UEFA Cup Thursday Preview

By: Ian Rose | April 2nd, 2008

Now that all that Champions League nonsense is over for another week, it’s time to get back to the tournament everybody really cares about … the UEFA Cup. *crickets* … Anyway, we have four quarterfinal matches tomorrow, and the four return legs next Wednesday, to determine who will be our UC Final Four. Here are the matchups for the first leg, with a look at recent form for all the teams.

Bayer Leverkusen v. Zenit St. Petersburg
Leverkusen Home Form: LWWWW
Zenit Away Form: WLLLW
* (Russian League only started March 14, so all but the first of these are UEFA Cup)

A look at their away form shows you the simple fact. Zenit has not done well on the road in Europe. Their last win away in the UEFA Cup was November 8th over Larisa in Greece. Still, their home record is scary, and Leverkusen will know that they will have to get a lead in Germany, then avoid slipping in St. Petersburg, like Marseille did last round.

Rangers v. Sporting CP
Rangers Home Form: WWWWW
Sporting Away Form: WLDLW

Rangers haven’t always been all that impressive in Europe this season, at least not since the first half of their Champions League group stage, but Ibrox has remained a very secure fortress from which little can be gained. The last team, domestic or European, to get a win there was Lyon on December 12. They have squeaked by in the UC so far, and Sporting will see them as vulnerable, but the advantage is certainly with the home side in this one.

Bayern Munich v. Getafe
Bayern Home Form: WLWWD
Getafe Away Form: LDWWW

On paper, this is certainly the best matchup of the round. Getafe are doing well in Spain, and will figure that if they can win away at Real Madrid, they can do the same in Munich. But Bayern is the favorite for a reason, and now that they can smell a trophy, they will be more tenacious than ever. They have the most loaded offense in the competition, and Getafe will have a very serious job just staying in the tie for the return leg. If they can keep it close, we could see an upset here, but betting against Munich in this competition is a very dangerous strategy right now.

Fiorentina v. PSV Eindhoven
Fiorentina Home Form: WWWWW
PSV Away Form: DDWLW

With Roma down two goals to Man United in the Champions League, the Viola are likely the last chance for an Italian team to lift a trophy in Europe this season. They have been very strong at home in Serie A, and have to be favorites against a PSV side that has not traveled all that well domestically or in Europe. PSV has one of the strongest defenses in the notoriously goal-happy Eredivisie, but whether it will be enough to stop Bobo, Mutu and Friends remains to be seen.

Since my predictive abilities have already proven themselves to be shaky at best, I’ve got nothing to lose, and so I’ll make my picks for the four quarterfinals this week. Here goes.

Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 Zenit St. Petersburg
Rangers 1-0 Sporting CP
Bayern Munich 3-2 Getafe
Fiorentina 2-1 PSV Eindhoven

We’ll find out tomorrow how wrong, how horribly, horribly wrong, I’ve been. Make your own guesses below, if you dare.