UEFA Cup Betting

The last ever UEFA Cup is at the last 16 stage and the tournament is taking on an Eastern European complexion. Holders Zenit St. Petersburg are amongst the favourites to win the famous trophy before it is rebranded as the Europa League, along with fellow Russians CSKA Moscow, winners in 2004/05.

There are three Ukrainian representatives still in the draw, along with two German clubs and Galatasaray, who claimed the trophy in 1999/2000. Indeed the UEFA Cup, in contrast to the Champions League, is poorly-represented by the powerhouse European nations – only Manchester City remain from England and Udinese from Italy. No Spanish clubs survived this far.

However, both English and Italian representatives should reach the quarter finals. City, conquerors of FC Copenhagen in the last 32, face Danish opposition again in the form of Aalborg and should have little trouble in advancing, despite Aalborg’s 6-1 trouncing of Deportivo in the last 32.

Zenit are not the same team they were when they won the tournament last year, having lost their domestic title and attacking heartbeat Andriy Arshavin in the meantime. They dropped to the UEFA Cup after a disappointing Champions League campaign and I expect them to be seen off by Udinese, who have been in decent UEFA Cup form all season.

CSKA are second favourites (behind Manchester City) to lift the trophy, and with good reason. They gained maximum points in the group stage and have the tournament’s in-form striker Vagner Love, who has already hit the net 10 times. They should have too much for Shakhtar Donetsk and I am backing them to go all the way.

However, a Ukrainian team is guaranteed to be in the last eight, as Dynamo Kyiv face compatriots Metalist Kharkiv. Metalist are the outsiders, but might just sneak this one – they topped a tough group and eased past Sampdoria 3-0 in the last 32.

Marseille face Ajax in perhaps the glamour-tie of the round and the winner will have plenty of backers in the tournament winner market. I fancy Marseille, who are unbeaten in five domestically without conceding a goal, to progress.

They should be joined by Paris Saint-Germain, who face Braga, although Saint-Etienne, fourth from bottom in Ligue 1, will struggle to overcome Werder Bremen, conquerors of AC Milan in the previous round.

Hamburg and Galatasaray are hard to split, but the Turkish outfit, with the incentive of the final being held in Istanbul, might just shade it. Both teams are in the hunt for domestic titles and this tie could be decided by the coach who wants to win it more.

My quarter finalist predictions:

CSKA Moscow, Metalist Kharkiv, Galatasaray, Manchester City, Marseille, Paris Saint-Germain, Udinese, Werder Bremen.