Champions League matchday three: Alexis Sanchez out to continue hot streak as Pep meets Barcelona

Alexis Sanchez will be looking to build on his superb run of form when Arsenal take on Ludogorets, while Barcelona and Manchester City lock horns in the Champions League again.

Napoli, meanwhile, will be hoping to make it three wins from as many games as they meet Besiktas, with only Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Leicester City still holding a 100 per cent record, too.

Elsewhere, Carlo Ancelotti’s Bayern Munich face PSV, with the Italian desperate to improve his poor record against the reigning Eredivisie champions. 

Using Opta data, we take a look at the best stats ahead of Wednesday’s eight group-stage matches.

ARSENAL v LUDOGORETS

– It Is the first time Arsenal are facing Bulgarian opposition, in all competitions.
– Arsenal have lost just three of their last 39 home games in the Champions League group stages, winning 30 and drawing six.
– All of the last four goals converted by Arsenal have seen the direct involvement of Alexis Sanchez (three assists and one scored).
– Ludogorets have won none of their four away games in the Champions League.
– Arsenal have found the net at least twice in their last eight Champions League group games at the Emirates Stadium.

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN v BASEL

– Paris Saint-Germain have lost only one of their last 40 home games in European competition.
– Basel have never won an away game against French opposition, in all competitions.
– Edinson Cavani has scored three goals across his last two Champions League appearances; having previously managed only one goal in nine immediately before this current run.
– Basel have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 21 away games in the Champions League.
– PSG have only failed to score in one of their last 26 games at the Parc des Princes in European competition.

NAPOLI v BESIKTAS

– Napoli have won their last six Champions League games at home, scoring at least two goals in each of those victories.
– Besiktas have never won a European game against Italian opposition.
– Napoli are one of four teams to have picked up six points from the first two games this season alongside Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Leicester City.
– Away from home, Besiktas have been defeated 11 times in 16 outings in the Champions League.
– Napoli have only failed to score once in 16 Champions League games.

DYNAMO KIEV v BENFICA

– Dynamo Kiev and Benfica’s only previous meeting was in the 1991-92 European Cup group stages. Both won their home games.
– Benfica are winless in their last four Champions League group games.
– Dynamo Kiev have won only seven of their last 41 Champions League games.
– Benfica have scored more than two goals only once in their last 42 Champions League games.
– Denys Garmash attempted eight shots (excluding blocked) in Dynamos most recent outing in this competition (versus Besiktas); the most of any player in a Champions League fixture this campaign.

CELTIC v BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH 

– Celtic have won only one of their last 10 games against German opposition, in all competitions.
– Borussia Monchengladbach are one of four teams to have lost their two Champions League group games so far this season, alongside Club Brugge, Dinamo Zagreb and Legia Warsaw.
– Celtic have lost eight of their last 10 Champions League games.
– Moussa Dembele hit two goals in his first home Champions League appearance against Man City.
– Thorgan Hazard has had a hand in five goals in his last two starts in European competition for Monchengladbach (four goals, one assist).

BARCELONA v MANCHESTER CITY

– Barcelona and Manchester City are facing each other for the third time in the last four seasons of the Champions League.
– Pep Guardiola is facing Barcelona as manager for the second time; as Bayern Munich boss, he was knocked out by the Catalan side in the semi-finals of the 2014-15 Champions League.
– Manchester City have lost six of their last eight trips to Spain in European competition.
– Neymar assisted five goals in two Champions League games this campaign, three more than any other player.
– Sergio Aguero has scored six goals in his three European appearances this season, both hat-tricks.

ROSTOV v ATLETICO MADRID

– Atletico Madrid are unbeaten in their four away games against Russian opposition, in all competitions.
– Including qualifiers, Rostov have never lost a home Champions League game.
– Since the start of the 2013-14 Champions League, Atletico have kept 23 clean sheets, one more than any other side in that time.
– Antoine Griezmann has had a hand in four of Atletico’s last seven Champions League goals, scoring three and assisting one.
– Rostov have only kept one clean sheet in eight home European games (0-0 v Trabzonspor in a Europa League qualifier in 2014).

BAYERN MUNICH v PSV

– No Dutch club has ever beaten Bayern Munich on their own ground, in all competitions.
– Bayern Munich and PSV last faced each other in the 1999-00 Champions League first group stage. Both won their home game with the same scoreline (2-1).
– Bayern Munich have won their last 13 home Champions League games, the longest home winning run in the history of the competition.
– PSV have missed all four of their penalties (shoot-outs excluded) in the Champions League since 2003-04, including two this season.
– Carlo Ancelotti has won only one of his four Champions League games against PSV as coach.