Match Preview: AS Roma vs Manchester City

Group E is the only one of the eight Champions Leaguegroups where all four teams can still progress going into the sixth and final matchday. On Wednesday night Manchester City will take part in the biggest match of their season so far against AS Roma in the Stadio Olimpico. It’s an almost all or nothing clash for Pellegrini’s men, with 3 teams sat on 5 points heading into the final fixtures of the group stage there’s everything to play for. 

Bayern Munich have already been confirmed as the group winners, but Roma, CSKA Moscow and Manchester City can all join the German giants as they go into Wednesday's games all on five points.

For Premier League champions City to progress, they have to beat Roma at the Stadio Olimpico and hope that CSKA do not produce a massive shock in Munich.

They will also go through with a score draw and CSKA defeat, but a loss of their own would see them eliminated from Europe altogether.

A win for Roma would send them through, while a draw will be good enough if Bayern and CSKA also ends level. If Bayern beat CSKA as expected, a goalless draw will do for Roma, but not a score draw.

As if the pressure on Manchester City wasn’t already massive, they will now have to go into the clash with Roma missing a few of their key players. Sergio Aguero’s injury on Saturday means that there will be no repeat of his heroics from the Bayern game that kept City’s European dream alive. As if missing their best player so far this season wasn’t enough they will also be without Yaya Toure at the heart of their midfield. The big man from the Ivory Coast is still serving his suspension. Maybe most importantly they will be without their captain Vincent Kompany. A night like this, with what is at stake is exactly the type of match you need the leader of your team. Kompany’s absence could be sorely felt as he won’t be to push the team through what should be an epic battle against Totti and his colleagues.

AS Roma come into the clash off the back of their 2-2 draw with Sassuolo. For that game though the decision was taken to rest several key men for the match with City. Gervinho, Totti and Ashley Cole were all able to rest themselves for the match in hope that they will be ready and firing for the English side’s arrival. They were also able to welcome back Kevin Strootman for the first time since his knee surgery. Whether Strootman will start against City after such a long layoff is unclear but his presence back in the squad will be a huge lift to the Italians and he could play some part in the game. With a near fully fit side available to him for the visit of Manchester City Rudi Garcia could be confident of getting the result needed to secure his sides safe passage to the Knockout Round. 

Roma:

Form in Champions League: WDLLD

Form in all competitions: LWWDWD

Man City:

Form in Champions League: LLDDLW

Form in all competitions: DWWWWW

• Roma have scored atleast 2 goals in every home game they’ve played so far this season
• Roma have won their last 3 home games against Premier League opposition
• Man City haven’t won a game in Italy. Their record is 2 draws and 2 defeats
• City’s most recent victory, home or away, against an Italian team was the 3-0 triumph against AC Milan in the 1978/79 UEFA Cup third round
• In 2 seasons with Arsenal Gervinho never beat Man City in 3 attempts
• As a Newcastle United player Yanga-Mbiwa lost all 3 times he played against Man City

Match Preview: Liverpool vs Basel

9 December 2014 • 19:45 • Anfield, Liverpool 

Referee: B. Kuipers

Ten years on from a dramatic comeback in the Champions League, Liverpool will again look to Steven Gerrard for inspiration when they face Basel in a must-win match on Tuesday.

On December 8, 2004, Liverpool welcomed Greek side Olympiakos to Anfield needing to win by two goals to reach the last 16. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has backed Steven Gerrard to inspire his side through their must-win Champions League clash with Basel.

The five-time European champions go into Tuesday night's Group B game at Anfield knowing that only a victory will be good enough for them to progress.

And, having won just five of their 12 home matches in all competitions this season after being held to a goalless draw by Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday, the pressure is on the Reds to perform. 

Liverpool have also picked up just one point in four Champions League fixtures since opening with a narrow defeat of Ludogorets on Merseyside, a run which saw them lose 1-0 in Switzerland in October.

Gerrard was again only used as a substitute over the weekend but Rodgers has confirmed that he will play his skipper - the hero of so many European nights at Anfield - from the outset as his side seek those vital three points.

Basel go into the match buoyed by back-to-back away wins over FC Zurich and Lucerne, which extended their lead at the top of the Swiss Super League to eight points.

Top scorer Shkelzen Gashi took his tally for the season to 12 goals in 17 games with a double on Saturday, while veteran striker Marco Streller, who scored the only goal of the match when these sides met in Switzerland, has also returned to action after a slipped disc ahead of the Anfield clash. 

Beat Basel, and Liverpool will join group winners Real Madrid in the last 16, where they have not set foot since 2009. Fail to win, and they are out."We are still very much alive and we can`t wait for the game against Basel at home, which will be another very special European night for sure," said Gerrard`s midfielder partner Lucas Leiva.

Ivorian midfielder Serey Die returns from suspension for Swiss Super League leaders Basel. Marco Streller is fit again after a back problem, but fellow striker Giovanni Sio has been sidelined by a knee injury.

Striker Daniel Sturridge remains out of action for Liverpool with a thigh problem, while Mario Balotelli is a doubt after missing five games due to a groin injury.

• If Liverpool do not win, they will not qualify for the last 16.
• The Reds would at least qualify for the Europa League by matching Ludogorets' result in their last game of the group stage. It would be their second Champions League in a row with them finishing third in their group, after 2009/2010. 
• FC Basel could be through even with a draw. It would be their third time in the CL round of 16, after 2011/2012 (when they were eventually beaten by Bayern) and 2002/2003 (when they finished third in the second group stage).