Champions League Preview
Match day 5 in this year’s Champions League will give us a clearer picture to which teams will progress to the knock-out stages of the competition.
Basel v Chelsea:
Chelsea has won 3 straight Champions League games after their opening home game defeat to Basel at the Bridge. Fernando Torres returns to the Chelsea team after a three match break, while David Luiz is rested due to a bruised knee. Expect another tight game. Chelsea has yet to concede an away goal and should prove too strong for their Swiss hosts. Victory for the Blues ensures top spot in this group.
SELL Total Goals @ 2.6
Steaua Bucharest v Schalke 04:
Back to back losses to Chelsea, and conceding six goals over the two games means victory is a must if Schalke wish to progress from the group stages of this year’s Champions League. The one thing you can almost guarantee when Schalke play is goals, 62 goals in 17 competitive games. Steaua still have aspirations of Europa League football and a leaky Schalke defence gives them some hope of Thursday Night Football.
BUY Total Goals @ 2.7
BUY Total Goal Mintues @ 136
Arsenal v Marseille:
The Premier League leaders have performed well in this year’s “Group of Death”. Their unexpected away win in Dortmund means Arsenal is only one victory away from qualification. An early strike from Arsenal in this match may see Marseille fold. Mathieu Flamini returns from suspension to add steel to the back four and Theo Walcott return to fitness adds an extra dimension to the Gunner’s attack even if he starts from the subs bench.
BUY Wilshere Goal Mintues @ 20
Borussia Dortmund v Napoli:
This is the game of the night. Last year’s finalist Dortmund could be eliminating if Napoli win in Germany. Napoli do not appear to travel well in Europe. A draw would be a good result, a win would be one of their best results in recent years. Confidence in the German camp may be low after back to back domestic defeats including a 3-0 home loss to rival Bayern Munich last Saturday. Napoli’s domestic form has also dipped in recent weeks, also with back to back domestic defeats.
SELL Borussia Dortmund / Napoli @ 0.85
Zenit St Petersburg v Atletico Madrid:
Impressive Atletico has already won this group. The temperature at kick-off in St Petersburg will be minus 2C. Expect an under strength Madrid side. An inform Zenit would be beat an under strength Madrid side. However, whist Zenit are top of the Russian Premier league, their recent form has been very poor, losing at home to mid table Rostov in their last league match, and without a win in all competition in the last five games.
NO BET
FC Porto v Austria Vienna:
Former Champions League champions Porto have been poor, Austria Vienna have been even poorer. You would not normally expect a team who have failed to win their last three group games to all ready be out. However, due to the quality of this group Porto still have everything to play for. This should be a comfortable win for Porto and the supremacy price reflects the difference in class.
NO BET
Ajax v Barcelona:
Ajax is the no longer the force in Europe they once were. Even without Messi, Barcelona should prove far too strong for their Dutch opposition. Like Barcelona, Ajax is missing key players for this match, Siem de Jong and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. However, due to the lack of quality in this group Ajax have every chance of progressing to the next round if they manage to take three points from this game.
NO BET
Celtic v Milan:
This match has been hit by injury and suspensions. Celtic midfielders Scott Brown and Nir Biton are suspended while defenders Adan Matthews and Steven Mouyokolo are injured. On the plus side James Forrest has been passed fit after missing Saturday’s SPL match. Milan will be without Philippe Mexes, Sulley Muntari, Stephen El Shaarawy, Mattia De Sciglio and Marco Amelia. Celtic should have won in the San Siro but lost to late goals. Milan has struggled all season. Celtic has a good chance of victory in this game.
SELL Milan / Celtic @ 0.1
