Benfica v Manchester United (Wednesday, 7.45pm) and Chelsea v Roma (Wednesday, 7.45pm) and Bayern Munich v Celtic (Wednesday, 7.45pm)
This is another Jose Mourinho job. Go to an old rival and frustrate
them. These are the sort of games he relishes, neutralising the
opposition and leaving with a narrow result.
Benfica are not the force they once were either. When I used to watch Benfica they were always an attack-minded team and strong at home, but they don't have the same intrigue and excitement.
Even
two or three years ago they had four or five names which would jump out
at you, but I see this being quite a scrappy affair between two sides
unwilling to give much away.
Mourinho will make three or four changes, bring back Marcus Rashford and Juan Mata to help them get a result which will put them on the brink of qualifying.
Charlie predicts: 1-2 and Rashford to score first (28/1 with Sky Bet)
I covered Chelsea on Soccer Saturday and I wasn't impressed with them defensively. David Luiz was poor, Gary Cahill was all over the place and they just couldn't get hold of Wilfried Zaha.
Eden
Hazard barely had a touch. I just look at him and he doesn't look in
shape to produce those slalom runs. He was top-notch last season but I
was watching him closely and that burst of pace wasn't there.
I understand it takes some players longer than others after injuries and when that sharpness comes back he'll be flying again, but for this game Antonio Conte has issues.
Victor Moses went off at the weekend, N'Golo Kante is out, Danny Drinkwater is out, Willian was really poor on Saturday and I don't know if Alvaro Morata will make it, so I'm going for a draw.
Charlie predicts: 1-1 and Dzeko to score first (30/1 with Sky Bet)
Craig Gordon came out and said 'we're ready to challenge Bayern Munich' and I just thought 'keep quiet'. He should hope the Bayern players haven't heard that because the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller don't need any more motivation.
Jupp
Heynckes has returned and will be saying 'let's put these to the sword
and take second place out of doubt ahead of the trip to Glasgow'.
Celtic can't change their style and the team has never recovered from their loss to PSG, when they passed the ball as badly as I've seen them.
They also have defensive fitness concerns and they'll try to sit in with their backs to the wall in what will inevitably be a damage-limitation exercise.
Charlie predicts: 2-0 Lewandowski to score first (13/1 with Sky Bet)
Benfica are not the force they once were either. When I used to watch Benfica they were always an attack-minded team and strong at home, but they don't have the same intrigue and excitement.
Mourinho will make three or four changes, bring back Marcus Rashford and Juan Mata to help them get a result which will put them on the brink of qualifying.
Charlie predicts: 1-2 and Rashford to score first (28/1 with Sky Bet)
Chelsea v Roma (Wednesday, 7.45pm)
I think this is a really tough one for Chelsea. Roma are two points behind them in the group so it is also a dangerous situation in terms of winning the group, while Edin Dzeko is always a handful.I covered Chelsea on Soccer Saturday and I wasn't impressed with them defensively. David Luiz was poor, Gary Cahill was all over the place and they just couldn't get hold of Wilfried Zaha.
I understand it takes some players longer than others after injuries and when that sharpness comes back he'll be flying again, but for this game Antonio Conte has issues.
Victor Moses went off at the weekend, N'Golo Kante is out, Danny Drinkwater is out, Willian was really poor on Saturday and I don't know if Alvaro Morata will make it, so I'm going for a draw.
Charlie predicts: 1-1 and Dzeko to score first (30/1 with Sky Bet)
Bayern Munich v Celtic (Wednesday, 7.45pm)
Well this is my game on Soccer Special and not one I'm hopeful about given their only recent decent display in the league was against Rangers, while their performance wasn't actually that good against Anderlecht.Craig Gordon came out and said 'we're ready to challenge Bayern Munich' and I just thought 'keep quiet'. He should hope the Bayern players haven't heard that because the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller don't need any more motivation.
Celtic can't change their style and the team has never recovered from their loss to PSG, when they passed the ball as badly as I've seen them.
They also have defensive fitness concerns and they'll try to sit in with their backs to the wall in what will inevitably be a damage-limitation exercise.
Charlie predicts: 2-0 Lewandowski to score first (13/1 with Sky Bet)
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