BERLIN: Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City look to get their Champions League campaigns on the winning track following opening losses while Manchester United are also under pressure going into their clash with Valencia.

City travel to Germany to face Hoffenheim on Tuesday while Tottenham welcome an off-form Barcelona to Wembley Stadium on Wednesday.

Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino has a bit of an injury crisis after Dele Alli sat out Saturday’s win over Huddersfield where Jan Vertonghen and Moussa Dembele both picked up injuries.

“We need to assess Jan and Mousa in the next few days, we’ll see what happens,” Pochettino said, adding about Alli that the club will need to “see when it’s possible for him to come back.”

Spurs were defeated at Inter Milan, who now meet PSV Eindhoven, in the opening Group ‘B’ game and now host a Barca side winless in three.

‘We know we have to be stronger defensively,” Lionel Messi said. “Last season we were difficult to score against and now teams score against us from the slightest chance. We have to get better.”

City were stunned at home to Olympique Lyonnais to start Group ‘F’ but have been impressive domestically before heading to Hoffenheim.

“Our profession is so demanding, we have to do our best every single day,” coach Pep Guardiola said. “I want all of my players to be focused.”

Hoffenheim drew at Shakhtar Donetsk, who next head to Lyon, in their group stage debut.

United meanwhile host Valencia having won away to Young Boys last time but League Cup elimination and another defeat to West Ham United on Saturday keeps them under pressure.

Juventus host the Swiss side in the other Group ‘H’ game without Cristiano Ronaldo, suspended after being sent off at Valencia.

Massimiliano Allegri insisted his side “still need to improve,” after eight successive wins. “We are still making errors of judgement.”

Liverpool are looking to bounce back against Napoli in Group ‘C’ after losing to Chelsea in the League Cup and drawing in the league.

“These are the sort of games you want to play in: good atmospheres, good European games,” Liverpoool midfielder James Milner said.

Paris St Germain, who lost at Anfield on the opening day, host Red Star Belgrade.

AS Roma hope to escape bottom place in Group ‘G’ as they welcome Viktoria Plzen. The Giallorossi are buoyant after a 3-1 win in a city derby with Lazio, which may have marked a change of gears after a poor start to the season.

Leaders Real Madrid travel to CSKA Moscow on without four of their most important players.

Gareth Bale has an abductor injury, Isco is still recovering from Appendicitis, Marcelo has a calf problem, and Sergio Ramos has been rested after playing thee games in seven days.

Real go into the game having only scored two goals in their last four league matches, though they hit three against Roma.

“We are making a lot of opportunities and if that stays the case then I am sure the goals will come,” coach Julen Lopetegui said.

Bundesliga record champions Bayern Munich are also stumbling having not won in two at home before welcoming Ajax Amsterdam in Group ‘E’.

“We obviously want to get three points in the Champions League so that we’re more relaxed going into the subsequent games,” said coach Niko Kovac.

Benfica travel to AEK Athens elsewhere.

New German leaders Borussia Dortmund host AS Monaco in Group ‘A’ while Atletico Madrid are without Stefan Savic and midfielder Gelson Martins to meet Club Brugge.

And in Group ‘D’, Schalke make the long trip to Lokomotiv Moscow as FC Porto host Galatasaray.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2018