PSV trailed against Shakhtar (0-2) after a weak first half • Bosz intervened: Pepi for Dams

PSV coach Peter Bosz does not wait and brings an extra attacker with Ricardo Pepi. Matteo Dams, who did not look good at 0-2, has been substituted. Mauro Junior drops to the left flank, where Dams played.

Liverpool had the best chances during the first half of the top match against Real Madrid, yet the score is still 0-0. Darwin Nunez and Luis Díaz in particular could have scored for coach Arne Slot’s team. On the other hand, Madrid did not get much further than a few enthusiastic long shots from Arda Güler.

Dortmund leads in Zagreb, where Donyell Malen had good chances but teammate Jamie Gittens scored for the 0-1.

At Bologna, an early goal by Thijs Dalling was disallowed for offside. The Italians are now behind against Lille.

Rest positions

End of a particularly weak first half for PSV. We rarely see national champions like this… There were certainly opportunities to score, but the best opportunities were for Sjager, who also turned out to be a lot more effective. PSV makes mistakes at the back, the players rush towards the dressing room with sour faces.

Is there still an escape after the break?

Phew, that’s a big blow for PSV, which seems to be getting into the match better.

Shakhtar makes 0-2 and the Ukrainians owe this largely to the Eindhoven defense. Left back Dams clumsily hands the ball to Konoplia, who acts quickly and gives the chance to Zubkov.

Another PSV opportunity. Noa Lang cuts inside and looks for the short corner. He shoots the ball low between his opponent’s legs, but then finds goalkeeper Riznyk in his path.

The goalkeeper also saved a shot from Tillman moments later.

Good phase by PSV, which builds up calmly and looks for space between or behind Sjachtar’s defenders. It only becomes a real opportunity when the ball goes back again and Boscagli then skips a line. His cross should become an opportunity for Luuk de Jong, but Sjager keeper Riznyk is sharp and is on top of it.

The outbreak that resulted in the 0-1 was not an incident. The Ukrainian team of coach Marino Pusic plays smart and now threatens PSV’s goal more often.

The Eindhoven team has so far had chances through Mauro Junior (over), Bakayoko and De Jong (simple saves). Things will have to improve at PSV.

Major setback for PSV, which was surprised by a quick attack on the right from Sjachtar. Sikan cleverly works his way in front of PSV defender Flamingo with a low cross and then finishes, even goalkeeper Benitez can’t do anything about it.

Real Madrid escapes an early deficit in Liverpool. Defender Raúl Asencio unfortunately takes the ball after a bet from Darwin Nunez and almost works the ball into his own goal. It just ended well for the Spaniards.

Liverpool-Real Madrid 0-0

Past in Serbia and Austria: Red Star also made it 5-1 in injury time and thus recorded a resounding victory over VfB Stuttgart. Sturm Graz also wins for the first time in this Champions League season. The Austrians hold their ground against Girona, which had plenty of chances to score an equalizer in a long final offensive.

It will be a big challenge for all these teams to survive the competition phase: Stuttgart is stuck at 4 points. Sturm Graz, Girona and Red Star are on 3 points with three rounds to go. It is expected that 9 or 10 points will be needed to reach the next round.

Red Star makes 3-1 and 4-1 against Stuttgart. Even better than substitute Mirko Ivanic’s striking header (3-1) is the assist. Timi Max Elsnik swings a corner kick with a nice curve towards the far post, where Ivanic is the only one to finish. Easy trick, if none of the defenders realize where Elsnik’s corner ends.

Not long afterwards the 4-1 also falls. Nemanja Radonjic finishes after a lightning-fast counter from Red Star.

Mika Biereth arrives just in time to take advantage of a rebound in front of the Girona goal, putting Sturm Graz ahead.

Will these be the first points in this Champions League for the leader of Austria? Or will Girona, which has seemed to be in good shape in recent weeks, come back in the last half hour?

The Spaniards must have hoped to achieve a good result here. In the remaining matches, Girona will still face Liverpool, AC Milan and Arsenal.

Liverpool coach Arne Slot is also counting on his captain Virgil van Dijk and midfielder Ryan Gravenberch against Real Madrid. The third Dutch international, Cody Gakpo, starts on the bench.

We will soon see on the other fields as well Donyell Malenwho starts on the right flank of Borussia Dortmund against Dinamo Zagreb.

Standing near Bologna Sam Beukema in Thijs Dallinga at the kick-off of the home match against Lille, where Mitchell Bakker starts on the couch.

Ian Maatsen must also hope for a substitute at Aston Villa, which will take on the battered Juventus tonight. Due to an overcrowded team, the team from Turin only has six substitutes, including two goalkeepers, on the bench in Birmingham.

Luuk de Jong and Noa Lang were doubtful for the home match against Shakhtar Donetsk, but both are fit enough to start.

Trainer Peter Bosz does not have access to Joey Veerman, Jerdy Schouten, Sergiño Dest, Adamo Nagalo, Couhaib Driouech

Girona is very disappointed with the missed opportunities against Sturm Graz, in particular Ivan Martin should have scored. It’s still 0-0 halfway there. Red Star Belgrade leads after the first half against VfB Stuttgart: 2-1.

Fifteen minutes later, in the meantime we look forward to the line-ups for the matches that start at 9 p.m. Are PSV players Luuk de Jong and Noa Lang fit enough to start against Shakhtar Donetsk?

It is again a tie between Red Star Belgrade and VfB Stuttgart. Silas Katompa Mvumpa picks up the ball when the Germans build up somewhat nonchalantly and then sprints straight towards the goal. Just outside the box, Silas sees his chance and the Congolese surprises the keeper with a low shot into the short corner.

A special goal for Silas, who has played in Stuttgart’s forward line for the past five seasons. In 2021 he was even voted ‘best young player in the Bundesliga’. Then came a special revelation: the attacker admitted to having changed his identity under pressure from his agent, driven to desperation in his dream of succeeding as a professional footballer. He played with a different surname for years and pretended to be a year younger than he was.

Silas was subsequently suspended and fined. Last summer he was rented out to Rode Ster. He is still under contract with the German club until 2026 and apologizes after scoring the goal.

Kjell Scherpen, the only Dutchman from Sturm Graz, is missing tonight. The goalkeeper, hired from Brighton & Hove Albion, is the first choice under the bar but underwent a planned knee operation this week. He is out for the rest of 2024, Sturm Graz hopes to have the 24-year-old goalkeeper again after the Austrian winter break.

On behalf of Girona, Donny van de Beek and Daley Blind will kick off tonight. Arnaut Danjuma is sitting on the couch.

Both teams desperately need a win. Sturm Graz did not score a point in the first four games and is therefore at the bottom. Girona only won against Slovan Liberec and therefore still has to work to advance to the next round of the Champions League.

PSV can take a giant step to the next CL round: ‘Don’t count, just win’

The Champions League is apparently entering an important phase for PSV, because with Shakhtar Donetsk and Red Star Belgrade, there are still opponents waiting who are below the leader of the Premier League after four of the eight rounds in the long rankings. You might think that points will have to be achieved against those clubs.

But that’s not how Peter Bosz works. “I’m actually not calculating,” the trainer admitted on Tuesday at the press conference leading up to the match with Shakhtar.

“I try to keep it as simple as possible: we have to win that match at home. If you look at the points, you see how close it is and therefore how important tomorrow’s match is. We don’t know yet how many points we will need. We will see that afterwards.”