UEFA Champions League Matchday 3 Preview, Group A: October 20, 2010

Joe LazarOct 19, 2010

Both of these sides have suffered ridiculously bad defeats in their last Champions League outings, and it would be hard to pick much between the two teams, considering the fact that neither of them looks particularly up to scratch. That’s not to say that both can be ruled out of progressing to the next round. A win here could go a long way to getting either of the two sides chances back on track.

Twente are the favourites but not by much. They are the home team which would, in theory, give them some advantage—if Twente can block Bremen’s service to the attack, which has been pretty poor since Ozil left for Real Madrid in the summer. This is a very real possibility seeing as Twente are well known for their strong back four. The Dutch team have a good chance of winning this match, if they make sure to break up Bremen’s flow. If Bremen are allowed too long on the ball, at any given point, they will make Twente pay. This match could be very hard to call considering there is no real gulf in class between the two sides and Bremen’s form is pretty unpredictable.

Inter Milan vs. Tottenham

There are no prizes for guessing which of these teams has the best Champions League pedigree or which team are the favourites to win. The fact is, on paper, Milan are a drastically better side. Inter Milan and Tottenham are joint top of their group, and if Milan win this match, then it will not only boost their chances of guarantying their place in the knock out stages, but it will make things a lot more interesting for the other clubs in the group. The reigning champions will be looking to punish a Tottenham side who look very much out of their depth in comparison to Inter Milan.

Tottenham are without Van de Vaart, which is not good news, considering they are taking on the Champions League winners in a match which could prove crucial to their progression. The away side would probably be happy—if they come away from this match with a draw, seeing as it will keep them level on points and a draw away against Inter is not exactly something to be ashamed of. Most of Europe’s top teams would be happy with that, never mind a side like Tottenham who are still relatively inexperienced with European contests.