UEFA Cup draw
FreeHamburger SV vs Manchester City
Paris Saint-Germain vs Dynamo Kiev
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Olympique de Marseille
Werder Bremen vs Udinese
Honestly, all four of these ties have me wondering what on earth is going to happen. All of these sides are capable of beating each other in their own right. This competition could very well be fascinating if the sides treat it with the respect it deserves. Below is a little preview of each encounter:
Hamburger SV vs Manchester City – The Germans managed an impressive win in Turkey to get to this round whilst their English opponents manage to beat yet another Danish side to get where they are. Hamburger SV are gradually coming back into form after another impressive victory at weekend, this time away to Schalke 04. Who will qualify? I’d like to say the Germans because overall they’ve had a fantastic season and deserve it but something tells me that the richest club in the world may have a bit too much for them over two legs.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Dynamo Kiev – arguably the best encounter of the quarter-finals! Both of these sides are massively in-form in general and have had to fight tooth and nail against very good opponents to be here. Without wanting to state the obvious, I think the home legs will be key here. Paris Saint-Germain have to win the first leg because you do not want to be facing a trip to Ukraine whilst needing to get a result there. Dynamo Kiev have been better this season under Semin’s stewardship than they’ve been in the last five years. I really feel they’ve turned a corner and think they may just surprise the French side and qualify from the tie, albeit via away goals or a narrow victory.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Olympique de Marseille – This is another fascinating France-Ukraine occasion where the home leg will probably be the telling factor. However, this tie is reversed as the second leg is in France. Unlike most Eastern European sides, Shakhtar Donetsk are pretty lethal away from home, which is a dangerous prospect. However, their opponents can boast a similar record. I’m really not sure how this will go – it may well end up on penalties, and I think the French side will probably outdo the Ukrainians.
Werder Bremen vs Udinese – arguably the most baffling encounter of the round. Both of these sides have somehow stumbled into this round against all the odds. Both sides are capable of playing great football but rarely produce it currently. Overall, I think this will come down to individual ability and I think the Germans boast more players with individual abilities, enough so for them to just edge through in my opinion. Oddly enough, these sides are roughly the equivilant of each other in their respective leagues, both just lingering outside those key places in the league.
Wednesday’s Picks
Albanian Kategoria Pare:
Vllaznia vs Partizani Tirana (8)
Dinamo Tirana vs Flamurtari (8)
Shkumbini vs Elbasan (6)
Lushnja vs Bylis (7)
Austrian Bundesliga:
SV Kapfenberg vs SCR Altach (8) 3-1
Bosnia & Herzegovinan Premijer Liga:
Slavija Sarajevo vs Zrinjski Mostar (4) at least one red card in this game
Siroki Brijeg vs Sloboda Tuzla (7)
English League Two:
Chesterfield vs Rochdale (6)
Enjoy your free betting tips!