Lyon are not the team they were over the last few seasons and I would go as far as to say they are on the slide. There is unrest at the club and it seems the coach is despised by the players. Never a good situation for any club. Not that I think Rangers are a great team but there's no expectation on them in France. They've got 3 pts on the board after beating Stuttgart, while Lyon lost 3-0 going on 6-0 in Barcelona, so the home team are under pressure to win.
A draw would be a great result for Rangers and I can see them getting something tomorrow night. Like Bigkegman, my Rangers supporting mates have written them off but I really think they can get something from this match.
Celtic will need to take something from AC Milan at Parkhead but this is a tall order despite their great home record in the CL. Celtic are very vulnerable in defence but having said that Milan would undoubtedly be happy with a point and a draw looks very much on the cards in this one.
Does anyone else like Fenerbache? I watched the match against Inter and they were fantastic, especially Deivid. Not sure how they will play away from home though. I would think backing them at +1/2 would be a good bet.
It's 1% chances to win Steaua tomorrow night. I'm from Romania, big fan of Steaua but, in this moment, is impossible to beat Arsenal. I think even a draw is impossible. After Hagi resign his contract with Steaua, the red-blue's have big trouble. Think that we have only 6 goals in 8 matches in our intern competition.This is the probably team for tomorrow night for Steaua : Zapata - Petre Marin, Emeghara, Baciu, Rada - Ovidiu Petre, Dica, Neaga, Nicolita - Iacob, Badea(peke1975 )
Sevilla will be looking for their first points in Group H when they host Slavia Prague on Tuesday night.
The Spanish side, who enjoyed back-to-back UEFA Cup successes prior to this season, were beaten 3-0 by Arsenal on matchday one.
Sevilla and Slavia had contrasting results at the weekend, with the latter thrashing FC Zlin 7-1 in Czech Liga 1 while Sevilla went down 2-0 against Real Zaragoza, their third consecutive La Liga defeat.
Sevilla coach Juande Ramos was bullish following the Zaragoza defeat, saying: "We lost but we were infinitely superior. The way things worked out and the final result was very surprising for me.
"There isn't a logical explanation for what happened. There are few reasons I can give you, only that we weren't assertive enough up front."
Sevilla have been boasted by the return to fitness of Frederic Kanoute and Luis Fabiano this week. Both should be fit to face the Czech side.
Ramos added: "We're competing in a competition that is much more demanding than what we have encountered in the past.
"It's such a short competition that you have to get wins. It's vital that we get three points so we can pull level with Slavia and keep our hopes up.
"Getting a win will help us get over this worry we have had recently because this is not a situation Sevilla has recently been used to. We are all uncomfortable. It's vital because we don't want to be a long way off our opponents."
Ramos rates Tuesday's opponents from the Czech Republic, saying: "Slavia are tough, very competitive - not full of stars but of accomplished footballers. If they won 7-1 at the weekend and eliminated Ajax in the qualifiers it won't be easy for us.
"They are a typical eastern team - tough, competitive and fast."
Winger Jesus Navas told .: Sevilla Fútbol Club, S.A.D. :. "We will have to impose a fast rhythm if we are to win. We are working hard to try and reverse the trend and this is a good chance to do that."
Slavia will be looking to build on their 2-1 opening game victory against Steaua Bucharest and 7-1 thrashing of FC Zlin.
Coach Karel Jarolim does not want his side getting carried away, though.
After the weekend victory he said: "I don't want to dwell on this result. The margin is not important as it only brought us three points, just like a 1-0 victory. But I am satisfied with the style of our play.
"We scored two early goals and from then on it was a one-sided affair. My only regret is that we conceded."
Slavia will be without Vladimir Smicer (thigh), Frantisek Doizdal (sprained ankle), Martin Latka (thigh) and Erich Brabec (knee).
Michal Svec returned at the weekend from a broken toe and looks set to feature.
Slavia are making their Champions League debut, having been eliminated at the third qualifying stage four times in the last seven years before this season's sensational win over Ajax.
Champions League is probably the most profitable competition for gamblers, since there were number of predictable rounds in past, even two weeks ago, when only Chelsea failed to win.
It wont be a surprise if we see similar results tomorrow.
For me, Lyon, Arsenal and Barca, besides mentioned Inter, sounds logic.
Steaua is without their captain, Radoi and without Plesan, the centre midfielder, Ghionea the central defender or Golanski, the right defender. Also Emeghara, the left defender, Iacob and Badea (the strikers), Cristocea (letf midfielder) are coming after long injuries. This team had so many problems with the injuries! If would have had all team prepared for this match, it would have been very difficult for Arsenal; when Steaua had all team they won 4-1 at Dynamo Kiev,draw 1-1 at Lyon and 0-1 at Real Madrid after an owngoal. Anyway, Arsenal can win easily(f21)
Sevilla(-1) V Slavia Prague @4/5: Gonna take Seville on the handicap tonight. They've been pretty solid at home this season and have lost just once and that was to a last minute goal against Espanyol. In their last 5 home games they've won 4 and lost one scoring 13 goals in the process. Read on another forum that both Smicer and Tavares are out tonight. Smicers they're biggest name and apparently the Tavares guy is their best player, heres what the Prague fan had to say about Tavares
"Tavares is a major blow for Slavia, he is one of the most important players in the midfield, excellent technique, passing, he assisted most of the goals and above all both goal against Ajax"
CSKA(DNB) V Fenerbahce @4/9: Fenerbahce are notoriously poor travellers and they have lost 4 of their last 5 away Champions League games. The only team they beat were Anderlecht. They've also won just once away in 5 UEFA Cup matches(V Randers) so they obviously don't like playing outside of Turkey. CSKA are a decent home team and they beat both Arsenal and Hamburg last season. They've lost just once in 13 league matches this year. Definitely can't see them losing it so teh DNB looks a safe option.
Lyon V Rangers @1/2: Lyon are slowly but surely getting back intio top form and they returned to the top of the table last weekend. They should have too much for a Rangers team who will miss Darcheville tonight. He was their best player against Stuttgart and without him I reckon they're fucked this evening. Hopefully Rangers won't fcuk me up for the 2nd Champions League match day in a row!
Northwich Victoria V Kidderminster @4/5: Northwich Victoria have played 12 games this season and their record reads P12 D1 L11. If they lose tonight they'll break their club record of most consecutive losses in a row. Kidderminster are on a decent run winning 5 of their last 8 and hopefully they can help Northwich set that new record.
Man Utd V Roma Over 46 points in the Booking index @Evens: Reckon it could be a fairly spicy affair tonight with Roma fired up to avenge last seasons humiliation. Basically for the bet to come up I need at least 5 yellows or 1 red and 3 yellows. Roma had a player sent off on Sunday and with no love lost between these teams I reckon we'll see a lot of cards tonight.
I toyed with the idea of Arsenal , who should beat a piss poor romanian side , but aways in europe fail time and time again , and at 4/6 its low enough for me to look elsewhere . Then i found the gold at the end of the rainbow!!
I think ive just seen the best price ive seen for years , and when i compared it to other sites i was correct it seems !!! In theory anyway !!!
Seville -1 to bt Slavia @ 11/10 bet direct , same bet 4/7 with sporting odds and 8/13 in many other places .
From what ive been reading on the Czech forums they think theyll get smashed tonight ,with the 4 absentees their 4 best players , and they`ll come here to defend and keep a clean sheet for as long as possible . Thats the wrong thing to do against Seville in Seville as they`ll cut you to ribbons!!!
IMO the czech league is a very moderate standard ,and people are getting carried away with Slavias win last time over an even more out of sorts Steaua , who are laughable at present . For my money Seville will totally outclass a mediocre team at best , and Seville dont hold back when they get ahead , its attack attack attack , especially as their goal difference of 0-3 needs to be sorted . Theyll feel they can still win this group as they have Arsenal at home yet to come , and they`ll realise that racking up the goals against the 2 poor teams in this group could be the difference . Dont expect them to ease up when they get ahead , even at 2-0 they`ll still attack . Meaning very little in the way of Slavia pressure .
I rate Slavia Prague one of the weakest teams in this year’s Champions League. Sevilla had tough period lately and after the tragedy with their player, they are having hard times to get back on the tracks from last seasons. Despite the four losses in a row, from Arsenal, Barcelona, Espanyol and Zaragoza (but they did not played bad on their last two matches, despite the losses), I think that they are having good team and that they will bounce back tonight.
Slavia Prague is enjoying their season so far. After the qualifications for the group stage in the Champions league, they collected 5 wins in a row in their domestic championship in their first 5 matches, but after that, they battle of the two fronts brought some not so good results, draw with Ostrava and loss from Bohemians. They managed to beat Steaua in the first round and their real goal is to secure the third place and to have European spring.
Sevilla will take the control of the match since the beginning and they are more than capable of beating average Slavia’s side. Sevilla has no important injury or suspension worries and Slavia will be without two important players, Smicer and Tavares.
I think that Sevilla will gear up and will beat Slavia without big problem
Champions League 2nd-3rd OCT
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