Lyon, France, where the Olympique Lyonnais aims to notch one more win in their group when they welcome Romanian FC Steaua Bucuresti to the Stade Gerland on Matchday 6, Wednesday, December 6th.
Already confirmed as Group E winners, Lyon is seeking a fifth victory in six UEFA Champions League matches this season and what would be their eighth consecutive home win in group stage games.
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Only once has Lyon failed to win in Group E and that came on Matchday 5 when they drew 2-2 with Real Madrid CF at the Santiago Bernabéu. John Carew and Florent Malouda put Manager Gérard Houllier's team two up before Mahamadou Diarra former Lyon star sunk a score. The first goal the midfielder's former club had conceded in this season's competition and Ruud van Nistelrooy earned the hosts a point. With Grégory Coupet saving a late Van Nistelrooy spot-kick, Lyon's draw ensured them first place in their group.
Steaua also had something to celebrate about on Matchday 5 as they secured third place and an entry into the UEFA Cup. Nicolae Dica's 69th minute goal cancelled out Florin Cernat's opener in the first half to earn a 1-1 home draw with fourth-placed FC Dynamo Kyiv. As with Lyon and Madrid, Steaua is three points above their rivals with a better head to head record therefor both teams can afford to lose regardless of the result between Dynamo and Madrid.
In their past meeting, Lyon was a comfortable 3-0 winner when the team faced Steaua in Bucharest on 26 September. Brazilian rising star Fred opened the scoring two minutes before the break and Tiago (55) and Karim Benzema (89) added to their advantage.
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Lyon's other victories came against Madrid 2-0 on Matchday 1 and Dynamo (3-0 and 1-0) on Matchdays 3 and 4. Steaua's campaign, which began so encouragingly with a 4-1 triumph in Kiev, took a downward turn after a defeat by the French champions. They subsequently lost home (1-4) and away (0-1) to Madrid.
Only Liverpool FC and Valencia CF can boast as many points as Lyon, who are one win shy of their points total of 16 from the group stage last season. Then, as now, they forced Madrid into a second place.
Steaua has lost on all seven of their previous visits to France. Even after being awarded a 3-0 home victory against Paris Saint-Germain FC for fielding an ineligible player in the first leg of their 1997/98 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round tie, they went down 5-0 in the return in Paris.
Steaua's most recent match on French soil at least brought an away-goals victory. Constantin Munteanu's double at SC Bastia in the 1997/98 UEFA Cup may not have prevented a 3-2 defeat but with a 1-0 first-leg win, Steaua progressed.
Lyon has faced Romanian opponents just once before this season, when they won 2-1 at AFC Rapid Bucuresti in the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1997. Goalkeeper Coupet was in Lyon's team that day.
Lyon will not be denied here so it is one of those bets that is a little too hard to pass on, only thing is Bodog.com has them at -355. I can’t admit to that much, just not in me to put up that much money, even if it is a strong pick. Steaua is at +840 and since Lyon could play without stars or with stars at a moderate rhythm, it’s a nice risk. You’re pick. I still say Lyon wins.
