CSKA Moscow vs Real Madrid Predictions

Real Madrid’s bid for a fourth straight Champions League crown heads to Moscow this Tuesday. It does so following some thoroughly unconvincing domestic displays and that will offer some encouragement to CSKA as the Russians bid to upset the holders. The trip will also bring bad memories for Real’s Spanish contingent, after La Roja’s World Cup elimination in the Russian capital over the summer.

This game will be at the VEB Arena, a smaller venue which wasn’t used in the World Cup though and Real will have to contend with a hostile home crowd. They face a CSKA side that came from 2 goals down to rescue a point in their opening group fixture, a 2-2 draw at Viktoria Plzen. The side that currently sits 3rd in the Russian top flight will most likely be competing with Roma for qualification in this group.

Real Madrid are clearly the firm favourites to win it and they got off to a great start, beating the Italians 3-0 at the Bernabeu. It was certainly their best performance of the season so far, as once again Real saved their best football for the Champions League. However since then Los Blancos have disappointed, with just 1 goal scored in 3 league matches. They come into this one following a 3-0 defeat at Sevilla and a 0-0 derby draw with Atleti and Julen Lopetegui’s men could certainly do with a morale boosting victory.

They may not necessarily get it though, with some pretty serious selection problems. Two members of the first-choice back four are out with skipper Sergio Ramos and Marcelo not travelling to Moscow. They will also be without Gareth Bale and Isco, two of their most influential attacking players, which leaves them a little short at both ends of the pitch here.

Real Madrid’s recent away record is another reason to doubt their capabilities to collect all the points here. They’ve only won one of their last 6 on the road in all competitions and haven’t kept an away clean sheet since the Champions League Quarter-Final 1st Leg at Juventus last term. Up against a side that has lost only 4 of their last 15 Champions League home games, backing CSKA +1.0 Asian Handicap looks like a decent bet. Read our Asian Handicap Guide for more on this market.

Going for Fedor Chalov to Score Anytime might also be worth a punt. The 20 year old has been a revelation this season, scoring 8 goals in his last 7 CSKA appearances, including a goal at Plzen on match-day one.