Champions League betting preview: AC Milan to batter BATE in Belarus this afternoon?
BATE Borisov have failed to win a Champions League game in nine previous attempts and it’s unlikely that they’ll buck that trend when Italian champions AC Milan come calling at the Stadyen Dynama in their Group H encounter this afternoon.
The Belarusian outfit have scored just once in their three matches so far in this season’s tournament, and were readily outpointed by the Rossoneri at the San Siro last month, losing 2-0, which preceded a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Barcelona.
Group H is pretty much as you would expect it to be, with Barca and AC clear of Viktoria Plzen and BATE, and if the top two sides win today, as you would expect them to, then their places in the knockout stages will assured.
The Serie A champs are on a good run at present, winning their last five games in all competitions, and have amassed no less than 16 goals in the quintet of games in question. Furthermore, the Diavolo have lost just two of their last 13 away in this competition.
To be fair to the home side, they’ve kept 18 clean sheets in 30 domestic matches this term, but the league they’re in is, with all due respect, not the most competitive, and they have conceded more goals in the Champions League so far this season than any other side.
The visitors’ coach, Massimiliano Allegri, has a number of injury problems to contend with at present – striker Antonio Cassano is the latest casualty – but Clarence Seedorf and Alexandre Pato are both available for selection following spells on the sidelines.
All in all, Allegri has a very strong squad at his disposal, and Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic should wreak havoc amongst BATE’s defence. Viktor Goncharenko’s side will do well to score never mind get anything from this game and, with that in mind, the recommendation is AC Milan to win to nil, about which odds of 2.50 are generally available.