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A selection of FirstTouch's best football writing, brought to you by emerging journalists, collaborators, and fans.

UEFA Champions League, Football News, Europe Dennis Takaendesa UEFA Champions League, Football News, Europe Dennis Takaendesa

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group B

Tottenham vs Bayern Munich

Red Star Belgrade vs Olympiakos

Group B

Tottenham vs Bayern MunichTuesday, 01 October 2019

All is not well in the Tottenham camp. A mixed start to their Premier League campaign has seen fans and neutrals desperately look for the side that made them 2019 Champions League final against Liverpool, with no success. An opening night 2-2 draw at Olympiacos in Greece was another disappointing return which followed a 2-2 draw at North London rivals, Arsenal; having taken a 2-0 lead in both matches.

Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Muenchen celebrates scoring his teams second goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Ajax and FC Bayern Munich at Johan Cruyff Arena on December 12, 2018 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.(Dec. 11…

Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Muenchen celebrates scoring his teams second goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Ajax and FC Bayern Munich at Johan Cruyff Arena on December 12, 2018 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

(Dec. 11, 2018 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe)

Tanguy Ndombele has been a massive signing for Spurs with the midfielder having scored twice already in London, more recently in the 2-1 weekend win over Southampton. Now facing Bayern is a different ball game. The Germans took long but eventually labored to a 3-0 win over Red Star on opening UCL night. Lewandowski is unsurprisingly still firing, they are unbeaten in the league and have done well in North London whenever they played Arsenal in recent years.

Niko Kovac’s side are definitely backing themselves to add to Mauricio Pochettino’s woes before they find their feet again.

Red Star Belgrade vs OlympiacosTuesday, 01 October 2019

Competitive! That’s one way to describe this fixture. Red Star’s 0-3 loss to Bayern on matchday 1 goes nowhere close in explaining the complexion of that encounter. It was quite harsh on the Serbians who left it all on the pitch and could be a massive encouragement of what they can do in the 2019/20 UCL season. Their fans know how to create a winning atmosphere, having backed their heroes to famous victories over the likes of eventual champions, Liverpool last season. Olympiacos themselves know some things about atmospheres as their own lifted them up to fight back and draw 2-2 with Tottenham on opening night. The home team, Red Star are clearly favorites but it will surely be as electric as they come. A classic teeth biting and edge of your seats UCL encounter.

 

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Football News, UEFA Champions League, FirstTouch, Europe Dennis Takaendesa Football News, UEFA Champions League, FirstTouch, Europe Dennis Takaendesa

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 1): Group B

Bayern Munich vs Red Star Belgrade

Tottenham vs Olympiakos

Lucas Moura of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his team's third goal with Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Ajax and Tottenham Hotspur at the Johan Cruyff Arena on May 08, …

Lucas Moura of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his team's third goal with Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Ajax and Tottenham Hotspur at the Johan Cruyff Arena on May 08, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

(May 7, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Bayern Munich vs Red Star Belgrade- Wednesday 19 September 2019

A battle of the Red Champions. Even though they are currently not on top of their respective German and Serbian League tables, the unbeaten defending champions have both enjoyed a decent start to their campaigns. Niko Kovac’s Bayern are clearly favorites to easily win this one at home though it must be noted that Red Star Belgrade who beat eventual champions Liverpool at home in last season’s UCL group stages, are quite capable of causing an upset.

Tottenham vs Olympiakos- Wednesday 19 September 2019

The other group B encounter looks like its decided before it has begun. Not many would want to visit the Tottenham Hotspur stadium right now after Crystal Palace were left for dead over the weekend. Four first-half goals saw them revive a sluggish start to a Premier League campaign that was suffocated by transfer window uncertainty. Momentum is on Spurs’ side who are now looking more like their best selves who made the 2018/19 champions league final but an unheralded Olympiakos who have enjoyed a perfect start to their own Greek league campaign, could be all that’s needed to derail them yet again.

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