stage. The only that’s even left up for grabs is the Europa League spot with BATE still having the chance to qualify if they win, and Milan go on and beat Plzen in the other game. Guardiola himself said he loves coaching younger players, and this will also give some of the main players a chance to rest in what will be a long second half of the season coming up.
Prediction: Barcelona 3-0 BATE

Plzen vs AC Milan from Eden, Prague
The Czech champions just need one point from this one to qualify for the Europa League, and they believe they will get it. With Milan having already locked up second place, and manager Massimilliano Allegri will be looking to use some players who haven’t featured in a while to prove a point to the gaffer. Plzen manager Pavel Vrba is hoping for what he has described as a happy ending for his team in their first Champions League campaign and they’ve also learned from it which should make them more successful in the future.
Prediction: Plzen 1-3 AC Milan

Group E
Valencia vs Genk from the Mestalla, Valencia
In what looks to be a tighter group then expected, Valencia know that three points at home against Genk are a must if they want to control their own destiny before the final match day of the group, and qualify for the last 16. The previous meeting between the two sides in Belgium ended in a draw, and both sides cannot afford the same result this time out. Over the weekend, Valencia lost their first game at home this season to Real Madrid 3-2, which ended their 4 match winning streak. For Genk, anything but a win will mean they won’t have a chance to qualify for the next round, but the Europa League is still a possibility.
Prediction: Valencia 3-1 Genk

Bayer Leverkusen vs Chelsea from the Bay Arena, Leverkusen
Both of these sides sit top of the group, and both will be eying their pace in the last 16. Chelsea are top on eight points, while Bayer are second on six and a win for both is what they’re looking for to cement themselves atop of the group before match day six. The home side are rising up the Bundesliga table, unlike their counterparts from west London. However, manager Robin Dutt isn’t taking that for granted, and fully expects his team to win. For Chelsea, the home defeat to Liverpool on Sunday was a massive blow, but putting it right in the Rheinland can certainly begin to turn the corner for Andre Villas-Boas.
Prediction: Bayer Leverkusen 1-2 Chelsea

Group F
Marseille vs Olympiakos from the Stade Velodrome, Marseille
Depending on how things go, if Marseille collect more points then Borussia Dortmund do in the other group match, the Mediterranean side can qualify for the next phase with one match left. Manager Didier Deschamps however is not worrying about what isn’t in his team’s control. The 1-0 loss away to Montpellier over the weekend was not of too much concern because focus was more so on this game. Olympiakos on the other hand know that if they don’t win, they have no chance of qualification for the knockout rounds, so today is their final, and they will play to win.
Prediction: Marseille 2-0 Olympiakos

Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund from the Emirates Stadium, London
These two teams have nearly mirrored each other in how slow they started domestically, and have now hit top form in just the right time on all fronts. If this one ends in a draw, Arsenal will be through which would be just fine by Arsene Wenger after the poor start they had. Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp believes the gunners won’t play for a draw because it’s not their style, and he’s right. For the German champions, it’s now or never, and a must win before their final game against Marseille.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-2 Borussia Dortmund

Group G
Zenit St. Petersburg vs APOEL from the Petrovski Stadion, St. Petersburg
There is no doubt about it, the Cyprus champions APOEL have been the surprise package of the Champions League so far this season, and all they need is one point today to advance to the knockout round for the first time in history if Porto fail to beat Shakhtar Donetsk. Zenit themselves sit one point below in second place on seven points, and Luciano Spaletti’s squad know they must win today to try and distance themselves from Porto and if they’re going to do that they need to find the right balance between attack and defense.
Prediction: Zenit St. Petersburg 1-1 APOEL

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Porto from the Donbass Arena, Donetsk
It’s been a strange change of events with these two sides originally favored to take the top two spots in the group and advance, and it hasn’t happened so far. The hosts currently sit bottom of the group on two points, and it’s do or die for Shakhtar today so only a win will do for the home side. Porto sit in third place on four points, and they know the circumstances. After getting beat in the Portuguese cup this past weekend, Vitor Pereira’s side need to bounce back quickly if they want to take it to match day six before deciding their fate in this season’s tournament.
Prediction: Shakhtar Donetsk 1-2 Porto

Group H
BATE vs Plzen from the Dinamo Stadion, Minsk
In what will be a match to go a long way in deciding who will finish third and take that Europa League spot, both sides have struggled in their Champions League debuts this season, and honestly anyone would do being placed in the same group as Barcelona and AC Milan. It’s the home side BATE that hold third place on two points, and a win would solidify third place for them. The visiting Czech champions however, know they must go for broke and play aggressive, it is after all what made them Czech champions last season.
Prediction: BATE 2-2 Plzen

AC Milan vs Barcelona from the San Siro, Milan
With both sides already through to the knockout rounds, the only thing left to play for is who will finish first and second, and who will get seeded before the draw. The big story in this one is Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic playing against his old club from Catalonia. Barcelona currently sit top on 10 points, and a win will give them first place in the group, but Milan have picked up their game in the last few weeks after a slow start, so as predicted on paper, this one should turn out to be a good, entertaining match.
Prediction: AC Milan 2-3 Barcelona

Group A
Bayern Munich vs Villarreal from the Allianz Arena, Munich
After losing on the weekend at home to rival Borussia Dortmund, Bayern manager Juup Heynches believes it’s good for his team to have this came only three days later. He believes the mistakes that cost them on Saturday have been corrected in training, and are drilling into his side to respect Villarreal tonight. The bad news is they are missing Bastian Schweinsteiger who is out with a broken collarbone until mid December, but the good news is Arjen Robben is back from injury and completed 72 minutes on Saturday. The aim for Villarreal is to possibly get two wins from these last two games, and with luck see if they can reach the Europa League, but that looks highly unlikely.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 3-1 Villarreal

Napoli vs Manchester City from the Stadio San Paolo, Naples
With Bayern likely end up winning the group, the battle will be for second place currently occupied by the Premier League leaders, but the Italian hosts are only two points behind City going into this home fixture against them. Napoli manager Walter Mazzarri believes nobody gave his side a chance when the group was drawn which was a massive mistake because they are a good them who are unlike the traditional Italian side and are very good going forward. The citizens on the other hand will have all the pressure on them just with the amount of money Roberto Mancini has spent as City boss the last few years. Minus Carlos Tevez for obvious reasons, everyone else should be available for selection, and this one has potential to be a cracker.
Prediction: Napoli 2-3 Manchester City

Group B
CSKA Moscow vs Lille from the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
With both clubs needing a win for different reasons, this might be an attacking game from the start. The home side are joint second on five points with Trabzonspor and Lille sit at the bottom on two points, and will be looking to cement their place in the last 16. The problem is CSKA are without their top scorer Seydou Doumbia who is suspended, so Brazilian veteran Wagner Love is likely to fill the void. For the French champions, to say their backs are against the wall are an understatement. Not only do they need a win to keep any hopes of European football alive, let alone Champions League hopes, they were late arriving in the Russian capital due to fog. They’ve struggled to adapt to playing on two fronts with league play as well as Europe, but they’re also a young team, and whatever happens this season, manager Rudi Garcia believes this experience will only help his squad for the future.
Prediction: CSKA Moscow 2-1 Lille

Trabzonspor vs Inter Milan from Huseyin Avni Aker, Trabzon
Senol Gunes, manager of Trabzonspor believes if his side can beat Inter again and qualify for the knockout rounds will be like a gold medal but with the Italian side wanting to complete their qualification for the last 16, this one should be very tight. Inter manager Claudio Ranieri knows if they can get a win in this fixture, they can then concentrate on moving up the Serie A table until the knockout stages start in the new year.
Prediction: Trabzonspor 1-2 Inter Milan

Group C
Otelul Galati vs Basel from National Arena, Bucharest
In a group that has been tighter then anyone predicted, this one is a must win for both, although the home side’s chances of staying in European competition are extremely slim currently sitting bottom of the group and not one point collected. If anything, it’s been a learning experience for the Romanian champions. Basel will be okay with a draw, but manager Heiko Vogel doesn’t see it that way. The Swiss champions believe they still can upset the odds and knock either Manchester United or Benfica out of the Champions League, so a win as a must.
Prediction: Galati 0-2 Basel

Manchester United vs Benifca from Old Trafford, Manchester
Both of these teams sit on eight points at the top of the group, and a lot is on the line for these European giants. Historically, these clubs have faced off in this competition when it matters, and this will be no different. United are currently on a five game winning streak and staying tight after the back ever since they let in six against arch rival Manchester City. United will be the favorites here, but Benfica have a plan, or at least manager Jorge Jesus says his side does and as long as they stick to it in defense and attack, their belief is they should win.
Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Benfica

Group D
Lyon vs Ajax from the Stade de Gerland, Lyon
After the draw was made for the group stages, Lyon along with Real Madrid were favored to qualify from this one, but right now it’s the Dutch champions that sit ahead of Lyon in second place. Both of these clubs still have their fate in their own hands, and Lyon believes that’s something that favors them here. Both sides lost on the weekends domestically, and maybe with one eye on this match was the reason why, but Ajax manager Frank de Boer doesn’t believe that. If they do get what they need to do, they need to concentrate for 90 minutes and they ended up conceding two goals in the last five minutes on the weekend which can’t happen again.
Prediction: Lyon 2-2 Ajax

Real Madrid vs Dinamo Zagreb from the Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
With the Spanish giants already through to the next phase of the competition, the only thing on the line is solidifying top spot in the group, and Dinamo trying to earn their first points and possibly qualify for the Europa League. Real boss Jose Mourinho will probably rest a lot of his usual starters, and that’s why Dinamo manager Krunoslav Jurcic believes his side can get their first points in the group.
Prediction: Real Madrid 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb

Group A
Bayern Munich vs Napoli from the Allianz Arena, Munich
The Bavarian giants have been in such great form as of late, their manager Juup Heynckes believes that today’s visitors from Italy should set up to counter attack them, and that’s a fair point. Bayern have won 13 out of their last 16 games, and scoring 44 goals in the process, while only conceding three in return. The staggering fact is most of those 13 games have been without Dutchman Arjen Robben who is still out injured due to a groin injury. While Napoli sit second in this tough group, they didn’t have the best of warm-ups to this one on the weekend by losing 2-1 away to Catania, even though five starters were rested ahead of this tie.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 2-1 Napoli

Villarreal vs Manchester City from the Estadio El Madrigal, Villarreal
The La Liga side have not had the best of season’s this term, and of course news got worse recently with New Jersey born striker Giuseppe Rossi being out injured until at least April with a torn ACL. Other players do have injuries, and manager Juan Carlos Garrido has said his team need to play the match of their lives if they are to get anything from a Manchester City side who are in top form currently. Roberto Mancini’s side are on a tear, and sit comfortable atop of the Premiership, and have a five point lead over neighbors United. They did get off to a slow start in this tournament though, but are still right in the mix and another win over the yellow submarine would go a long way to challenging for a place in the next round.
Prediction: Villarreal 1-3 Manchester City

Group B
Trabzonspor vs CSKA Moscow from the Huseyin Avni Aker, Trabzon
After a 3-0 defeat in the Russian capital in match day three, Trabzonspor manager Senol Gunes is confident ahead of today’s clash that his side can turn the tables and break away from CSKA. Both sides have actually surprised so far because it was suppose to be the French champions Lille that were to challenge Inter Milan in the group, but this has been a pleasant change. Both sides warmed up with wins over the weekend in their respective leagues, so this one will be interesting to keep an eye on.
Prediction: Trabzonspor 1-0 CSKA Moscow

Inter Milan vs Lille from the San Siro, Milan
The 2009/10 champions have had a rough season domestically so far, and losing to arch rival Juventus over the weekend will not have sat well for the club, and manager Claudio Ranieri. Inter have also had a few injuries to deal with this term to key players, so some see this team currently as a wounded animal ready to get unleashed. Lille themselves have not lost an away match since last season on April 9th. A side who was favored to challenge for top spot in this group, the Ligue 1 champions are a young side who are learning how to compete on both fronts after their title win last season.
Prediction: Inter Milan 2-1 Lille

Group C
Manchester United vs Otelul Galati from Old Trafford, Manchester
Sir Alex Ferguson has a lot of respect for the Romanian champions, who said are very organized after their previous meeting a fortnight ago when United won 2-0. When the groups were drawn, it was almost a forgone conclusion the red devils would dominate Group C, but that hasn’t been the case. United currently sit second behind Benfica, and some would way were lucky to draw at home to Basel 3-3. Galati manager Dorinel Munteanu said that a draw today would be a dream for his team, which would give them their first Champions League point in their history.
Prediction: Manchester United 4-0 Otelul Galati

Benfica vs Basel from the Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Lisbon
With a win today, Benfica will book their place in the last 16 in the new year. Manager Jorge Jesus is serving a suspension, so he won’t be at the stadium for this one, but is confident it shouldn’t be a problem. Two weeks ago, Benfica beat Basel 2-0 away in Switzerland, and the squad as a whole are confident they can repeat the same result on their own patch. The Swiss champions Basel have to give themselves credit for staying in touching distance of the top two spots in the group. They’ll at least qualify for the Europa League, but they won’t be satisfied with just that.
Prediction: Benfica 1-0 Basel

Group D
Lyon vs Real Madrid from the Stade de Gerland, Lyon
When these teams met on the last match day, Real Madrid ran away with a 4-0 victory in the Spanish capital. A defeat for the home side today will not go down well in Lyon, and will put them in a very tough position which is something they haven’t grown used to over the last number of years in this tournament. The galactico’s just need a point from this tie to all but guarantee themselves a place in the knockout round in the spring.
Prediction: Lyon 2-3 Real Madrid

Ajax vs Dinamo Zagreb from the Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam
Ajax know what they have to do, and a win with a Real Madrid win would put the Dutch giants in pole position of second place in Group D. Manager Frank de Boer says his side should go with their usual 3-4-3 formation in this one that has served them so well over the years, while Dinamo on the other hand are just happy to be in Amsterdam. Seeking their first points in the group, Zagreb pulling off an upset would really shake things up in this group, and would be blown wide open.
Prediction: Ajax 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb

Group E
Valencia vs Bayer Leverkusen from the Mestalla, Valenica
The home side are in a tough position with only two points taken from three games so far in the group and currently sit in third place four points behind their opponents who sit in second place. However, manager Unai Emery believes his side will win and potentially blow the group wide open. The consequences of losing though would probably end up knocking the Spanish club out of the competition. Bayer manager Robin Dutt is saying the same thing to his squad, and knows this time his players must defend set pieces better after Valencia caused them a lot of problems in their previous game. Both sides warmed up to this tie with wins over the weekend.
Prediction: Valencia 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen

Genk vs Chelsea from the KRC Genk Arena, Genk
Today, Genk could also be eliminated if results go against them, but manager Mario Been has been trying to keep things positive in the training sessions, and to enjoy the home match against Chelsea. When both sides met two weeks ago, the west London side ended up winning 5-0. The home side haven’t been in the best of form as of late, but with their 5-4 victory away to Club Brugge on the weekend, confidence should be high. Chelsea on the other hand are coming off two successive league defeats to London opponents, and questions are piling up about the back line for Andre Villas-Boas and his club. This could potentially have a lot of goals from both sides.
Prediction: Genk 1-4 Chelsea

Group F
Arsenal vs Marseille from the Emirates Stadium, London
This clash will be interesting to see as both clubs top the group with Arsenal on seven points, while Marseille have six. With the other two sides in the group on one and two points, a win for either side could see them wrap up a place in the knockout round. The home side are in a rich vein of form currently, and especially after topping Chelsea 5-3 on the weekend, Arsene Wenger’s men have their swagger back. Marseille on the other hand are a team that seem to be better suited playing away from home then actually at home with the counter attacking style. They are also in form having won three on the bounce domestically, so their season is finally starting to turn around.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Marseille

Borussia Dortmund vs Olympiakos from the BVB Stadion, Dortmund
The reigning German champions have not had it easy this season domestically or in Europe, and with only one point from three matches, Dortmund know this is a must win game if they’re to have any chance of progressing to the next round. Manager Jurgen Klopp points out rightly that they have been their worst enemies in the competition so far making silly mistakes, but it’s a vital part in his young side maturing. The visitors from Greece on the other hand believe they also need to win to keep with the pace of the other two teams in the group to bolster their chances of progression.
Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Olympiakos

Group G
Zenit St. Petersburg vs Shakhtar Donetsk from the Petrovski Stadion, St. Petersburg
In what has turned out to be one of the more even groups of the tournament, first and last place are only separated by three points, and these two clubs by just two points. Zenit manager Luciano Spalletti is looking forward to locking horns against his opposite number today, Mircea Lucescu. Zenit themselves are unbeaten in all competitions since their match day one defeat to APOEL. Shakhtar will have a difficult time being that three key defenders are out injured; Fernandinho, Jadson, and Dmyto Chygrynsky, but lucescu is hopeful their luck will start to turn.
Prediction: Zenit St. Petersburg 3-1 Shakhtar Donetsk

APOEL vs Porto from the GSP Stadium, Nicosia
No doubt the surprise package of the competition so far this season has been the play of the Cyprus champions APOEL topping the group at the half way stage. Manager Ivan Jovanovic says his side do not feel pressure ahead of this tie, but motivation playing in front of their home crowd, and with another three points available, could go a long way in seeing a historic achievement become reality with qualification to the knockout rounds. Porto themselves are only a point behind in a very tight group, so the outcome of this one will be very interesting to see.
Prediction: APOEL 1-1 Porto

Group H
BATE vs AC Milan from the Dinamo Stadion, Minsk
In what has been one of the more predictable groups, the day’s visitors sit atop with seven points, and the hosts are joint bottom on just one point. In their last outing, BATE got destroyed by the defending champions Barcelona 5-0, and manager Viktor Goncharenko will be hoping for a much better performance from his team. After their slow start to the season, Milan have hit a good run of form having won five in a row in all competitions, and will be looking to stretch their lead in the group to get to the knockout phase.
Prediction: BATE 0-4 AC Milan

Plzen vs Barcelona from Eden, Prague
It’s been a tough start for the Czech champions Plzen in the Champions League, and manager Pavel Vrba says he will be satisfied with at least a point in this contest, as long as he sees an improvement on their 2-0 loss to the Catalans in Camp Nou. For Barcelona themselves, this will mark Pep Guardiola’s 200th match in charge, and in typical Guardiola fashion, only a win will do, and guarantee them a place in the last 16.
Prediction: Plzen 0-3 Barcelona

Group E
Bayer Leverkusen vs Valencia from the Bay Arena, Leverkusen
Both of these clubs are looking at this game like a final being that they both meet twice in the next two weeks, and will go a long way in deciding who will join Chelsea in the knockout phase of the tournament. Currently Leverkusen sit in second place on three points, while Valencia are third on two points, and depending on what happens in the other game in this group, it’s all still very tight. In a lot of ways, both these sides are very similar in the fact that new teams are being developed, and are planning very much for the future.
Prediction: Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Valencia

Chelsea vs Genk from Stamford Bridge, London
The Belgian side are a team that Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is very familiar with having faced them last season with FC Porto in the Europa League on the way to the final, and played two very competitive games. Right now, Genk are going through a lot of injuries, and a bit of transition to after losing manager Frank Vercauteren, and being replaced with Mario Been. Chelsea are coming off a 3-1 win against Everton over the weekend, while Genk themselves lost by the same score in league play over the weekend. The good news is that they scored a goal for the first time in 235 minutes, which is their longest goalless streak April/May 2009.
Prediction: Chelsea 3-0 Genk

Group F
Marseille vs Arsenal from the Stade Veledrome, Marseille
A matchup between both front runners in this group, both sides have struggled domestically in league play, but feel that they play with less pressure in the Champions League. Looking at both managers, Didier Deschamps and Arsene Wenger, they both have similar philosophies on how the game should be played, so we expect a very open game with this being a nice distraction from league play both sides could potentially need.
Prediction: Marseille 2-2 Arsenal

Olympiakos vs Borussia Dortmund from Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus
Both teams need to win this one if they want to stay alive in this group. Both managers disagree that this is a decisive game however. Olympiakos manager Ernesto Valverde see’s this as a must win, and with his team having lost both games in the group so far, it’s understandable why he says this. His opposite number, Jurgen Klopp, see’s this as just an ordinary game, and even though they only have one point from two games played, they’ve played well enough to get more. But now is the time to turn positive performances into wins.
Prediction: Olympiakos 1-2 Borussia Dortmund

Group G
Shaktar Donetsk vs Zenit St. Petersburg from the Donbass Arena, Donetsk
This is another group is is fairly even with the top team, and the last team separated by just 3 points. The home side have played pretty well, especially in match day two, and Shaktar manager Mircea Lucescu believes his side can grow in confidence ahead of this tie and make their mark on the Champions League. This should potentially be one of the best matches of the day with both sides looking to attack, and play open and free. Zenit have scored more goals then anyone else in the Russian league the last two years, so we should be in for a good one.
Prediction: Shaktar Donetsk 3-2 Zenit St. Petersburg

Porto vs APOEL from the Estadio do Drago, Porto
The home side were expected to finish top with ease when the draw was made, but the surprise leaders have been the small club from Cyprus which is a very pleasant change. Porto are coming off a 8-0 win in the Portuguese cup this weekend, but manager Vitor Pereira knows that the Cyprus champions will be much more organized, and are very good on the counter attack. If Porto win, this could very well shake things up in this group, in that could be the most open group this season.
Prediction: Porto 2-0 APOEL

Group H
AC Milan vs BATE from the San Siro, Milan
In no surprise whatsoever, the two front runners in this group are the heavyweights, and it looks like this will continue. Milan will look to consolidate top spot with a win tonight, depending on what Barcelona do in the other match. The Italian giants haven’t gotten off to the best starts this season domestically, but the defending Serie’ A champions looked to have put things right more recently. For BATE, they will face a battle with Plzen over who will get that third spot to qualify for the Europa League knockout phase in the spring.
Prediction: AC Milan 3-0 BATE

Barcelona vs Plzen from the Camp Nou, Barcelona
In typical Pep Guardiola fashion, the Barcelona manager is pleading to his players to respect Plzen, and is very wary of them. It’s quite amazing how he manages to keep his side motivated for every game they play. Plzen manager Pavel Vrba is telling his players to go out and enjoy the experience of Catalonia and not think about how many goals they are going to concede, but to just play their own game.
Prediction: Barcelona 4-0 Plzen

FC Dallas and Toronto FC met yet again this season tonight in the CCL. (Getty Images)

It is hard to believe but also pretty damn cool to think we could very well have four Major League Soccer clubs in the knockout stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. We already have one in the Seattle Sounders and after this week we could have three more.

The tiebreakers for each group make things über complicated though.

Tonight FC Dallas and Toronto FC meet to potentially decide who leaves Group C to the knockout round. There are some potential tiebreakers that could come into play should Pumas lose to Tauro this week and TFC-FCD tie their match tonight. Yes, all four clubs in Group C could end with eight points – something that would be absolutely crazy to see. (Here’s a full break-down of all the tiebreakers, some are more complicated than others.)

We’ll definitely know more tonight as Dallas and Toronto play one another for the millionth time this season. Yes, I exaggerate that number but playing a club out of your conference for the 4th (and a half) time in one season is pretty remarkable. Usually playing a club four times in one year means you see them in the semifinal round of the playoffs. This has been a special case for Dallas and Toronto this year to see each other so many times.

Later this week we have LA and Colorado attempting to reach the knockout rounds as well. Their path isn’t nearly as easy as it has been for the Sounders but both should advance with wins – though LA could run into some crazy tiebreakers as well in their group.

LA could have a decent shot at things – as they play the one team in their group that has failed to get any points so far. A win against Motagua in Honduras get the Galaxy into the knockout stages. A tie or a loss complicated things.

Colorado’s path to the knockout stage goes through Mexico – a place that as never been truly kind to MLS teams until this year. The Rapids haven’t really shown that they are willing enough to put a major effort into this tournament but having clinched a playoff berth over the weekend you have to figure Gary Smith will finally use his full team in this one to get points. A win or a draw should get the Rapids though as long as in the other match there is no winner.

Sadly enough however we could end the week with only one MLS team in the knockout stage. A lot can happen over the course of the next couple days but as MLS fans we gotta root for our clubs. It stinks a little to see that Dallas and Toronto both can’t advance to the knockout round (no tiebreaker works out in that way unfortunately) but if the league can get four of the knockout round spots, then we will be on our way to some solid improvement in this competition.

Group A
Napoli vs Bayern Munich from the Stadio San Paolo, Naples
The Italian hosts are currently the best side in Serie A, according to Bayern head coach Jupp Heynckes. He believes that Napoli do not play the traditional Italian way, and instead of setting up a side to be broken down and hit on the counter, they’re a team with a lot of attacking options and have shown that so far this season. In a match that so far looks like the two sides that will qualify from the group onto the knockout rounds, this should be one of the ties of the day. Napoli have had a very impressive start to the season, but on the weekend suffered a 2-1 home loss at the hands of Parma. Bayern on the other hand have had a blistering start in all competitions, and with impressive wins away to Villarreal, and at home against Manchester City, but will be without Dutchman Arjen Robben. The good news for the Bavarians is that Frank Ribery should be back after a calf problem.
Prediction: Napoli 2-2 Bayern Munich

Manchester City vs Villarreal from the Etihad Stadium, Manchester
With the drama of Carlos Tevez looking like it’s fully behind them, Manchester City will look to push on, and pick up their first win in the Champions League. Their European form has been vastly different from where they sit domestically being top of the English Premier League currently. With a 4-1 win over previously unbeaten Aston Villa on the weekend while resting some starters, and Mario Balotelli now in hot form, City will be looking to get ahead early in this one. The Spanish visitors however, are not in a good run of form, having only picked up two wins in their last 15 fixtures in all competitions going back to last season. If the time to turn things around is needed, the time is now.
Prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Villarreal

Group B
CSKA Moscow vs Trabzonspor from the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
It’s not quite do-or-die for the Russians, but with only one point from their opening two games, it’s time to kick start their campaign at home against the surprise group leaders from Turkey. The next two matches will be key if they want to fulfill their dreams of getting to the knockout phase. If that happens, their defense has to improve after a 2-2 draw on the weekend to FC Terek which manager Leonid Slutski says was down to fatigue in not rotating his squad. While Senol Gunes should be pleased with his side’s start to this group, he seems very annoyed at his defense having given up two goals in a 3-2 win over the weekend and demands his back four must do better.
Prediction: CSKA 1-1 Trabzonspor

Lille vs Inter Milan from the Lille Metropole, Lille
In what is a very even group so far, Lille know that a win is the only that will do today in order to give them a little breathing room after two draws in their opening two games. Their stadium has become quite the fortress recently, and will be looking to continue that against the 2010 Champions. In the words of Inter manager Claudio Ranieri, Lille are “very prolific” and “the most prolific team in France.” The good news for the Italians is that playmaker Wesley Sneijder will return after a three week absence from the team, but Walter Samuel suffered a thigh injury on Saturday in the 2-1 loss away to Catania and will be out for two weeks.
Prediction: Lille 3-2 Inter Milan

Group C
Otelul Galati vs Manchester United from the National Arena, Bucharest
The big worry for the home side today is the Romanian champions will be outdone by the occasion hosting last season’s runners-up. Head coach Dorinel Munteanu says his side are well prepared and will give the Engish champions a good game, but in all honesty, they’re not expecting to get anything out of this game, having lost the first two in this group. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side are coming off a 1-1 draw away at arch rival Liverpool on Saturday, with many of the attacking players rested having been on the bench for that one. It was only in the second half that Javier Hernandez, Nani, and Wayne Rooney came on and got a vital goal to collect a point from Anfield. With this game in mind, these players should be fresh and ready to go.
Prediction: Galati 0-3 Manchester United

Basel vs Benfica from St. Jakob Park, Basel
The surprising factor? Both of these clubs are joint top of the group on four points. With Manchester United collecting two draws in their opening two games, both of these clubs will took to keep the momentum going before United start kicking into gear because they won’t be third for much longer. It should be a cracking atmosphere in Basel like it always is, and their 3-3 draw at Old Trafford on match day two has given the home side confidence in this group. Benfica on the other hand is wary of the home side, even after the change of manager with former gaffer Thorsten Fink moving onto manage Hamburg.
Prediction: Basel 1-2 Benfica

Group D
Real Madrid vs Lyon from the Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
One thing Real manger Jose Mourinho has kept quiet is will he start Frenchman Karim Benzema, who has been out since picking up an injury in match day two, or in form Argentine hit man Gonzalo Huguain who has scored three hat-tricks in his last four games for club and country. He could potentially start with both, and the objective is to qualify as quickly as possible and sitting atop of the group on six points from their first two games it looks like that will happen. Lyon have been in this position so many times before, and are veterans of the Champions League, also having beaten Real Madrid in the Spanish capital in recent seasons. This should be a good one.
Prediction: Real Madrid 2-1 Lyon

Dinamo Zagreb vs Ajax from the Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb
With both sides not looking like they’ll reach the next round, the aim now must be the Europa League qualification. Dinamo Zagreb know if they’ll have any chance in this group, they need to collect points off Ajax, and maybe hope for the best against the other two and manager Krunoslav Jurcic has said as much. For Ajax, manager Frank de Boer has said this is a must win game having only collected a point from their first two matches. With a win, and a Lyon loss, the Dutch club will be right back in this group.
Prediction: Dinamo Zagreb 1-2 Ajax