That's hump-day done and dusted.

Thanks for joining us for this midweek European bonanza.

We might be off but we have a team primed and ready to take over that will bring you all of tonight's Champions League action.

BBC Radio 5 Live also have full commentary of both Qarabag v Chelsea and Manchester City v Borussia Dortmund for you to keep your ears across this evening.

We'll be back bright and early on Thursday to bring you all of the reaction to tonight's matches, plus preview Thursday evening's Europa League and Conference League fixtures.

See you then.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca says tonight's clash with Qarabag is "very important" but admits he will probably need to rotate due to the "demanding schedule".

Maresca said: "It is an important game. It can give us three wins in a row in Champions League, nine points, so very important.

"We will probably need to rotate some of the players, also because I think we come back to London on Thursday morning at 06:00, then have game on Saturday. A demanding schedule but we will try our best."

On Reece James' fitness: "He is good, doing well. Fit, 100%. The way he behaves every game is top, even when not playing, in the changing room with team-mates. I think he is ready to play three games in a week.

"It depends also on how we use Reece, too. Not always up and down [the wing]. It is a big job for anyone so we need to protect him like others in that way."

Maresca says he hopes Cole Palmer could be ready for their next Champions League game against Barcelona after the international break: "With Cole we try to schedule at the beginning, but we needed to review so we go day by day with Cole. He's still apart, not training with the team.

"I would like Cole every game. I have said before we are a better team with him. Unfortunately he is out injured, but we hope he will be back soon."

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

Having been mocked on their debut in the Champions League group stage eight years ago, Azerbaijani side Qarabag have proved a surprise package in this season's competition.

They lost 6-0 at Chelsea and 4-0 at home in that difficult 2017-18 campaign, claiming just two points from a group featuring Atletico Madrid and Roma, and earning the derisory nickname "carrier bag".

Qarabag have since found their feet in Europe and, having matched Chelsea's six points from a possible nine in the first three league phase matches, they will have to be taken more seriously in Wednesday's meeting in Baku.

Having often faltered in the qualifying rounds of the competition, they gained a dramatic first win in the main stage with a superb comeback success at Benfica, winning 3-2 after being 2-0 down and prompting the Portuguese side to sack Bruno Lage and appoint Jose Mourinho.

Qarabag then beat Copenhagen 2-0 at home before going a goal up at Spanish side Athletic Club, but losing 3-1.

They have tripled their goal haul from the 2017-18 campaign, raising hopes among supporters they can continue to defy expectations.

Should Gurban Gurbanov's side beat Chelsea, it would be Qarabag's most notable win in their 200th European match.

Ciaran Kelly
BBC Sport Newcastle United reporter

Dan Burn is one of the most vocal figures in the Newcastle United dressing room.

But even the England defender did not feel it was the time to "start pointing fingers" following his side's 3-1 defeat by West Ham.

Why?

Because Burn recognised that his own performance at London Stadium was below par on Sunday.

"Everyone knew in that changing room that we had let each other down," he said. "That's the most frustrating thing."

Though Newcastle have struggled on their travels - failing to win an away league game since April - Eddie Howe's team have won each of their past four matches at St James' Park in all competitions.

This is a chance to respond.

Image source, Getty Images

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

An illness running through the camp may help to explain Newcastle's below-par performance in defeat at struggling West Ham on Sunday.

But defender Dan Burn was not looking for excuses in his news conference to preview tonight's Champions League game at home to Athletic Club...

Newcastle United

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe confirmed that a number of players are suffering with illness in camp before tonight's game against Spanish side Athletic Club.

Speaking in his pre-match news conference, Howe said:

"It seems like there is a bit of illness going through the squad, various players have picked something up.

"Sandro [Tonali] initially, Jacob Murphy, Bruno [Guimaraes], Kieran [Trippier] and we are making a decision on Bruno tomorrow. He is such an important player for us, but he's not been himself, and that's why he missed training today."

Shamoon Hafez
Football news reporter

Manchester City's Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday will pit striker Erling Haaland against his old club.

Haaland spent three seasons at the Bundesliga club, scoring an astonishing 86 goals in 89 games and helping the club to win the German Cup in 2021.

He joined City in 2022 for £51.2m and has taken his game to another level. He has 17 goals for the club in all competitions this season.

"Our old team-mate Erling," former Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller told BBC Sport. "We know how important he is for Manchester City and what a great goalscorer.

"He was young when we bought him from RB Salzburg but was totally focused on his performances. He pushed the whole club and he is a smart guy on the pitch. I like him very much.

"We have great memories of him and he has a great family behind him. I wish him all the best... just not on Wednesday."

Asked whether Haaland or Bayern Munich's Harry Kane is the better striker, Weidenfeller said: "It is very complicated but we talk about Kylian Mbappe too and they are three amazing scorers.

"We are focused on Kane but all the strikers are amazing. The clubs are lucky to have them."

Image source, Getty Images

To match Dixie Dean's top-flight record, Erling Haaland would need to score 47 goals in the remaining 28 league games, which seems very unlikely, doesn't it?

But a goal a game from here on in would see the Manchester City striker become the first Premier League player to break the 40-goal barrier for a season.

Haaland does not think about records, but that could provide a little extra incentive for him couldn't it?

Can it be done?

Thumbs up for yes, down for no.

Image source, Getty Images

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

However much you might attempt to look the other way, you can't ignore the fact that Manchester City's Erling Haaland is the biggest attraction in every way. The search is on for any new record he could break with his superhuman scoring.

My eyes start to glaze over when too many stats are used, so let's go straight to the top - can he score the most goals ever in a top-flight English season? That seems a reasonable ask for a superman and he has got 13 in 10 already.

In 1927-28, Everton's Dixie Dean scored 60 league goals, way ahead of the Norway international's best of 36 - the Premier League record.

If he scores 40 or more in the league this time that would be remarkable. With a fair wind and no injuries, that looks very likely at the moment.

Manchester City

Manchester City forward Erling Haaland gave a star turn in Tuesday's news conference.

The Norway striker insisted that he is not thinking about breaking records despite his impressive start to the season.

Haaland has 17 goals from 13 games for City, including 13 goals in 10 Premier League matches.

That brings his total in the Premier League to 98 goals - 162 behind the league's all-time leading scorer Alan Shearer.

"I have to ignore them. I don't really know any records but I know his Premier League one," Haaland said of Shearer's record mark.

"Again, it is not something I can think about. Thinking about records I can break is the last thing on my mind, I try to help the team win football games. That is my job and that is my main focus.

"I know it's boring, I know you want me to say the complete opposite but that's not how it is."

Image source, Getty Images

The reality is, though, that all three English teams taking part tonight have made a great start to this season's competition, so there is a bit of wriggle room.

Manchester City can move up to third place with a win over Borussia Dortmund, while Newcastle and Chelsea have won two of their three opening fixtures so will qualify for the knockout stages if they keep up that ratio.

Never assume anything in the Champions League though...

We only have about 45 minutes remaining in this page before a brief lull, then tonight's live page will kick in for the early kick-offs.

As a result, we are going to flip our preview, looking at the two later games involving Manchester City and Newcastle first, before ending with Chelsea.

It would be great to hear your hopes and fears for tonight's matches - what you want to happen in your heart, versus what your head is telling you will transpire.

Get in touch using the Get Involved button at the top of this page.

Champions League

• Pafos v Villarreal (17:45)
• Qarabag v Chelsea (17:45)
• Ajax v Galatasaray
• Benfica v Bayer Leverkusen
• Club Brugge v Barcelona
• Inter Milan v Kairat
• Manchester City v Borussia Dortmund
• Marseille v Atalanta
• Newcastle v Athletic Club

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

Right, let's remind ourselves of tonight's Champions League fixtures before considering some of the main talking points surrounding those ties for Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester City...

Celtic

Image source, Getty Images

Craig Bellamy said the Celtic manager's job was "not on my radar" and renewed his commitment to his current role as Wales head coach.

Brendan Rodgers resigned as Celtic manager last month, following their defeat to Premiership leaders Hearts, and 73-year-old Martin O'Neill was appointed as interim manager.

O'Neill has since led Celtic to back-to-back wins, including victory over Rangers in the League Cup semi-final, and will take charge of the team for Thursday's Europa League tie at FC Midtylland.

He says his stay will only be "short-term" and former Celtic player Bellamy was tipped as one of the early front-runners to take the permanent job.

"It's not on my radar - and it won't be on my radar," said 46-year-old Bellamy in a news conference to announce his latest Wales squad.

"I can understand the links because I played there, but I love what I'm doing at this present moment. I'm completely focused on what's to come."

With a "number of years" still to run on his Wales contract and in the midst of a World Cup qualifying campaign, Bellamy added: "As long as I'm wanted, and people in Wales feel like I can add, then that to me is something that motivates me, then I stay.

"This has been one of the best periods of my life and hopefully that continues for a lot longer as well."

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

In case you are wondering, the Nottingham Forest news conference before their next Europa League tie will not be taking place until later this evening.

So the plan is to return to the Champions League next with some build-up to tonight's games involving Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle.

However, just one more line to bring you on the Europa League.

Celtic, who take on leaders FC Midtjylland tomorrow, are, of course, looking for a permanent manager, but one of the early contenders has today ruled himself out of the job...

Image source, Getty Images

A bit like Crystal Palace, Dutch opponents AZ Alkmaar have started their Conference League campaign off with one win and one defeat.

And just like Palace, their defeat came against Cypriot side AEK Larnaca - though in much heavier fashion.

The two-time Eredivisie champions were beaten 4-0 on the road in Cyprus but followed that up with a 1-0 victory against Slovan Bratislava last time out.

In the league, AZ currently sit third, four points behind leaders Feyenoord.

Crystal Palace

It has been one win, one defeat so far for Crystal Palace on their Conference League journey.

An impressive victory against Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv was followed up by a shock defeat by Cypriot's AEK Larnaca at Selhurst Park.

• Dynamo Kyiv 0-2 Crystal Palace
• Crystal Palace 0-1 AEK Larnaca