Champions League: Doku crazy dribbler, Simeone in the legend... 5 questions about Tuesday's matches

The Champions League group stage verdict has never been closer. This Tuesday begins the 5th and penultimate day with Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, FC Barcelona and Manchester City on deck. Some big names sleep soundly while others may fear leaving the road prematurely.

We would tend to say yes, because there is a scenario in which PSG no longer has its destiny in its hands at the end of the evening on Tuesday. If the Parisians lose against Newcastle and Dortmund dominates AC Milan, Dortmund will have 10 points, Newcastle 7, Paris 6 and Milan 5. PSG will therefore no longer be able to catch up with the German club even if they beat them in two weeks, and he will necessarily be behind Newcastle if the latter is victorious against AC Milan. PSG has always made it through the groups since its return to the Champions League in 2012. Elimination at this stage would be a shock, and would call into question the future of coach Luis Enrique.

Nordi Mukiele (26 years old, Paris Saint-Germain): Marquinhos injured, Lucas Hernandez was repositioned in central defense against Monaco last Friday (5-2 victory), and it was Nordi Mukiele who took over on the left side. It’s a safe bet that Luis Enrique will renew this option against Newcastle. Called up by Didier Deschamps in September 2021 to honor his only selection, Mukiele never saw the France team again. The former Leipzig player, who missed almost the entire second half of last season due to injury, only played 26 minutes in C1 this season. He has a good card to play against the Magpies.

Antoine Griezmann (32 years old, Atlético de Madrid): The weeks follow one another and have been similar for almost two months for Antoine Griezmann. The vice-captain of the Blues walks on water at club, whether in La Liga (9 goals in 13 matches) or in the Champions League (4 goals in 4 matches). He has started all matches for Atlético and the Blues this season. Observers wondered about a risk of overwork. “Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Griezmann reassured on social media last Thursday. The proof with a new goal against Mallorca on Saturday (1-0). Feyenoord, which hosts the Madrilenians at 9 p.m., has been warned.

Ousmane Dembélé (24 years old, Paris Saint-Germain): 16 matches and 1,116 minutes. This is the time it took Ousmane Dembélé to score his first goal in the Parisian jersey, a shot from a tight angle after a subtle control in the race against Monaco on Friday (5-2). The reward for great performances which have been repeated for a while. “Happy”, Dembélé however refused to dwell on his goal at the microphone of Amazon Prime Video, recalling that there are “the next two matches to win in the Champions League” and that he “is still waiting for a big support” from supporters. Continuity expected Tuesday against Newcastle.

SEE ALSO – Dembélé’s nice goal during PSG-Monaco on November 24 (5-2)

They will also be out: Mohamed Simakan and Castello Lukeba (RB Leipzig), Jules Koundé (FC Barcelona), Mattéo Guendouzi (Lazio Rome), Mike Maignan, Théo Hernandez, Yacine Adli, and Olivier Giroud (AC Milan), Lucas Hernandez, Bradley Barcola, Randal Kolo Muani and Kylian Mbappé (PSG)

Of the four groups concerned this Tuesday, only Group G has already delivered its verdict: Manchester City and RB Leipzig are qualified for the round of 16, Red Star Belgrade and Young Boys Berne eliminated. In Group E, Atlético will qualify if they win against Feyenoord, and Lazio Rome will also qualify if they beat Celtic at the same time.

Potentially similar scenario for Group F, where PSG and Dortmund would qualify hand in hand by winning their respective matches, which would result in endings for Newcastle and AC Milan, semi-finalist last season. Finally in Group H, Barça would be in the round of 16 if they win against Porto. A draw may be enough if Shakhtar Donetsk does not beat Royal Antwerp, already eliminated with four defeats in four matches.

Atlético coach since December 2011, Diego Simeone will lead his 100th Champions League match on Tuesday on the Madrid bench. He will thus equal Massimiliano Allegri, 8th coach with the most matches in C1. Only Alex Ferguson (Manchester United, 190) and Arsène Wenger (Arsenal, 177) have also reached this symbolic bar with the same team. Atlético have never won the prestigious C1, losing in the final in 2014 and 2016, each time against Real Madrid.

We're betting that yes. Erling Haaland remains on two doubles in the Champions League, each time against Young Boys (1-3, 3-0), and scored in his last two Premier League matches against Chelsea (4-4) and Liverpool (1-1). And Leipzig, which Manchester City hosts this Tuesday (9 p.m.), is the Norwegian's favorite target in his career (11 goals in 7 matches). It was also against the German club that he scored a quintuple in 57 minutes in the round of 16 second leg of C1 last season (7-0).

As for Jérémy Doku, he is the player who completed the most dribbles (17) in the Champions League, even though he only played 40% of City's minutes in the competition. His coach, Pep Guardiola, praised an “excellent impact” before his festival against Bournemouth on November 2 (6-1), with a goal and four assists. The 21-year-old Belgian wisp, who arrived from Rennes this summer, is gaining momentum with the reigning European champion.