Bayern Munchen v Villareal (22.11,
19:45) 1 to score in both halves (1.62)
Even despite the defeat against
Dortmund on home soil over the weekend and Villareal's victory over
Betis it's difficult to expect Juan Carlos Garrido's players –
without a single point in this year's competition – to be
an obstacle to Bayern who could secure their progress to the next
round with a win today. Gomez, Robben, Ribery and Muller are lethal
this season and should be too hot to handle for Villareal.
Napoli v Manchester City (22.11,
19:45) both teams to score (1.67)
Definitely THE game tonight. It
seems that whoever takes that one is almost guaranteed to go through.
Napoli have drawn 1-1 in Manchester and have a good European home
record – the last team to beat them at San Paolo was Eintracht
Frankfurt (however this is largely due to the fact that the 2011/12
campaign is the first after a 13 year long break...although I guess
they could take at least some consolation from the fact it'll take
Frankfurt even longer to get back to European cups). One of the most
formidable attacking forces in Europe meets a resolutely organised
and highly-motivated side. Walter Mazzari is aware of this game's
magnitude and he knows perfectly well 1 point won't be good enough so
I don't think the goalless draw v Lazio just a few days ago is a good
indicator of what we're going to see.
CSKA Moscow v Lille (22.11, 17:00)
under 2,5 goals scored in the game (1.85)
CSKA have a decent record against
French opposition in Moscow – winning 2 (4:0 v Auxerre en-route to
the UEFA Cup glory in 2005 and 2:0 v PSG in the Champions League
group stage game the same season) and losing 1:2 v Marseille in the
05/06 Champions League group stage. Vagner Love provided both goals
in that 2:0 victory; he will need to step up and deliver as CSKA's
best striker Doumbia is out injured. Lille have dropped down a gear
or two in relation to what they were showing throughout the early
stages of the season – with 3 rather unconvincing draws in as many
games (two away from home) they will need to attack from the outset.
CSKA have lost to Rubin over the weekend but with the better
situation in the table, Lille who will have to go forward from the first minute and tough weather conditions with the temperature expected to
drop below 0, I fancy CSKA to win with under 2,5 goals scored in the
game. Interestingly, the odds are perfectly equal for both outcomes
(at 1,85) so it's a very evenly matched encounter.
Trabzonspor v Inter Milan (22.11
19:45) X at either halftime or fulltime (1.62)
Trabzonspor's 1:0 victory over Inter in
the first leg was arguably the biggest shock that gameweek. Inter
recovered, 3 wins in 3 games; Trabzonspor's record isn't nearly as
good as they drew 2 and lost comprehensively away to CSKA. Inter is
struggling domestically (finding themselves in the 16th
position only 3 points away from relegation zone) but so far they
seemed to be able to cast that aside in Champions League; however
they will face a difficult task as they travel without the injured
Wesley Sneijder. In a pre-match conference Senol Gunes said he wants
a double over Inter...will the Avni Aker Stadium packed with loud and
relentless Trabzon fans help them achieve that? I think they might
hold Inter out to a draw.
Manchester United v Benfica (22.11,
19:45) 1 to win 2:1 (8.25)
Manchester United won their first
European Cup in 1968 facing the famous Benfica team lead by the
"Black Pearl", Eusebio. Since then the two sides have met a
number of times but never at such level. United are currently topping
the group but only on goal difference. They have been far from
convincing recently (including Champions League) but 3 straight 1:0
wins in the EPL and 5 straight clean sheets in all competitions have
surely helped them regain confidence after the 1:6 v Man City
at Old Trafford a while ago. Benfica go into the game tonight
remembering they have arguably been the dominant side when the sides
first met in September. They have also performed very well in the
Primeira Liga so far and are yet to be beaten (8 wins in 10 games
including a valuable 2:2 draw at Estadio Dragao against champions
Porto). This game is even more interesting if one bears in mind that
United haven't lost at home in the Champions League in 2 years (they have
been very close had it not been for Ashley Young's header in
dying minutes of the game v Basel) and Benfica have a perfect record
on the road. Pablo Aimar claims Benfica are ready for the challenge.
I'm not so sure about it and think Ferguson has finally managed to
re-instill the right frame of mind in his players although Benfica
will be the toughest opponent United had to play since the Manchester
derby. 2:1 to Man United after a close game.
Otelul Galati v Basel (22.11, 19:45)
1st falf X, 2 to win the game (5.00)
When the groups have been drawn many
have wondered whether Galati will rise to the task; and until now the
doubters have been right. Dorinel Munteanu (who is the most-capped
Romanian player of all times with 134 caps for his country) side are
as bad at home as they are away; in fact, their only goal came at St
Jakob Park in the first leg. Basel, on the other hand, still retained
their chances of progressing and are now sitting at 3rd
spot with 5 points in 4 games; a victory in Romania may put them back
in contention for progression to the knock-out phase. Comfortably
leading the pack in the league – 9 wins in 10 as opposed to
Otelul's 6 in 13 in Liga 1 up until now – means both teams are
going to be up for it albeit for different reasons. One of those
games which could turn into a real goal feast or turn the most avid
football fan into an opera-lover. Well, that's probably impossible
but you get what I'm trying to say here.
Lyon v Ajax Amsterdam (22.11, 19:45)
both teams score in the match (1.78)
Lyon have been very inconsistent in
Ligue 1 – and the patchy win lose win lose displays mean they are
now sitting only in 5th, 7 points adrift the leaders PSG.
Only 4 points in as many games in Champions League have put them in
3rd spot and they need a victory to go level with Ajax and
keep the dreams of going through alive. Ajax have experienced a
similarily changing fortune this season, 21 points in 13 games is far
below what the Amsterdam fans expect from their players. A lot of
people thought that Frank De Boer might be the man for the job and
even though talents of another batch of academy-nurtured players have
exploded (like the apparent 30m Euro price tag slapped on midfielder
Christian Eriksen or the much coveted Siem de Jong) the flippant
nature of the youngsters seems to be taking the better of the team.
Lyon lost to a very solid Rennes side at home but will be
strengthened by the return of Lisandro Lopez (after being out for
around 3 months with an ankle injury); Ajax let a 2:0 lead against
NAC Breda at AmsterdamArena slip away in the last 8 minutes but are
in the better starting position than Remi Garde's team. Ajax scores
loads more after the break and I've initially wanted to go for both
teams scoring in the 2nd half but strangely bwin doesn't
offer odds for that one...so both teams to score it is.
Real Madrid v Dinamo Zagreb (22.11,
19:45) 1 to win by 3 or more goals (1.45)
Madrid haven't been in that good a
form...well, for a pretty long time. Top of the league, scored 4 more
than Barcelona – almost inconceivable only a while ago – and
enjoying a great spell of from from a few more players giving Ronaldo
even more chances to show off his talents. Dinamo have the worst
record in Champions League thus far with 9 conceded and 0 scored.
Ex-Dinamo player Robert Prosinecki has said in an interview that if
Dinamo park the bus, play bravely and hope it just won't be Madrid's
day they stand a chance. That's quite a few 'ifs' to be perfectly
honest. The experienced Joe Simunic partnered by the
ex-Sporting Tonel won't enough to stop the pacey feet of Di Maria
and Benzema.
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