- - Champions League live updates, scores: Mohamed Salah starts for Liverpool; Lamine Yamal out, Raphinha in for Barcelona

Sean Leahy January 22, 2026 at 12:45 AM

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Mohamed Salah is back with Liverpool as the Reds look to lock up an automatic spot in the Round of 16 with two matches to play.

Liverpool (4-0-2) will face Marseille (3-0-3) on Wednesday in Matchday 7 of the Champions League, and will see Salah return to the starting XI after international duty with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Manager Arne Slot, whose relationship with Salah seemed to be on the outs before the winger left for AFCON last month, said everything is fine with the Egyptian star.

"As normal as it's always been, with one exception and that was Inter," Slot said. "Let's see for the lineup [Wednesday] if you still think there's an issue. I spoke to him today and I'm happy to have him back.

"There's been a moment in the season where I decided not to play Mo and one moment where I decided not to take him to the game. For all the other games he's been in the squad and was the first substitution against Brighton so at that moment of time, there's never been an issue for me."

Two points behind Liverpool in the table is Barcelona (3-1-2), which could take a big step toward an automatic Round of 16 place with a victory over winless Slavia Prague (0-3-3).

Barcelona, coming off a loss to Real Sociedad in La Liga action, has won 11 of its past 12 matches in all competitions. Barça will be without the suspended Lamine Yamal and the injured Ferran Torres, but Raphinha will return after missing Sunday's match.

Chelsea (3-1-2) and Newcastle (3-1-2) both sit on 10 points with two matches remaining and currently reside in a seeded playoff place. The Blues will host Pafos (1-3-2) at Stamford Bridge, while the Magpies welcome PSV (2-2-2) to St. James' Park.

Elsewhere, Bayern Munich (5-0-1) could join Arsenal in the Round of 16 with a win over Union Saint-Gilloise (2-0-4) and other matches going in their favor. U.S. men's national team midfielder Johnny Cardoso and Atlético Madrid (4-0-2) could put themselves in good position to move on with a win over Galatasaray (3-0-3).

Other USMNT members in action on Wednesday include Yunus Musah and Atalanta (4-1-1) taking on Athletic Club (1-2-3); Weston McKennie and Juventus (2-3-1) host Benfica (2-0-4); Tim Weah and Marseille (3-0-3) face Liverpool; PSV and Sergiño Dest visit Newcastle (Ricardo Pepi is out with a broken arm).

Follow along live with Yahoo Sports during Wednesday's Matchday 7:

Live7 updates -

Thu, January 22, 2026 at 4:15 AM GMT+9Sean LeahyMohamed Salah returns to Liverpool following AFCON

88 - Mohamed Salah is making his 88th appearance in major European competition for Liverpool, moving level with Ian Callaghan; only Jamie Carragher (130) and Steven Gerrard (111) have now made more for the Reds. Return. pic.twitter.com/29xX7Jsg9m

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 21, 2026

- Thu, January 22, 2026 at 4:13 AM GMT+9Sean LeahyGalatasaray levels with Atlético Madrid thanks to Marcos Llorente own goal

Giuliano Simeone with Atlético Madrid's opener before an unfortunate OG from Marcos Llorente brings Galatasaray level 🇪🇸🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/XWqLMJR3Ua

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) January 21, 2026

- Thu, January 22, 2026 at 4:11 AM GMT+9Sean LeahySlavia Prague vs. Barcelona starting XIs

Slavia Prague (3-5-2): Jindrich Stanek, David Zima, Stepán Chaloupek, Tomás Holes, Michal Sadílek, Oscar Dorley, Lukás Provod, Youssoupha Sanyang, David Moses, Vasil Kusej, Tomás Chorý

Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Joan García, Gerard Martín, Eric García, Alejandro Balde, Jules Koundé, Fermín López, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Roony Bardghji

👥 Proti Barceloně s touto základní 𝐗𝐈! #UCL🧤 Jindra Staněk mezi tyčemi⚡️ Youssoupha Sanyang na kraji🔝 Tomáš Chorý na hrotuČlánek 👉 https://t.co/E7B5U64spT pic.twitter.com/jLPO5Nfq24

— SK Slavia Praha (@slaviaofficial) January 21, 2026

𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐔𝐏 🔵🔴#SlaviaBarça | @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/P2zty7RlZe

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 21, 2026

- Thu, January 22, 2026 at 4:09 AM GMT+9Sean LeahyChelsea vs. Pafos starting XIs

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Filip Jørgensen, Benoît Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato, Malo Gusto, Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo, Reece James, Liam Delap, Alejandro Garnacho, Pedro Neto

Pafos (3-4-2-1): Jay Gorter, Derrick Luckassen, Kostas Pileas, Ken Sema, Ivan Sunjic, Pêpê, Jajá, Bruno, Anderson Silva, Vlad Dragomir, Mislav Orsic

Your Chelsea!#CFC | #UCL pic.twitter.com/WQYLP9oD8b

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 21, 2026

Pafos lineup with one natural central defender.Pileas could play alongside Luckassen at CB with Sema at LB.Looks like a 4-3-3 again.Fingers crossed for Pafos. pic.twitter.com/wcss7YtDB1

— THIS IS MAPPA: CYPRUS FOOTBALL PODCAST (@ThisIsMappa) January 21, 2026

- Thu, January 22, 2026 at 4:07 AM GMT+9Sean LeahyMarseille vs. Liverpool starting XIs

Marseille (4-4-2): Gerónimo Rulli, Leonardo Balerdi, Benjamin Pavard, Facundo Medina, Michael Murillo, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Hamed Traoré, Timothy Weah, Mason Greenwood, Amine Gouiri

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah

𝐋𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎’ 🤯 Le 𝗫𝗜 𝗱𝗲 𝗱𝗲́𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 aligné par 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗲 𝗭𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗶 🇮🇹 pour affronter Liverpool ! ⚔️ #OMLFC pic.twitter.com/EndDALvXIC

— Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) January 21, 2026

The Reds to take on Marseille ✨ #UCL

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 21, 2026

- Thu, January 22, 2026 at 4:04 AM GMT+9Sean LeahyNewcastle vs. PSV starting XIs

Newcastle (4-3-3): Nick Pope, Sven Botman, Malick Thiaw, Lewis Hall, Kieran Trippier, Sandro Tonali, Joelinton, Bruno Guimarães, Yoane Wissa, Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes

PSV (4-3-3): Matej Kovar, Yarek Gasiorowski, Jerdy Schouten, Anass Salah-Eddine, Kiliann Sildillia, Mauro Júnior, Joey Veerman, Paul Wanner, Guus Til, Ivan Perisic, Dennis Man

HOWAY THE LADS! ✊ pic.twitter.com/jnbhngNtXo

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) January 21, 2026

Tonight’s eleven. Game on 😤#NEWPSV #UCL pic.twitter.com/yTkVe2Ae5J

— PSV (@PSV) January 21, 2026

- Thu, January 22, 2026 at 4:01 AM GMT+9Sean LeahyBayern Munich vs. Union St.-Gilloise starting XIs

Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1): Manuel Neuer, Jonathan Tah, Kim Min-Jae, Tom Bischof, Raphaël Guerreiro, Lennart Karl, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Joshua Kimmich, Harry Kane, Luis Díaz, Michael Olise

Union St.-Gilloise (3-4-2-1): Kjell Scherpen, Christian Burgess, Ross Sykes, Kevin Mac Allister, Adem Zorgane, Kamiel Van De Perre, Guilherme Smith, Anan Khalaili, Promise David, Anouar Ait El Hadj, Raul Florucz

🔴 𝗨𝗖𝗟 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🔴Here’s how we lineup for #FCBUSG tonight ©️ pic.twitter.com/DmzgAXPppq

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) January 21, 2026

How we line up in Munich for our Champions League night! ALLEZ L’UNION ! 💛💙 pic.twitter.com/4TYJGCKhkW

— Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (@UnionStGilloise) January 21, 2026

Champions League Matchday 7 scores

2H: Qarabağ 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt2H: Galatasaray 1-1 Atlético Madrid3 p.m. ET: Atalanta vs. Athletic Club3 p.m. ET: Bayern Munich vs. Union St.-Gilloise3 p.m. ET: Chelsea vs. Pafos3 p.m. ET: Juventus vs. Benfica3 p.m. ET: Marseille vs. Liverpool3 p.m. ET: Newcastle vs. PSV3 p.m. ET: Slavia Prague vs. Barcelona

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Source: “AOL Sports”