Unai Emery says his players are in dire need of a win to regain their confidence and reboot their challenge for a Champions League spot for next season.

Neymar has confirmed he is “back to 100 per cent” after an injury-hit 2018 – and is already looking forward to Paris Saint-Germain taking on Manchester United in the Champions League next year. The Brazil international suffered a fractured foot in a game against Marseille in February and while he returned in time for the World Cup, he could not inspire his country to progress beyond the quarter-finals.

Manchester United has drawn Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League, while Liverpool will face Bayern Munich and Tottenham will take on Borussia Dortmund.

Borussia Dortmund are hoping to avoid ex-coach Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool when the last 16 of the Champions League is drawn on Monday.

The Champions League goes into its final round of group games this week with 12 teams already assured of featuring in the last 16 and seven others battling for the remaining four places.

Duvan Zapata got Atalanta back winning ways in Serie A after consecutive losses with hat-trick against former club Udinese on Sunday that brought them to within touching distance of the Champions League places.

World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard said playing Champions League football remains the priority as he mulls leaving his beloved Germany or pushing through a move to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

Next week’s Champions League tie between Shakhtar Donetsk and Lyon will be switched from Kharkiv to Kiev, the Ukrainian club announced Wednesday.

Christian Chukwu, a former Green Eagles captain and former Super Eagles coach, on Monday urged the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to introduce a Champions League for the continent’s women footballers.

Schalke have reached the last 16 of the Champions League, but their progress to the knock-out stages did not stop travelling fans booing their team’s dismal 3-1 defeat at Porto.

Niko Kovac admits Bayern Munich have a problem with playing in the Bundesliga after his side brushed off recent woeful domestic form with a five-goal romp in the Champions League.

Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday his side would be stupid if they did not make it to the Champions League knock-out rounds.

Luis Suarez faces a fight to be fit for Barcelona’s last Champions League group game against Tottenham after the club confirmed on Monday he had sustained a knee injury.

Paris Saint-Germain’s teenage superstar Kylian Mbappe has told AFP that, for all the Qatar-owned club’s huge investments in recent years, they will need the breaks to fall their way if they are to finally fulfil their dream of winning the Champions League.

A Liverpool fan was injured after being attacked in the centre of Naples ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League game, Italian police said.