NOTHING LESS THAN A WIN WILL ROO: Wazza and co. are odds on in tonight’s match with CFR Cluj
By Lee Dover
The Champions League is back, following a one-week gap to allow the usual benchwarmers of the Premier League big boys to stretch their legs in the Capital One Cup.
CFR Cluj v Manchester United (7:45pm, ITV1)
Manchester United are flying high after taking down Galatasaray 1-0 in their opening Champions League group match of the new campaign.
Sir Alex Ferguson and company will not want to get too carried away though. After all, they only won one game on their travels in the Champions League last term.
CFR Cluj are on cloud nine too, after a 2-0 away win against Portuguese heavyweights Braga in matchday one. With all of this in mind, fans will want to muse over Manchester United’s price of 4/6 for victory, while odds of 9/2 for a CFR Cluj victory must not be quickly ruled out.
Spartak Moscow v Celtic (5:00pm, Sky Sports 2)
Due to the time jump between Western Europe and Russia, Celtic will kick off tonight’s Champions League action with an away day to Spartak Moscow.
The Scottish giants do not cope well with travelling in the Champions League – they have lost 19 out of 20 matches on the road – which makes Paddy Power’s price of 4/7 for Spartak Moscow to nab the victory a very tempting bet.
Celtic were victorious the last time the two teams met though, with the club sneaking through the 2007/08 Champions League third qualifying round on penalties. As such, the odds of 5/1 for a shock Celtic win and 14/5 for a stalemate cannot be ignored.
FC Nordsjaelland v Chelsea (7:45pm, Sky Sports 2)
Chelsea did not have the perfect start to their Champions League defence, allowing a two-goal lead at home to Juventus slip in miraculous style.
However, the Blues will be confident of recording their first victory of the competition tonight, when they become the first visitors to the ground of Denmark’s Superliga winners FC Nordsjaelland in the Champions League.
The Danish giants fell to a 2-0 defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk in matchday one, with Chelsea 4/11 to deal the club their second loss in the competition. For those with more money than sense, or feel that a giant upset is waiting in the wings, they can take a FC Nordsjaelland home win at a huge 8/1.
