TFT Issue 540!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Featured game
AFC Ajax Amsterdam vs Manchester City – over 2.5 goals at 4/5.
Today’s featured game is the UEFA Champions League encounter in the Netherlands between AFC Ajax Amsterdam and Manchester City.
I’d like to believe that Ajax have a chance here but realistically speaking, I don’t believe that they do. City may play some naive and inexperienced football in Europe at the present time but they really should be too good for the Dutch champions.
I really admire what de Boer has done at Ajax by continuing to give the kids a chance and maintaining the club’s footballing philosophy. He won’t be held to ransom over promising youngsters and they’re more than happy to take on any side in the world as they are. However, the fact is that ever since Vertonghen left, their defence has lacked organisation in a big, big way. They’re simply not good enough at keeping sides out and that’s even evident in the Eredivisie so it’ll naturally show on the big stage, you know? Ajax are still very good at their pass-and-move game in midfield and they make chances very well because of it, especially with their skilful and pacey attacking line. However, without Sigthorsson they do lack a proper striker and it really shows at this level. I think that they’re capable of scoring here if they’re clinical but I’d be surprised if they recorded a positive result here, simply because City are so much better than they are, if only on an individual basis.
Of course, that would mean that City have to put in a proper display for once, which is pretty damn rare in the Champions League. You can’t buy wins in this competition; you have to demonstrate patience and experience or you get caught out. City were beyond fortunate to get a draw in a game against Dortmund at home, a game that I personally thought that they’d win without much fuss. They were so poor that it was frightening, though. Still, having seen what they had to offer at the Santiago Bernabeu, I think that we can conclude that it’s more of a motivation factor for City. They should be motivated against one of Europe’s biggest clubs and let’s face it; they really need the points.
Therefore, we should see an interesting game here. City look weak at the back in Europe but do have the firepower to cause problems, especially against one of the weakest defences in the whole tournament. I fancy City to win it but I’m not bold enough to take it at such short odds. Instead, I’ll happily take over 2.5 goals at 4/5. Most bookies have slashed the odds but SBOBet and MarathonBet have kept them out at 4/5 (at the time of writing this) and thus that’s my choice for these two attacking sides today.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 4/5.
Additional game
Dinamo Zagreb vs Paris Saint-Germain – away win with -1 Asian Handicap at evens.
I’m not the biggest advocate of PSG and their quick-fire way to stardom but I am a fan of opposing Dinamo Zagreb because it’ll make you profit more often than not. For a Prva Liga side, Dinamo Zagreb are awesome. They’ve got a great structure at the club that is designed to last for many years, producing great talents each year. They’ll win the league pretty much every year from now until the end of time because of the resources and setup that they have and they’ve got a lot of experience in Europe because of how many times they play in it.
However, that’s not to say that they’re good in it because frankly, at this stage, they’re not. They don’t provide anywhere near enough of a goal threat and they concede goals far too easily, hence two losses already in the group, both of which occurred without Dinamo even scoring. Home advantage varies for the hosts as to whether it’s raining or not (I shit you not!) and although they do have some talented players, they do look out of their depth in the group stage.
PSG are far from the finished article but they’re showing more and more signs of galvanising as a team. They score goals more easily, they take their chances better, and they make more chances. Ibrahimovic looks as immense as ever and PSG have the individuals to trouble Dinamo here, whether Dinamo like it or not. The lack of collective experience that PSG have at this level does bother me, I must confess. If they’re complacent or lazy in this game then this tip will lose. However, based on their displays of late, I do believe that they’ve got enough in the tank to at least win the game and they should manage it without conceding. PSG have more than enough firepower to make it happen by a couple of goals so as long as they’re in the mood then I really fancy them to overcome inferior Dinamo Zagreb with the -1 Asian Handicap at evens.
Verdict: Paris Saint-Germain to beat the -1 Asian Handicap at evens.
Team news
UEFA Champions League
Anderlecht – Mbokani, Bruno, Juhasz are absent. Kouyate is a doubt.
Zenit St.Petersburg – Zhevnov and Danny are absent.
Paris Saint-Germain – Sakho, Lavezzi, Nene, Thiago Motta, and Chantome are absent. Verratti and Bodmer return.
Montpellier HSC – Bocaly is absent. Yanga-Mbiwa and Estrada return. Boss Girard has a touchline ban.
AFC Ajax Amsterdam – Klaassen, Sigthorsson, Boilesen, and Serero are absent.
Malaga – Sanchez, Baptista, Toulalan, Monreal, and Buonanotte are absent.
Real Madrid – Arbeloa, Coentrao, and Marcelo are absent.
AC Milan – Abbiati, Abate, de Jong, Robinho, Mesbah, Strasser, Didac Vila, and Muntari are absent.
Dinamo Zagreb – Tomacek is absent.
Porto – Kadu, Rolando, and Iturbe are absent. Alex Sandro is a doubt.
Brazilian Serie A:
Vasco da Gama – Alecsandro and Tenorio are absent. Renato Silva and Willian Matheus return.
Internacional – Mike, Damiao are absent. Nei, Forlan, and Indio return.
Figueirense – Claudinei, Ricardo, Abreu, Joao Paulo, Heber, Fernandes, Edson, and Caio are absent. Tulio returns.
Botafogo – Marcio Azevedo, Lucas Zen, Renato, Elkeson, and Fabio Ferreira are absent. Lucas and Andrezinho return.
Polish Liga 1:
Nieciecza – Biskup is absent.
Cracovia Krakow – Dudzic, Jarabica, and Straus are absent. Budzinski returns.
Portuguese Liga de Honra:
Porto II – No absentees.
Sporting Covilha – Li Fang, Paulico, and Gaspar are absent.
Arouca – Dasse, Stephane, and Hemiliano are absent.
Leixoes – Alvaro, Danilo, Hernani, Pedras, and Tsoumagkas are absent.
Trofense – Moises, Bernardo, Jorge Inocencio, Semedo, Luiz Alberto, Paulinho, and Matheus are absent.
Maritimo II – Cristiano is absent.
Naval de Maio – No absentees.
Penafiel – Tiago Rocha, Diogo Viana, and Oliveira are absent.
Sporting Braga II – Bado is absent.
UD Oliveirense – No news.
Santa Clara – Joao Ventura is absent.
Sporting Clube de Lisboa II – No absentees.