Sports Blog 23/11/2016: Match Preview – UEFA Champions League, Wednesday 23rd November 2016

Already through to the knockouts, can Arsenal top the Champions League’s Group A with a home win over PSG at 7.45pm on BT Sport 3?

After drawing their opening game in Paris both Arsenal and PSG went on to sweep past Basel and Ludogorets Razgrad – though interestingly both went behind against the latter in Sofia – to set up Wednesday night’s group decider. The pressure is arguably more on the Gunners than their French rivals; while they still haven’t lost a game since their starting day defeat to Liverpool, they have seen a distinct dip in form domestically. Of their last 4 Premier League games Arsenal have won just once, against Sunderland, while drawing against Middlesbrough, Tottenham and, dramatically, Man United. Boro game excluded that isn’t a bad run, per se, but one that does suggest the Gunners are on the precipice of ‘doing an Arsenal’.



Wenger can dismiss those fears with a confidence-boosting win over PSG, the kind of big team victory Arsenal so often fail to produce. Yet PSG are no push-overs, with only 2 losses to their name this season. They also have, in Edinson Cavani, Ligue 1’s top scorer, the Uruguayan travelling to the Emirates with a Super Mega PGM of 37-43. Of course Arsenal are no slouches up front, even if they have looked a bit fatigued recently, with Olivier Giroud at 31-37, Alexis Sanchez at 28-33 and Theo Walcott at 21-26.

While the Gunners’ tradition of shooting themselves in the foot during November counts against them, they showed gumption to nab a point off United at the weekend. That may stand them in good stead heading into Wednesday evening, with Spreadex offering an Arsenal/PSG Goal Supremacy spread of 0-0.2 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.75-2.95.

While much of Group A is sewn up, it is all technically still up for grabs in Group C. That might have changed by the end of Wednesday night, however, after Manchester City visit Borussia Monchengladbach at 7.45pm on BT Sport 2. One more win would put City into the next round and relegate Monchengladbach to the Europa League (or worse) in one fell swoop. City have veered from brilliant to embarrassing in Europe this season, with 4-0 and 3-1 demolitions of Monchengladbach and Barcelona joined by a 3-3 battle against Celtic and a 4-0 thrashing at the Nou Camp.



Luckily it seems likely Wednesday’s game will fall into the former category given that Monchengladbach have failed to win in their past 6 Bundesliga fixtures, drawing 2 and losing 4. The combined forces of Sergio Aguero (at a Super Mega PGM of 56-66), Kevin de Bruyne (at 27-32) and Nolito (at 20-24) should be more than enough to secure an away win, with Spreadex offering a Man City/Borussia Monchengladbach (h) Goal Supremacy spread of 0.7-0.9 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.85-3.05.

While a win would secure a last 16 spot for City, a draw would be enough if Celtic fail to beat Barcelona, with the 2 sides meeting at 7.45pm on BT Sport ESPN. Domestically the Hoops have seen their usual dominance, already opening up a 10 point lead in the Scottish Premiership; in Europe, however, they have, their draw against City excepted, lifeless, none more so than in their 7-0 dismantling at the hands of Barca back in September.



That loss, and Lionel Messi, will likely haunt Celtic on Wednesday. The diminutive Argentine is the Champions League’s top scorer with 7 goals (3 of which came against the Scottish side) and the La Liga’s joint top scorer with Luis Suarez (and Ronaldo). That is terrifying form, the kind of which explains why the Spaniards sit at such a large Barcelona/Celtic (h) Goal Supremacy spread of 1.9-2.1, alongside a Total Goals spread of 3.4-3.6.