Five more Champions League play-offs on Wednesday to decide the final group stage line up and some delicately poised ties.
It should be relatively straightforward for both Celtic and Dynamo Kiev, who defend two goal leads on home soil, but the other three clashes could go either way and in particular in Turkey where Fenerbahce host Spartak Moscow.
It is Spartak that start the second leg with a 2-1 lead but Dirk Kuyt’s away goal in the Russian capital could prove crucial and the Dutchman looks key to Fenerbahce’s chances.
The Turkish runners-up have become regular fixtures in the Champions League group stage over the last decade and a comfortable 5-2 aggregate win over Vasuli in the previous round sees them now just 90 minutes away from reaching the tournament proper yet again.
Fenerbahce’s home form is stunning, especially in the Super Lig where they are unbeaten in 44 matches, since March 2010, and they will be confident of overturning a deficit against a team which doesn’t travel too well.
Back-to-back away defeats, including a 5-0 thrashing at Zenit, are hardly ideal preparation for Unai Emery’s team and the Muscovites must also do without the services of four key men, including the creative pair of Welliton and Kim Kallstrom.
Fenerbahce have taken care of the likes of Chelsea, PSV, Inter and Sevilla in recent seasons in this competition and, given Spartak have just three Champions League away victories to their name in 12 years, a home win looks on the cards.
I certainly favour the hosts at around the 2.30 mark but the value in the match is to be found in the first goal scorer market where Kuyt cannot be overlooked.
Having endured a lean time of it during his final season at Liverpool, the forward has found the net six times in his previous five matches for his new club and quite how he is not the outright favourite I’ve no idea.
Kuyt, still only 32-years-old, once bagged 29 goals in an Eredivise season for Feyenoord and clearly hasn’t forgotten where the goal is. He should trade a couple of points shorter than the 7.50 on offer for him to open the scoring.
1pt (Each Way) Dirk Kuyt First Goal Scorer (vs. Spartak Moscow) @ 7.50 (Bet 365)
