Main matches of the week in Europe’s top leagues: Milan derby and test for Barcelona

Ipswich host Nottingham Forest at Portman Road on Friday 23 October 2026 in a Premier League meeting that already carries pressure for the visitors: Gary O’Neil’s Ipswich have looked competitive in the top half, while Forest’s season is still searching for traction after a narrow 0-1 home defeat by Arsenal and a 3-1 loss at Crystal Palace. European decimal odds price Nottingham Forest as the slight away favourite at 2.25, the draw at 3.50 and Ipswich at 3.00, a market that respects Forest’s individual quality but still leaves room for Ipswich’s direct, high-energy home football.

Ipswich’s 2026/27 squad has been reshaped around Christian Walton, Leif Davis, Jacob Greaves, Issa Diop, Dara O’Shea, Jack Clarke, Julio Enciso, Abdul Fatawu, Daizen Maeda, Emersonn, Chuba Akpom and Zian Flemming, with summer investment adding Exequiel Palacios, Florentino Luís, Saša Lukić and more Premier League-ready legs to the midfield. Their latest performances underline the progress: a narrow 3-2 defeat at Manchester City showed they can stay in games against elite pressing, while the 2-1 win over Fulham showed the value of late runners and set-piece chaos. With 11 league goals already, the Tractor Boys are not arriving as passive underdogs, even if defensive spacing remains the main concern.

Premier League champions Arsenal host Everton at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, 24 October 2026 (15:00 BST) in one of the most storied fixtures in English top-flight history. The Gunners hold the record for the most league victories by any club over a single opponent against the Toffees, and Mikel Arteta's reigning champions will be looking to assert their authority against David Moyes' Everton side. In European odds, Arsenal are priced as clear favourites at around 1.30 for the home win, with the draw at 5.50 and an away victory for Everton at 9.50.

Arsenal arrive in outstanding form, having ground out a hard-fought 0-1 win away at Nottingham Forest last weekend, Noni Madueke's late strike sealing the points and earning him man-of-the-match honours. That result followed a commanding 3-0 Champions League triumph over Lille in midweek and a 2-1 league victory against Leeds, leaving Arteta's 2026/27 squad — bolstered by summer arrivals Bruno Guimarães, Ezri Konsa, Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier around a core of David Raya, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard, Bukayo Saka, Madueke and Kai Havertz — looking formidable on every front.

Aston Villa host Manchester City at Villa Park on Saturday 24 October 2026, with kick-off at 12:30 local time, in a Premier League round 8 clash that pits the league leaders against a Villa side unbeaten in their last five in all competitions. City have made a flawless start to the 2026/27 campaign under new boss Enzo Maresca, winning all seven league matches to sit top with 21 points, while Unai Emery's Villa, sitting 12th on 8 points, arrive in strong form after a 0-1 away win at Newcastle and a 6-0 Champions League demolition of Fenerbahçe, following a 2-2 home draw with Brentford. City, meanwhile, edged Ipswich 3-2 and thrashed Liverpool 3-0 away, though their perfect record was dented by a 4-2 Champions League defeat to PSG.

Team news could prove decisive at Villa Park. Villa are without Matteo Ruggeri (hamstring) and long-term absentee Amadou Onana, while Ian Maatsen (ankle) and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (knock) are doubts and record signing Johan Manzambi is being monitored after scoring the winner at Newcastle. City have confirmed Antoine Semenyo is out for up to eight weeks with a knee injury, and Erling Haaland — the league's top scorer with 8 goals — is a major fitness concern after sustaining a foot and ankle problem against Ipswich, though Maresca insists his squad has options in 2026/27. Villa will lean on Zion Suzuki in goal, Tyrone Mings and Victor Lindelöf in defence, Boubacar Kamara and João Gomes in midfield, and Nicolas Jackson in attack, while City can call on Cherki, Foden, Doku, Enzo Fernández, Elliot Anderson, Gvardiol and new defensive signing Marc Guéhi even if Haaland is not risked.

Chelsea host Tottenham Hotspur in a mouth-watering London derby on Saturday, 24 October 2026, with kick-off at 17:30 BST at Stamford Bridge as the Premier League 2026/27 campaign reaches Round 8. The Blues arrive with genuine momentum after back-to-back league victories, while Spurs are still searching for consistency on the road, and with Chris Kavanagh appointed as referee, discipline will be crucial in what remains one of English football's fiercest rivalries.

Chelsea's latest results explain why the market rates them so highly: a professional 2-0 win at Everton on 17 October followed the emphatic 5-1 dismantling of Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge, though September's 3-0 defeat at Brentford is a reminder that this side can still switch off defensively. Tottenham, meanwhile, have drawn three of their last four league matches, grinding out a 1-1 at Manchester United before slipping to a 3-2 home defeat to Aston Villa, leaving them vulnerable against a Chelsea team averaging more than two goals per home game this season.

Coventry City welcome Fulham to the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday, 24 October 2026, for a Premier League 2026/2027 season clash between two sides desperate to climb away from the bottom half of the table. Frank Lampard's Coventry sit 16th with just six points from six matches, while Marco Silva's Fulham are 17th with five points from seven, making this a genuine six-pointer early in the campaign. The European odds reflect how tight the contest is expected to be, with Fulham installed as slight favourites at 2.39, the draw priced at 3.61, and a Coventry home win available at 3.12 with leading bookmakers.

Coventry's season has been a story of inconsistency and defensive fragility. After a painful 3-1 defeat away to Tottenham last weekend, the Sky Blues will take some confidence from their superb 4-1 demolition of Newcastle earlier in October, though heavy losses to Brighton (5-0) and Manchester City (1-0) exposed their soft underbelly. Lampard is expected to name a similar squad to recent weeks, with Oliver Dovin in goal, Milan van Ewijk and Jay Dasilva in the full-back positions, Matt Grimes pulling the strings in midfield, and Ephron Mason-Clark supporting Ellis Simms in attack. Absentees including Kasey Palmer and Jack Rudoni could leave Coventry short of creativity in the final third.

VfB Stuttgart host Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday, 23 October 2026 at the MHP Arena in a Bundesliga matchday 7 clash that pits two sides in very different moods. Stuttgart's most recent outing ended in a frustrating 1-0 defeat away at Hamburger SV, but that result is the exception rather than the rule for Sebastian Hoeneß's men, who responded to a heavy early-season defeat to Bayern Munich with an impressive 3-0 Champions League win at Slovan Bratislava and a controlled 2-0 league victory at Paderborn. Mönchengladbach, by contrast, arrive in crisis: Eugen Polanski's side have lost all of their opening Bundesliga fixtures, conceding heavily in defeats to Freiburg, RB Leipzig and Mainz, with their latest setback a 1-2 home loss to Hoffenheim. Historically, the fixture favors the hosts too — Stuttgart have won four of the last five meetings, including a 3-0 away triumph in January 2026, and have taken the previous two H2H encounters.

Team news for the 2026/27 season squads gives Stuttgart a clear edge in availability. The Swabians are missing Maximilian Mittelstädt, Ameen Al Dakhil, Dan-Axel Zagadou, Nikolas Nartey, Justin Diehl and Tiago Tomás through injury, but can still call on a strong spine of Dennis Seimen in goal, Josha Vagnoman, Finn Jeltsch and Julian Chabot in defence, Angelo Stiller and summer signing Grischa Prömel in midfield, and the attacking quartet of Chris Führich, Deniz Undav, Ermedin Demirović and Dženan Pejčinović. Gladbach's injury list is far more damaging: captain Tim Kleindienst, Franck Honorat, Ko Itakura, Jens Castrop, Enzo Leopold, Nicolas-Gerrit Kühn, Jan Leszczyński and Fritz Fleck are all ruled out, leaving Moritz Nicolas, Kevin Diks, Joe Scally, Kevin Stöger, Florian Neuhaus and new signings Isac Lidberg and Hugo Bolin to carry a heavily depleted squad.

Augsburg host Union Berlin at the WWK Arena on 24 October 2026 in a Bundesliga Round 7 clash that pits two teams heading in very different directions this season. Augsburg, sitting near the top of the table after a strong start under their current setup, are unbeaten at home and have scored in every home match so far, while Union Berlin arrive in Bavaria still searching for consistency after a difficult opening month. The home side suffered a heartbreaking seven-goal thriller last time out, falling 4-3 at Elversberg despite creating more than enough chances to win, and they will be eager to bounce straight back in front of their own fans.

Augsburg's 2026/27 squad blends experience with attacking firepower: Finn Dahmen anchors the goal, with Chrislain Matsima, Jeffrey Gouweleeuw and Mads Pedersen forming the defensive core, while Marius Wolf, Fabian Rieder, Arnel Ibrahimovic and Michael Gregoritsch — who has already chipped in with goals this campaign — provide the creative and finishing threat. That depth was on full display when Augsburg held champions Bayern Munich to a thrilling 2-2 draw just a week before the Elversberg defeat, a result that underlined just how dangerous this team can be at the WWK Arena. With their high-tempo, attack-minded approach, Augsburg have seen over 2.5 goals in every league game this season, making them one of the most entertaining sides in the division.

Borussia Dortmund host Eintracht Frankfurt at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday, 24 October 2026 (18:30 local time) in one of the headline fixtures of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season. Dortmund arrive in strong shape, sitting second in the table after a campaign built on a rock-solid defence and the goals of Serhou Guirassy, who has struck four times already this season, with Fábio Silva matching that tally. Frankfurt, currently eleventh, travel west after a mixed October in which they beat Köln 1:0 but were then humbled by RB Leipzig 6:0 in a worrying defensive collapse.

Recent form slightly favours the Black and Yellows. Niko Kovač's side ground out a 0:0 draw away at Union Berlin last weekend and remain unbeaten in the league despite a midweek setback in Europe, while their Signal Iduna Park form has been dominant — Dortmund's last home meeting with Frankfurt, back in May 2026, ended in a thrilling 3-2 victory, the third time in four home H2Hs that at least three goals have been scored. Frankfurt's away record tells a different story, though their 3-1 win at Mainz earlier this month showed the attacking threat of Ritsu Dōan and Can Uzun on the break.

FC Köln host FC Schalke 04 at the RheinEnergieStadion on Saturday, October 24, 2026, in a Matchday 7 Bundesliga clash between two of German football's most traditional clubs. Both sides arrive with something to prove after disappointing results last weekend: Köln fell 1:0 away to Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday night, while Schalke were stunned 0:1 at home by Mainz 05 the following day. The bookmakers see Köln as clear favourites for this fixture, with European odds priced at around 1.95 for a home win, 3.50 for the draw, and 3.80 for a Schalke victory — a reflection of the Billy Goats' stronger attacking output and home advantage in front of a sold-out Cologne crowd.

Schalke's defensive resilience will be severely tested in Cologne. Miron Muslić's men have built their campaign on organisation, holding Bayern Munich to a draw earlier in the season and grinding out results, but their away form has been patchy — they slipped to a 2:1 defeat at SC Freiburg in early October and could only manage a 0:0 stalemate against SV Elversberg in September. With six goals scored and four conceded across their last five league outings, the Royal Blues are solid but lack cutting edge — a problem against a Köln side that has scored eight in the same span despite its own defensive frailties.

Mainz 05 host Werder Bremen at the MEWA Arena on Saturday, 24 October 2026, in a 2026/27 Bundesliga meeting between two early-season surprise packages: Urs Fischer’s Mainz are pushing near the European places after a 0:1 win at Schalke, while Daniel Thioune’s Werder arrive with renewed belief after dramatic late points in 2:2 against Paderborn and a 2:2 comeback at Dortmund.

The latest team news points to Mainz trying to protect a home favourite tag despite defensive volatility, following the 3:4 Leverkusen thriller and the earlier 4–3 away win at Gladbach; the 2026/27 squad is built around Silvan Widmer’s captaincy, Nadiem Amiri’s creativity, Lee Jae-sung’s energy and Phillip Tietz’s penalty-area finishing, with Anthony Caci, Philipp Mwene and Stefan Posch giving Fischer width and set-piece threat.

SC Paderborn 07 host Hamburger SV at the Home Deluxe Arena on Saturday, 24 October 2026, in a Bundesliga matchday 7 clash between two of the league's newest top-flight residents. Paderborn are back in the Bundesliga for the first time since 2019/20 after winning the promotion play-off against Wolfsburg, while Hamburg finally ended their long exile from the top division. Both sides are locked in the lower half of the early-season table — Paderborn sitting 11th and HSV 14th — and with only a handful of points separating them, this meeting at the 15,000-capacity Home Deluxe Arena could prove significant in the race to avoid an immediate return to the 2. Bundesliga.

Paderborn's form has been mixed under head coach Ralf Kettemann, who is working with a reshaped 2026/27 squad. The headline departure was top scorer Filip Bilbija, who left on a free transfer to Derby County, but the club responded with a record €3 million signing of Gabriel Vidović from Dinamo Zagreb, with Oliver Batista Meier, Albert Millgramm and Rayan Philippe also arriving to bolster the attack alongside veterans Sven Michel and Steffen Tigges. In defence, Kettemann can call on Felix Götze, Mattes Hansen, Tjark Scheller and Jano ter Horst, though an early-season injury crisis in the backline has complicated his selection. Their most recent outings tell the story of a side still finding its feet: a battling 2-2 draw away to Werder Bremen last weekend followed a disappointing 0-2 home defeat to VfB Stuttgart, leaving Paderborn with just one win from their last five league matches.

RB Leipzig welcome newly promoted SV Elversberg to the Red Bull Arena on October 24, 2026, in a Bundesliga clash that pits a rebuilding Leipzig side against one of the surprise packages of the season. Leipzig sit seventh with nine points from six matches, while Elversberg, playing their first ever top-flight campaign, are a spot above them in sixth on ten points. The European odds reflect Leipzig's home strength and superior depth: a home win is priced at 1.38, the draw at 5.25, and an away win at 8.50, making the hosts clear favourites despite their inconsistency so far this term.

Leipzig's form has been a rollercoaster this autumn. They were thrashed 1-6 by Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on October 17, but just a week earlier they produced a stunning 6-0 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt at home, with Christopher Nkunku scoring a hat-trick on his return to Leipzig on loan from Milan. The 2026/27 squad has been reshaped significantly: Maxime Estève arrived from Burnley, Rocco Reitz joined from Borussia Mönchengladbach, Marc Guiu signed from Chelsea, and Ørjan Nyland returned in goal, while Antonio Nusa, Brajan Gruda and Tidiam Gomis provide creativity around Nkunku. David Raum captains the side, and Maarten Vandevoordt has been the first-choice goalkeeper.

Torino host Monza at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on Friday 23 October 2026 in Italy - Serie A Matchweek 8, and Ignazio Abate’s 2026/2027 Granata are expected to lean on Lucas Perri in goal, a defence built around Pietro Comuzzo, Saúl Coco, Eray Cömert and Ardian Ismajli, midfield control from Rolando Mandragora, Daniel Bragança, Alessio Cacciamani and Gaetano Oristanio, and attacking quality from Nikola Vlasic, Ché Adams and Giovanni Simeone.

Torino’s latest league form is mixed but steadier than early September: the 2:1 home win over Udinese came after a 1:1 draw at Bologna and a 0:2 defeat by Roma, with Niccolò Fortini still the key fitness doubt, while European decimal odds around 2.15 for Torino, 3.62 for the draw and 3.64 for Monza make the hosts narrow favourites rather than comfortable bankers.

Cagliari host Bologna at the Unipol Domus on Saturday, 24 October 2026, in a Serie A Matchday 8 clash that pits two of the league's most intriguing 2026/27 storylines against each other. The Sardinians have been one of the surprises of the early season, sitting comfortably in the top half after a strong start built on away resilience, though their momentum was checked on Monday night when they fell 0-4 at Monza, ending a four-game unbeaten run. Before that setback, Fabio Pisacane's men had held Juventus to a creditable 1-1 and picked up 13 points from their opening six rounds. Bologna, meanwhile, arrive in Sardinia after a turbulent start to the campaign that saw Domenico Tedesco dismissed and Raffaele Palladino installed on the bench; the Rossoblù finally claimed their first win of the season last weekend, beating Lecce away, but were beaten 1-3 by Inter at the Renato Dall'Ara in their most recent outing, a result overshadowed by VAR controversy.

For Cagliari, the 2026/27 squad has been shaped around the creative spark of Daniel Maldini, on loan from Inter and already the team's top scorer with four league goals, operating behind the front pairing of M'Bala Nzola and Paul Mendy. Elia Caprile remains first choice in goal behind a defence marshalled by Yerry Mina, Zé Pedro and Juan Rodríguez, with Adam Obert at left-back, while the midfield engine room features the experience of Harry Winks and Alessandro Deiola alongside Alessandro Romano and Michel Adopo. The hosts are without Mattia Felici, Riyad Idrissi and Yael Trepy through injury, and head coach Fabio Pisacane is suspended following his touchline row, so assistant Giacomo Murelli will again direct operations from the dugout. Despite the heavy defeat in Monza, Cagliari's home form has been solid, and the islanders will look to Maldini's movement between the lines to unlock a Bologna back line that has conceded in every away game this term.

Como 1907 host US Sassuolo Calcio on Saturday, 24 October 2026 at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia in one of the most intriguing fixtures of the Serie A 2026/27 season. Cesc Fàbregas' side are flying high after a statement win in Florence and sit firmly in the hunt for European qualification, while Sassuolo arrive at Lake Como looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat and climb away from the lower half of the table. With both teams committed to attacking football, the Sinigaglia faithful can expect an open, entertaining contest under the October sun.

Como's recent form underlines their ambitions this season. Last time out, the Lariani produced a superb away performance to beat Fiorentina 1-3 at the Franchi, with Mattia Liberali, Nico Paz and Tasos Douvikas all on the scoresheet. That result followed a narrow Champions League setback away to Feyenoord and a hard-fought goalless draw at home to AS Roma in 0-0 fashion, a match in which Como's young stars carved out chances against ten men but could not find a breakthrough. For the 2026/27 campaign, Fàbregas can call on a talented squad featuring Jean Butez in goal, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc-Oliver Kempf and Álex Valle in defence, Maxence Caqueret, Lucas Da Cunha and Maxime Perrone in midfield, and the dazzling trio of Nico Paz, Douvikas and Liberali in attack, although Assane Diao and Moise Kean remain sidelined with injuries.

Serie A 2026/27 Round 8 brings us a fascinating clash at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, 24 October 2026 (20:45 CEST), as high-flying Lazio welcome a Parma side in crisis. Maurizio Sarri's Lazio have been one of the stories of the season, sitting second in the table with 19 points from seven matches (six wins, one draw) and a remarkable defensive record of just four goals conceded. Their momentum is formidable: they followed a 2-0 away win at Venezia on 19 September with a convincing 3-1 home victory over Monza, and then delivered a statement performance in Turin, thrashing Juventus 3-0 on 18 October with goals from Oliver Provstgaard, Gustav Isaksen and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. Parma, meanwhile, arrive in Rome in freefall under new coach Gilardino, who watched his debut end in a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Torino on 19 October, a result that followed a 3-0 drubbing at champions Inter — meaning Parma have conceded six goals without reply in their last two outings and sit 15th with just four points.

Lazio's 2026/27 squad blends experience with exciting attacking talent. Between the posts, Edoardo Motta has been protected by a settled back line of Adam Marusic, Alessio Romagnoli, Mario Gila and Nuno Tavares, while Kenneth Taylor and Davide Frattesi control the midfield and Mattia Zaccagni, Gustav Isaksen, Tijjani Noslin and Daniel Maldini provide the creativity. Andrea Pinamonti has emerged as a decisive super-sub, scoring late in both the Monza and Juventus wins, and with Boulaye Dia adding depth up front, the Biancocelesti have depth in every department. Parma's rebuild under Gilardino features Zion Suzuki in goal, a defence led by Alessandro Circati, Mariano Troilo and Lautaro Valenti, and a midfield built around Mandela Keita, Nahuel Sorensen and Adrián Bernabé, with Gabriel Strefezza, Mateo Pellegrino and Jacob Ondrejka tasked with supplying the goals. The problem has been at both ends: only one win all season — the 2-1 triumph over Genoa on 20 September — and defensive fragility that has been brutally exposed by top-half opposition.

Napoli host AS Roma in the Serie A 2026/27 Derby del Sud on 24 October 2026, and the European odds already lean away from home: Roma are around 2.30, the draw is near 3.40 and Napoli are close to 3.60, with Over 2.5 goals about 1.80. Napoli’s mood dropped after the 3-0 Frosinone win, a midweek Champions League loss at Villarreal and the shock 1-0 defeat at winless Venezia, leaving Massimiliano Allegri’s side mid-table and still patching up injuries. Roma arrive with better league momentum despite the painful 3-4 Champions League collapse to Real Madrid, because Gian Piero Gasperini rotated heavily and still beat Genoa 2-0 at the Olimpico.

For the 2026/27 season, Napoli’s spine is Alex Meret or Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in goal, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Benoit Badiashile and Mathias Olivera/Leonardo Spinazzola in defence, Stanislav Lobotka, Scott McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne in midfield, with Matteo Politano, David Neres, Noa Lang, Rasmus Hojlund and Lorenzo Lucca competing for the attacking roles. Allegri has moved between a back three and a more familiar 4-3-3, but the latest selection headache remains medical: Alessandro Buongiorno, Antonio Vergara, Costantino Favasuli and Neres have been in or around the treatment room, while Olivera and Frank Anguissa are being managed back toward full sharpness.

Brest will host Nice at the Stade Francis-Le Blé on Friday, 23 October 2026, in one of the standout fixtures of the Ligue 1 2026/27 season's autumn schedule. Both clubs enter this Brittany–Riviera duel in a period of transition: Brest are living a new chapter under Julien Lachuer, who succeeded Éric Roy at the helm of Les Pirates, while Nice continue their rebuild under coach Julien Sablé, backed by an ambitious squad featuring Mohammed Amoura, Elye Wahi, Morgan Sanson, Axel Witsel and Jonathan Clauss. With both sides chasing a top-half finish and European qualification spots, this clash promises goals, intensity and a fascinating tactical battle between two of France's most tactically daring coaches.

Brest's recent form has been a mixed bag heading into this fixture. The Pirates fell short away at Lille last weekend in a 2-1 defeat, but responded well earlier in October with a convincing home win over Angers (3-1), showing Lachuer's attacking philosophy is starting to take root. Grégoire Coudert remains a reliable presence in goal, while the likes of Kenny Lala, Brendan Chardonnet, Kamory Doumbia and Romain Del Castillo provide experience and creativity. Brest's main concern is defensive consistency — they have struggled to keep clean sheets this season — but at home in front of their passionate Brittany faithful, they remain a dangerous proposition for any visiting side.

Lens welcome Paris FC to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Saturday, 24 October 2026 (kick-off 20:45 CET) for a Ligue 1 Matchweek 8 clash that pits two of the league's most in-form attacks against each other. Paris FC arrive as the surprise package of the 2026/27 season, sitting third on 14 points from seven games (4W-2D-1L), while Lens are eighth on 10 points (3W-1D-3L) but boast the division's best attack at two goals per game. The European odds reflect how tight this one is expected to be, with Lens priced at 2.09 to win, the draw at 3.90 and a Paris FC victory at 3.58. History favours the hosts: Lens have won the last two meetings between the sides, 2-1 here in October 2025 and a stunning 5-0 away win in February 2026, and the capital club will be out to prove their top-four standing is no fluke in front of one of France's most intimidating atmospheres.

Pierre Sage's Lens head into this fixture with renewed confidence after a week that began with disappointment and ended in triumph. The Sang et Or were beaten 0-2 by Sporting CP at home in the Champions League on 13 October, but responded superbly on Ligue 1 duty, edging Lyon 2-1 thanks to a Florian Sotoca opener before grinding out a 1-3 away win at Troyes on 17 October, where Florian Thauvin starred and Ruben Aguilar sealed the victory. That followed a hard-fought 2-1 home triumph over previously unbeaten Lyon on 9 October. The 2026/27 Lens squad is built around captain Jonathan Gradit's organisation at the back, the creativity of Thauvin, Sotoca and Przemysław Skoraś behind striker Odsonne Édouard, and the wing-back pairing of Aguilar and Adrien Bulatović, though Jean-Clair Todibo anchors a defence stretched by injuries — Yacine Titraoui is out with a hamstring problem, Maik Nawrocki is a long-term absentee with a cruciate ligament injury, and Saud Abdulhamid is nursing a knock.

Toulouse host Troyes at the Stadium de Toulouse on Saturday, 24 October 2026 in Ligue 1, with Jens Berthel Askou's side 11th on 9 points and Stéphane Dumont's promoted Troyes 17th on 4 after a five-match losing run.

Toulouse arrive unbeaten in their last two league games after the 0 : 3 win at Le Mans and the 2 : 2 draw at Monaco, and their 2026/2027 squad core includes Guillaume Restes, Rasmus Nicolaisen, Mark McKenzie, Cristian Casseres Jr, Thomas Jorgensen, Casper Tengstedt and Jacen Russell-Rowe, with no unavailable players reported.

AS Roma host Slovan Bratislava at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, in a UEFA Champions League 2026/27 league phase round 3 encounter that pits a wounded Giallorossi side against a Slovakian team still searching for its first points of the campaign. Roma come into the fixture heartbroken after Real Madrid scored three goals in seven minutes to complete a dramatic 4-3 comeback victory in Rome on matchday two, a game in which Gian Piero Gasperini's men had led 3-1 through a Donyell Malen brace and a Marten de Roon strike. Our prediction for this clash is a convincing 3:0 home win, with European odds pricing AS Roma at around 1.30, the draw at 5.50, and Slovan Bratislava at 9.00 to spring an upset. For context on Roma's recent European form, see our 3-4 match report against the Spanish giants.

The Giallorossi will look to channel the frustration of that late collapse into a dominant display in front of their own fans, and their squad for the 2026/2027 season is well equipped to do exactly that. Gasperini can count on the explosive attacking duo of Malen and Matías Soulé, supported by the midfield intelligence of De Roon and Rodrigo Mora, though Manu Koné remains a doubt after limping off early against Real Madrid. In goal, Pierluigi Gollini will be eager for a clean sheet after conceding three corner-kick goals in the closing stages last time out, while Mario Hermoso anchors a back line that must stay switched on for the full 90 minutes. Roma have been in solid form overall, drawing 2-2 with Inter Milan in Serie A — a match they led 2-0 at half time — having beaten Torino 2-0 away from home before that, as detailed in our 2-2 preview.

Exeter City host Crewe Alexandra at St James Park on Tuesday 20 October 2026, 19:45 BST, in a Sky Bet League Two Matchweek 12 clash that arrives with both sides in very different runs of form: Crewe are unbeaten in the league and sit near the promotion places, while Exeter are mid-table after a goalless draw at Colchester and a 1-0 win at Shrewsbury.

Exeter’s reference points from the supplied recent-match links are sobering but useful: they were beaten 0-4 by Rotherham in League One last season and lost the Devon derby 2-0 at Plymouth in this season’s Carabao Cup opener, yet Matt Taylor’s side have since become harder to beat at St James Park. Crewe’s path shows a resilient cup start, edging Accrington 2-1 before a narrow 3-2 defeat at Barnsley, then league momentum built through wins over Bristol Rovers, Swindon and Rochdale.

FC Porto host PSV Eindhoven at the Estádio do Dragão on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, in one of the most attractive fixtures of the Champions League 2026/27 league phase. Both clubs arrive in strong domestic form: Porto have won four of their last five matches in all competitions, including a hard-fought 1-2 victory away at Marítimo in Liga Portugal and a statement 3-1 home win over Benfica in the Clássico, though their only defeat in that run came in Europe, a 2-0 loss to Manchester City. PSV, meanwhile, have taken four wins and a draw from their last five, beating Heerenveen 2-0 and thrashing Sparta Rotterdam 4-1 in the Eredivisie, with their lone setbacks a 1-0 defeat at RB Leipzig and a 1-1 draw at home to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Porto's 2026/27 squad is built around goalkeeper Diogo Costa, a defensive unit featuring João Mário, Zaidu Sanusi, Martim Fernandes and Tiago Djaló, and a midfield anchored by Alan Varela, although the Dragons are without the injured Vasco Sousa and William Gomes. In attack, Rodrigo Mora, Danny Namaso and Gonçalo Borges provide pace and penetration. PSV's 2026/27 squad can call on Walter Benítez in goal, Rick Karsdorp and Sergiño Dest out wide, Olivier Boscagli in the centre of defence, and Joey Veerman and Ismael Saibari in midfield, with veteran Ivan Perišić and Luuk de Jong leading the line — but the Dutch champions are badly hit by injuries, missing Jerdy Schouten, Ricardo Pepi, Paul Wanner, Sam Lammers, Kilian Sildillia, Alassane Pléa, Adamo Nagalo and Sami Ouaissa.

Fenerbahce host Slavia Prague at Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium on Tuesday, 20 October 2026 in the UEFA Champions League 2026/2027 league phase, with the Istanbul crowd expecting a reaction after a 1-1 home draw with Roma in 1-1 was followed by a damaging 6-0 defeat at Aston Villa. The Turkish side still has home advantage, elite individual quality and extra motivation, but the Villa Park collapse exposed how quickly their defensive structure can be stretched when the midfield is bypassed.

Slavia Prague arrive with confidence from domestic football yet with European questions to answer after a 2-3 home loss to Lens and a 2-0 defeat away to Sabah in Baku. The Czech champions remain organized, aggressive in transition and dangerous from set pieces, and the recent European history between these clubs is tight: Slavia won both 2022 Conference League meetings, while Fenerbahce took the most recent Europa League clash 2-1 in 2024.

Liverpool meet Villarreal in a high-tempo UEFA Champions League 2026/2027 home fixture, with the latest build-up pointing to Arne Slot’s side attacking from the first whistle and Villarreal arriving disciplined but vulnerable away from La Cerámica. The hosts’ recent rhythm around this tie is reflected by their LASK away test 1-3, the heavyweight Premier League meeting with Manchester City 2-1, while Villarreal’s European response after Napoli 2-2 and the Bernabéu lesson 0-2 frames a match where Liverpool should create more volume in the final third.

Using European odds, a Liverpool home win is priced around 1.45, the draw sits near 4.80, and a Villarreal upset is about 7.20, which implies the market expects sustained pressure rather than a cagey night at Anfield. The value angle comes from Liverpool’s front-foot spacing against a side that often protects the box first, so the 3:1 prediction fits if Slot’s press converts early territorial control into a first-half lead.

Manchester City host AEK Athens at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, 20 October 2026 (20:00 UK time) in Round 3 of the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase, in what will be the first-ever competitive meeting between the two clubs. Enzo Maresca's men opened their European campaign with a controlled 2-0 win away to Porto, but their perfect start under the new manager was halted last Wednesday when they fell to a 2-4 defeat against holders Paris Saint-Germain in a thrilling Etihad encounter — full match details and analysis available in our 2-4 prediction report. City remain formidable on home soil, having won all of their previous matches at the Etihad this season, and will be confident of returning to winning ways against the Greek champions.

AEK Athens, coached by Marko Nikolić, are enjoying their first Champions League campaign since 2018/19 after dismantling Levski Sofia 4-0 on aggregate in the play-off round, and they began with a narrow 1-0 home victory over LASK, sealed by a Răzvan Marin penalty — a result we covered in our 1-0 match preview. However, their Matchday 2 trip to face Shakhtar Donetsk at Stamford Bridge ended in a disappointing 3-1 defeat, a game in which AEK conceded three times in the final 20 minutes, as broken down in our 3-1 prediction page. The Yellow-Blacks have nonetheless been strong domestically, and their travelling supporters are famous for generating one of the most intense atmospheres in Europe.

Napoli return to UEFA Champions League action on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, when they host Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples for Matchday 3 of the 2026/27 League Phase. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 CET, and the Azzurri are in desperate need of a response after opening their European campaign with back-to-back defeats. On the European odds market, Napoli are clear favourites at 1.62 to win, the draw is priced at 4.50, while Bodø/Glimt are available at 5.00, reflecting the gulf in pedigree despite the visitors' impressive continental run over the past two seasons.

Napoli's recent form has been worrying, particularly away from home. Antonio Conte's successors have struggled to find consistency, as shown by their last three results: a comfortable 3:0 home victory over Frosinone in Serie A was followed by a disappointing 1:3 defeat away to Villarreal in Europe and a shock 0:1 loss at Venezia last weekend. That leaves Napoli with zero points from their opening two Champions League fixtures and a negative goal difference, making this home fixture against Bodø/Glimt arguably a must-win if Massimiliano Allegri's side are to keep their qualification hopes alive.

Paris Saint-Germain host FC Barcelona at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, in one of the standout fixtures of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase. Both sides arrive in excellent form: PSG are unbeaten this season under Luis Enrique, coming off a stunning 2-4 away win over Manchester City at the Etihad, preceded by a 3-1 Ligue 1 victory against Le Mans. Barcelona, meanwhile, are flying high in La Liga and Europe, dismantling Galatasaray 1-4 in Istanbul on matchday two after cruising past Sevilla 1-3 in Seville. With both clubs built to dominate possession, this clash at the Parc des Princes promises fireworks.

PSG's 2026/27 squad blends experience with youthful energy: Matvey Safonov starts in goal behind a back line of Achraf Hakimi, captain Marquinhos, Willian Pacho and Nuno Mendes, while the midfield engine of Vitinha and João Neves supplies Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The headline storyline is Ferran Torres, who left Barcelona for PSG in a €48.5 million deal this summer and now faces his former club for the first time. Hansi Flick's Barcelona counter with Joan Garcia in goal, Jules Koundé and Pau Cubarsí marshalling the defence, and a star-studded attack led by Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Karim Adeyemi and summer signing Gabriel Jesus, with Pedri and Frenkie de Jong pulling the strings in midfield.

Sabah Baku vs Dortmund arrives in the 2026/2027 Champions League calendar as one of the season’s most uneven ties on paper, with the Azerbaijani side trying to turn home energy into a result against a Dortmund team expected to control possession, tempo and territory. Sabah’s most recent reference point is their 2-1 meeting with Slavia Prague, a scoreline that still leaves questions over whether they can sustain defensive concentration against elite pressing. The latest team news points to Sabah using a compact 4-2-3-1 in the 2026/2027 squad, protecting the half-spaces and looking for quick transitions rather than long spells of possession.

Dortmund’s trip to Baku is less about changing their identity and more about managing squad minutes, travel and knockout-level focus, especially after their 1-2 away test against Union Berlin in Bundesliga rhythm. Their 2026/2027 squad depth is built to rotate without losing vertical speed: full-backs push high, the double pivot circulates quickly, and the front three attack the box in waves. Sabah will have seen the warning signs in Manchester, where their 0-2 defeat showed how costly passive defending can be when the first pass out of pressure is loose.

Stuttgart welcome Atlético Madrid to the MHP Arena in one of the standout fixtures of the new Champions League season, with both clubs targeting a fast start in the league phase. The German side arrive in strong form, having recently beaten Slovan Bratislava 3-1, edged Paderborn 2-1, and shared the points in a 1-1 Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund. Atlético, meanwhile, swept aside Manchester United 2-0 and beat Alavés 1-0, though the Madrid derby ended 1-1, suggesting Diego Simeone's men remain resilient but not untouchable.

For 2026/27, Stuttgart's squad features goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, a defensive line led by Dan-Axel Zagadou and Hiroki Ito, a creative midfield pairing of Atakan Karazor and Chris Führich, and an attacking trio built around Deniz Undav and Ermedin Demirović, with summer additions adding depth on the flanks. Atlético's roster remains anchored by Jan Oblak in goal, José María Giménez and Reinildo in defence, a midfield engine of Pablo Barrios, Conor Gallagher and Rodrigo De Paul, and the familiar strike force of Julián Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann, supplemented by new signings on the wings. On the European odds market, the visitors are slight favourites at 2.45, Stuttgart are priced at 2.90, and the draw sits at 3.40 — margins that reflect how tightly matched these two sides have become.

Aston Villa welcome Viking FK to Villa Park on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 (20:00 BST) for Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 league phase. Unai Emery's side have made a flying start to the competition, sitting 3rd in the standings with six points from two games and a +7 goal difference after a record-breaking 6-0 dismantling of Fenerbahçe, followed by a 2-2 Premier League draw with Brentford and a superb 3-2 win at Tottenham. Viking, meanwhile, sit 27th with one point, but arrive in Birmingham full of confidence after a stunning 3-3 comeback against Bayern Munich, alongside Eliteserien wins over Brann (2-0), Lillestrøm (3-0) and an 8-1 thrashing of Kristiansund.

For the 2026/2027 season, Aston Villa's expected squad features Zion Suzuki in goal behind a back line of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelöf, Pau Torres and Matty Cash, with Ismaël Mbaye, Jeremy Manzambi, Boubacar Kamara and John McGinn in midfield supporting Nicolas Jackson in attack. The bench offers serious depth in Emiliano Buendía, Leon Goretzka, Tammy Abraham, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrone Mings and Lamare Bogarde, although Ross Barkley, Amadou Onana, Ian Maatsen, Matteo Ruggeri, Modou Kéba Cissé and George Hemmings are all unavailable through injury. Viking's likely eleven includes Leopold Belko between the posts with Villads Auklend, Trygve Moi, Edozie Bassey and Joakim Daland in defence, Joe Hansen and Aleksandar Cosic in midfield, and Sander Kvia-Egeskog, Niklas Fuglestad and Rai Vloet/Postema leading the line, with Sondre Bjørshol, Nicholas D'Agostino, Anders Bærtelsen, Veton Berisha and Martin Roseth all sidelined.

Bayern Munich host Arsenal on Wednesday, 21 October 2026 at the Allianz Arena in a blockbuster UEFA Champions League 2026/27 league phase Matchday 3 clash. The Bavarians arrive in red-hot form after crushing Viking 3-0 away from home and beating Augsburg 4-1 in the Bundesliga, while the Gunners topped Lille 2-0 in Europe but fell to Brighton 2-1 in their last away outing. European odds price a Bayern win around 1.85, the draw at 4.00 and an Arsenal victory at 3.75.

Vincent Kompany can call on a star-studded Bayern squad for the 2026/27 season, with Manuel Neuer in goal behind a defensive line of Joshua Kimmich, Dayot Upamecano, Kim Min-jae and Alphonso Davies. The midfield pivots of Aleksandar Pavlović and Leon Goretzka will look to feed an electric attacking trident of Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala and Luis Díaz, all supplying England captain Harry Kane, who has started the campaign in devastating scoring form. Depth options such as Konrad Laimer, Serge Gnabry and new signing Ismael Saibari give the German champions one of the most dangerous benches in Europe.

Real Betis host Feyenoord on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at the Estadio de La Cartuja (Estadio Olímpico de Sevilla) in a Matchday 3 Champions League league-phase clash that pits one of the competition's surprise packages against a Dutch side still chasing consistency. Betis have made a dream start to their first Champions League campaign, sitting 9th in the table with a perfect 6 points from 2 games after a 3-2 win at Lille and a 3-2 triumph over Porto at home, while Feyenoord have managed just 3 points and a -3 goal difference following a heavy 5-1 defeat at Barcelona and a narrow win over Como. With both teams arriving in strong domestic form — Betis thumping Osasuna 5-2 in La Liga and Feyenoord beating AZ Alkmaar 2-0 and Utrecht 5-0 in the Eredivisie — goals are expected at both ends in Seville.

For the 2026/27 season, Betis have assembled a deep and talented squad underpinned by captain Isco, who continues to pull the strings in midfield alongside summer arrivals Dani Ceballos, Facundo Bernal (from Fluminense) and Fran García (from Real Madrid). Álvaro Valles guards the goal behind a defense of Héctor Bellerín, Natan, Marc Bartra — already on 2 Champions League goals — and Ángel Ortiz, with the attack led by Antony, Abde Ezzalzouli and new signing Troy Parrott, who arrived from AZ in August and has scored in Europe already. Feyenoord counter with goalkeeper Tjark Ernst, a back four of Javi López, Mika Mármol, Jeremiah St. Juste and Givairo Read, and a creative midfield trio of Gjivai Zechiël, Charles Vanhoutte and Oussama Targhalline supplying the dangerous front line of Anis Hadj Moussa, Nacho Ferri and Luciano Valente. Both sides report no fresh injury concerns ahead of kickoff.

Club Brugge KV welcome Lens in the 2026/2027 UEFA Champions League in a fixture that pits two of Europe’s most upwardly mobile sides against each other, with both clubs arriving off the back of demanding recent schedules. The latest team news points to Brugge leaning on their settled Belgian core and home strength at the Jan Breydel, while Lens continue to rely on their trademark intensity and counter-attacking speed despite a congested run of fixtures. European odds for the match currently list Club Brugge as the favourites in decimal format, with Lens priced as the away underdogs and the draw sitting between the two, and you can review how the Belgians fared in their recent test against Inter via the 2–1 scoreline, while Lens’s own European lesson against Sporting CP is reflected in the 1–2 result from their last outing.

For the 2026/2027 campaign, Club Brugge have kept the spine of their squad intact, blending experienced Belgian and Dutch domestic performers with fresh attacking signings aimed at sharpening their final-third output, and their recent home form suggests that structure is beginning to click at exactly the right time. The Blauw-Zwart have made the Jan Breydel a fortress this season, pressing high and feeding their front line early, and that home authority was underlined in their comfortable 3–1 win over Kortrijk, a performance that underlined why the market has installed them as clear European odds favourites for this Champions League tie.

Como vs Manchester Utd is set to be one of the most intriguing fixtures of the 2026/2027 UEFA Champions League season, as the Italian side continues its remarkable rise under Cesc Fàbregas and prepares to host one of England's biggest clubs. The match promises a fascinating tactical battle between Como's possession-based, high-pressing style and Manchester United's direct, transitional approach, with both teams eager to collect crucial points in the group stage. With a packed stadium expected in Como, this Europe - Champions League clash could become one of the defining nights of the Italian club's young European history.

Como head into this contest in excellent form, having built serious momentum in both domestic and European competition over the past month. The home side most recently impressed with a 2-1 away victory over Feyenoord, followed by a hard-fought 2-1 home win against AS Roma, and earlier brushed aside Frosinone in a commanding 3-0 triumph. Fàbregas has settled on a settled 2026/2027 squad built around a young Italian core complemented by experienced additions, with the team's compact defensive structure and quick vertical passing making them a genuinely difficult opponent for anyone in this competition.

Inter Milan host Shakhtar Donetsk at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, with kick-off at 21:00 CET, in one of the standout fixtures of the Champions League 2026/27 league phase matchday 3. Inter arrive at the fixture sitting 29th in the league-phase table on zero points after opening defeats to Real Madrid and Club Brugge, the latter a painful 3-4 home reverse in which Lautaro Martínez scored twice but the Nerazzurri lost a fourth consecutive European game. Shakhtar, by contrast, sit 11th with four points after a 1-1 draw away to PSV Eindhoven and a dramatic comeback victory over AEK Athens in London.

For Inter, domestic form has been far stronger than their European campaign suggests: Cristian Chivu's reigning Serie A champions beat Parma 3-0 at San Siro on 10 October — with goals from Petar Sučić, Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Marcus Thuram — and also enjoyed 5-3 and 3-2 wins over Udinese and Napoli, plus a 2-2 draw away to Roma. The 2026/27 squad is built around goalkeeper Josep Martínez, a back three of Yann Aurel Bisseck, Manuel Akanji and Alessandro Bastoni, wing-backs Andy Diouf and Federico Dimarco, a midfield featuring Nicolò Barella, Çalhanoğlu and Piotr Zieliński, and the lethal strike partnership of captain Lautaro Martínez and Thuram, though injuries to John Stones and Benjamin Pavard leave the defensive depth tested.

Lille welcome Galatasaray to the Decathlon Arena – Stade Pierre-Mauroy on 21 October 2026 for a UEFA Champions League 2026/27 league phase matchday 3 encounter, with both sides desperate to bounce back from defeats in Europe's premier competition. Lille's preparations have been hit hard by injury news, as right-back Tiago Santos is expected to miss the rest of the season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament suffered in the win over Le Havre, while Hamza Igamane is also unavailable and Ethan Mbappé serves a suspension. Galatasaray, meanwhile, continue to manage the fitness of Victor Osimhen, who returned from an adductor problem as a substitute in Istanbul, and Wilfried Singo remains a doubt with a thigh issue.

Lille's 2026/27 squad under Davide Ancelotti blends experience with youthful energy, built around goalkeeper Berke Özer, defenders Tanguy Nianzou, Alexsandro Ribeiro and Romain Perraud, a creative midfield featuring Nabil Bentaleb, Maurits Kjærgaard, Hákon Arnar Haraldsson and Osame Sahraoui, and a veteran front line led by 40-year-old Olivier Giroud, supported by Ayase Ueda and Dilane Bakwa. Les Dogues were beaten 3-0 at Arsenal in their last Champions League outing, with Jurriën Timber, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka scoring in a devastating seven-minute spell, but they responded on the domestic front with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Le Havre in Ligue 1, a result that kept them at the top of the French standings despite the loss of Santos.

Real Madrid vs RB Leipzig is shaping up as a high-tempo 2026/2027 Champions League night at the Bernabéu, with the Spanish side priced as strong favourites in European odds around 1.36 for the home win, 5.40 for the draw and 8.20 for an away surprise. The latest storyline is Madrid’s relentless early-season rhythm: after the 14 October trip to Rome ended in a controlled 2-1, Carlo Ancelotti’s group can again lean on Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, Thibaut Courtois, Antonio Rüdiger, Éder Militão, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy, with Arda Güler and Rodrygo adding fresh legs between the lines.

The home picture remains bullish because Madrid have been turning territory into clean scorelines rather than letting matches drift, including the 10 October home assignment that finished 3-0. Leipzig arrive with a 2026/2027 core built around intensity in midfield, vertical transitions and aggressive wing play, but their projected spine will still need a near-perfect defensive evening against Madrid’s rotations. For the visitors, the key squad names to monitor are Benjamin Šeško’s movement, Xavi Simons’ creativity, Amadou Haidara’s ball-winning and the back-line marshalled by Castello Lukeba and El Chadaille Bitshiabu, with Janis Blaswich or the Leipzig goalkeeper of the moment asked to handle repeat Madrid pressure.

Sporting CP host LASK at the Estádio José Alvalade on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, in Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 league phase, and all signs point to a one-sided affair in Lisbon. Sporting have been one of the surprise packages of this season's competition, winning both of their opening fixtures to sit 6th in the table with a +4 goal difference, while LASK — appearing at this stage for the first time in their history after a dramatic play-off run — have lost both matches, conceding 3.5 goals per game and sitting 33rd. The Lions arrive in superb domestic and European form, fresh from a 0-2 away win over Lens and a 3-1 victory away at Braga, and Rui Borges' side will be eager to settle an old score: despite winning 2-1 at home in October 2019, Sporting were beaten 3-0 in Linz two months later in the sides' only previous European meetings.

The 2026/27 Sporting CP squad blends experience with exciting young talent. In goal, Rui Silva remains first choice ahead of Diego Callai, while the back line is built around Gonçalo Inácio, Zeno Debast and Eduardo Quaresma, with Maximiliano Araújo and Iván Fresneda providing width. The midfield is marshalled by Rodrigo Zalazar and Sergi Altimira, with João Simões (currently nursing a foot injury), Pedro Lima and Issa Doumbia offering rotation options. Up front, Luis Suárez has been lethal with 4 goals already this season, ably supported by Geny Catamo (3 assists), Fotis Ioannidis, Luís Guilherme and Nestory Irankunda. LASK, coached by Markus Schopp, counter with a hard-working Austrian side spearheaded by forward Samuel Adeniran, though their defensive record — the second-worst in the league phase so far — suggests they will spend long periods without the ball in Lisbon.

Beşiktaş host Crystal Palace at Tüpraş Stadium in Istanbul on Thursday, 22 October 2026, in one of the standout fixtures of Matchday 3 in the UEFA Europa League 2026/27 league phase. The Turkish giants arrive full of confidence after a stunning away victory at Hoffenheim, winning 2-3 in Sinsheim on Matchday 2, with Hyeon-gyu Oh scoring twice to silence the German crowd. Palace, by contrast, suffered a narrow defeat in France, going down 3-2 to Lyon despite a late rally, and they now face a daunting trip to one of Europe's most intimidating atmospheres. Both clubs are loaded with quality in the 2026/27 campaign: Beşiktaş have built their squad around Alexander Nübel in goal, a back line of Amir Murillo, Emmanuel Agbadou, Emirhan Topçu and Kassoum Ouattara, and a midfield engine of Wilfred Ndidi and Orkun Kökcü, while Leandro Trossard and Junior Olaïtan supply the creativity behind Oh. Crystal Palace counter with Walter Benítez between the posts, Chris Richards and Tyrick Mitchell anchoring the defense, and Adam Wharton, Yéremy Pino and Daichi Kamada driving the attack, although Jean-Philippe Mateta (hamstring) and Dean Henderson (foot) remain major doubts after missing the Lyon trip.

Form strongly favors the home side. Beşiktaş are riding a wave of momentum across all competitions, having hammered Marseille 4-1 on Matchday 1 of this competition and even edged the Istanbul derby away to Fenerbahçe 1-2 in a result that underlined their big-game pedigree. Palace's away record in Europe remains a work in progress, and their defensive numbers on the road have been shaky, conceding freely against Lyon after also struggling to close out games in the Premier League. The only prior meeting between these clubs came in a 2023 friendly that Palace won, but competitive football in front of a sold-out Vodafone Arena is a completely different proposition, and Oliver Glasner's men will need to be far more compact than they were at the Groupama Stadium if they are to leave Istanbul with anything.

Bournemouth host AC Milan at Vitality Stadium on Thursday 22 October 2026 in a 2026/27 Europa League league-phase tie that pits Marco Rose’s perfect-start Cherries against Rúben Amorim’s seven-time European champions. Bournemouth are fifth after wins at Real Sociedad and 3-0 over Sturm Graz, while Milan rebounded from a 2-0 home defeat by Benfica with a 0-4 win at Salzburg; Milan also hold a 1-0 edge in the only previous meeting between the clubs.

Rose’s 2026/27 squad is built around Đorđe Petrović; Adam Smith, James Hill, António Silva and Adrien Truffert; Tyler Adams, Lewis Cook and Ryan Christie; David Brooks, Rayan and Marcus Tavernier behind Evanilson, with Justin Kluivert, Amine Adli, Álvaro Rodríguez and Daniel Jebbison pushing for minutes. Adli and Kluivert have returned to the squad after injury problems, though Bournemouth still have a quick Premier League turnaround against Sunderland on 18 October; Milan’s 2026/27 group includes Mike Maignan, Fikayo Tomori, Strahinja Pavlović, Pervis Estupiñan, Adrien Rabiot, Luka Modrić, Christian Pulisic, Samuel Chukwueze and Gonçalo Ramos, with Matteo Gabbia and Alexis Saelemaekers the main injury worries.

Celje host Red Bull Salzburg in the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League league phase on 22 October 2026, and the latest form lines point to a severe test for the Slovenian champions: they were beaten 0–3 by Omonia last time out after also losing 2–0 at Bayer Leverkusen, while Salzburg arrive off a 0–4 home defeat by Milan but with a 0–1 win at Levski Sofia already banked in Europe. The table underlines the gap: Salzburg sit on three points despite the Milan setback, whereas Celje are still searching for their first league-phase goal and point.

For 2026/27, Celje’s Europa League group is built around goalkeepers Žan-Luk Leban, Luka Kolar, Simon Sluga and Žiga Frelih, a defensive line featuring Žan Žužek, Darko Hrka, Leonardo Koutris, Lukasz Bejger, Damjan Vuklišević and Ivan Calušic, midfield energy from Mario Kvesić, Rudi Vancaš and Svit Sešlar, and attacking options such as Benjamin Verbič, Blaž Kramer, Milot Avdyli and Yaya Dukuly. Salzburg’s travelling party should be treated as the stronger, deeper Europa League roster, with their squad list the key reference for the final matchday selection and Celje needing compact spacing to stop the visitors’ transitions after conceding five across the opening two rounds.

Celtic welcome Celta Vigo to Celtic Park on Thursday, 22 October 2026 (20:00 GMT) for a pivotal UEFA Europa League league phase Matchday 3 clash, and both sides arrive in Glasgow desperate to bounce back from European defeats just seven days ago. Martin O'Neill's Celtic were outclassed in Lisbon, suffering a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Benfica at the Estádio da Luz, where Jhon Durán's early penalty set the tone and Vangelis Pavlidis added a late fourth. Celta Vigo, meanwhile, were left heartbroken at Balaídos after Hugo Álvarez's opening goal was overturned in a 1-2 home defeat to Juventus, decided by Randal Kolo Muani's stoppage-time winner. The latest news from both camps suggests a tense evening in the East End of Glasgow: Celta are chasing their first win of this Europa League campaign and have openly targeted this trip to Scotland, while Celtic know that a second successive home defeat in Europe would leave their knockout hopes hanging by a thread before the October fixtures are even complete.

Recent form paints a contrasting picture for the two squads assembled for the 2026/27 season. Celtic's domestic campaign remains strong despite the European setback — they returned to the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 2-0 win at Motherwell — but their record against serious opposition is a concern, having also fallen 0-1 to Rangers at Celtic Park in September's Old Firm derby. O'Neill's squad for this season features Viljami Sinisalo in goal, with Kasper Høgh, Camilo Durán, Benjamin Nygren, Haissem Hassan, Mika Baur and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain providing the attacking thrust. Celta Vigo arrive in far steadier shape: Claudio Giráldez's LaLiga outfit are sitting comfortably in the top half of the Spanish table and are unbeaten in the league since late September, grinding out a goalless 0-0 away to Elche before the international break. The Galicians' 2026/27 squad is built around evergreen captain Iago Aspas, creative duo Hugo Álvarez and Williot Swedberg, striker F. Jutgla, and goalkeeper Ionut Radu, with Martim Neto anchoring the midfield.

Ferencvaros host Torreense at Groupama Arena on Thursday 22 October 2026 in a 2026/27 UEFA Europa League league-phase match that already looks heavily tilted toward the Hungarian side. Latest European odds are around 1.40 for Ferencvaros, 5.70 for the draw and 9.00 for Torreense, with the favourite arriving after 2-1 against Viktoria Plzen and 1-3 at Celtic.

Ferencvaros' 2026/2027 squad depth is the main story: Dénes Dibusz, Endre Botka, Ádám Osváth, Muhamed Bero, Cadu, Barnabás Varga, Kristoffer Zachariassen, Kady Lisztes, Veljko Birmancevic and Naby Keïta give the home team top-end League Phase experience. Zachariassen is already among the competition's leading scorers with three goals, while Torreense's European debut squad leans on Luiz Paes, Stopira, Volnei, Costinha, Daniel Arzani, Jordan Levi and Majeed Abubakari.

TSG Hoffenheim welcome Olympique Lyonnais to the Rhein-Neckar-Arena on Thursday, 22 October 2026 (21:00 CEST) for Matchday 3 of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League league phase. The Sinsheim side are under real pressure after an inconsistent start to their European campaign, most recently falling short in a five-goal thriller at home, which you can revisit in our 2-3 match review against Beşiktaş. Lyon, meanwhile, arrive full of confidence after edging past Crystal Palace in a dramatic 3-2 home win last Thursday, a result that kept them unbeaten in the league phase following their 2-1 victory away to Anderlecht in September. With the French club chasing a top-eight finish and Hoffenheim needing points to climb off the bottom of the standings, this fixture has serious knockout-stage implications for both squads.

Hoffenheim's 2026/27 squad is built around experienced heads and emerging talent: Oliver Baumann anchors the goal, Vladimír Coufal and Ozan Kabak marshal the defence, while Adam Hložek and Adam Daghim lead the attack, both already scoring twice in Europe this season. The German side will look to lean on their high-possession, high-pressing style at home, where they typically dominate the ball. Lyon's revamped 2026/27 roster, featuring Dominik Greif in goal, a defence of Zachary Athekame, Moussa Niakhaté and Abner, a creative midfield trio of Corentin Tolisso, Pavel Šulc and Tyler Morton, and a dynamic front line with Ernest Nuamah, Loïs Openda and Keito Nakamura, offers pace and technical quality in abundance. Tolisso's opening goal against Palace and Šulc's late winner underline how dangerous Lyon are in the final third.

Jagiellonia Białystok host Anderlecht at Białystok City Stadium on 22 October 2026 in a UEFA Europa League league-phase matchday 3 tie that already carries pressure for the visitors. Jagiellonia come in off a confidence-boosting 3-1 win over Ararat-Armenia, but their European away form was exposed in the 2-1 defeat at Olympiacos; after two league-phase games they have three points, while Anderlecht arrive on zero points despite a talented 2026/2027 roster.

Anderlecht’s latest continental outing was a narrow 1-0 loss at Dinamo Zagreb, following the home 1-2 setback against Lyon, so their Belgium results have looked better than their Europa League start. The Polish side’s core 2026/2027 group includes Sławomir Abramowicz or Michał Perchel in goal, R. Conceicao, B. Vital, Y. Kobayashi, B. Wdowik, F. Klynge, T. Romanczuk, Jesús Imaz Ballesté, K. Jóźwiak, O. Sow and K. Szmyt; Anderlecht’s squad list is built around Colin Coosemans/Justin Heekeren, Ali Maamar, Andrew Omobamidele, Léo Pétrot, Ludwig Augustinsson, Zoumana Keita, Lukas Ambros, Enric Llansana, Marco Kana, Romeo Amane, Thelo Aasgaard, Marten Winkler, Danylo Sikan, Mihajlo Cvetkovic and Oliver Antman.

Juventus will host Rennes at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on Thursday, 22 October 2026, kicking off at 18:45 CET, in one of the standout fixtures of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League league phase. Luciano Spalletti's Bianconeri are flying high in Europe after a perfect start to their campaign, and they will be firm favourites with the European odds priced at around 1.55 for a home win, 4.20 for the draw, and 6.00 for a Rennes victory. Juventus arrive in excellent shape following their hard-fought 1-2 away win over Celta Vigo in Vigo last Thursday, a result that kept them top of the league phase standings with maximum points from their opening two matches.

Rennes, meanwhile, are enjoying a solid 2026/27 campaign of their own under their own dugout, and they travel to Turin full of confidence after edging past OFI Crete by 2-1 at Roazhon Park in their last Europa League outing, having fallen behind early before completing a spirited comeback. However, the Breton side have shown some defensive fragility away from home, most notably in their heavy 0-4 defeat at Lyon in Ligue 1, and keeping out a Juventus attack that has already scored seven goals in two Europa League matches will be a monumental task for Brice Samba and his back line.

Lech Poznań host Sunderland at the Enea Stadion on Thursday 22 October 2026 in a UEFA Europa League league phase match that could hardly be more one-sided on paper. The Polish champions have endured a nightmare start to their European campaign, sitting 36th in the table with zero points and a goal difference of -8 after heavy defeats at home to German giants Bayer Leverkusen (0-4) and away to Crystal Palace (4-0). Sunderland, by contrast, have won both of their Europa League fixtures so far, including a hard-fought victory in Portugal against Torreense (2-1), and arrive in Poznań full of confidence despite a recent domestic setback against Brighton (0-2).

The squads for the 2026/27 season underline the gulf in resources between the two clubs: Sunderland's roster is valued at over €458 million, nearly eight times Lech's €57.5 million squad. Niels Frederiksen's Lech side is built around Mateusz Lis in goal, a back line of Joel Pereira, Wojciech Mońka, Mateusz Skrzypczak and Michał Gurgul, a midfield featuring Gustav Berggren, Antoni Kozubal, Luis Palma and Patrik Wålemark, with captain Mikael Ishak and Allahyar Sayyadmanesh leading the attack. Régis Le Bris can call on Robin Roefs between the posts, Kevin Danso and Daniel Ballard in central defence, Granit Xhaka and Enzo Le Fée pulling the strings in midfield, and the potent forward trio of Brian Brobbey, Wilson Isidor and Nilson Angulo.

Lillestrom welcome Real Sociedad to Åråsen Stadion on Thursday, 22 October 2026, in what promises to be a pivotal UEFA Europa League 2026/27 league phase fixture. This is Matchday 3 of the new-format competition, and remarkably both sides arrive in identical shape: each has collected just one point from their opening two matches, sitting level in the lower half of the 36-team table with a 0-1-1 record and a minus-one goal difference. For newly promoted Norwegian side Lillestrom, this European campaign is already a historic one as their debut at this level, while Spanish Cup winners Real Sociedad arrived in Norway as clear Pot 1 favourites and know anything less than a win would leave their European season hanging by a thread.

Lillestrom's latest results underline how tough life has been against continental opposition. They opened their campaign with a painful home defeat, going down 1-2 to Portuguese newcomers Torreense at Åråsen on 17 September, a result you can revisit in our 1-2 match report. They showed considerable resilience on Matchday 2, however, battling to a creditable 1-1 draw away to Czech giants Sparta Prague, with veteran striker Thomas Lehne Olsen scoring a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser. Manager Andersson's 2026/27 squad relies on goalkeeper Pontus Dahlberg behind a defence featuring Ruben Gabrielsen and Lars Ranger, a hard-working midfield led by Filip Ottosson and Ylldren Ibrahimaj, and an attack built around Lehne Olsen, Fredrik Gulbrandsen, Gustav Nyheim and the Angolan forward Va.

OFI Crete welcome Bayer Leverkusen to the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion on Thursday, October 22, 2026, for a highly anticipated UEFA Europa League 2026/27 league phase fixture. The Cretans have been one of the surprise packages of this season's competition, opening with a famous 2-0 home win over Hoffenheim before pushing Stade Rennais all the way in a narrow 2-1 defeat in France, where Taxiarchis Fountas' early header briefly put the Greeks ahead. Leverkusen, by contrast, have been flawless in Europe so far, sitting joint-top of the table after following up a 2-0 home win over Celje with a ruthless 4-0 demolition of Lech Poznan in Poland.

Carles Martínez's rebuilt Leverkusen squad for the 2026/27 season has hit the ground running, and their recent form underlines why the bookmakers price an away win at just 1.33 in European odds, with the draw at 5.25 and an OFI home victory as high as 8.50. The Germans survived a Bundesliga thriller at the weekend, edging Mainz 4-3 at the MEWA Arena thanks to goals from Robert Andrich, Patrik Schick, Jarell Quansah and Moussa Diaby in the 3-4 scoreline, while their European away day was far more serene — a Patrik Schick brace and strikes from Malik Tillman and Ibrahim Maza sealing the 0-4 rout in Poznan. Leverkusen's trip to Crete comes off the back of that commanding 2-0 opening-night win over Celje, and with six goals scored and none conceded in two UEL matches, they arrive in Heraklion as clear favourites.

Olympiacos Piraeus host Sparta Prague at the Karaiskakis Stadium on Thursday 22 October 2026 in a 2026/27 UEFA Europa League league-phase clash that already carries early momentum: the Greek side are perfect after two rounds following 2-1 against Jagiellonia and a statement 0-1 win at Marseille, while Sparta sit on four points after 1-1 with Lillestrom and an emphatic 1-4 victory at Ararat-Armenia.

The 2026/27 squad picture favours Olympiacos’ settled spine: Stefan Ortega in goal, Panagiotis Retsos and Lorenzo Pirola in central defence, Santiago Hezze and Gustavo Puerta screening, with Gelson Martins, Chiquinho and Jota Silva supplying Roman Yaremchuk; Sparta’s travelling group is built around Karel Hegyi, Patrik Kaderabek, Jan Zeleny, Korede Hoever, Radoslav Macek, Saidou Eneme, Jan Kuchta? no—use only verified names from context: Jesús Mercado, Jérémy Grimaldo, Matěj Vojta and Julián Alcocer, so the visitors will need compact lines and quick transitions to survive Piraeus.

As of 18 October 2026, Omonia vs Benfica is one of the standout UEFA Europa League league-phase fixtures on Thursday 22 October at GSP Stadium, Nicosia, because both teams have taken maximum points from two matches: Omonia beat Celta Vigo 1-0 and then won 0-3 away to Celje, while Benfica won 0-2 at AC Milan before sweeping Celtic 4-1. The latest team news points to Omonia managing without Carel Eiting and Fotis Kitsos, while Benfica’s main absences remain Jakub Kamiński and Enzo Barrenechea; the broader picture is that Benfica are being projected by Opta’s model as a top-finishing league-phase side, with Omonia still firmly in the knockout conversation.

Omonia’s 2026/27 Europa League squad is built around Thomas Kaminski in goal, a defence featuring Jure Balkovec, Senou Coulibaly, Loïc Négo and Fotis Kitsos when fit, and a creative attacking group that includes Florin Tănase, Muamer Tanković, Ewandro, Lois Diony, Jaden Montnor and Anderson Kakoullis. Their season has been efficient rather than dominant: they have conceded no goals in the league phase, survived Celta’s pressure with a late Balkovec winner, and were clinical in Slovenia despite Celje controlling possession, which suggests a compact mid-block, set-piece threat and quick transitions will be their route to staying level with Benfica.

Viktoria Plzeň welcome Levski Sofia to the Doosan Arena in Plzeň on Thursday, 22 October 2026 (21:00 CEST) for matchday 3 of the UEFA Europa League 2026/27 league phase, in what is a must-win fixture for the Czech hosts. Plzeň have endured a difficult start to their European campaign, falling to a heavy 0-3 home defeat against Union Saint-Gilloise before a narrow 2-1 loss away at Ferencváros, where Denis Višinský's 90th-minute goal came too late to spark a comeback. Levski Sofia, meanwhile, dropped into the Europa League after a Champions League play-off exit to AEK Athens and have taken just one point from two rounds, losing 0-1 to Red Bull Salzburg at the Vasil Levski National Stadium before being pegged back in a 1-1 draw away to NEC Nijmegen. Both sides sit on the fringes of the league-phase table and know that defeat in Plzeň would leave them with a mountain to climb in the race for the top 24.

The betting markets make Plzeň the firm favourites in European (decimal) odds, with the home win priced around 1.80, the draw available near 3.90, and a Levski victory offered at roughly 4.50 — a reflection of the Bulgarians' struggles in Europe so far, even though Julio Velázquez's men are sitting top of the Bulgarian First League with 28 points from 10 matches. Levski's recent form has been mixed across competitions: after the 0-1 home defeat to Salzburg, they responded with a 2-0 league win at Cherno More, but their only European point so far came in that hard-fought draw in Nijmegen. Plzeň's domestic form has also been patchy — an 11th-place standing in the Chance Liga with just 13 points, punctuated by a 3-0 win over Mladá Boleslav — yet their European pedigree at the Doosan Arena remains a factor, and bookmakers clearly expect the hosts to assert themselves against a Levski side that has scored only once in two Europa League outings.

SK Sturm Graz host Olympique de Marseille on Thursday, 22 October 2026 at the Merkur Arena (UPC-Arena) in Graz, in what is a crucial UEFA Europa League league phase Matchday 3 clash between two sides still searching for their first win in the competition. Sturm Graz sit 26th with just one point from two matches, while Marseille are even deeper in trouble near the foot of the table with zero points and a -4 goal difference, making this a genuine six-pointer already. The European odds for the match currently price a Sturm Graz home win at 3.25, the draw at 3.60, and a Marseille away win at 2.56, with the French side still installed as favorites despite their disastrous start.

Sturm Graz's European campaign has been frustrating so far: they opened with a goalless home draw against Rennes in a 0-0 stalemate, before being swept aside in a 3-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Matchday 2. Domestically, however, Christian Ilzer's men are in solid shape, beating LASK 2-1 and Austria Wien 2-0 in the Austrian Bundesliga. For the 2026/2027 season, Sturm's core squad features Dimitri Khudyakov in goal, a back line of Alexandar Malic, Joshua Quarshie, Petar Petrovic and Leandro Balbo, midfield anchored by Jon Gorenc-Stankovic alongside Jusuf Heil, Valentino Matoshi and Julian Hodl, with Sejamin Seidl and Besar Beganovic leading the attack, backed by dangerous options such as Ardon Jashari, Tochi Chukwuani and Otar Kiteishvili on the bench.