Landmark-seeking Robert Lewandowski should lift Bayern's gloom

BT Sport, from 5.55pm Tuesday

Bayern Munich v Benfica

BT Sport Extra, 8pm

Bayern Munich are close to being in a full-blown crisis in the Bundesliga but life has been easier for them in the Champions League, where the German giants are expected to secure a knockout berth with the minimum of fuss against Benfica at the Allianz Arena.

The Munich men are fifth domestically, nine points off the pace being set by Borussia Dortmund, and in a season of poor results somehow throwing away a 3-1 advantage to draw at home to Fortuna Dusseldorf was arguably the most disappointing.

Niko Kovac is under intense pressure and yet the gloom could be lifted slightly by Robert Lewandowski, who needs one more goal to reach 50 in the Champions League proper.

Lewandowski, with 15 goals in 17 matches for Bayern this season, can hit the landmark in style by bagging a brace. He has scored two or more goals in three of his last seven Bayern appearances.

Benfica have won only three of their last 12 fixtures European away matches and two of those came in Greece.

Recommendation
R Lewandowski to score two or more goals
1pt 5-2 Betway

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Bayern Munich
James Rodriguez, Thiago Alcantara, Corentin Tolisso and Kingsley Coman are injured and Serge Gnabry needs to be assessed.

Benfica
Jardel is suspended and Eduardo Salvio is injured.

Key stat
Benfica have lost nine of their last 11 matches in the Champions League proper.

Hoffenheim v Shakhtar

BT Sport Extra, 8pm

A defeat in Germany would see Shakhtar eliminated from Europe but they can cling on to some kind of qualification, whether it is in the Champions League or the lesser prize of the Europa League, by avoiding defeat at Hoffenheim.

Shakhtar, once again missing key man Marlos, may be in a false position due to the fact they have already played Manchester City twice.

This is an easier assignment for Shakhtar, who have already drawn at home to Hoffenheim and drawn away to Lyon, when the Ukrainian outfit let a two-goal advantage slip.

Junior Moraes is a definite threat for the visitors against a home team who don't jump off the page as a viable punting option at odds-on given Hoffenheim remain short on numbers due to injuries.

Hoffenheim, winless in the Champions League, have not beaten a side who are above tenth in the Bundesliga this season either.

Recommendation
Shakhtar or draw double chance
1pt 68-67 188Bet

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Hoffenheim
Kasim Adams Nuhu is banned, while Nadiem Amiri, Florian Grillitsch and Lukas Rupp are injured. Benjamin Hubner and Dennis Geiger lack match fitness.

Shakhtar
Marlos and Yaroslav Rakitskiy are out. Injury doubts Bohdan Butko, Sergei Kryvtsov and Taras Stepanenko have travelled.

Key stat
Both teams have scored in all 12 of Hoffenheim's European fixtures.

Juventus v Valencia

BT Sport Extra, 8pm

Cristiano Ronaldo was left in tears during the reverse fixture between Juventus and Valencia but it is likely to be the Spanish visitors who are crying at the end of this Turin tussle.

Assuming Manchester United oblige at short odds at home to Young Boys, Valencia will need maximum points away to Juventus, who showed they had the measure of the Spanish side on matchday one with a 2-0 win at the Mestalla.

That was despite Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half red card but the Portuguese ace has responded well from that setback with Juve almost faultless this season, apart from a crazy five minutes at the end of the United loss on matchday four.

Their 37-point tally is the highest ever in Serie A after 13 games and at some stage Valencia will become vulnerable if they come out looking for the win.

Los Che are better than the league table suggests in Spain, yet Juve's extra class is obvious.

Recommendation
Juventus to win & under 3.5 goals
1pt 6-5 BoyleSports, Coral, Ladbrokes

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Juventus
Emre Can, Sami Khedira and Leonardo Spinazzola are injured. Federico Bernardeschi needs to be assessed.

Valencia
Ezequiel Garay and Denis Cheryshev are ruled out.

Key stat
Fourteen of Valencia's 18 matches this season have featured under 2.5 goals.

Roma v Real Madrid

BT Sport ESPN, 8pm

This game should be filed under must-watch rather than one where a bet is needed to enhance the entertainment between two sides who are incredibly inconsistent.

Real Madrid appeared to be heading in the right direction under boss Santi Solari, who won four matches in a row before Saturday's shocking 3-0 loss to Eibar which was nothing short of a disaster.

Madrid are difficult to trust after that shambolic 90 minutes, but no sooner had Real been turned over than Roma were going down 1-0 at Udinese with a side seriously weakened by injuries.

Roma remain without key personnel, but the Stadio Olimpico atmosphere should mean home advantage is worth plenty and it can help to bridge the gap in class between the teams.

Federico Fazio has scored in big matches this season - against Milan and Lazio - and could be a threat once more from set-pieces.

Recommendation
F Fazio first goalscorer
0.5pt each-way 40-1 bet365

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Roma
Lorenzo Pellegrini has joined Daniele De Rossi, Javier Pastore and Diego Perotti on the sidelines. Roma are hopeful that Robin Olsen and Kostas Manolas will be available.

Real Madrid
Casemiro, Nacho, Keylor Navas and Alvaro Odriozola are injured but Mariano Diaz has travelled.

Key stat
Roma have won five of their last six home matches in the Champions League.

AEK Athens v Ajax

BT Sport 1, 5.55pm

Ajax have not won any of their last 12 Champions League group-stage away matches but their wait for a victory which stretches back to October 2011 should come to an end in Athens.

The Dutch team have spent too long in the doldrums at Europe's top table, although a record outlay this summer has strengthened the squad considerably as they close on qualification for the last 16.

Erik ten Hag's men have lost only one of their 25 matches in all competitions this term and they have shown a defensive solidity with only three goals conceded in the last 12 games.

They were the better side in the away draw with Bayern Munich and can overcome the loss of injured star Hakim Ziyech to justify their odds-on status.

AEK, mid-table in Greece, have been found wanting at this level, losing 3-0 in Amsterdam and conceding ten goals in total. They have only scored once in their last four games.

Recommendation
Ajax
1pt 3-4 general

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Team news
AEK Athens
Marios Oikonomou and Helder Lopes are out injured.

Ajax
Hakim Ziyech, Hassane Bande, Daley Sinkgraven and Joel Veltman are injured, while Nicolas Tagliafico is suspended.

Key stat
Ajax have kept 17 clean sheets in 25 matches this season.

CSKA Moscow v Viktoria Plzen

BT Sport ESPN, 5.55pm

Securing European football into the new year will have been CSKA Moscow's main aim in a group also containing Real Madrid and Roma and the Russians can complete that task by beating Viktoria Plzen.

CSKA have mainly competed well, with the win over Real Madrid a major boost to the squad, although in terms of finishing third their 2-2 comeback draw to Plzen was crucial.

The 2-0 win over Russian league leaders Zenit earlier this month gave further evidence that CSKA are heading in the right direction, unlike Plzen, who are four points behind leaders Slavia Prague in the Czech Liga.

Plzen tend to be poor on the road. They have won just one of their last 17 away matches in European competition and lost seven of eight on their Champions League travels.

The absence of top scorer Michal Krmencik is also a massive blow.

Recommendation
CSKA Moscow
2pts 4-5 general

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Team news
CSKA Moscow
Abel Hernandez, Alan Dzagoev and Viktor Vasin are injured and Hordur Magnusson is banned.

Viktoria Plzen
Michael Krmencik and Daniel Kolar are injured, while Jan Kopic is doubtful.

Key stat
Plzen have conceded 14 goals in this season's group stage.

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Mark LangdonRacing Post Sport

Published on 26 November 2018inChampions League