CSKA welcome Czech champions Viktoria Plzen in their first Champions League home match of the season… well sort of. CSKA will be playing this tie at Zenit’s Petrovsky Stadium, as the other stadiums in Moscow are not untenable at the moment.
The Army Men will be hoping to put a recent slump behind them and win this vital match. CSKA have won just 1 in 5, and lost to lowly Terek at the weekend. There is no doubt that the pressure is on Slutsky, and he will be hoping to appease the board and fans tonight. Plzen, like CSKA lost their opening Champions League fixture 3-0, so they will also know the importance of this match. They are in better form than the Moscow side though, and currently sit 2nd in the Czech Premier Division.
CSKA will need Honda to be firing on all cylinders tonight.
Team News
CSKA have Rasmus Elm available for selection again, after a lengthy injury lay off. However, they can now add Cauna and Vasili Berezutski to the injury list as both picked up injuries recently. CSKA have really felt Elm’s absence, as they have missed his creativeness and set plays no end in their recent downturn in form.
The visitors will be hoping to field a similar team to the one that beat Vysocina Jihlava at the weekend, however Bakos, who scored the winner, will be pushing for a place in the starting 11. Rajtoral and Petrezela will be a worry for CSKA, as both have quality and experience.
Tactics
Honda will be pivotal to CSKA’s performance
As you can see from the diagram, CSKA will likely line up in this 4-2-3-1 formation, with possibly a few personnel changes such as Vitinho for Zuber. CSKA will hope to have Honda involved in proceedings as much as possible, as he has the quality to unlock defences. The two wide men have important roles to play too, as they need to support Musa with the sort of delivery he likes, a ball in behind or pulled back square as opposed to high crosses. Wernbloom will anchor the midfield and drop in to cover any runs forward the full backs make.
Danger men
Honda (CSKA)- Honda has not been at his best of late, but on his day he is CSKA’s best player. He can shoot, pass, dribble and do just about anything, it’s just a question of whether he wants it enough with a move away from the club probable in January. Watch out for clever interchange with Zuber and Tosic.
Ratjoral (PLZ)- Rajtoral is a very proactive winger who has pace and good delivery. He has assisted a lot of goals this season, particularly in the Champions League qualifiers against Maribor, so if Plzen are on the attack, expect their midfielders to be looking for him in wide areas.
Can Rajtoral inspire Viktoria Plzen?
Can Honda produce?
Prediction
The Russian clubs really need to start winning in Europe, as now Zenit have it all to do to qualify from their group after last nights game. CSKA have a great chance here to win and set themselves up for two great games against Manchester City. Their recent form is a concern, but I think they will edge this encounter.
Prediction: CSKA 2-1 Viktoria Plzen
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