Champions League
2012-08-21 - Spartak Moscow vs Fenerbache
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: European Champions League
Tuesday 21 August 2012 - Kick Off 6pm
This game is live on TV
Spartak Moscow
Spartak Moscow will look to get back into the Group Stages of the Champions League for the first time for a couple of seasons, but this will not be an easy tie for them. Spartak should have a slight advantage considering they have already played 5 competitive games in the Russian Premier League.
The side have won 4 of their 5 League games so far this season as they enter this final qualifying round of the Play Offs. Spartak have won both home games they have played this season, although they have conceded a goal in each of those and will want to keep a clean sheet before heading back to Turkey next week.
Two years ago, Spartak won 3 and lost 3 of their Group games, but that wasn't enough to see them through to the last 16 of the competition. However, their home form in the Champions League has been disappointing as they have won just 1 of their last 8 games.
Kim Kallstrom, Sergei Parshivlyuk and Kiril Kombarov are all going to miss out in this important first leg. Aiden McGeady is in the squad despite serving a domestic suspension.
Fenerbache
Fenerbache were the first European team to win a European game at Old Trafford against Manchester United, but that was back in the mid-1990s and now they are looking to get back to the Group Stages of the Champions League for the first time in four seasons. There is an obvious 'redemption' angle for them too as they were withdrawn from the Champions League last season after being involved in a match-fixing scandal in Turkey.
The side have only won 1 of their first 4 games this season in all competitions and that includes a disappointing 3-2 loss to local rivals Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Cup. Fenerbache beat Vaslui 5-2 in the last round of the Play Offs, recovering from a 1-1 home draw to win 1-4 in Romania.
They are 1-1-1 in their three away games so far this season, although they have managed to score in all three of those games and an away goal in this one would be critical. Fenerbache were beaten in the Play Off round of this competition a couple of years ago by Young Boys, while they are just 0-3-2 in their 5 previous away games in the Champions League before the win over Vaslui.
Head to Head
This will be the first meeting between these two teams.
Prediction
This is a tough tie to determine which of these sides will take their place in the Group Stage draw next Thursday, but I do think Spartak Moscow are going to take a slight advantage back to Turkey next week to give themselves a real chance.
Fenerbache should have plenty of motivation having been withdrawn from the competition last season, but it won't be easy for them as they travel to Russia and they may feel that getting an away goal is the best they can hope for to give themselves a chance at home.
As I said, this is a tough tie to separate, although I was intrigued with the quotes for the home win as Spartak Moscow are only just odds on to win this one.
Don't be surprised if there is only one goal in it, but that will be my pick for this game.
The Statistics :
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Pick :
Spartak Moscow 2-1 Fenerbache
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back Spartak Moscow @ 1.95
