Once again this week across Europe, the continent's footballing elite pit themselves against each other in the group stages of the Champions League. Given what is going on in many of the region's domestic leagues, there are a few games that catch the eye and, for the footballing aficionado, should not be missed.

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Group A

In Group A, Real Madrid will host Paris SG on Tuesday and the notion of Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic vying for European supremacy is indeed a provocative and enthralling prospect. Both teams sit with 7 points in this group and both teams remain unbeaten across all competitions thus far this year. Their last encounter in the group resulted in a 0-0 draw in Paris and represented Real's ninth clean sheet, testimony to the austere and cemented defense that Los Blancos currently employ. With Ramos and Pepe fit again, they may just prove too strong at the back, and even without Gareth Bale and perhaps Benzema, we would expect the home side to have too much fire power in Ronaldo and Isco. The other game in the group will see Malmo face Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine and a win for either Madrid or PSG will see them advance if Malmo lose.

Group B

In Group B, again on Tuesday, Manchester United will host Russian outfit CSKA Moskva with both sides sitting on 4 points after three games. Wolfsburg lead the group with 6 points. United have never beaten a Russian side on home soil but after securing a point in their 1-1 draw in their first meeting against CSKA, they might now fancy their chances. However, the Red Devils have drawn their last three games 0-0 - the first time this has happened since 2005 - and against a Russian team who are unbeaten in their last 21 league games, they will be severely challenged. However, few places embody European football like Old Trafford, and we we feel that newcomer Martial with old-timer Rooney will be able to, finally, end their goal drought at home but Van Gaal has to allow his team to break out of the conservative safety first mould that he has now cast around his side.

Group D

In Group D, English league leaders - albeit on goal difference - Manchester City will travel to Sevilla in the hopes of further consolidating their position for one of the top spots in the group as they look to take their league momentum with them to the southern Spanish city. Since their 4-1 loss to Spurs in September, City have won six out of seven games and although Auguero is still injured, Kevin De Bruyne who has scored eight times in his last eleven appearances for club and country, is in lethal form. Sevilla, who are languishing in mid-table in La Liga, will be keen to avenge the 2-1 loss they suffered against City last time out when De Bruyne broke Sevillian hearts with a 91st minute goal to steal all three points. Although City have kept only one clean sheet in their last 11 games in all competitions - that was the dour 0-0 draw in the Manchester derby - we feel that they will leave the Andalusian region with at least a point in the bag and a firm grip on second place in the group. The other game in this group will see group leaders Juventus travel to Monchengladbach. Their last meeting in Turin saw with teams secure a point but if Juventus can get all three points on Tuesday, they will qualify for the last 16. We expect that they will.

Group F

Arguably the most compelling game of week will take place on Wednesday in Group F when Arsenal travel to Bavaria to take on the might of Bayern Munich. Having lost their opening two games in their group to Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiacos, the Gunners resuscitated their European aspirations with a 2-0 win against Bayern in London in October and now the reverse fixture will see them again challenge the German titans. Arsenal might take some solace from the fact that their opponent's  record ten-game winning start to the season came to an end when they were held to a 0-0 draw at Frankfurt last week, but it's hardly a reason to panic. Guardiola's charges have scored five goals in four different matches thus far this season and in Muller and Lewandowski he has frightening fire power at his disposal. Lewandowski was not only the top scorer in the Euro 2016 qualifiers, but has banged in 23 goals already this season between club and country and with Robben likely to play as well, being apparently recovered from his injury, the London team could face an almighty onslaught. Even though Arsenal share the top spot in the English Premier League with Manchester City and have won five games in a row (excluding their League Cup exit at Sheffield Wednesday) and have Giroud finding form having scored six goals in his last six games for club and country, we feel it won't be enough. Bayern's fire power will be too much and without Walcott, Arsenal's 'catch-them-on-the- break' mantra, may be deemed worthless. A loss here would probably end the London's side European expectations for the year, but the fans will probably then argue that they can focus on domestic affairs and finally challenge for a league title.

Group G

In Group G conjecture will run amok as beleaguered Jose Mourinho and his downtrodden crew host Dynamo Kyiv having already drawn 0-0 with them in Ukraine last month. Chelsea were unlucky not to secure all three points on that occasion but since then, things have gone from bad to worse at Stamford Bridge. Plummeting in the league on the back of plummeting player performances, law suits, FA disciplinary action, and an endless stream of speculation has resulted in this team teetering on the ropes and absolutely in need of a win. Having lost to Porto and drawing in Ukraine they find themselves in third spot with 4 points from 3 games and will face a team that has lost only once so far this year. We expect another difficult night at the bridge and wouldn't be shocked to see the visitors leave with something in hand.

In other games, Barcelona will host BATE Borisov in Group E and will almost certainly complete the double against the Belarusian team having already beaten them 2-0 away in their first game. Being on a run of 7 Champion's League home game victories, the Catalans are in control of their group and if AS Roma do not defeat Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the other fixture in the group and Barcelona win, they will already have secured a spot in the last 16.

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