Champions League begins

Top players, big prize money and glamorous clubs: the Champions League has a special magic about it, there's no doubt about that. In Dortmund though, ahead of the team's opening game of the Champions League group phase, things have a familiar feel to them. For the third time since 2011, BVB will be up against Arsenal in the group stage. Last year the Gunners won 1-nil in Dortmund.

"We want to do that again," said the London-based former Germany international Per Mertesacker, ahead of the game. "I'm pretty sure that we will manage it."

Arsenal are now undefeated for 14 games, and has never lost their first game in the group phase of the Champions League. But, Dortmund are also in good form. After two wins in a row in the Bundesliga, and the triumphant return of crowd favorite Shinji Kagawa, the team appears up for the challenge, even if they are still missing a bunch of injured players, including Marco Reus, Mats Hummels and Jakub Blaszczykowski.

Leverkusen upbeat

Bayer Leverkusen seem confident ahead of their away game against AS Monaco on Tuesday (16.09.2014). Playmaker Hakan Calhanoglu says that the team, which is currently sitting at the top of the Bundesliga, is "aware of its skills and won't hold back" in the game. That sort of statement mirrors the mood of the team's coach, Roger Schmidt, too.

"To go into the game, looking for a draw, is not our style," the 47-year-old coach said. Monaco, together with Benfica, are the strongest opponent in Leverkusen's group after the Russian Dmitry Rybolovlev invested some 180 million euros ($232.62 million) in the French club.

But, the team doesn't seem to be coping well with the loss of two top Colombian players this last summer. World Cup star James Rodriguez moved to Real Madrid, while Falcao went to join Manchester United. Without both stars, Monaco's season has begun poorly. After five games the club is coming into Tuesday's match second last in the French top flight, Ligue 1.

Lahm still with point to prove

This week, Bayern Munich captain Philipp Lahm told German football magazine "Kicker" that he's keen to win Europe's top club trophy again. Along with Real Madrid, Bayern remain one of the favorites to win the Champions League title in June next year in Berlin. Lahm himself sees Real Madrid as the biggest challenge this season.

"They have an excellent team which they have boosted even more with lots of money," Lahm said. "Real are clearly the team to beat."

In their match on Wednesday, Bayern will host the Premier League champions, Manchester City. The Citizens drew 2-all on the weekend against Arsenal and seem to be on the up now in the Premier League after a defeat last week against mid-table Stoke City.

"Bayern are strong, but my team has enough character and quality to play for a win anywhere we go," said head coach Manuel Pellegrini.

Similar to Dortmund and Arsenal, Bayern has had plenty of recent experience with Manchester City in the Champions League. Twice, City has come out the dominant side, but in both cases it didn't affect Bayern's progression through the tournament. If Bayern are on the wrong side of the score on Wednesday, it would definitely be a different story though.

Struggling Schalke

In the Bundesliga, Schalke lost 4-1 to Borussia Mönchengladbach this weekend. Now, they have to head to Stamford Bridge, to take on an in-form Chelsea team. The Blues now have four wins from four games and are sitting comfortably at the top of the Premier League table.

Chelsea are especially strong in attack at the moment: in their last game against Swansea City, striker Diego Costa, who joined from Atletico Madrid this summer, even managed a hat-trick.

"They are definitely not the easiest opponents," Schalke's sporting director Horst Heldt admitted ahead of the encounter.

"But we have to accept the challenge. It doesn't help to whine or complain. We have to keep a stiff upper lip and get through this. Everyone needs to contribute, then we will get back into a good rhythm again."