Manchester United have been well-backed to establish a first leg Champions League advantage over Bayern Munich on Tuesday and, while their price is shrinking fast, the English side are still worthy of NFL jerseys support.
The 2.70 available about the 2008 winners has long gone but United’s recent record in Europe’s premier club competition is staggering and Sir Alex Ferguson’s men should be much closer to the even money mark.
With Bordeaux or Olympique Lyonnais waiting in the last four, both Bayern and United will fancy their chances of going all the way and I’d be very surprised if the Premier League leaders are not contesting their third consecutive Champions League final in Madrid come May.
Last season’s campaign ultimately ended in disappointment for United, when they were outclassed by Barcelona in the showpiece, but Wayne Rooney’s emergence as a prolific goal scoring talent this term makes them the team to beat this time around and the hosts look in for a tough time at the Allianz Arena.
While Tuesday’s visitors have surged to the top of the English top flight since the turn of the year, and dispatched AC Milan in style in the first round of the knockout stages in this competition, Bayern have been stuttering of late and could be without key men also.
Back-to-back Bundesliga defeats to VfB Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt has seen Louis van Gaal’s men surrender their place at the summit and it should also be remembered that Bayern only edged past a mediocre Fiorentina outfit in their own Champions League last 16 clash. They were beaten twice in Group A too in the early rounds and whether they are in United’s class is clearly open to debate.
While the home side’s playmaker Franck Ribery should be fit to face Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and the like, winger Arjen Robben remains an injury doubt and his absence would be a big boost for United.
Robben is arguably Bayern’s most valuable player and it will also be interesting to see how fellow Dutchman Mark van Bommel copes with the energy of the United midfield up against Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher.
First leg clashes can often be cagey affairs, the tie is very rarely settled in the first 90 minutes, and while that fact alone means caution is advised I think the Red Devils are worth chancing.
Just two defeats in over 30 Champions League fixtures underlines their consistency and there is no side better equipped in the competition to edge a narrow contest on their travels then Fergie’s boys at present.
没有评论:
发表评论