The Riversiders [Blackburn Rovers] won just twice in the first ten games in the English Championship. Then they won four times in the next five games. This is the best run of form they have had this season. Queens Park Rangers put an end to their downhill skid by beating Tigers [Hull City] at Loftus Road.

Rationale: Five road wins are the bedrock of Blackburn's 2025 season. At some point, they have to do well in Ewood Park games.

The Red Dragons [Wrexham] have built their campaign to stay in the English Championship partly on the basis of their run of form at the Racecourse Ground. Seven of eight home games have been fruitful. They are also an unbeaten run of five games.

Rationale: Robins [Bristol City] are depleted by injuries. But they have a playoff spot in a super competitive division and just one loss can begin a downhill skid.

Syracuse Orange took nationally ranked Houston Cougars to overtime but lost [74-78] the game and were not much competitive against Kansas Jayhawks. But they lost twice and Iowa State Cyclones didn't even lose in both games of Player's Era tournament. They won against St John's Red Storm and Creighton Bluejays and are still biting the bust in a consolation game.

Rationale: Cyclones are super efficient on offense as of now

Tottenham Hotspur were no match for the Gunners [Arsenal] in the weekend in an English Premier League game. They lost by 1-4. SC Freiburg also didn't match Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga game played last weekend. They lost by 2-6. But Freiburg scored first and Spurs trailed by 0-2. Therein lies the difference between both games.

Rationale: Its a tussle between the top placeholder of the UEFA Champions League standings and their immediate rival. Both teams have 12 points. Bayern have beaten PSG at Parc des Princes but this task is even tougher.

Four teams have not tasted defeat after the first four games in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League. Tottenham Hotspur is one of them. It is an altogether different matter that they tasted it against Arsenal in London football derby on Sunday.

Paris Saint Germain tasted it for the first time against Bayern Munich after beginning the league phase with three straight wins.

Rationale: Parc des Princes is a real fortress for PSG. Spurs are visiting another hostile stadium after already facing Emirates in the weekend.

PSV Eindhoven have a lot to defend. They have a three game points run in the UEFA Champions League. Efficient play has enabled them to become a genuine playoff contender after an unceremonious start against Union Saint Gillosie in the first gameday.

Liverpool have a lot to gain after losing relevance in the title defense campaign in the English Premier League and the aura of a formidable team in the home conditions at glorious Anfield.

Rationale: Reds will have less of long ball threat in this game than they face in the Premiership every week. PSV plays a passing-oriented game just like them.

Just six points earned after the first four gamedays of the UEFA Champions League isn't going to take Atletico Madrid to the top eight spots of the standings. They have to do better.

Internazionale Milano have been perfect. They have 12 points and are the the third placeholder in the standings of a super competitive tournament.

Rationale: It's not rational to not expect a massive response from the San Siro favourite after their loss in the derby against AC Milan. This game will be enticing one.

Eintracht Frankfurt are the challenger in this game as they are ranked 27th in the UEFA Champions League points table. Atalanta Bergamo are the favourite simply because they are not just 17th in the table but also have added points from three of four league phase games. Aside from that, they won against Olympique Marseille at Stade Velodrome.

Rationale: Now is the moment for Entracht to back up their comeback in the Champions League after holding SSC Napoli to a draw at Estadio Diego Maradona in the fifth gameday.

Sporting Lisbon have a good chance to move further up the standings against Club Brugge in the fifth league phase game of the UEFA Champions League. They already have seven points and their visitors, Club Brugge, have four points.

Rationale: Sporting and Club Brugge are both well-structure and finely gelled teams on offense. One of the remaining games at home should be important for Sporting.

Two draws, two losses, and also two points are the story of Olympiakos Piraeus in this season of UEFA Champions League. Until yesterday, Real Madrid were one of the top eight teams. But they are ninth after the conclusion of the first half of the matches in the fifth gameday of UEFA Champions League.

Rationale: Olympiakos have been good at Kariskakis Stadium games. Real Madrid have yet to win an away game against Greek opponents!