Champions Real face Tottenham challenge

Champions League holders Real Madrid take on Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Wednesday with both teams looking to secure a place in the last 16.

Although Tottenham are winless against Real in five previous meetings. Mauricio Pochettino is hopeful Harry Kane will be fit for the visit of the European  champions  to Wembley after missing Saturday's 1-0 loss at Manchester United.

Real, level at the top of the section with Spurs on seven points after three matches, are coming off a shock 2-1 defeat at Girona in their first appearance in Catalonia since the violence-plagued October 1 referendum that plunged Spain into political crisis.

In Group E,  Liverpool  sit top of the group after their record-breaking 7-0 thrashing of Maribor in Slovenia two weeks ago.

Five different players scored as Liverpool chalked up the biggest away win for an English team in the history of the competition.

The five-time European champions could seal a last-16 place with Anfield victories against Maribor and Spartak Moscow in their next two outings, having not reached the knockout phase since 2008-09.

Defeat for Slovenian champions Maribor would see them eliminated if Sevilla lose to Spartak Moscow.

At Seville, record five-time Europa League winners Sevilla are in danger of missing out on the last 16 after a shock 5-1 thumping in Moscow last time out.

Russian champions Spartak are level on points at the top of the standings with Liverpool, and a positive result in Spain would put them in a strong position with their next group match at home against struggling Maribor. Like Napoli, Manchester City have dropped just two points in a flying start to their Premier League campaign, and a draw at the San Paolo in Group F would send Pep Guardiola's men through to the last 16 for the fifth consecutive year.

Sergio Aguero remains a goal away from becoming the club's outright all-time leading scorer -- he is currently level with Eric Brook on 177 goals.

Borussia Dortmund and APOEL Nicosia face the threat of elimination in Group H after recording just a single point -- following a 1-1 draw in Cyprus last time out -- from three matches.

Dortmund have only won one of their last eight European games, with their domestic form also tailing off dramatically in recent weeks. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returned from injury at the weekend after missing the German Cup victory over third-tier Magdeburg.

AFP

Fixtures: Group E: Liverpool vs Maribor; Sevilla vs Spartak Moskva.  

Group F: Napoli vs Manchester City; Shakhtar Donetsk vs Feyenoord.

Group G: Porto vs Leipig.

Group H: Tottenham Hotspurs vs Real Madrid; Dortmund vs APOEL.