Predictable Champions League group stage plods on

Europe’s football hierarchy is not known for piety. Its devotion is mostly to something more tangible than God, in particular to the Swiss franc.

But there may well be some discreet praying this evening and tomorrow night as the latest round of Champions League fixtures takes shape.

This week is what Uefa calls Matchday 4, and usually at this stage there is still a lot to play for, with qualifying groups in the balance and the chance of intriguing battles to come.