Manchester clubs face German test

Paris: The two Manchester clubs are in Champions League action against German opposition on Wednesday, while Cristiano Ronaldo again looks to break a goalscoring record as Real Madrid visit Malmo.

After a disastrous night in the Netherlands in their Group B opener, when they lost 2-1 to PSV Eindhoven and lost Luke Shaw to a double leg fracture, Manchester United will hope things go better at home to Wolfsburg.

United come into the match at Old Trafford a point clear at the top of the Premier League after sinking Sunderland 3-0 at the weekend. Last season’s Bundesliga runners-up Wolfsburg, meanwhile, head to England after a couple of disappointing domestic results, a 1-1 derby draw with Hannover 96 at the weekend following a 5-1 trouncing by Bayern Munich. The Wolves last visited Old Trafford on September 30, 2009, when Michael Carrick got the deciding goal in a 2-1 United win.

In Moenchengladbach, Germany, the pressure is on Manchester City as Manuel Pellegrini’s side go to Germany to face Borussia Moenchenglad-bach. Beaten at home by Juventus on matchday one, City have seen a perfect start to the Premier League season go up in smoke since then, losing to West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.

City have lost on six of eight past visits to face Bundesliga opposition and have had injury concerns surrounding Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany and David Silva.

However, Kevin De Bruyne goes back to Germany, where he previously starred for Wolfsburg.

Gladbach lost 0-3 at Sevilla in their opening game and their coach Lucien Favre resigned after overseeing five defeats in their first five Bundesliga games. But the 1977 European Cup finalists have won two in a row since then under interim coach Andre Schubert, against Augsburg and VfB Stuttgart.

Supremacy in Group C is at stake as Atletico Madrid entertain Benfica at the Vicente Calderon after both sides won 2-0 on matchday one. Diego Simeone’s side, who lost the 2014 Champions League final to Real Madrid on Benfica’s home ground, lost 1-0 at Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday and are struggling for goals. It remains to be seen, then, if the misfiring Jackson Martinez will start in attack.

Meanwhile, influential midfielder Koke may not return from injury as he targets the Madrid derby against Real at the weekend instead. Benfica’s man to watch is the Brazilian forward Jonas, scorer of seven goals in eight games this season. That tally includes two in a 3-0 weekend victory against Pacos de Ferreira in Lisbon, which left the Eagles third in the Portuguese league.

In Turin, Italy, Juventus and Sevilla are seeking solace from domestic woes as they meet in Turin. Last season’s Champions League runners-up Juve won 2-1 at Manchester City on matchday one but a 2-1 defeat at Napoli on Saturday left Massimiliano Allegri’s side 15th in Serie A, 10 points behind leaders Fiorentina after six games.