Champions League Preview

Manchester United entertain Basle at Old Trafford looking for their first win of the European campaign. Last year’s finalists earned a hard fought 1-1 draw at Benfica in match one while the Swiss outfit beat unheralded SC Otelul Galati. Ferguson’s side have back-to-back matches against the Romanian champions to follow and the manager is targeting three straight wins to ensure early qualification.

The English champions will be without Rooney and Hernandez after both first choice strikers picked up minor injuries. This could be a rare opportunity for Dimitar Berbatov to shine and the Bulgarian is 9/2 to claim the first goal with Boylesports. An away win is seemingly unthinkable; Basle are someway off the early pace in the Swiss league, down in fourth spot. A win for them at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ is as long as 18/1 with totesport, while the draw is 13/2. The best price on a home win is just 2/9 with PaddyPower.

Meanwhile neighbours Manchester City could scarcely face a tougher test of their European credentials. Mancini’s side are 4/1 (VictorChandler) to stun Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. The Germans are on inspired form lately, and are 5/6 with PaddyPower to make this a tenth straight victory in all competitions. The same firm offer 14/5 on the draw that City fans would surely settle for.