On Tuesday, the St. Petersburg “Zenith” hold it important to match the group stage of the Champions League against the “Monaco”. The meeting will begin at 22:45 and will be broadcast on the Public Russian television. In this match and decide the fate of the blue-white-blue club, while in third place in the standings.
Only victory
In the “baggage” of the Russian team has only seven points after five matches. If last year the figure and could lead the Russian vice-champion in the playoffs the main club tournament of the continent, it is now even one round before the end of the group stage it is only enough for third place. “Monaco”, the next opponent of “Zenith”, is on the line above – in the second position, which gives the right to play in the playoffs of the Champions League, ahead of team Andre Villas-Boas at one point. Consequently draw, in which each of the clubs to pick up a point each are not satisfied with “Zenith”. In this case, they will be outside the Champions League and will have to continue to play only in the playoffs the Europa League – the second most important European club tournament.
The victory also guarantees “Zenith” at least second place with 10 re cruited glasses. Russian club are guaranteed to bypass the “Monaco”, owned, by the way, the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev . The team from the banks of the Neva, by the way, can even take the first place, if in a parallel meeting of the German “Bayer”, who will play with the team last group of Portuguese “Benfica”, managed to lose “eagles” on the road. In this case, “aspirinki” will remain with nine points on the second line.
So what other options continue the fight in the Champions League, but to beat the vice-champions of France on the road, the “Zenith” is not.
And for myself and for those guys
But this Tuesday “Zenith” will fight not only for themselves, for their image and their own, including financial, welfare. At stake will be so expensive for Russia ranking points for the UEFA coefficient.
Of course, in the first place “Zenith” and his players will think about themselves – about their bonus for reaching the playoffs, the possibility to light up in the later stages of European club football. In the second place, they can be thought of as the “Zenith” own glasses coefficients will not prevent that next time not to get in the third or fourth basket scattered at the draw commands, and at least a second or even first, to get weaker opponents.
It was only in the third place they will think (though hardly even ponder on this score), the coefficients of the glasses for Russia. We are now in the UEFA rankings go in seventh place. Next, the sixth place, lets not two, as now, but once the three clubs from Russia to participate in the Champions League. And in front of us just is France, which is represented by a team from the Principality “Monaco».
Thus, the victory of “Zenith” will not only add points Russia, but will not allow gain extra points in France. But the difference in the coefficients between the two countries just 0.75 points.
Odds
The most interesting, in spite of all their hopes and expensive purchases “Zenith” even according to Russian bookmakers is not a favorite of the upcoming showdown with “Monaco».
The coefficient on the victory of the Russian team in the bookmakers is only 2.8. At the same time, the success of the French, or more correctly, the Monegasque is 2.4. And 3.2 times more than the original bet amount you can earn on a draw, if it is, of course, to guess.
However, it is likely that the bookies slightly hot. Yes, “Monaco” won two victories in the last two matches of the championship of France, coming on the seventh scribbled standings. But then beaten with the same score 2: 0 were dozens of teams from the second championship of France. And just three days after the game with “Zenith” “Monaco” will hold heavy domestic meeting with the current leaders of the national champio nship of Marseille “Olympic».
«Zenit» same in the last two rounds of the championship and two wins. But played with were not weak teams, and clinging to the European Cups “Ruby” on the road, and the third team of the country at the moment, a member of the League of Europe, “Krasnodar”. Moreover, the “bulls” “Zenith” is not just a beat and defeated with a score of 4: 0. Another plus for the Russians – no upcoming matches. Autumn national championships phase is completed and the club is preparing to go on vacation until next year.
Do not hit
But there is a “Zenith” and constraints that could affect the decision of the bookmakers make it “Monaco” favorite of the upcoming meeting. This lack of long-term leader attacks the St. Petersburg team striker Russia, Alexander Kerzhakov .
Alexander himself apparently believed that he was ready to go on the field, if not for the decision of the coaching staff. And so, he was not even allowed to fly with the team on the game.
Here’s how it explained this point, the football player in one of social networks: “Three stories about the” missed “. The first story – “do not hit the bid for the match against Monaco,” the head coach said that I missed a lot of time and how much I practiced, the result will not let me get to the application for the match. There “but”, but perhaps do without them … The history of the second – “did not hit the plane St. Petersburg-Nice”: he wanted to fly with the team and watch the game, but by the decision of the head coach in the airplane may be the only players who take part in the match, the rest can get their way. History of the third – “missed the Champions League” ; Monaco “-” Zenith “: see the history of …”
Recall that the player missed almost a month due to injury, which he received in the match for the Russian national team against Hungary – in a friendly game. Then he came to fight on foot. It is interesting that the meeting Kerzhakov play to the end, and then stopped going to the championship game of the Russian “Zenit” and only 1 December started training with the ball, when you hit the ball he disappeared pain in the foot.
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