BUCHAREST value to see off Warsaw in Champions League

Not even the most loyal of Arsenal fans can have expected the first leg of their Champions League play-off to have gone so well winning 3-0 in Turkey in the first leg. If Fenerbahce want to progress they must do something that has happened just three times in the last 50 years in Europé which is to inflict a three goal or more loss on the Gunners. It seems a big ask for a side who have just scored a combined three goals on eight previous visits to England.

With Arsenal 3-0 up they could take their foot of their gas a little so 4/9 (BETVICTOR) a second leg victory offers no real appeal. Such was their dominant performance in the first leg though that I would not want to be siding with the Turkish visitors even at odds of 17/2 (william hill) and 4/1 (SKYBET/TOTESPORT/betfred) the draw.

Those looking for a bet on the game might want to consider the YES in the both teams to score market at 10/11 (paddy Power/STAN JAMES/ladbrokes) as the Turkish side will have to press forward looking for goals which should lead to an open game and present scoring opportunities for both sides.

Austria Vienna and Dinamo Zagreb do battle with the Austrian side 2-0 up from the first leg and having home advantage in the second. Vienna will take heart from Zagreb having not won in Austria on five previous visits and the home side are 6/4 (GENERAL) for victory, Zagreb are 2/1 (TOTESPORT/betfred/ladbrokes) and the draw is 12/5 (GENERAL).

Junior Fernandes has scored three times in his last three games and the Chilean forward on loan from Bayer Leverkusen looks much too big at 10/3 (william hill) to score anytime.

Basel were our headline selection last week in the Champions League and they did the business winning on the road 4-2 in the first leg. The Swiss side are 8/15 (BETVICTOR/CORAL) for a second leg victory which like Arsenal does not inspire me to side with them as they already hold a comfortable advantage and as such this look a game to swerve from a betting point of view.

Legia Warsaw and Steaua Bucharest have it all to play for after a 1-1 draw in their first leg in Romania. The Polish side then are favourites to come through as they have a second leg home advantage and they can be backed at 8/11 (bet365/SKYBET) to qualify while the Romanian side are 5/4 (paddy Power) to advance. I have to think the value is on the visitors a little as the UEFA ratings suggest some 62 places exist between these sides with Bucharest the higher placed. A 1-1 home draw was a disappointment though most reports suggest they can count themselves unlucky not to have won the game. It also makes sense to have a smaller amount on the Romanian team to win the second leg and they are 9/4 (ladbrokes).

Schalke have had a tough start to the season and I would advise against taking the 11/8 (TOTESPORT/betfred/william hill) on them to defeat PAOK Saloniki in the second leg. The Greeks have lost just one of their last nine European fixtures at home and the German side sit down in 16th after three games in the Bundesliga. Schalke might win through but I would not want to be on them at those odds.

BEST OF THE BETS

GOLD: Steaua Bucharest to qualify, 5/4 (paddy power)
SILVER: Steaua Bucharest to beat Legia Warsaw, 9/4 (ladbrokes)
BRONZE: Junior Fernandes to score anytime v Austria Vienna, 10/3 (WILLIAM HILL)

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27/08/2013     © Frixo 2026