Real Madrid suffered another setback under Xabi Alonso at the weekend as they lost 2-0 to Celta Vigo at the Bernabeu, also ending the game with nine men after Fran Garcia and Alvaro Carreras were sent off. 

That defeat makes this clash even more important for Real, they’re now four points behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race, which is a tough tally to make up. Los Blancos have fared much better in the Champions League, with four wins from their five matches - but this is easily their biggest challenge yet.

Real Madrid have seen BTTS in two of their five Champions League matches so far this term, most recently contesting a seven-goal thriller against Olympiacos. Manchester City have shown some real vulnerability at the back in recent matches, conceding 2+ goals against Leeds at the Etihad before shipping four goals in their 5-4 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

City have struggled defensively on the road this season, with 10 goals conceded across their seven away matches in the Premier League this season. They’ve seen BTTS in each of their last three away matches across all competitions against Fulham, Newcastle and Swansea.

Mark Flekken was one of the busiest goalkeepers in the Premier League last season, averaging 4.20 saves per 90 for Brentford, while boasting a save percentage of 73.6% - the joint best in the Premier League.

He’s continued to be a reliable shot stopper since making the move from Brentford to Leverkusen, he’s been called into action 40 times across his 13 appearances in the Bundesliga this season (3.08 per 90).

His save numbers in the Champions League are even more promising, with 20 stops across his five appearances in the competition (4.0 per game). His save percentage has dropped slightly this term (66.7%), but his save numbers confirm that he’s still an excellent shot stopper.

Newcastle drew seven saves from Rulli the Marseille net in their 2-1 defeat to Roberto De Zerbi’s side in their most recent Champions League assignment. They’ll push for similar numbers here with Eddie Howe’s side still in with a real chance of finishing in the top eight.

Club Brugge had a positive streak end recently, as they lost 1-0 against Antwerp on home turf. Prior to that loss, the Blue-Blacks were undefeated in 15 matches at the Jan Breydel Stadium, across all competitions.

The Belgian club suffered defeat once again at the weekend, as they were beaten 3-2 by Sint Tuidense. It has been a poor run of form for Club Brugge, and they come into this European clash as massive underdogs. Their record of one win, one draw and three losses in the Champions League puts them outside of the qualification spots.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are the only side to have won all five of their European outings this season, putting them right at the top of the pile. They have scored a total of 14 goals in the Champions League, while conceding just one in return, which came against Bayern Munich in the previous round (3-1 win).

Vitinha put in a masterful performance from midfield against Spurs, as he scored a hat-trick to help his side to another three points. The Portuguese maestro registered a total of five shots, highlighting just how involved he was in the final third. That has been a familiar theme all season - Vitinha is averaging 2.32 shots per 90 across all competitions, and has landed this selection in all five of his Champions League appearances.

He seems to save his best performances for the European stage. He racked up six shots against Bayern Munich, while also getting on the scoresheet against Leverkusen. In fact, no PSG player has had more efforts at goal than Vitinha this season, which makes this market stand out. Vitinha has hit this line in 16 of his 17 starts this term, only failing against Auxerre. However, he was replaced after just 35 minutes in that game, due to injury.

Benfica’s aggression levels have definitely risen under Jose Mourinho, and this contest could bring out the extreme side of that, with both sides desperately needing a win for their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Benfica have picked up nine cards across their five matches in the Champions League this term. Meanwhile, Napoli have managed to draw 2+ cards from their opponents in two of their five games in the Champions League, including their most recent away assignment, as they lost 6-2 to PSV.

I anticipate the general card numbers in the Champions League increasing in the final few weeks of the league phase, as sides start to become more aware of what they need to do to qualify. Benfica have plenty of candidates to pick up bookings here, with the midfield duo of Rios and Barrenchea standing out - as well as both fullbacks. Napoli play in a 3-4-3 shape, which will often leave Benfica’s fullbacks outnumbered.