Musical chairs
OPEN CONTEST
ROME: The calculators will be out in force as AS Roma and Manchester City clash for a place in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday with outsiders CSKA Moscow lurking in the background.
The head-to-head rule which UEFA use to separate teams who are level on points means that all sorts of complex connotations are possible as the three sides bid to follow runaway Group E leaders Bayern Munich into the next round.
Manchester City have never won a competitive match in Italy in four previous attempts and, even if they break that taboo, could still suffer another premature group stage exit.
Roma’s fate is in their own hands as a win will be enough for them while a draw, paradoxically, could send either themselves or City through, depending on CSKA’s performance.
“City are obliged to win. They have all the pressure. Not Roma. City are in the same period that Chelsea used to be before they won it. It becomes complex until you win the trophy,” Roma’s Ivorian striker Gervinho told British media.
PERMUTATIONS
Roma, City and CSKA all have five points from five games after mediocre campaigns in a group dominated by Bayern.
A win for Roma, still in the hunt despite losing 7-1 at home to the Bavarians, will guarantee them a second place finish, even if CSKA also win, as the Serie A side would have the better head-tohead record against the Russians.
CSKA can only qualify if they win in Munich and Roma fail to beat City while City will qualify if they win and CSKA do not.
The rule fun begins if Roma and City draw. If CSKA also draw, Roma would go through, and if the Russians lose, it would come down to the head-to-head record between the Serie A and English side. A goalless draw would favour Roma and a score draw would do for City.
City have gone out in the group stage twice in three attempts and their task has been made ever harder after their leading scorer Sergio Aguero was injured against Everton on Saturday, forcing him out of the tie.
City will also be without midfielder Yaya Toure who is suspended, while skipper Vincent Kompany, and midfielders Stefan Jovetic and Fernandinho face late fitness tests.
SCHWEINI EYES RETURN Bayern Munich’s Bastian Schweinsteiger could make his first start of the season against CSKA Moscow on Wednesday as the Bavarians struggle with a long injury list having already secured top spot in Champions League Group E.
The 30-year-old playmaker only recently made a comeback after a four-month break due to a knee injury and has played less than 45 minutes in four substitute appearances so far. Bayern are top on 12 points and coach Pep Guardiola could give Schweinsteiger his first start this term with defender Medhi Benatia suspended and half a dozen other absences. CHELSEA FACE SPORTING LONDON: Jose Mourinho is weighing up whether to risk Diego Costa in Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Sporting Lisbon in a bid to improve the Chelsea striker’s match fitness.
Mourinho’s side are already certain to advance to the last 16 of Europe’s elite club competition in first place regardless of the result in their final Group G fixture at Stamford Bridge.
With the hectic Christmas schedule looming, it would be
little surprise if the Chelsea manager rests several stars, including the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois, when Lisbon visit west London.
But Costa may not be given the night off to start his Christmas shopping because Mourinho is concerned the Spain international’s recent barren run has been provoked by his constant battles with injury. “For me, the problem is not the goals — they will come as a consequence of his condition,” Mourinho said.