UCL: Liverpool faces Madrid test, can Villa get past Juventus?

Champions League Wednesday: Liverpool vs. Real Madrid headlines action as Villa faces Juventus, Arsenal shines, and Dortmund chase crucial win.

Liverpool's great run will be put to test on Wednesday when Carlo Ancelotti and his Los Blancos visit Anfield in a Champions League encounter, how will this pan out? (Photo credit: Sporting News)

After some exhilarating games on Tuesday, the Champions League returns on Wednesday with yet another sensational fixture, including the big one between Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Arsenal experienced real joy for the first time in Europe this season, beating Sporting Lisbon 5-1 with five different scorers. It was the first loss in any competition for the Portuguese side, which now has a new man in the dugout after the departure of Ruben Amorim to Manchester United.

Manchester City continued to discover new lows after losing a three-goal lead to settle for a 3-3 draw at home to Feyenoord. Erling Haaland opened the scoring in the first half before two quick goals in the second half got them three up, but they managed to concede three in fifteen minutes to lose their lead.

On Wednesday, Aston Villa will host Italian giants Juventus, and it’s a game the English side must get a result in with only three games left after this round. Unai Emery’s team will return to the top eight if they manage a point, but Juventus also needs a win to get where they hope to be.

Villa has suffered a dip in recent games, struggling to string results together and barely escaping with a point at the weekend in the Premier League. Juventus needs to buy a good win too; their stalemate at AC Milan over the weekend could have been better, and these situations make this game a huge one.

Bologna is playing at home against Lille, but rumors in Italy suggest that the Champions League debutants are now fully focused on league engagements and won't be expending much energy in the elite competition as they perceive it as a futile endeavor.

Celtic plays at home against Belgian side Club Brugge, and it’s a game of huge significance for both sides, who both ended on the winning side in the last game round. Club Brugge beat Aston Villa 1-0, a result that revived their hope of finishing in playoff places, but they must do it again in Scotland.

Borussia Dortmund will put their bipolar nature to the test once more when they travel to Zagreb to take on Dinamo Zagreb. Although BVB has a knack for deceiving, only a victory will propel them back into the top eight of the log standings.

In the crucial match of the night, a draw could propel Liverpool back to the top, but a victory could secure their spot in the round of 16 next February. Real Madrid must win to stand any chance of nearing the top 8; they cannot afford to slip up.

Vinicius Jr. will not be available for this fixture after picking up a hamstring problem at the weekend, while Trent Alexander Arnold has been passed fit to play, but he is not expected to start. It’s a game to look forward to.