Spartak Moscow host Maribor in the Champions League next week, with the home side looking for three points that would significantly boost their chances of qualifying for the knockout phase of the competition. With their opponents having collected just a single point in Group E to date, it is undoubtedly the Russian club who are the favourites for victory.
Champions League – Otkrytiye Arena – Tuesday 21st November – 19:45 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 19/4 at Ladbrokes |
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FC Spartac Moscow
MariborMatch Preview
Champions League action resumes next week, with Russian side Spartak Moscow looking for their second win in the competition this season when they take on minnows Maribor in front of their home fans at the Otkrytiye Arena. The Slovenian side have struggled to make an impression in Group E so far, making them the overwhelming underdogs for victory in the Russian capital. Despite Spartak being the firm favourites for victory, there are still a number of appealing markets surrounding the match. Those looking to bet on the match should check out our top tip below, however let’s first take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
Spartak Moscow Team News & Form
Spartak suffered a narrow defeat away at Sevilla las time around, meaning that they sit third in the table ahead of kick-off next week. Having only managed a 1-1 draw in Maribor in the first round of the competition, Spartak boss Massimo Carrera will be looking for a much improved performance when they meet again next week. His side have scored eight goals in their four matches so far, with the likes of Luis Adriano and Quincy Promes among their most talented players in the final third. Spartak have been in good form domestically also, going their last five matches unbeaten in the Russian Premier League. Their previous Champions League win came thanks to an impressive 5-1 success over Sevilla back in October.
Maribor Team News & Form
Despite having seen their chances of qualifying for the latter stages diminish as a result of three straight defeats, Maribor will be hoping to make life difficult for their opponents in Russia next week. Despite sitting level on points with the league leaders in Slovenia, manager Darko Milanič has been unable to inspire his players to any Champions League successes, with Maribor having lost twice to Liverpool lately, with a 11-0 aggregate score. Their only goal in the competition came against Spartak Moscow, with Maribor having conceded 14 goals.
Head to Head
The two teams only meeting in the past came in the first round of this year’s competition, where the duo played out a 1-1 draw in Slovenia.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Given their status as the home team and Maribor’s struggles in the Champions League so far this season, Spartak Moscow are unsurprisingly the favourites for victory with all online bookmakers. The home team can be backed at best odds of 1/4 with PaddyPower, while those looking to back a surprise away win for Maribor can take advantage of 12/1 odd from Unibet.
Top Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on there being over 2.5 goals during the 90 minutes, which is available at odds of 3/5 with Ladbrokes.