The Champions League resumed Tuesday after its winter break with Arsenal protecting the only 100% record heading to Inter Milan and defending champion Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Manchester City seeking wins to close on automatic qualification.
Arsenal has six straight wins and needs one point to become the first team to secure a spot in the round of 16. After defeats to Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, Inter — the heavily beaten finalist last season — dropped to sixth place and is looking to avoid three straight losses in the competition for the first time.
With only the top eight progressing directly to the last 16, many of Europe’s top teams are battling to avoid dropping into positions 9-24 and having to go through the playoffs.
Madrid, the record 15-time champion, is one of them in seventh place. On 12 points — the same as ninth-placed Liverpool — the Spanish giant hosts Monaco.
New Madrid coach, Álvaro Arbeloa, is in his third match at the helm and taking charge of a Champions League game for the first time. Star striker Kylian Mbappé will be playing against his first club.
With one point more are third-place PSG and fourth-place Man City, who face trips to Sporting Lisbon and Bodø/Glimt in northern Norway, respectively.
Both of the European heavyweights squeezed into the playoffs last season, so are in a more comfortable position 12 months on — unless they lose surprisingly this week.
Of the 36 teams in the Champions League, 11 have changed coaches this season — and one more could go if Tottenham’s poor run of results continues when Borussia Dortmund visits.
Thomas Frank remains in charge of Tottenham but is on shaky ground and has been jeered by fans in recent games.
Winless Kairat
Kairat Almaty, a tournament newcomer from Kazakshtan, stayed as one of four teams without a win so far after losing 4-1 to Club Brugge.
Brugge scored twice in each half to post a second victory of the league stage and move onto seven points — keeping alive hopes of making the playoffs.
Kairat remained in last place on one point.
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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
