Buckle up, football fans – Matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League is here, promising high-stakes drama, tactical masterstrokes, and those nail-biting moments that keep us glued to our screens! Whether you're a die-hard Fantasy Football guru or just in it for the thrill of elite soccer, we've got you covered with our insider predictions on starting line-ups and crucial team updates. We're diving deep into every matchup, highlighting suspensions, injury concerns, and even those players teetering on the edge of availability. This way, beginners can easily grasp how these factors might swing the game, like how a key defender's absence can open up new scoring opportunities for the opposition. But here's where it gets controversial: some of these line-up forecasts could spark heated debates among fans – are managers playing it too safe, or is a bold gamble brewing? Let's break it all down match by match, starting with Tuesday's action.
First up, we're shining a spotlight on Slavia Praha versus Arsenal. For those new to this, Fantasy Football managers often tweak their squads based on these predicted XIs, so pay close attention! Slavia Praha's expected starting eleven looks like this: Markovič in goal; Vlček, Chaloupek, Zima at the back; Moses, Zafeiris, Sadílek, Mbodji in midfield; and Provod, Chorý, Sanyang up top. Arsenal counters with Raya between the posts; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapié defending; Nwaneri, Nørgaard, Rice pulling the strings; and Saka, Merino, Trossard firing off chances. No major absences here, so this could be a clash of styles – but what if Arsenal's youth infusion surprises everyone?
Shifting gears to Napoli against Frankfurt. Napoli's lineup features Milinković-Savić guarding the net; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Gutiérrez in defense; Anguissa, Lobotka, McTominay in midfield; and Politano, Højlund, Elmas aiming for goals. Frankfurt responds with Zetterer in goal; Collins, Koch, Theate at the back; Kristensen, Chaibi, Larsson, Brown in the middle; and Götze, Bahoya, Burkardt attacking. Again, no outs or doubts, making this a potential shootout – and this is the part most people miss, as Napoli's recent form might not translate against organized German defense.
Next, Atlético de Madrid takes on Union Saint-Gilloise. Atlético's predicted starters: Oblak in net; Llorente, Le Normand, Giménez, Hancko defending; Simeone, Baena, Koke, Almada orchestrating; and Alvarez, Sørloth scoring. No players out, but Barrios (muscular) and González (knock) are doubtful, and Le Normand and Lenglet risk missing the next game if cautioned. Union Saint-Gilloise fields Scherpen in goal; Mac Allister, Leysen, Burgess at the back; Khalaili, Zorgane, Van de Perre, Rasmussen, Niang in midfield; and Ait El Hadj, Rodriguez upfront. No absences or doubts here, either. For Fantasy fans, tracking those 'misses next match if booked' can be a game-changer – imagine Le Normand getting a yellow and sidelining Atlético later!
Bodø/Glimt hosts Monaco in a matchup that could see major gaps. Bodø/Glimt: Haikin in goal; Sjøvold, Nielsen, Bjørtuft, Bjørkan defending; Evjen, Berg, Brunstad Fet in midfield; Auklend, Høgh, Hauge attacking. Outs include Aleesami (muscular), Brynhildsen (knee), Saltnes (unspecified), with Gundersen doubtful (unspecified), and Berg could miss the next if booked. Monaco's side: Köhn in goal; Kehrer, Salisu, Caio Henrique at the back; Teze, Ouattara, Coulibaly, Minamino in midfield; Akliouche, Golovin, Biereth brewing chances. But wow, their injury list is long: Diatta (eye), Dier (hamstring), Fati (illness), Hrádecký (knee), Mawissa (hamstring), Pogba (ankle), Vanderson (hamstring) – all out. This disparity might make Monaco favorites, yet Bodø/Glimt's home advantage could flip the script, sparking debates on whether underdogs deserve more respect in knockout-style leagues.
Juventus battles Sporting CP. Juventus lines up with Di Gregorio in goal; Kalulu, Gatti, Koopmeiners defending; Kostić, Locatelli, Thuram, Cambiaso in midfield; McKennie, Yıldız, Vlahović attacking. Outs: Bremer (knee), Cabal (hamstring), Kelly (back), Pinsoglio (calf). Sporting CP: Rui Silva in net; Vagiannidis, Gonçalo Inácio, Debast, Araújo at the back; Hjulmand, Morita in midfield; Geovany Quenda, Francisco Trincão, Pedro Gonçalves attacking; Suárez upfront. Outs: Nuno Santos (knee), Daniel Bragança (knee), Fresneda (ankle). Portugal's Sporting might edge out Italy's giants here, but is it fair to call Juventus injury-hit when their depth is legendary?
Liverpool faces Real Madrid in a heavyweight clash. Liverpool: Mamardashvili in goal; Bradley, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson defending; Gravenberch, Mac Allister in midfield; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo attacking; Ekitiké upfront. Outs: Alisson Becker (hamstring), Frimpong (hamstring), Isak (adductor), and Bradley risks the next match if cautioned. Real Madrid: Courtois in net; Alexander-Arnold, Éder Militão, Huijsen, Carreras at the back; Valverde, Tchouaméni orchestrating; Arda Güler, Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior attacking; Mbappé upfront. Outs: Carvajal (knee), Rüdiger (muscular), Mastantuono (adductor), Alaba (calf). This derby of the elite could redefine the group – but here's where it gets controversial: with so many absentees, are these teams prioritizing rest over glory?
Olympiacos versus PSV Eindhoven rounds out Tuesday. Olympiacos: Tzolakis in goal; Costinha, Retsos, Pirola, Ortega defending; Mouzakitis, Dani García in midfield; Gelson Martins, Chiquinho, Podence attacking; El Kaabi upfront. Out: Hezze (suspended), Rodinei doubtful (calf), Dani García at risk if booked. PSV: Kovář in net; Dest, Schouten, Gasiorowski, Salah-Eddine at the back; Mauro Júnior, Saibari, Veerman in midfield; Man, Til, Perišić attacking. Outs: Pléa (knee), Van Bommel (knee), Saibari cautioned-risk. Greek grit vs. Dutch flair – PSV's stars might shine, but Olympiacos' fanatical support could be the x-factor.
Paris Saint-Germain clashes with Bayern München. PSG: Chevalier in goal; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes defending; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, João Neves in midfield; Kvaratskhelia, Mayulu, Barcola attacking. Outs: Zabarnyi (suspended), Doué (thigh). Bayern: Neuer in net; Stanišić, Tah, Upamecano, Laimer at the back; Kimmich, Pavlović orchestrating; Olise, Gnabry, Luis Díaz attacking; Kane upfront. Outs: Ito (metatarsal), Davies (knee), Musiala (leg). Star-studded showdown – yet Bayern's German efficiency might trump PSG's French flair, raising questions on whether money buys championships.
Tottenham meets Copenhagen. Tottenham: Vicario in goal; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie defending; Bentancur, João Palhinha in midfield; Johnson, Simons, Odobert attacking; Kolo Muani upfront. Outs: Davies (thigh), Gray (calf), Solanke (foot), Bergvall (head), doubts on Spence (knock), Kudus (knock), and Richarlison, Van de Ven at caution risk. Copenhagen: Kotarski in net; Suzuki, Gabriel Pereira, Hatzidiakos, Lopez at the back; Larsson, Lerager, Clem, Achouri in midfield; Moukoko, Elyounoussi attacking. Outs: Højer (unspecified), Mattsson (knee), Meling (unspecified), Delaney (knock), Lopez cautioned-risk. An underdog tale potentially unfolding – Tottenham's injuries could make this tougher than expected.
Now, onto Wednesday's fixtures, kicking off with Pafos against Villarreal. Pafos: Michael in goal; Bruno, Luckassen, David Luiz, Pileas defending; Šunjić, Pêpê in midfield; Quina, Dragomir, Oršić attacking; Dimata upfront. Outs: João Correia (suspended), Pedrão (knee). Villarreal: Tenas in net; Mouriño, Foyth, Veiga, Cardona at the back; Pepé, Gueye, Comesaña, Moleiro in midfield; Moreno, Mikautadze attacking. Out: Kambwala (hamstring), Mouriño cautioned-risk. David Luiz's cameo here adds intrigue – but can Pafos hold their own?
Qarabağ takes on Chelsea. Qarabağ: Kochalski in goal; Matheus Silva, Mustafazade, Medina, Jafarguliyev defending; Bicalho, Janković in midfield; Leandro Andrade, Kady, Zoubir attacking; Duran upfront. Doubtful: Gurbanli (knee). Chelsea: Sánchez in net; Gusto, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Cucurella at the back; Lavia, Caicedo orchestrating; Estêvão, Fernández, Gittens attacking; Guiu upfront. Outs: Badiashile (muscular), Colwill (knee), Essugo (thigh), Palmer (groin). Chelsea's youth might dazzle, but Qarabağ's resilience could surprise – is this the perfect chance for a shock result?
Ajax faces Galatasaray. Ajax: Pasveer in goal; Gaaei, Itakura, Baas, Wijndal defending; Klaassen, Gloukh, Regeer in midfield; Moro, Weghorst, Godts attacking. Outs: Taylor (suspended), Berghuis (groin), Dolberg (stomach), Van den Boomen (back). Galatasaray: Uğurcan Çakır in net; Sallai, Sánchez, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Jakobs at the back; Torreira, Lemina orchestrating; Sané, Gabriel Sara, Barış Alper Yılmaz attacking; Osimhen upfront. Out: Gündoğan (thigh strain), doubts on Yunus Akgün (knock), Singo (hamstring), Jakobs cautioned-risk. Turkish passion vs. Dutch heritage – who wins the midfield battle?
Club Brugge versus Barcelona. Club Brugge: Jackers in goal; Sabbe, Ordoñez, Mechele, Seys defending; Onyedika, Stanković, Vanaken in midfield; Carlos Forbs, Tzolis, Tresoldi attacking. Outs: Meijer (quadriceps), Mignolet (adductor), Reis (shoulder), Onyedika doubtful (hamstring). Barcelona: Szczęsny in net; Koundé, Cubarsí, Eric García, Balde at the back; De Jong, Casadó, Fermín López in midfield; Yamal, Rashford, Ferran Torres attacking. Outs: Joan García (meniscus), Gavi (meniscus), Pedri (thigh), Raphinha (hamstring), Ter Stegen (back), doubts on Christensen (calf), Lewandowski (hamstring), Olmo (calf), Casadó and De Jong cautioned-risk. Barcelona's injury woes are staggering – does this level the playing field unfairly?
Inter hosts Kairat Almaty. Inter: Sommer in goal; Bisseck, De Vrij, Carlos Augusto defending; Dumfries, Barella, Çalhanoğlu, Zieliński, Dimarco in midfield; Martínez, Esposito attacking. Out: Mkhitaryan (thigh). Kairat Almaty: Anarbekov in net; Mata, Sorokin, Martynovich, Tapalov at the back; Kassabulat, Glazer, Gromyko in midfield; Mrynskiy, Satpayev, Jorginho attacking. No outs, but Arad and Satpayev cautioned-risk. Inter's dominance seems assured, but Kairat's obscurity might breed complacency.
Manchester City battles Borussia Dortmund. Man City: Donnarumma in goal; Matheus Nunes, Stones, Rúben Dias, O’Reilly defending; Nico González, Lewis, Reijnders, Foden, Doku in midfield; Haaland upfront. Out: Kovačić (ankle), Bernardo Silva cautioned-risk. Dortmund: Kobel in net; Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini at the back; Ryerson, Sabitzer, Nmecha, Svensson in midfield; Adeyemi, Beier, Guirassy attacking. Out: Duranville (shoulder). City's squad depth vs. Dortmund's speed – which style prevails?
Newcastle United versus Athletic Club. Newcastle: Pope in goal; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn defending; Bruno Guimarães, Tonali, Joelinton in midfield; Murphy, Woltemade, Barnes attacking. Outs: Wissa (knee), Livramento (knee), Bruno Guimarães doubtful (illness), Joelinton cautioned-risk. Athletic Club: Unai Simón in net; Gorosabel, Paredes, Laporte, Lekue at the back; Jauregizar, Alejandro Rego in midfield; Berenguer, Ruiz de Galarreta, Robert Navarro attacking; Guruzeta upfront. Outs: Berchiche (muscular), Sancet (hamstring), Sannadi (knee), Iñaki Williams (groin), Nico Williams (groin). Basque pride meets English grit – Athletic's absences might not matter as much as their spirit.
Marseille clashes with Atalanta. Marseille: Rulli in goal; Murillo, Pavard, Egan-Riley, Garcia defending; Vermeeren, O’Riley, Højbjerg in midfield; Greenwood, Paixão, Aubameyang attacking. Outs: Aguerd (muscular), Balerdi (thigh), Emerson (suspended), Gouiri (shoulder), Kondogbia (calf), Nadir (illness), Traorè (thigh), Weah (thigh), Pavard cautioned-risk. Atalanta: Carnesecchi in net; Kossounou, Hien, Djimsiti at the back; Bellanova, Éderson, Pašalić, Zalewski in midfield; Lookman, De Ketelaere, Krstović attacking. Outs: Kolašinac (knee), Scalvini (hamstring), doubts on De Roon (muscular), Maldini (adductor), De Roon and Musah cautioned-risk. Marseille's French flair vs. Atalanta's Italian cunning – which team adapts better?
Finally, Benfica takes on Leverkusen. Benfica: Trubin in goal; Aursnes, Otamendi, Araújo, Dahl defending; Barrenechea, Ríos, Leandro Barreiro in midfield; Sudakov, Pavlidis, Lukebakio attacking. Outs: Bah (knee), Bruma (achilles), Manu Silva (knee). Leverkusen: Flekken in net; Tapsoba, Badé, Quansah at the back; Arthur, Garcia, Echeverri, Grimaldo in midfield; Poku, Kofane, Schick attacking. Outs: Andrich (suspended), Fernández (knee), Tape (muscular), Tella (knee), Vázquez (muscular), Tapsoba cautioned-risk. Benfica's Portuguese passion vs. Leverkusen's undefeated streak – is this the end of an era?
There you have it – a comprehensive guide to Matchday 4, packed with predictions and insights to fuel your Fantasy Football decisions or just your viewing pleasure. But remember, football is unpredictable: these line-ups are educated guesses, and a last-minute change could alter everything. And this is the part most people miss – debating team strategies often overlooks the human element, like fatigue or form. Do these predicted absences give underdogs an unfair edge, or should top teams be penalized for squad reliance? What controversial lineup choice surprised you the most? Are you backing the favorites or rooting for upsets? Drop your opinions in the comments – let's chat about it! For more updates, check out the UEFA Champions League app.
