UEFA Champions League: FC Basel V Bayern Munich

Champions League Tips

 

FC Basel (Switzerland) V Bayern Munich


Tuesday, 28th September – 19:45 GMT
UEFA Champions League:
Group E

The Bavarians have made a stuttering start to their Bundesliga season but have found solace in the UEFA Champions League so far this season, with their 2-0 win at home to AS Roma a fortnight ago sending them top of Group E above CFR Cluj who also secured victory on Match Day 1. Next up for Louis Van Gaal’s under performing Bayern Munich side are Swiss champions FC Basel, who have lost just once at home this season and will be looking to take full advantage of Bayern’s injury problems in a game the Swiss desperately need a result in following their setback in Romanian two weeks ago.

 

FC Basel have enjoyed some memorable encounters in Europe down the years, I remember their 3-3 draw with Liverpool in the 2002/2003 Champions League like it was yesterday, with Basel sailing into the latter stages at the Reds’ expense. They’ve also been on the wrong end of sum hammering’s as well, finishing bottom of their group during the 2008/2009 campaign, where they conceded 16 goals in a group containing eventual winners Barcelona.

The 2008/2009 season was the last time Basel made an appearance in Europe’s Premier Club competition, so only a twelve month absence, and we’re pinning our hopes and notes on Thorsten Fink’s side having learnt some valuable lesson from what was a miserable European campaign that season. They would be foolish had they not but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will fare better this time around, with players of Champions League calibre quite clearly at a premium, with further evidence of this coming in their dismal display away in Romania fourteen days ago.

Forward Alexander Frei is the celebrity within camp, where the bulk of their goals generally come from these days, and he will have an understanding of what is required in order to orchestrate a result against the formidable German’s, with Frei, a Swiss international, a former Borussia Dortmund player in the Bundesliga.

 

Speaking of Bundesliga, Bayern have made an atrocious start to the new German season having won just two of their opening six league fixtures. Of the two, one did come on the road away in Hoffenheim, but they were overhauled by high-flying but newly promoted FSV Mainz at the weekend, ON HOME SOIL, with the Bavarians now resigned to life in mid-table following a less than satisfactory start, with fans quickly becoming disgruntled with the general going-ons at the club.

Louis Van Gaal hasn’t been helped with injuries to key personnel though, with Bayern’s most destructive forward units currently residing in the treatment room. Both Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, so often the architect of many a side’s downfall, are out of Tuesday’s Group E encounter meaning the burden of carving out the openings for lone striker Ivica Olic will fall upon Bastein Schweinsteiger and Thomas Muller’s lap once again, to which the pair haven’t rose to the occasion so far.

Miroslav Klose isn’t getting any younger but has been handed a Steven Gerrard like role in behind Olic, despite having absolutely no creative qualities, a distinct lack of forward vision and literally no pace. Klose may have scored four times at the finals in South Africa over the summer but that feat only came about through the rest of the German team doing all the hard work in the creative department. This Bayern team is lacking its key components in the engine room and the fans are the ones paying the price with miserable outcomes.

 

FC Basel are Bayern’s easiest assignment on paper, and although there are many factors as to why they shouldn’t be touched with a barge pole at the present time, the fact they’re playing away from home could actually benefit them. The onus will be on the hosts to attack in order to secure the win they so desperately need to keep them in contention of at least finishing third, with every home game now of significant importance, and while they may well find their way past Hans-Jorg Butt in the Bayern goal, who they obviously rate but we most certainly do not, Basel’s defence, one which has been conceding a fair few against mediocre Swiss opposition all season thus far is vulnerable to a Bayern counter, with Muller in particular lethal when breaking from defence.

This has the makings of a goal-thriller according to my one-track goal mind, so GET ON Over. 2.5 Goals with Bet365 at 1.83 – It looks a tidy but of value considering how we think the game will pan out.

Matt’s Tip: Over 2.5 Goals – 1.83 Bet365

 

Highlight Selections:

Thomas Muller Anytime Scorer – 3.00 Bet365
Bayern Munich to Score 2 Goals or More – 1.83 PaddyPower
Both Teams to Score (YES) – 1.83 888Sport