With two goals in 10 Premier league games, Wayne Rooney’s struggles are not just a source of glee for opposing fans. Even the local police are ridiculing the Manchester United striker.
“Missing Person,” Manchester police wrote on one of its Twitter accounts over the weekend. “Wayne Rooney last seen in the Trafford area wearing a red shirt, any sightings please inform colleagues.”
The misfiring Rooney is emblematic of United’s lack of goal threat through three consecutive drab 0-0 draws. Perhaps age is catching up with the 30-year-old captain, but he remains United’s highest paid player.
The only game when Rooney has truly thrived this season was against a weak Bruges, scoring a hat trick in the Champions league playoffs. It should prove far tougher on Tuesday at Old Trafford against CSKA Moscow after Rooney hit the target only twice in the Russian capital in last month’s 1-1 draw. Anthony Martial scored United’s goal that night and the team has failed to find the net in 325 minutes since then.
It’s tight in Group B. Wolfsburg has a two-point lead over United and CSKA, and PSV Eindhoven is a point further back in fourth place.
CSKA coach leonid Slutsky will be on the bench for the match in Manchester, despite earlier taking over as Russia coach.
Meanwhile, Julian Draxler will be hoping to regain his starting spot for Wolfsburg against PSV. Signed from Schalke as a replacement for Kevin de Bruyne, Draxler has struggled to live up to the level.
Madrid to face PSG
BARCElONA: After a scoreless dud in their first meeting, fireworks are hopefully in store when Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid hosts Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Paris Saint-Germain.
Ronaldo appears more than ready to add to his competition record 83 goals after scoring 13 times in as many games this season to help Madrid overcome a spate of injuries that has knocked out strike partners Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema.
PSG leads the group, level on seven points with Madrid. A win by either side would give it command of first place. A victory would also qualify the winner for the round of 16 if Swedish team Malmo fails to take points at bottom club Shakhtar Donetsk.
Also Angel Di Maria will make his return to the Santiago Bernabeu for the first time since leaving Madrid two seasons ago for an ill-fated campaign at Manchester United. He is now finding his confidence and form after a second high-profile transfer to PSG.
In goal though Keylor Navas is a doubt after he missed Saturday’s 3-1 win over las Palmas due to a muscle pull in his right leg. He was replaced by newcomer Kiko Casilla for an easy win.
Even though Bale and Benzema are expected to return soon, coach Rafa Benitez may opt for caution with league matches at Sevilla and against Barcelona looming. Madrid was also without James Rodriguez, Sergio Ramos and Dani Carvajal.
For PSG, defender David luiz is set to return after nearly one month, but a bout of conjunctivitis will likely rule out midfielder Javier Pastore while defender Marquinhos has yet to recover from a thigh problem.
Gladbach looks for 1st win
FRANKFURT: Borussia Moenchengladbach has known nothing but victories in domestic competitions ever since Andre Schubert became caretaker coach following the resignation of lucien Favre. Players are beginning to campaign for Schubert to get the job on a permanent basis, although the club is officially still looking for a new long-term coach.
In the Champions league, Moenchengladbach has been less successful, with the only point coming from a 0-0 draw at Juventus two weeks ago. The German side feels this Tuesday’s home match against last season’s runner-up could be a chance to secure its first group win.
Juventus beat Manchester City and Sevilla to open its Champions league campaign.
In the other match, Sevilla hosts Manchester City, which is second with six points. Sevilla has three.
There was a time when Jesus Navas appeared a likely bet to finish out his career playing for his boyhood club. For years the then Sevilla winger reportedly suffered anxiety when he was away from his home and family for long stretches.
But after nearly 400 appearances in 10 years, during which he won two Copa del Rey titles and two UEFA Cups, Navas finally broke away and made the big move to Manchester in 2013 to play for Manuel Pellegrini.
Navas now makes his return to the southern Spanish city many thought he would never leave.
Expect further signs of disapproval toward UEFA from Manchester City fans at Sevilla. City is facing UEFA sanctions after its fans booed Champions league anthem before the home game against Spanish club last month.
There was already ill feeling at City toward UEFA over Financial Fair Play sanctions. The sense of grievance intensified after UEFA ordered City’s match at CSKA Moscow to be played behind closed doors last season over racism by fans of the Russian club, but it also punished the visiting supporters who had already booked travel.
Torres hunts elusive feat
BARCElONA: Fernando Torres is making an almost 7,000-kilometer trek to the heart of Central Asia in search of an elusive 100th goal for Atletico Madrid.
Atletico travels 6,840 kilometers to face Kazakh side Astana.
Torres has been stuck on goal No. 99 for his boyhood club since scoring against Eibar on Sept. 19.
Benfica, who is in second place but level on six points with Atletico, hosts Galatasaray, which is in third place with four points. Astana has one point.