FC Bayern face Olympiacos Piraeus, Arsenal and Dinamo Zagreb in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, starting in the coming week. The Reds can be confident because of their perfect start to the Bundesliga season with four victories in four matches – but their opponents have kicked off their campaigns well too.
Maximum points for Olympiacos
Three matches, three wins, 8-1 goals: Piraeus, the first opponents the Reds encounter in the group stage on Wednesday, are at the top of the Greek Superleague. The domestic champions and cup holders won their home match against Platanias 3-1. Jimmy Durmaz (11), Alejandro Dominguez (52) and Arthur Masuaku (59) netted for the serial Greek champions (17 titles in the last 19 years). Yaya Banana scored the consolation goal for the visitors (71).
Arsenal on the pace
Arsenal are keeping up their pursuit of Premier League table toppers Manchester City. In the encounter with Stoke City, who now feature former Munich man Xherdan Shaqiri, the Gunners won 2-0 and move onto ten points, five short of the Citizens. Theo Walcott (31) and Olivier Giroud (85), who came on as a sub a few minutes beforehand, scored for an Arsenal team missing German world champion Per Mertesacker, laid low by illness.
Zagreb at the top
Double winners Dinamo Zagreb are once again setting the benchmarks in the Croatian league. Zagreb top the table with 19 points after nine matchdays and hold a three-point edge over Hajduk Split. Dinamo won the derby against Lokomotiva Zagreb 4-0 on Friday evening. Chilean double scorer Angelo Henriquez (36, 64) put his team in the lead. His compatriot Junior Fernandes (70) and Leonardo Sigali from Argentina (74) rounded off the scoring in Dinamo’s fifth victory of the season.
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