"I got a new team since the last time I played," Zion Williamson said following his preseason debut at the start of the month.
This was scarcely an exaggeration; the New Orleans Pelicans only retain five players from when Williamson last played in the NBA in May 2021. Naji Marshall – a rookie in 2020-21 – was the sole other member of the starting five in the preseason win over the Chicago Bulls that Williamson would have been familiar with.
"I'm still learning some of the guys," he added.
Crucially, though, Williamson had left behind a losing team. Without him, the Pelicans learnt to win – and he must now fit into that.
Williamson was typically influential in his last regular season outing against the Golden State Warriors – his 23 points marking a 15th straight game in which he scored 20 or more.
Damian Lillard was the only other player to achieve two such streaks of 15 games or more in the 2020-21 season, with Williamson's 25-game sequence – which ended with 16 points against the Brooklyn Nets around a month earlier – the longest of the year.
Of Williamson's final 41 games of the campaign, he scored 20 or more points in 40 of them, averaging 28.7 per game over this stretch.
But the Pelicans lost marginally more of those games than they won (20-21) and were outside the 2020-21 Western Conference play-in places when he was ruled out with a fractured finger.
New Orleans still undoubtedly had a better team with Williamson in it, though, going 1-5 the rest of the way to remain in 11th in the West and miss the playoffs for a third straight season.
Over the two seasons that followed the Pelicans taking Williamson with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, their winning percentage without the forward (35.6) was far lower than with him involved (47.1) – a sample size that was far bigger than they would have hoped, given Williamson missed 59 games.
Williamson's 2,187 points to date – equating to 25.7 points per game – rank second since the NBA-ABA merger for the most through 85 career games. The sole man ahead of him is Michael Jordan (2,387 – 28.1).
This is fine company to be keeping, but Jordan, despite a broken foot, played his 86th NBA game in his second season; Williamson's will come in his fourth.
With the Pelicans already struggling with such a talent in their ranks, the fractured foot Williamson himself sustained a year ago that ultimately kept him out for the entirety of the 2021-22 season was an obvious concern.
As it was, forced to accept Williamson's absence, New Orleans adapted. They were undoubtedly better for it, too, but have work to do to again incorporate one of the most talented players in the league.
Williamson's role on the Pelicans had understandably dominated the narrative around the team for two years. It took time for the Pels to work out how best to use a forward with the physical attributes to play center and the playmaking ability to play 'Point Zion'.
So, it took time again to adjust to the considerable hole his injury left in the line-up, with Williamson having led New Orleans in usage rate in both 2019-20 (29.9 per cent) and 2020-21 (also 29.9).
After a big opening-day loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, rookie Herb Jones was inserted into the line-up as Pelicans coach Willie Green named an unchanged team in five straight games. The Pels lost four of them.
That line-up did not start another game all season, but Green's attempts to find a quick fix were similarly fruitless, with the team 1-12 almost a month into the season and the coach explaining: "Until we get it right, we have to continue to make adjustments and see what works."
Eventually, on November 24, those adjustments led to a line-up showing only one change from those imbalanced early attempts – Josh Hart in for Nickeil Alexander-Walker – and the Pelicans beat the Washington Wizards by 25 points.
Between that game and a win at the Houston Rockets in early February – the final time that line-up was used – those five had a 12-7 record as starters versus 6-9 for all other New Orleans line-ups combined.
Yet even with center Jonas Valanciunas contributing handily, the Pelicans were still relying too much on Brandon Ingram's scoring, having lost not just Williamson but also the only three guards to have 10 or more 20-point games for the team over the previous two seasons combined (Jrue Holiday, Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick).
Needing more from their back court, a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, who New Orleans had just passed in the standings, saw both Hart and Alexander-Walker sacrificed for CJ McCollum.
It was a risk that was richly rewarded, as McCollum scored 20 or more points in 20 of his 26 games for the Pelicans, averaging a career-high 24.3. Meanwhile, Ingram sat for most of March through injury – a setback that would have been far more damaging without McCollum – but still averaged 22.0 following his new team-mate's debut.
The Pelicans had averaged 105.9 points per game before the trade; that shot up to 115.9 after McCollum's arrival, improving from 14th in the West in scoring to sixth. A 14-14 record was unspectacular but this time enough to make the play-in.
McCollum and Ingram combined for 59 points in a win over the San Antonio Spurs and then 49 to upset the Los Angeles Clippers, reaching a first-round series with the number one seed Phoenix Suns, who were taken to six games as Ingram averaged a series-high 27.0.
The Pelicans finished their season with a defeat but also with momentum. Williamson signed his five-year, $193million rookie max extension at the start of July.
If New Orleans were a .500 team without their best player, there is the potential for them to do something really special this year with him back on the court.
"I want to prove that I'm a winner, it's as simple as that," Williamson said as he signed his contract, outlining the "ultimate goal" to win a title.
More recently, Williamson has detailed a mentality shift during the offseason as he spent two months in Fort Lauderdale working with a strength and conditioning coach.
"The best way to describe it is I found true resolve within the game of basketball," he said. "Something mentally in me shifted, changed, and the game of basketball... that's it for me. That's my love, it's what I want to do.
"I'm just excited to get out there and show the world what I can do."
Ingram was injured again as preseason got under way, so Williamson will start the season still learning how best to share the ball with his fellow forward as well as new man McCollum, although few would doubt he has the talent and versatility to adjust with time.
Once that process is completed, finding a way to keep Williamson fit may be the Pelicans' biggest concern – just as it always has been.
New Zealand winger Ronaldo Mulitalo is hoping to emulate his namesake Cristiano Ronaldo – who he is named after – when the 2021 Rugby League World Cup gets under way this month.
The Cronulla Sharks winger is making his tournament bow with Michael Maguire's Kiwis, as the world number one-ranked nation look to dethrone holders Australia and hosts England among others over the next few weeks.
While New Zealand will raise the curtain on their campaign in Group C against Lebanon at Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium, it is up the road at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United, where the final will take place.
Mulitalo is aiming to guide his side to the November 19 showpiece, revealing his name is indeed inspired by the Portuguese talisman who calls it home, though he admits it is a moniker he struggles to relate to.
"My mum loves him," he stated. "I don't like telling people around here because they are looking at my like 'you are a fake Ronaldo' ... the bush version. So I don't really tell everyone my name around here.
"But it would be a bit of a surreal moment [to play at his ground]. It would be nice. Before we even think about getting to Old Trafford we have a bit of work to do."
Following their opener against Lebanon, New Zealand will face tournament debutants Jamaica at Hull's MKM Stadium before wrapping up their group campaign against Ireland at Leeds' Headingley Stadium.
Any path to the final is likely to see them have to go through Australia to get there, with the Kangaroos on their side of the knockout draw, while England, Tonga and Samoa make up the major contenders on the other pathway.
Neymar "is boring as hell" with his antics on the pitch but is still one of the best footballers in the world, according to Benfica midfielder Joao Mario.
Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar had a number of running disputes with Benfica players during Tuesday's 1-1 draw in the Champions League.
Neymar was fouled six times at the Parc des Princes – double the number of any other player – with the Brazil international being targeted by Benfica.
While he was unable to find the net in two appearances against the Portuguese side over the past week, the 30-year-old made an impression on Joao Mario.
"Neymar plays well, but he can be boring as hell on the pitch," a smiling Joao Mario told TNT Sports Brasil. "But he's one of the best players in the world, a very talented player.
"I think he needs to bicker with players on the field, and that's perfectly normal. It's a pleasure to play against him. He is someone really different, as we have seen."
Mbappe gave PSG the lead from the penalty spot and moved above Edinson Cavani outright as the club's all-time leading scorer in the Champions League with his 31st goal.
However, Joao Mario converted a spot-kick of his own to score for the second time in three outings in the competition, having failed to net in any of his first 19 appearances.
Benfica are level on eight points with PSG after four matches, with next opponents Juventus five points worse off, meaning a draw in two weeks' time will send them through.
Rather than settle for second place, though, Joao Mario insists his side are aiming to finish above heavyweights PSG for what should be a more favourable last-16 tie.
"We are two wins away from achieving first place," he said. "This club and this team have everything to fight for.
"The objective is to pass the group stage and if possible in first place, even better."
Sandro Tonali fumed over "ridiculous, embarrassing decisions" from the officials following Milan's 2-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League.
Fikayo Tomori was shown a straight red for a dubious foul on Mason Mount in the penalty area, leading to the Jorginho's opener from the spot, before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang added a second before the interval.
Referee Daniel Siebert delivered a particularly lively performance with the whistle across the first half at San Siro, dishing out an additional five bookings, for six cards from 17 fouls ahead of the break.
Those calls left Tonali stewing after the final whistle, with the Italy international stating that the match felt more akin to basketball in the heightened nature of its disciplinary decisions.
"There are so many incidents like that during a game," he told Sky Sport Italia. "When you give a penalty and a red card after 18 minutes, for a touch like that., we may as well make it basketball where any touch is a foul.
"It felt like that anyway. We had several yellow cards for ridiculous, embarrassing free kicks in the first half. We have to look at the rest of the game.
"We tried to play with pride and passion, even if it was very difficult in the circumstances. It's disappointing for all the fans who came here tonight, packed the stadium and expected a different match. We thank them for coming."
With two games to go in the group stages, Milan can still reach the knockout rounds, with just a three-point gap between them and the Blues at the summit of Group E.
Jurgen Klopp sarcastically described Dietmar Hamann as "a fantastic source" after the former Liverpool player suggested the club's poor form may lead to a change of manager.
Liverpool head into Wednesday's Champions League group game at Rangers with just four wins to their name from 11 matches this season in all competitions.
Sunday's 3-2 loss to Arsenal leaves Liverpool with 10 Premier League points this term, with that their lowest tally after eight games since the 2012-13 campaign (nine points).
And speaking on Tuesday, Hamann said Liverpool chiefs may soon have to discuss Klopp's future at Anfield after seven years in the job for his German compatriot.
Klopp did not take kindly when asked for a response to Hamann's comments during his pre-match press conference ahead of the Rangers match.
"Who said that? Didi Hamann? Oh great. A fantastic source, well respected everywhere," Klopp said.
"[Being a former Liverpool player] does not give you the right to say what you want, especially when you have no idea.
"I actually think Didi Hamann does not deserve that you use his phrase to ask a question. Do me a favour and ask your own question."
Liverpool have won back-to-back matches in the Champions League, including a 2-0 win over Rangers last week, since going down 4-1 to Napoli in their Group A opener.
That loss to Napoli came in their most recent away match in the competition, though not since September 2019 have they lost successive games on their travels on the continent.
Klopp's mood was not improved after it was confirmed that Luis Diaz will miss the next two months, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joel Matip are out for a fortnight.
But the Liverpool manager, whose second-place side sit three points behind Napoli and three ahead of Ajax, insists he is up for the challenge of turning things around.
"If you sleep on a problem, sometimes you realise life goes on. I just stood there at Arsenal and we had lost the game. I knew already that we had three big injuries," he said.
"This is a tough situation but it also a challenge. We always face challenges but we go for it.
"I am sorry to all our people that after last season we go again and it's not the case that we are competing for everything.
"I cannot promise that we will fly [against Rangers] but we will fight, definitely, until someone tells us the fight is over.
"It hasn't got easier since Sunday because of the injuries but the team I saw in training I liked a lot. So let's give it a go."
Jim Ratcliffe says he has been told Manchester United are not for sale by the Glazer family and he "can't sit around waiting" for the club to become available.
Britain's richest man, chairman of INEOS, stated in August he would be keen to strike a deal should the Glazers be willing to sell up.
There have been multiple protests against the club's owners from supporters, including one in May 2021 that saw United's match against Liverpool postponed.
But any hopes fans had of a changing of the guard at Old Trafford have been dampened by Ratcliffe, who met with Joel and Avram Glazer.
"Manchester United is owned by the Glazer family, whom I have met," Ratcliffe, told the Financial Times. "I've met Joel [Glazer] and Avram [Glazer] and they are the nicest people, I have to say.
"They are proper gentlemen, really nice people, and they don't want to sell it. It's owned by the six children of the father and they don't want to sell it."
Ratcliffe was one of several figures who made bids to buy Chelsea before Todd Boehly's successful candidacy earlier this year, and the boyhood United fan acknowledged he would have tried to make a bid in the wake of his Blues failure.
"If it had been for sale in the summer, yes, we would have probably had a go following on from the Chelsea thing," he added. "But we can't sit around hoping that one day Manchester United will become available."
The NBA season is finally here, with the Golden State Warriors looking to defend their title after defeating the Boston Celtics in this year's NBA Finals.
Golden State will have plenty of serious opposition in their way if they are to go back-to-back, as some powerhouses – like the Los Angeles Clippers and the Milwaukee Bucks – return to full health.
The list of contenders this year may be as deep as it has ever been, with the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns all definitely believing they have what it takes, and young sides like the Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves going all-in with the cores they have assembled.
After one of the best rookie classes in recent memory last season, this year's draftees have plenty to live up to, so to preview the season, we will start at the top.
Who are the favourites?
Despite not making the NBA Finals this past season, any conversation about potential champions in 2022-23 begins with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.
The Bucks took the Celtics to Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals, and that was while they were missing their second-best player as Khris Middleton was sidelined for the entire series after suffering a knee injury in the first round.
There is a convincing case to be made that they would have gone back-to-back with a healthy Middleton, but instead, the Warriors were able to take care of business in the Finals and collect the fourth championship of the Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green era.
Golden State return almost their full team, and with even marginal improvement from second-year lottery picks Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga, they will be one of the deepest rosters in the league, and will have the ammunition to put together one of the better trade packages if a disgruntled star appears around the deadline.
The Celtics will likely remain one of the best defensive units in the league, and will therefore always have a chance in the playoffs, and if the Warriors are not to come out of the Western Conference, the Nuggets or the Clippers are finally healthy and poised to make some noise.
Who are the dark horses?
Despite winning the title in 2019, the Toronto Raptors will come into this season extremely under the radar in what is now a loaded Eastern Conference.
One of the biggest and most athletic teams in the league, the thing working in the Raptors' favour may also be the point working against them – they brought back almost the exact same team.
Focal points Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam are still only 28 years old, while O.G. Anunoby profiles as a potentially elite wing at 25-years-old, and 21-year-old second-year point forward Scottie Barnes is the reigning Rookie of the Year.
They were the five seed last year despite all of their starters missing significant time, and with their championship experience and natural improvement, they will be in the mix by default.
Out West, it's hard to go past the New Orleans Pelicans, who will have one of the best starting fives in the NBA.
With C.J. McCollum, Brandon Ingram and surprise packet Herb Jones on the perimeter, along with Jonas Valanciunas and the returning Zion Williamson inside, that group will be a tough out if Williamson can remain healthy.
Who will win Rookie of the Year?
The clear favourite to take home the honour as the best first-year player is the Orlando Magic's Paolo Banchero, who was selected first overall in June's NBA Draft.
Banchero – who at six-foot-10 and 250lbs is the same size as prime DeMarcus Cousins despite playing on the perimeter – has essentially been tasked with being the saviour of the franchise, and will have significant playmaking and scoring responsibilities from day one.
He could realistically average somewhere in the range of 20 points, five rebounds and five assists per game if the franchise truly decides to put the ball in his hands and let him run the show, and he is the only player in the class that can be said about.
His biggest competition – literally – was the Oklahoma City Thunder seven-footer Chet Holmgren, who was taken second overall, but will miss the entire season after suffering a fracture in his foot in the preseason.
Third pick Jabari Smith Jr will likely be more of an off-ball player in year one, limiting his ability to rack up massive counting stats, and fifth pick Jaden Ivey will be sharing the floor with last year's top overall selection Cade Cunningham with the Detroit Pistons, where Cunningham is unquestionably the star.
Keegan Murray, the fourth overall pick by the Sacramento Kings, profiles as one of the better all-around scorers in the draft and will have the opportunity to make his mark, and Shaedon Sharpe showed some intriguing flashes in the preseason after not playing a single game of competitive basketball since graduating from high school, still earning the seventh overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Quick hitters:
– Pelicans wing Herb Jones was never going to receive the credit he deserved last year as a 23-year-old second-round draft pick, but the rookie was quietly one of the best defensive players in the league last season.
As a rookie, he was guarding the best opposing perimeter player every night for the Pelicans, suiting up for 78 of the 82 regular season games and finishing top-10 in the league in deflections per game (3.1).
He is one of the only wings in the NBA who is tasked with carrying his side defensively, and health permitting, he will be honoured on the NBA All-Defensive teams this season.
– For those who do not play fantasy basketball, it must be a shock to hear Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton has emerged as a first-round pick, but the unbelievably efficient 22-year-old is in position to have an explosive breakout season.
After being traded to the Pacers last season, Haliburton averaged 17.5 points, 9.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 50 per cent from the field, 41 per cent from three and 85 per cent from the free throw line, putting him in the top echelon of efficient guard scorers and playmakers.
With established veterans Buddy Hield and Myles Turner both reportedly on the trading block as the Pacers enter themselves into the Victor Wembanyama sweepstake, their departure would only amplify the massive season coming from the former Sacramento draft pick.
– The Cleveland Cavaliers will have their sights set on the playoffs this season after their aggressive trade for former Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell – but he may not even be the best guard on the Cavs roster.
Last season was a coming out party for point guard Darius Garland, who appears to be next up in the archetype of deep-shooting, slick-passing, small initiators.
He shot a career-best 46 per cent from the field this past season while attempting a career-high 6.7 three-pointers per game, and he was also one of the best passers in the league, averaging 8.6 assists and forming spectacular chemistry with fellow All-Star and alley-oop partner Jarrett Allen.
Mitchell will bring a level of perimeter scoring and playoff pedigree to the Cavaliers that is desperately needed to lower the demands on Garland late in games, but it will be Garland running this team for the first 46 minutes.
Donna Vekic produced a spectacular second set to shock world number seven Maria Sakkari 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 in the first round of the San Diego Open on Tuesday.
After a hard-fought first set where both women were able to convert one of their four break point opportunities, Vekic took control in the tie-breaker and carried that momentum in the second set.
Vekic won 65 per cent of her service points in the second set, while Sakkari could only muster a 47-per-cent success rate, despite having a significant edge in first-serve accuracy (79 per cent to Vekic's 53 per cent).
The Croatian only had two break point opportunities, and that is all she needed, taking both to run away with one of the biggest wins of her career.
Vekic will play Karolina Pliskova in the second round after the Czech defeated America's Caroline Dolehide 6-3 6-4.
Pliskova, ranked 22nd in the world, had no issue with the world number 181 in one of Tuesday's biggest mismatches, nabbing a break-to-love in the first set before taking a quick double-break to begin the second.
World number 11 Daria Kasatkina was too strong for Leylah Fernandez, cruising to a 6-2 6-2 victory in exactly one hour.
Sloane Stephens earned a shot against world number five Aryna Sabalenka in the second round after getting the better of Switzerland's Jil Teichmann 6-1 7-6 (7-2).
World number 13 Garbine Muguruza was clearly not at 100 per cent, retiring hurt after losing the first five games of her match against China's Qinweng Zheng, and Coco Gauff will resume her contest against Robin Montgomery leading 6-3 3-2 after rain halted the action for the day.
Draymond Green has been fined but avoided a suspension over an altercation with Jordan Poole that Steve Kerr described as "the biggest crisis" of his time as Golden State Warriors coach.
Footage emerged last week of the two team-mates pushing one another before Green escalated the incident by throwing a punch at Poole.
Green, a four-time NBA champion with the Warriors, has consequently been spending time away from the team and training in isolation ahead of the new season where Golden State are preparing to defend their championship.
The Warriors defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in preseason on Tuesday, after which head coach Kerr announced Green would return to the fold for their final warm-up against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, and their season-opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
Kerr confirmed the decision had been taken following extensive conversations among several parties, including general manager Bob Myers, superstar Steph Curry, and after talks between Green and Poole themselves.
"We feel like we have a great feel for our team. We've got a lot of continuity on this team, so Bob and I know our players extremely well," Kerr said.
"We feel like this is the best way after assessing everything for us to move forward. It's never easy no matter what decision you make in a situation like this. It's not going to be perfect. This is the biggest crisis that we've ever had since I've been coach here. It's really serious stuff.
"We have spent the last week in deep discussions with all of our key figures in the organisation, including Jordan and Draymond of course, Steph, all of our players, Bob, myself, and I can tell you there have been a lot of conversations, individual, one-on-one discussions, players-only discussions.
"Everything that you can think of, all the different combinations that are possible to have in a conversation, we've had them. It's been an exhaustive process."
Kerr noted all possibilities were "on the table" over the ugly incident, and confirmed investigations are taking place into how the footage was leaked to TMZ.
He also accepted the final decision may come under scrutiny but felt Green has earned a chance to atone for his actions.
"Any criticism that we face here is fair," Kerr added.
"He broke our trust with this incident but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt because I think he's earned that, and I think our team feels the same way."
As well as his title wins, Green is a four-time NBA All-Star and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2017.
Gerrit Cole pitched brilliantly and Anthony Rizzo cracked the game-sealing home run as the New York Yankees defeated the Cleveland Guardians 4-1 in the first game of the ALDS on Tuesday.
Starting on the mound, Cole pitching six-and-a-third innings, giving up just one run off four hits and one walk, courtesy of a Steven Kwan home run in the third frame.
Harrison Bader replied for the Yankees later in the first inning, becoming the only Yankee to ever hit their first home run for the franchise in a playoff game, after being acquired at the deadline and struggling to find his power down the stretch.
Bader's 406-foot shot was the longest hit of the game, but the one that sent the Yankees fans into raptures came in the sixth inning.
After Jose Trevino's sacrifice-fly gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead, Rizzo came through with a runner on base in the sixth, connecting on a two-run home run to give New York some breathing room.
The Yankees' bullpen was rock solid, not allowing a baserunner in the final two innings to see out the game unscathed.
Likely AL MVP Aaron Judge had a poor outing, finishing with one walk and three strikeouts from his four at-bats, and Josh Donaldson was the only Yankee to register multiple hits, going two-for-two with a walk.
Phillies hang on by the narrowest of margins
The Philadelphia Phillies would have felt great going into the final inning of their Game 1 against the Atlanta Braves leading 7-3, but barely hung on for a 7-6 win after plenty of late drama.
Three RBIs from three Nick Castellanos hits and a pair of RBIs for Alec Bohm helped build a 7-1 Philadelphia lead in the fifth inning, but a two-run double from Travis d'Arnaud later in the fifth and three-run homer for Matt Olson in the ninth cut that lead to one.
Zach Eflin was the man entrusted with closing things out on the mound for the Phillies, but despite giving up three runs with only one out, the Phillies stuck with him, and he delivered the final two outs.
Dodgers ride early runs to Game 1 win
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 5-3 in Game 1 of the NLDS, but they did not score a run after the third inning.
It looked like it would be a high-scoring contest after Trea Turner hit a home run as the first Dodgers batter of the game, and RBIs to Gavin Lux, Will Smith and Max Muncy had them up 5-0 through three frames.
But once Padres starter Mike Clevinger was removed, their bullpen proved to be impressively stout, pitching six-and-a-third innings of shutout baseball.
Ultimately, the early advantage proved to be enough, as the Padres grabbed three runs back in the fifth inning, but could not make any impression late as Chris Martin and Alex Vesia shut things down out of the Dodgers bullpen.
Inter have a chance to become the first Italian side to ever beat Barcelona twice in a Champions League campaign when they meet at Camp Nou on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Club Brugge are on the brink of their first trip to the knockout stages as they play Atletico Madrid.
Mohamed Salah can make history with one more Champions League goal for Liverpool on their trip to Scotland to take on Rangers, and Bayern Munich are one win away from their own record as they try to win an 11th consecutive group stage match.
Tottenham will look to break out of a scoring slump when they host Eintracht Frankfurt, while Porto and Bayer Leverkusen are battling it out in Group B.
With plenty of important matchups, Stats Perform has parsed through the data to preview the eight fixtures on Wednesday and shine a light on some of the more interesting angles.
Barcelona v Inter
Inter's 1-0 victory against Barcelona at San Siro last week was their first triumph over the Spanish giants since April 2010, with Barca collecting four wins and one draw since.
With another win, Inter can become the first Italian side to ever beat Barcelona twice in the same Champions League campaign, although they have lost all five of their away fixtures at Camp Nou – their most losses at any away venue in the competition.
In fact, Camp Nou has not been a happy hunting ground for Italian sides in general, with a 3-0 victory for Juventus in 2020 marking the country's only win at the venue in the last 17 tries (L13 D3).
It is not just Barcelona who have given Inter trouble on away days, with their last away win in the Champions League against a Spanish opponent coming back in 2004 against Valencia.
Working in Inter's favour is road warrior Lautaro Martinez, who has scored six of his seven Champions League goals away from home.
Tottenham v Eintracht Frankfurt
After banking four consecutive wins against Borussia Dortmund between 2017 and 2019, Tottenham are now winless in their past five Champions League fixtures against German sides (D1 L4).
On the other side, Eintracht have enjoyed success when travelling to England in European competition, winning both of their previous two attempts – against Arsenal in 2019, and West Ham in April this year – in the Europa League.
However, this is a clear step up from the Europa League, and after winning their first ever Champions League away game last month (1-0 at Marseille), Frankfurt will be looking to become the only German team to ever win their first two away fixtures in the competition.
The 0-0 draw between these two sides in Frankfurt a week ago was the second consecutive Champions League game where Tottenham have failed to score a goal – also losing 2-0 to Sporting. The last time they went three games in the competition without scoring was back in 2011.
Striker Harry Kane will be key, as he boasts the best minutes-per-goal figure – 20 goals in 27 appearances for a goal every 118 minutes – of any English player with at least 10 goals in the Champions League.
Atletico Madrid v Club Brugge
Not many, if any, would have tipped Club Brugge to top Group B ahead of Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Porto, but they have defeated all three to lead with a perfect nine points and zero goals conceded.
One more win for Brugge would see them progress past the group stage for the first time, in their 10th Champions League campaign. By defeating Atletico, they would become the first Belgian side since Anderlecht in 2000 to win four games in a row in the competition.
Brugge are also one goal away from matching their highest goal tally from a single Champions League campaign, with eight goals in 2020-21.
Surprisingly, Atletico have struggled at home in the Champions League, snapping a streak of eight games without a win (D5 L3) by defeating Porto this season.
Brugge's Ferran Jutgla has registered a goal and an assist in each of his past two Champions League games, and if he can manage to do it again, he will join Robert Lewandowski and Leroy Sane as the only players since 2003-04 to have a goal and an assist in three straight games in the competition.
Bayer Leverkusen v Porto
With Brugge seemingly cruising, Porto, Leverkusen and Atletico are likely fighting it out for one automatic qualification spot, and Leverkusen will feel good about their chances as Porto are winless in their last seven away games against German teams (D2 L5).
After defeating Atletico at home on the second matchday, Leverkusen will be looking to win consecutive Champions League home fixtures in the same campaign for the first time since 2014.
Patrick Schick is Leverkusen's focal point going forward, attempting more than twice as many shots (12) as any of his team-mates this Champions League season, but he is yet to score, having missed a penalty against Porto in last week's 2-0 loss.
Porto's Mehdi Taremi assisted both goals in the reverse fixture, marking the first time he has been involved in multiple goals in a Champions League game, while the sending-off of Jeremie Frimpong gave Leverkusen their 11th red card in their history in the competition, trailing only Bayern Munich (21) amongst German sides.
Other fixtures:
Napoli v Ajax
5 – Napoli beat Ajax 6-1 in the reverse fixture at Johan Cruyff Arena, with the five-goal margin marking the heaviest defeat Ajax have ever suffered in European competition.
10 – With one more win, Napoli would become the fourth Italian club to ever mount a 10-game unbeaten streak in the Champions League, with six wins and three draws from their past nine fixtures.
Rangers v Liverpool
5 – Rangers have failed to score in their past five European games against English competition, including a 2-0 loss against Liverpool last week.
35 – Mohamed Salah has scored 35 Champions League goals for Liverpool – only Didier Droga (36 for Chelsea) and Sergio Aguero (36 for Manchester City) have scored more for a single Premier League club in the competition.
Sporting v Marseille
9 – Marseille have lost their past nine away fixtures in the Champions League, and with one more loss they would become the sixth team to ever post 10 consecutive away defeats in the competition, and the first from France.
18 – It has been 18 years since Sporting lost a home fixture against a French side in European competition, with that loss coming against Sochaux in the 2004 UEFA Cup.
Viktoria Plzen v Bayern Munich
31 – Bayern Munich are undefeated in their past 31 Champions League group stage matches (28W 3D) – which is an all-time high – and with one more win they will set the new record for consecutive group stage wins with 11.
32 – Viktoria Plzen have faced 32 shots on target in their first three games of this Champions League campaign – more than any other side. In the reverse fixture, Bayern had 13 shots on target.
Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez became the first player in MLB postseason history to hit a walk-off home run while his team trailed by multiple runs as he electrified his home fans in Tuesday's 8-7 win against the Seattle Mariners.
Alvarez, 25, established himself as arguably the best left-handed hitter in the sport this season as he hit 37 home runs while slashing .306/406/613, and with one swing of the bat on Tuesday he wrote his name into the MLB history books.
The Astros were trailing 7-3 after Eugenio Suarez hit the Mariners' second home run of the game in the seventh inning, with J.P Crawford also going deep in the fourth frame. It followed an early-inning onslaught from Seattle, who rode RBI hits from Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh and Ty France to a 4-0 lead through two innings.
In the eighth, Alex Bregman's two-run homer cut the margin to 7-5, and they were able to get two men on base in the ninth inning to bring Alvarez to the plate with two outs and the game on his bat.
After fouling off a dead-center fastball with the first pitch, Alvarez made no mistake on the second, connecting on a game-winning, 438-foot no-doubter into the second deck at right-field after the Mariners unsuccessfully brought in ace starting pitcher Robbie Ray to get the final out.
Alvarez finished the game three-for-five at the plate with five RBIs, after also hitting a two-run double in the third inning.
The series will remain in Houston for Game 2, before heading to Seattle for Game 3 and Game 4 in the best-of-five battle.
Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone was emphatic that he has no interest in leaving his post after a decade in charge during his media availability for Wednesday's Champions League fixture against the red-hot Club Brugge.
Simeone's side are currently fourth on the LaLiga table, and also fourth in the Champions League's Group B, trailing Brugge, Porto and Bayer Leverkusen after only scoring two goals total from three games.
A poor result against Brugge could spell the end of Atletico's Champions League campaign, but with two LaLiga titles and two Champions League final appearances under his belt, Simeone said he understands the ups and downs that come with the job.
"I'm not going anywhere, I'm here," he said. "I feel I have the same security as always. I was asked the other day if I saw myself somewhere else and my answer was no, absolutely.
"If I imagine that, it is because I am leaving, and I am not leaving, I am here. I hope to convey what I feel and that's why I've been at this club for so many years.
"We know the importance of this game. We need to do well, for that we need to give our best and we need our fans to show up.
"We expected more from the first part of the season, but you always expect that. I see the players with great enthusiasm to improve. This is the way."
Simeone also shouldered the blame for the form of Joao Felix, with the 22-year-old forward yet to score this season.
"Everything bad that Joao Felix does, I do it worse because it's me who is not giving him what he needs to reach his potential," he said.
"He hasn't changed at all, his teammates who compete with him are better and the coach understands that.
"Joao is important for the club and for the team. In this campaign he has not found the most important thing for him, the goal, and that causes him frustration."
Massimiliano Allegri insists he will not walk away from Juventus despite their dismal campaign hitting a new low with Tuesday's shock Champions League loss at Maccabi Haifa.
Juventus were unable to respond to Omer Atzili's first-half double as the Israeli outfit claimed a famous 2-0 win over the Bianconeri, turning up the pressure on Allegri.
Juventus are already 10 points off the pace on the domestic front after winning just three of their nine Serie A games this season, and their latest European reverse represents a severe blow to their hopes of progression.
With Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica sharing a 1-1 draw later on Tuesday, Juventus are five points adrift of the duo with just two games remaining in Group H.
With Allegri leading the Bianconeri to three defeats in their first four Champions League group games for the first time ever, chairman Andrea Agnelli was forced to deny the coach would be fired in the immediate aftermath of the loss.
Speaking to Sky Sports shortly thereafter, Allegri was adamant he remained up for the fight, saying: "I have never thought about resigning.
"When a challenge becomes more difficult, it becomes even more beautiful. You have to come out with courage, desire and passion."
While Agnelli looked to absolve Allegri of blame after the defeat, he said he was "ashamed" of Juventus' display, and the head coach concurred.
"Agnelli is absolutely right," Allegri said. "It was one of the worst first halves we have done. It is not right to make a performance like that.
"We had the wrong attitude from the start. This match is difficult to explain, we just need to be silent.
"The performance was not up to par, especially from a character point of view. We just have to keep quiet, work and get out of this situation."
Juventus' next fixture sees them face Torino in the Derby della Mole on Saturday, and Allegri revealed the side will bunker down at their Continassa training ground until that crucial game.
"Tomorrow, we return and until the derby we will all stay in Continassa," he added. "This is a duty we have towards the club, the fans and above all, ourselves."
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