The second set of matches from the fourth round of the Champions League group stage plays this Wednesday and the two matches involving EPL clubs are crunch clashes. Everyone at Chelsea is under pressure this season, especially manager Jose Mourinho, and they’ll want to kickstart their season at home to Dynamo Kyiv this evening. Elsewhere Arsenal face Bayern Munich in Germany looking to upset the odds once again after beating the German champions two weeks ago.
In our Champions League tips, we preview both these games, as well as the second meeting of Roma and Bayer Leverkusen who played out an eight goal thriller recently, with sportsbook Unibet.com.
Chelsea v Dynamo Kyiv: 1.70 – 3.70 – 5.25
With the defending Premier League champions coming into this second clash with the joint leaders of the Ukrainian league sitting 15th in the Premier League and without a win in four matches the pressure is building on Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho. He is once again in trouble with the FA after he tried to speak with the referee at half time of his side’s loss to West Ham in the EPL and has received a stadium ban for one Premier League match but how will this affect him and his players for this match against the side sitting above them in Group G of the Champions League?
Both Mourinho and midfielder Cesc Fabregas have come out in recent days and stated that there is no player revolt going on at Stamford Bridge but there is clearly something wrong at the club this season. They have already been defeated six times in the EPL and are out of the league cup following a penalty shootout defeat to Stoke last week while they also trail tonight’s guests and group leaders Porto in Europe. Two of their last three home matches have seen them completely outplayed by Southampton and Liverpool as they were beaten 3-1 on both occasions despite opening the scoring in both games early on.
The confidence of the EPL title winning side has been shorn from the team and as they face a side that has not been defeated away from home since April in this match we are not confident in them being the odds on favourites to win this game. They did defeat Maccabi Tel Aviv 4-0 here earlier in the group stage but Dynamo defeated the same side 2-0 in Israel. We are expecting this to be a close and cagey match just like the meeting in Ukraine two weeks ago but, unlike the lack of goals we saw then, we expect Mourinho to send his side out to attack and claim all three points which will give opportunities to the away side too and, as such, we see goals in this game.
Back both teams to score in this Chelsea v Dynamo Kyiv game @ 1.78 with Unibet.com.
Bayern Munich v Arsenal: 1.40 – 5.40 – 7.50
Two weeks ago saw Arsenal on the verge of losing the ability to make the playoff stage of the Champions League following defeats away to Dinamo Zagreb and at home to Olympiakos as they welcomed Bayern Munich at The Emirates. Many expected the game to be dominated by the Germans and while this was the case, as they finished with 70% possession, it was the home team that emerged triumphant as Olivier Giroud bagged a goal in the 77th minute before Mesut Özil doubled the lead deep in injury time. With The Gunners unbeaten in two visits to the Allianz Arena since 2013, winning one and drawing the other, they will be confident about upsetting the odds once again, but will they be able to beat a Bayern side that has won all of their home matches this season?
Bayern have been one of the most impressive sides in Europe this season as they are five points clear of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga and the defeat in North London a fortnight ago is the only time they have been defeated this season. Their last four home matches have seen them score 19 goals, including putting five past the sides sitting second and third in the German top flight, as well as beating Zagreb 5-0 too. Arsenal have won four of their last five away games, including beating Swansea 3-0 at the weekend, and while they are missing Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for this match they will still fancy their chances of getting something.
We are not so confident of Arsenal bringing anything back to London, just as Unibet are not confident by making the home side the massive favourites to win, but we do see goals in this clash in Munich.
Our money is on 3/4 goals to be scored in this Bayern Munich v Arsenal match at odds of 2.35 at Unibet.
Roma v Bayer Leverkusen: 2.15 – 3.55 – 3.40
Roma welcome German side Bayer Leverkusen to the Stadio Olimpico this Wednesday evening looking to secure their first home win of this European campaign as they sit bottom of the of Group E. The Italian side have taken just two points from their first three games after drawing in the Italian capital with Barcelona and then sharing the spoils with tonight’s guests in that amazing 4-4 draw two weeks ago, but they need to claim their opening victory tonight or they risk being cast adrift at the bottom of the group. They are favoured to triumph this evening according to Unibet, but will the lack of wins so far weigh too heavily on them?
The last time these sides clashed in Rome – 11 years ago – the game finished as a 1-1 draw but after the madness of the game two weeks ago that saw Bayer lead 2-0 after 20 minutes before Roma went 4-2 with 73 minutes gone and, finally, two goals in two minutes with five left to play saw the game end level we can see more than two goals scored this time around. Roma have seen at least three goals in five of six matches on home soil this season while the Germans have the same record on the road this season. As a result of this, and the bucket load of goals two weeks ago, we are backing goals between these sides again.
Our top Roma v Bayer Leverkusen tip is back both teams to score in both halves of the match @ 10.00 in the Unibet Sportsbook!