CSKA Moscow VS Basel Match Prediction
- 2017-10-18
- 18:45:00
Basel will win this match.
FC Basel and CSKA Moscow will play their first match against one another in this Group A fixture.
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Bet365 have the following odds available for this match:
CSKA Moscow is at 10/11 to win, a draw is at 5/2, and an FC Basel win is at 3/1.
This is a bit of a surprise if you go by the form book, but the bookmakers take much more than that into account and feel as if Basel will struggle when they leave the friendly confines of Switzerland in order to travel to Russia.
CSKA didn't look so hot there last time out against Manchester United, but that isn't the end of the world when you realize United have been in great form. But it's their overall form that is worrying at the current time for them, and they falling a little off the pace in the Russian Premier League as a result of that. They must get a win here, you'd think, if they have any shot at qualification. After their biggest UCL loss at home ever, they will surely play better here.
Basel set their own record last time out with a crushing 5-0 demolition job against Benfica. The Portuguese side might have been poor, but the Swiss took advantage and hammered them. When will it end where they are overlooked by everyone? They will never be the richest or have the greatest players, but they almost always come good to shock someone. This would be far from a shock if they got a result- or even a win- here.
Basel +1 is at 10/11.
FC Basel travels to Moscow and comes out with all three points from a tough battle.
Viktor Goncharenko continues to miss key midfielder Alan Dzagoev due to his Achilles tendon issue. Meanwhile, winger Aleksandr Makarov is out with an ankle problem. Center midfielder Konstantin Kuchaev left the match on Saturday early, so is a big doubt for this one.
It's going to be a tough task for CSKA here in this match as they try to bounce back from a tough home defeat last time out. And despite getting two clean sheets in qualification, goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev still has yet to record one in the group stages or beyond in over ten years. This match is one in which he needs to showcase that kind of touch if they are to find a way to win, as Basel are capable of grinding out a result.
CSKA have a win, two draws, and two losses in their last five matches:
0-1 win at Krasnodar
0-0 home draw vs Ufa
1-4 home loss vs Manchester United (UCL)
0-0 draw at Dinamo Moscow
1-0 extra time loss vs Avangard Kursk (Cup)
Goalkeeper:Akinfeev
Defenders:Nababkin, Aleksey Berezutski, Ignashevich
Midfielders:Fernandes, Milanov, Natcho, Khosonov, Schennikov
Forwards:Olanare, Vitinho
Raphael Wicky saw two more worries added to his list at the weekend. Goalkeeper Germano Vailati has picked up an injury, while center back Pedro Pacheco took ill and may or may not be fit to play a role in this one. Center back Eder Balanta and stiker Ricky van Wolfswinkel remain out with injury issues.
With the enigmatic and ocassionally brilliant van Wolfswinkel out, Basel were forced to turn to other options at the weekend. They did that to great effect as Norway international Mohamed Elyounoussi engineered a great performance. The 23 year old scored a goal and assisted another, and he should be in line to start in Moscow in a bid to upset the odds a little and grab a big result far from home.
Basel have three wins, a draw, and a loss in their last five matches:
0-4 win at Lugano
0-0 draw at Grasshopper
5-0 home win vs Benfica (UCL)
1-0 home win vs Zurich
2-1 loss at St. Gallen
Goalkeeper:Vaclik
Defenders:Suchy, Akanji, Serey Die
Midfielders:Lang, Suffi, Xhaka, Petretta
Forwards:Steffen, Elyounoussi, Ajeti