Champions League time again and now the Groups are really starting to take shape. Today I will look at Groups E-H, who play today, yesterday I tackled the first four Groups. All kick off times are 7:45 BST or 2:45pm if you are on the US East Coast, with the exception of Zenits match against Porto in Group G which is a 5pm kick off BST, or midday along the East Coast.
Group E:
FC Basel v Steaua Burcurest
This is a game in which both teams must win in order to keep their Champions League dreams alive. For the away side even a win may not be enough as they currently sit five points behind the top two sides Chelsea and Schalke. A 1-1 draw two weeks ago did nothing to help either side and a similar result tonight will surely see Steaua eventually exit completely and Basel drop down to the Europa League.
Prediction: 2-0
Chelsea v Schalke
Two weeks ago Jose Mourinho’s side beat Schalke on their own ground, 3-0. At Stamford Bridge you would expect another three points but Chelsea have been less than convincing since that win in Germany. A blunder from Manchester City’s goalkeeper Joe Hart gave the London side an undeserved win before losing out 2-0 away to a struggling Newcastle side.
If Schalke can get at Chelsea in the early going and maybe even get a goal then it will make the night very nervy for the fans and that translates to the team.
No matter what the result from tonight’s game though I expect to see these two eventually progress to the final sixteen.
Prediction: 1-2
Group F:
Dortmund v Arsenal
Arsenal were running away with the Group until Dortmund defeated them at the Emirates a fortnight ago. Now they host Arsenal on their own turf and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping to finish the job and put distance between his side and the Gunners.
It will be interesting to see how Wenger lines up his side for the game and every time Giroud starts I fear about an injury and his absence as what is Arsenals only recognized striker.
For Arsenal a draw would be okay in this fixture, away from home but a defeat would really put pressure on Wenger with only two games left to go.
Prediction: 2-1
Napoli v Marseille
Marseille have played three and lost three. Eventually they will have to win one but I am not sure it will be away to the Italians. Napoli beat Marseille in France two weeks ago and, like another sky blue team yesterday, will look to do the double and get that much closer to a final 16 place.
Prediction: 3-0
Group G:
Zenit v FC Porto (5pm BST/12pm ET)
The early kick off today sees Zenit take on the Portuguese side. Zenit beat them on their own turf on Match Day Three and who would bet against them doing it again on their own ground this afternoon. Atletico Madrid are all but through and should be confirmed tonight so it means these two are likely battling it out for the final spot.
A win for either side will give them the advantage, Porto a slimmer one than if Zenit were to win. However if Porto were to win, although they would only be two points ahead of Zenit they are home to bottom club Austria Vienna in Match Day Five while Zenit host Atletico.
Prediction: 1-1
Atletico Madrid v Austria Vienna
Atletico Madrid can confirm their place in the final 16 tonight with a win. It should be a formality after the 3-0 win against their opponents two weeks ago away from home but as Jimmy Greaves once said, ‘It’s a funny old game’.
I do expect it to go true to form though and Atletico will get the three points and confirm their participation in the final sixteen.
Prediction: 4-0
Group H:
Ajax v Celtic
Neil Lennon’s side beat Ajax in Scotland in the last game but now face a tough test in Amsterdam, and I don’t just mean staying out of certain bars! Ajax were maybe not expected to do much against the other Group sides, Barcelona and Milan, but they were not expected to come off second best to Celtic. This is the battle for the Europa League in my opinion. Regardless of what happens in the other match in the Group I do not see either Ajax or Celtic getting points in the other games and so how they are after this will be how they finish I think.
That said, a Celtic win and Milan defeat might make the bonny Scots just that little more bonny for a while at least as they move into second place, at least until the conclusion of match day five!
Prediction: 2-0
Barcelona v AC Milan:
Milan held Barcelona on Italian soil, can they do similar or better at Camp Nou? Probably not. Saturdays defeat at home to Fiorentina was not ideal preparation before traveling to Barcelona and I would expect Barcelona would want to wrap up their qualification as soon as possible. A win tonight would certainly do that if Ajax get any kind of result against Celtic.
Prediction: 2-0
