Roma VS CSKA Moscow Match Prediction
2018-10-23
19:00:00
Roma
VS
CSKA Moscow
Our Prediction Tip
Roma will win this match.
2018-10-2319:00:00 Roma will win this match.
Roma have won two and drawn one of their four previous European matches against CSKA Moscow. The first two of those were in the European Cup Winners Cup in 1991-92, when Roma won 2-1 in Moscow and progressed on away goals after a 1-0 defeat in Italy. They have met more recently, however – the Serie A side winning 5-1 in Rome in the opening game before a 1-1 draw in Moscow in the 2014-15 group stages.
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Roma’s resurgence was halted by a shock defeat to SPAL last time out, but you would still be hard pushed to back against them at the Stadio Olimpico.
CSKA Moscow were thrashed 5-1 on their last trip to Rome, while the way Roma dismantled Viktoria Plzen – who had held CSKA in their previous match - last time out shows exactly how good the hosts can be on home soil.
They have kept six clean sheets in their last seven home Champions League games too, so it is not just the goals of Edin Dzeko and contributions of Cengiz Under and Justin Kluivert that swings the pendulum their way.
Both sides have long injury lists, but they are both a little misleading – few of the players unavailable were fit for their most recent Champions League games either, as Roma beat Plzen and CSKA stunned champions Real Madrid.
Igor Akinfeev will be missed by the visitors, however, with an only just fit Ilya Pomazun or rookie Georgi Kyrnats their two options in goal.
If Edin Dzeko can continue his recent form, whoever fills in will have their work cut out against Roma’s Bosnian diamond.
For CSKA, Fyodor Chalov and Nikola Vlasic have been in the goals, but Juan Jesus and Federico Fazio make a solid centre-back pairing, with Kostas Manolas as an extra option too.
Roma were solid at the back at home in the Champions League last season, and Robin Olsen is a good replacement for Alisson – even if the Brazilian had more to his game than the Swede.
Nevertheless, with a good defensive record at the Stadio Olimpico and their strong attack, Roma can overcome CSKA Moscow.
The Russian side proved with their win against Real Madrid that it would be dangerous to under-estimate them, but Roma are still very much favourites at home.
On home soil, Roma are odds-on favourites to beat CSKA Moscow with Bet365 and Betfair both offering 4/11 on a home win.
They have a good defensive record at home in this competition too, and a Roma win to nil is worth 6/5 with Bet365 and Ladbrokes. Roma to keep a clean sheet is evens with Ladbrokes and Betfair.
Edin Dzeko scored a hat-trick last time out in the Champions League, against Viktoria Plzen, and is 23/25 to score at any time with CSKA Moscow.
Roma suffered a surprise defeat at home to SPAL at the weekend, but they have an excellent record at the Stadio Olimpico in the Champions League and are favourites to bounce back.
Roma have a number of injury concerns, with Aleksandar Kolarov and Daniele de Rossi already ruled out before Rick Karsdorp, Patrik Schick and Diego Perotti joined the injury list last week. Javier Pastore is fit again though, while of the others De Rossi and Kolarov have played regularly this season.
Edin Dzeko – The Bosnian striker scored for his country in the recent international break and has five goals in ten Roma games this season too – including a hat-trick in their win against Plzen.
Cengiz Under – The highly-rated, 21-year-old Turkish winger has scored twice and contributed four assists so far this season.
Robin Olsen – Roma’s home form and run to the Champions League semi-finals last year owed much to Alisson in goal, and Sweden’s Robin Olsen has been the man tasked with replacing him.
After six games without a win - including defeat to Real Madrid in the opening Champions League group game – Roma had won their last four in a row before the 2-0 loss at home to SPAL at the weekend. Those wins included a 3-1 derby triumph against Lazio thanks to Lorenzo Pellegrini, Aleksandar Kolarov and Federico Fazio’s goals, before Edin Dzeko scored a hat-trick and Cengiz Under and Justin Kluivert netted the others in the 5-0 Champions League defeat of Viktoria Plzen. Steven Nzonzi and Edin Dzeko then scored in a 2-0 win at Empoli before the surprise defeat last time out.
Igor Akinfeev’s lack of discipline will cost him and his team as the veteran goalkeeper misses the trip to Rome due to suspension. Akinfeev received two yellow cards in a matter of seconds in stoppage time in the win against Real Madrid due to dissent. Georgi Kyrnats came on for the final few moments last time out, but Ilya Pomazun could start in goal having come back from injury. CSKA do still have a long injury list though, with Viktor Vasin, Aleksandr Makarov, Kristijan Bristrovic, Abel Hernandez and Georgi Schennikov – none of whom were available to face Real either – all out until at least next month.
Nikola Vlasic – Scored the equaliser against Plzen, the winner against Real Madrid and also netted as CSKA Moscow got back to winning ways at the weekend.
Fyodor Chalov – Started the comeback against Plzen and now has nine for the season after his goal against Anzhi at the weekend.
Mario Fernandes – Playing at right wing-back, he has supplied five assists so far this season and will look to get in behind Roma’s second-choice left-back at the Stadio Olimpico.
CSKA Moscow beat Real Madrid 1-0 in their most recent Champions League game thanks to Nikola Vlasic’s early goal – even after Igor Akinfeev was sent off for two yellow cards in ten seconds in stoppage time. They lost their next two matches, however – a 1-0 home defeat to Lokomotiv Moscow and then a penalty shoot-out loss away to Tyumen in the cup after a 1-1 draw. They returned to winning ways last time out, however, as Vlasic and Fyodor Chalov scored in a 2-0 win at Anzhi.
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