Liverpool face Chelsea foes as Real try again
Holders Liverpool face Premier League record-breakers Chelsea while Real Madrid host Olympiakos after their nightmare in France in this week's Champions League action.
Holders Liverpool face Premier League record-breakers Chelsea while Real Madrid host Olympiakos after their nightmare in France in this week's Champions League action.
Losing finalists AC Milan travel to Schalke 04, while city neighbours Inter host Rangers at San Siro and Barcelona treat unsung Italian club Udinese to the atmosphere of the Nou Camp on match day two.
Liverpool will have a passionate Anfield crowd behind them on Wednesday but Chelsea will certainly be coming with a point to prove after controversially losing on Merseyside in last season's semi-finals.
Chelsea, who had beaten Liverpool in the League Cup final in February, went down 1-0 after an early strike by Luis Garcia was judged to have crossed the line before being cleared.
Jose Mourinho's champions return after a Premier League record start to the season, with seven wins, and opening their Group G campaign with a 1-0 win over Anderlecht.
But Liverpool have long reserved their best form for Europe, with Saturday's 2-2 draw with Birmingham City a far cry from their 2-1 win at Real Betis two weeks ago.
Real's pursuit of a 10th European Cup could not have had a more humiliating start in Group F, a 3-0 defeat away to an Olympique Lyon side who also missed a penalty.
They have since recovered their form, following up a 3-1 midweek victory over Athletic Bilbao with a 3-0 win at Alaves, featuring a double from Ronaldo and a late strike by Guti.
Ronaldo misses out on Wednesday as he completes a two-match ban, with his place alongside skipper Raul likely to go to fellow Brazilian Robinho, a substitute against Alaves.
With the influential Zinedine Zidane still injured, coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo will have to decide whether to use the more destructive Pablo Garcia and Thomas Gravesen in midfield or go for the more creative Guti.
AC Milan, 3-1 winners over Fenerbahce in their Group E opener, have their tails up after taking six points from their last two Serie A games against Lazio and Treviso.
Schalke's confidence was also buoyed by their first league win since mid-August, beating Hanover 96 2-0 on Saturday.
Brazilian playmaker Lincoln turned in his best performance of the season, despite missing a penalty after opening the scoring. His form will give coach Ralf Rangnick fresh hope after their 1-0 defeat at PSV Eindhoven.
Barcelona, who won 2-0 at Werder Bremen in Group C, stormed to a 4-1 victory against 10-man Real Betis on Saturday with Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o scoring twice to take his tally for the season to five.
Coach Frank Rijkaard rotated his squad ahead of Udinese's visit, resting Brazilian forward Ronaldinho and Portugal midfielder Deco.
Udinese's fortunes have changed markedly since hammering Panathinaikos 3-0 with a Vincenzo Iaquinta hat-trick. They have slipped to three consecutive Serie A defeats and excluded Iaquinta from the squad for refusing to extend his contract.
Manchester United, hit hard by injuries and missing England striker Wayne Rooney through suspension, are at home to Benfica, while Group D rivals Lille play Villarreal in Paris's Stade de France as their stadium does not meet UEFA safety requirements.
Bayern Munich should follow up their win over Rapid Vienna with another against Club Bruges in Group A.
Bayern lost their 15-match winning run in a 2-0 defeat by Hamburg SV on Saturday but they came through with no new injury problems. Michael Ballack should be available to run the midfield in the first Champions League match at their impressive new World Cup stadium.