Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany will not face Monaco in Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 first-leg tie.

The Belgian defender, 30, is still recovering after injuring his knee against Crystal Palace in November.

City boss Pep Guardiola will decide on Tuesday whether to start Claudio Bravo or Willy Caballero in goal.

Monaco midfielder Gabriel Boschilia is out with the cruciate ligament injury that is set to sideline him for the rest of the season.

Monaco top the Ligue 1 table and are the highest-scoring team in any of Europe’s main leagues, with 76 goals in 28 games.

Striker Radamel Falcao returns to England having scored 19 goals in 25 appearances in all competitions this season.

The Colombian, 31, scored four times in 29 appearances for Manchester United during the 2014-15 season, and just once at Chelsea the following campaign.

“Monaco are the most successful team in Europe in terms of scoring goals, so this is a tough draw,” said Guardiola.

“We are looking forward to playing against them. They are a really good team.”

With Gabriel Jesus out for up to three months after breaking a bone in his foot, Sergio Aguero is expected to keep his place in attack.

Aguero, 28, failed to make an impression as City were held to a goalless draw at Huddersfield in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday.

However, the Argentine has scored 18 goals this season, including three in the Champions League, and Guardiola has reiterated his importance to his side.

“Sergio has enough experience,” he said.

“We are going to talk with him like with all of his team-mates to convince him in these two games, 180 minutes, we are not going to be able to do our best performance because in this level it is so demanding in the Champions League.

“This is one of the most beautiful competitions to play in and we have to do our best.”

Source: bbc.co.uk

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OPTA FACTS

Sporting Gijon has been winless in seven of their last eight games while resulted in the team dropping to the relegation zone. They are now in the 18th spot in the 20-team league table, three points ahead of 19th-place team Granada and two points behind newly-promoted side CD Leganes to get out of the bottom three area.

In their most recent La Liga fixture last Sunday, a 10-man Rojiblancos side defeated Leganes, 2-0, on the road at the Butarque Stadium to snap their seven-game winless slide, as per Sporting Life.

Following a goalless first half of play, Spanish defender Roberto Canella broke the game’s deadlock in the 66th minute with a long-range left-footed shot off an assist from midfielder Burgui.

However, substitute goalkeeper Diego Marino was sent off four minutes later to give head coach Rubi’s squad a one-man disadvantage.

Leganes was not able to exploit the situation as Sporting doubled their lead in the 83rd minute with Burgui sealing the win with a right-footed shot.

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid has been unbeaten in the last seven rounds of Italian top flight competitions. The team is now in the fourth in the overall standings, four points behind third-running team Sevilla and only a point ahead of fifth-place squad Real Sociedad. They presently hold the final Champions League qualifying berth for the next season.

Los Colchoneros is coming off a 3-2 win over middling squad Celta Vigo at their home ground of Vicente Calderon Stadium also last Sunday, BBC Sport reported.

Fernando Torres, Yannick Carrasco, and Antoine Griezmann scored one goal apiece for head coach Diego Simeone’s side in the 11th, 86th, and 88th minutes respectively.

Source: en.yibada.com

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If you were to ask me right now, as I sit down to write this match preview, which fixture I am thinking about more, Friday against Palermo or Wednesday’s trip to Portugal to face Porto, I think the answer is pretty easy to figure out. In one corner you have Juventus playing a relegation battler they should beat with a second-string starting lineup. In the other corner you have the first leg of a Champions League Round of 16 tie that we have been waiting to see happen for months now.

But to get to one, you first have to play the other.

As common logic goes, before taking a second step, you must take your first. In this instance, Juventus’ first step is to face Palermo on Friday night in Turin. The second, of course, is to make the trip over to Portugal to face a Porto side that is brimming with young and dagerous talent. One team is good, one team has been playing for most of the 2016-17 season like it’s the opposite of good.

It’s easy to figure out which is which. But then again, that’s pretty easy to know going in when one team is playing in Europe and one team seems destined for at least a season in Serie B starting in August and September later this year.

Juventus has played two provincial clubs in the span of the past week and beaten them both. They haven’t necessarily played as well as in the first two games as when Max Allegri made the switch to the 4-2-3-1 post-Fiorentina loss, but they’ve been efficient and obviously valuable wins. Facing Palermo will be the third part in a four-game stretch where Juve faces teams all in the bottom third of the table.

Source: blackwhiteredallover.com

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Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina will start at Bayern Munich in Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 first-leg tie.

The Colombian, 28, featured in all six group matches and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger confirmed he will keep his place ahead of Petr Cech.

Arsenal forward Lucas Perez will miss the game at the Allianz Arena because of a hamstring injury.

Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso missed training on Monday with a knee injury but is fit.

Mesut Ozil is also in the Arsenal squad for the trip to the Allianz Arena but recent reports suggest he could be dropped for the game because of poor form.

Germany international Ozil has not scored for the Gunners since 10 December.

Bayern defender Mats Hummels expects to face his international team-mate, saying he is a “world-class player”.

“For me it was a surprise that Mesut is doubtful to play,” said Hummels.

“He is someone who is always put on the field. I think he will be on the pitch from the first minute because he is a class player.”

This is the fourth time Bayern and Arsenal have met at this stage of the competition since 2005, with the German side progressing on the past three occasions.

Source: bbc.co.uk

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TEAM NEWS

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe will make a late decision on the fitness of defenders Simon Francis, Charlie Daniels and Adam Smith.

Goalkeeper Adam Federici has been ruled out for the rest of the season following knee surgery.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has a full-strength side to choose from for the trip to the south coast.

Top scorer Sergio Aguero will hope to earn a recall after starting the last two games on the bench.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Manchester City have never lost to Bournemouth in a league game, winning seven and drawing two.
• They have won all three of their Premier League games against the Cherries, scoring 13 goals and conceding once.

Bournemouth

• Bournemouth have gone four games without a league win at home since beating Leicester 1-0 on 13 December (D2, L2).
• The Cherries are yet to win in 2017 in all competitions (D2, L4). They could remain winless in their opening six league matches of a calendar year for the first time since 1960 in the third tier.
• Eddie Howe’s side have conceded 16 Premier League goals in 2017, four more than any other side.
• They have 26 points after 24 league matches, two fewer than at this stage of last season.
• Only Southampton (17) have lost more points from a winning position than Bournemouth (15) in the top flight this season.

Manchester City

• Manchester City are unbeaten in four matches in all competitions since their 4-0 defeat by Everton (W3, D1).
• They have only lost two of their last nine league games, although both defeats have come in their last three away matches.
• Gabriel Jesus has scored in each of his first two league starts for City. The only players to score on their first three Premier League starts for the club are Emmanuel Adebayor (four in 2009) and Kevin de Bruyne (three in 2015).
• De Bruyne has provided a league-high nine assists this campaign, although he hasn’t provided one since the 2-1 home win against Arsenal on 18 December.
• They have won 10 of the 12 matches Willy Caballero has started in all competitions this season (D1, L1), compared to 11 out of 23 when Claudio Bravo has started as goalkeeper (D6, L6).

Source: bbc.co.uk

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TEAM NEWS

New signing Jordan Ayew could make his Swansea City debut against Leicester on Sunday after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Ki Sung-Yeung and Jefferson Montero are definitely ruled out, while Leon Britton is a doubt with a recurring calf problem.

Leicester striker Islam Slimani may not yet be fit to start as he continues his recovery from a groin injury.

Leonardo Ulloa is definitely still ruled out with a thigh issue.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Leicester have beaten Swansea in four successive Premier League games, scoring 11 goals and conceding one.
• None of the last 12 meetings in all competitions between these sides has ended as a draw, with Leicester winning nine and Swansea three.

Swansea City

• Swansea have won three of their five Premier League games since Paul Clement’s appointment as head coach, beginning with the victory at Crystal Palace when caretaker Alan Curtis selected the team. They only won three of their first 19 top-flight games this season.
• They have conceded 54 Premier League goals this season, equalling their worst defensive record in the division for an entire season (2013-14).
• Gylfi Sigurdsson has been directly involved in 15 of Swansea’s 29 Premier League goals this season, scoring eight and setting up seven.

Leicester City

• The champions have lost four successive league matches, their worst run since suffering six defeats in a row in November-December 2014.
• They could become the first reigning champions to lose five consecutive top flight matches since Chelsea in March 1956.
• Leicester remain without a league away win in 14 games since beating Sunderland last April (D5, L9). Their only longer winless away run in the Premier League was a 16-match streak between December 2001 and October 2003.
• They are the first top-flight side to fail to score in the first five matches of a calendar year since Tottenham in 1986. Stoke began 1985 without a goal in six games.
• The Foxes are the only side in the top four English divisions without a league goal in 2017.
• Leicester have a total of 21 points from 24 games this season; last season they had reached 22 points after 11 games of the campaign.
• Last season, Jamie Vardy (10) and Riyad Mahrez (12) scored a combined 22 goals away from home in the Premier League – this season they have scored three (Vardy on one, Mahrez with two).

Source: bbc.co.uk

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TEAM NEWS

Burnley are without midfielder Jeff Hendrick, who begins a three-game ban following his red card against Watford.

His absence could mean a first start for either Ashley Westwood or Robbie Brady, both of whom joined the Clarets in the January transfer window.

Chelsea, who have won 16 of their last 18 league games, could be unchanged.

Boss Antonio Conte says David Luiz has been playing despite pain in his knee, but the Brazilian is available, meaning the Blues have no absentees.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Burnley’s last league win against Chelsea was a 3-0 victory at Turf Moor in the second tier in April 1983.
• The Clarets knocked the Blues out of the League Cup in November 2008, winning a penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.
• Chelsea are unbeaten in their five previous Premier League games against Burnley, winning four of those matches.

Burnley

• The Clarets could win six consecutive home games in the top flight for the first time since a run of eight straight victories ended in November 1961. They finished second that season.
• They could keep three consecutive clean sheets at home in the top flight for the first time since a run of four in a row from October to December 1973.
• Burnley have won 28 Premier League points at home – prior to the weekend, only Tottenham and Chelsea had better records (32 and 33 respectively).
• The record for the most home points collected by a newly-promoted team in a 38-game Premier League season is 38, set by both Ipswich and Charlton in 2000-01.

Chelsea

• The Blues have not lost a Premier League game on a Sunday since their 3-0 defeat at Manchester City in August 2015.
• Chelsea have 30 more points than they did at this stage last season.
• Antonio Conte has won 61 of his past 73 league games with Juventus and Chelsea, a success rate of 83.6%.
• Chelsea’s last 10 goals in all competitions have been scored by different players.
• Pedro has one goal and no assists in 10 Premier League away appearances this season – compared to four goals and five assists in 11 games at home.

Source: bbc.co.uk

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Tottenham must pick up a rare win against Liverpool if they are to keep pace with Chelsea in the Premier League title race.

Spurs have won just once at Anfield in the league since 1993, and must beat the Reds for the first time since 2012 to keep the pressure on Antonio Conte’s league leaders.

Now would seem a good time to face Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp’s side slipping down the pecking order after winning just four of their last 10 league games and picking up three points from a possible 15 since December.

But seasoned fans will know there is never really a great time to visit Anfield, with Klopp bound to impress on his team – and the fans – the importance of a win on Saturday.

Danny Rose is seeing a knee specialist on Monday to determine the extent of his injury problems, and the left-back could be out of action for up to a month.

Jan Vertonghen is not expected to be fit for the trip to Anfield as he recovers from ankle ligament damage, while Georges-Kevin N’Koudou (knee) and Erik Lamela (hip) remain sidelined.

Kieran Trippier is expected to return from a hip problem, but would not have expected to start ahead of Kyle Walker at right-back anyway.

Ragnar Klavan (illness) and Dejan Lovren (knee) are slight doubts for Jurgen Klopp, who may be tempted to make changes at the back given his side have gone five league games without a win.

Source: Thestandard.co.uk

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