Still some qualifications issues to be decided on Wednesday, most notably in Group F where Inter and Barcelona still have work to do, and in I’m happy to take on the home side when VfB Stuttgart host Unirea Urziceni.
Sevilla cruised through to the last 16 from Group H, probably the weakest ever assembled in the Champions League, but while their match with already eliminated Rangers is just about as meaningless as it gets the clash in Germany is a monster.
Stuttgart must win on home soil if they are to overhaul the Romanians and make it into the knockout stages but they have won just three games all season in 20 matches and no sane person could surely be backing them at around the 1.70 mark to get the three points they need.
The Bundesliga side have managed just two victories domestically and they currently lie in the relegation zone. Their Champions League form has been better but three draws and a defeat in a group this poor has exposed their limitations, victory against a woeful Rangers team proved nothing, and coach Markus Babel paid the price.
The former Liverpool defender was dismissed last week and in his place comes Christian Gross. I can only assume that Stuttgart’s price is based on the much discussed ‘new manager factor’ but the Swiss chief has had barely 72 hours to get to know his new playing staff and the visitors can take advantage of their plight.
In contrast to their opponents on Wednesday Unirea have surged to the joint summit of the Romanian top flight on the back of seven games unbeaten in all competitions and manager Dan Petrescu looks a young coach with a bright future. His men triumphed over the group leaders last time out, no mean feat, thanks to an inspired display and their destiny is very much in their own hands.
Stuttgart will look to the midfield creative talents of Aliaksandr Hleb and Thomas Hitzlsperger for inspiration on Wednesday but they are a team in desperate need of a goal scorer and the stats back that up. Just seven goals in eight Bundesliga matches at the Mercedes-Benz-Arena so far this season tells its own story and I find it hard to imagine them causing too many problems for a well-drilled Unirea side.
One goal should be enough for the visitors to gain the point they need to progress and striker Marius Bilasco could well be the man to provide it. He has impressed so far in limited Champions League outings and could well be asked to lead the line on his own as Petrescu and his men seek to avoid defeat. it was 1-1 when this pair met in the reverse fixture and a similar results looks on the soccer jerseys cards again.
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