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Greetings to a fresh night of exciting Champions League football. Nine games are set for this evening, featuring 3 English teams in action. The Blues meet Barça in the key match of the evening, whilst The Magpies visit the French side and City welcome Leverkusen.

Group Rankings

We're at the midway point of the league stage, so the table is taking form. Each of the six English teams are currently in the top 12, but there are only two points between 5th and sixteenth position, thus there's a sense of volatility about the whole thing. All remains open.

This Evening's Games

These are this evening's games, each starting at 8pm unless stated:

• Ajax 0-1 Benfica (5.45pm)
• Galatasaray 0-0 Union SG (5.45pm)
• Bodo/Glimt v Juventus
• Barcelona take on Chelsea
• Dortmund v Villarreal
• Leverkusen visit Man City
• Marseille v Newcastle
• Qarabag play Napoli
• Athletic Bilbao clash with Slavia Prague

Squad Updates

Wesley Fofana, Caicedo, Alejandro Garnacho, Malo Gusto and Estevao all come into the Blues side. Out go Tosin Adarabioyo, Santos, Gittens, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.

Yamal is in the starting lineup for Barça; Marcus Rashford is among the substitutes.

The Blues (probable 4-3-3) Robert Sanchez; Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Gusto, Caicedo, Enzo; Estevao, Pedro Neto, Garnacho.

Subs: Kjell Scherpen, Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Delap, Bynoe-Gittens, Santos, Pedro, Jorrel Hato, Leo George, Acheampong, Guiu, Facundo Buonanotte.

Barcelona (probable 4-2-3-1): Garcia; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde; Eric Garcia, De Jong; Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Torres; Robert Lewandowski.

Subs: Wojciech Szczesny, Diego Kochen, Raphinha, Marcus Rashford, Andreas Christensen, Marc Casado, Gerard, Olmo, Noah Darvich, Dario Fernandez, Bardghji.

Official Vincic (Slovenia).

Past Meetings

The only previous meeting involving Marseille and Newcastle was the Europa League semifinal of 2003-04, claimed by an emerging star from Ivory Coast. Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen have never met before. Chelsea and Barcelona have a notable history.

Initial Game Reports

Only a single goal during the opening period of the early fixtures. Dahl's 6th-minute goal has earned Benfica under Mourinho a 1-0 lead at the Dutch side.

Newcastle’s Trip to Marseille

Even though The Magpies arrived in the French south coming off their restorative 2-1 home Premier League victory over Manchester City on the weekend, and having defeated Union SG, the Portuguese side and Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League, their sole away win since the start of April came in the Belgian capital at Union SG.

It's not that Howe was eager to discuss the psychological aspect of this travel sickness. “The European Cup is different to Premier League games,” said the manager, whose side are 6th in the Champions League standings, with nine pts from a available 12 and automatic qualification to the knockout phase nearly secured. “I don’t know if you can draw parallels between them.”

A dedicated live feed is available for Chelsea v Barcelona. Scott Murray, the minute-by-minute equivalent of Diego Maradona is handling for that.