The Manchester Red Devils will visit Lille OSC at Stade Félix-Bollaert for the first leg of their fixture for the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday , February 20th . This match is for the knock out stage of the UEFA Champions League which will start at 2:45pm EST .
Manchester United FC could come into the first knockout round as the overwhelming favorites although there is no risk of overconfidence. Lille played an important part in their early exit from the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League and the Red Devils are seeking some payback.
Manager Alex Ferguson's team will show up in northern France with fresh recollections of a disqualifying loss to the same opponent last season. A 1-0 miracle victory came for Lille over United at the Stade de France on November 2nd 2005 thanks to Milenko AÄÂimoviÄÂ's 38th minute goal.
On the return game at Old Trafford a goalless draw followed and United paid for those underestimated points as they finished the group stage at the bottom of the section. They were level on points with Lille who ended up advancing to the UEFA Cup on goal difference.
The Reds had no such slip up from this term when they secured their progress becoming Group F winners on a 3-1 home victory against SL Benfica on December 6th last year.
They fell behind to a Nélson goal but Nemanja Vidić, Ryan Giggs and Louis Saha scored the goals that carried them through to the next phase. United initiated their campaign with victories over Celtic FC (3-2), SL Benfica (1-0) and FC København (3-0). Then they lost their way briefly with back to back 1-0 loses at København and Celtic.
Manchester United has accomplished reaching the knockout stage for the tenth time in eleven seasons while Lille is at the stage for the first time. Claude Puel's squad assured qualification by beating AC Milan 2-0 in Italy on December 6th with goals by Peter Odemwingie and Kader Keita. The result left them in second place of Group H, a point clear AEK Athens FC.
Lille OSC was affected with UEFA regulations not allowing them to play at their Stade Lille Metropole. Since then they've been undefeated in their “homeâ€Â matches at RC Lens' Stade Felix-Bollaert, where they beat AEK Athens 3-1 and obtained two draws with Milan (0-0) and RSC Anderlecht (2-2). On their visits, they held Anderlecht to 1-1 and lost 1-0 at AEK, their only loss in the group stage which was followed by their upset over Milan .
Before last season, Lille and United had squared off in the 2001/02 UEFA Champions League first group stage. United triumphed 1-0 at Old Trafford in Lille 's first ever UEFA fixture in England . The Reds won with an 89th minute David Beckham goal while on the return match, played at Lens' Stade Félix-Bollaert, the clubs drew 1-1 as Bruno Cheyrou even the sides after Ole Gunnar SolskjÃ&brkbar;r's opening score. Lille 's overall performance with English opponents is respectable, they have two wins, three draws and just one defeat.
In nine trips to France , United has obtained two wins, five draws and two defeats. In general, in the UEFA Champions League, their recent form away has been irregular. On September 10th their win at Benfica was their first since November 2003 and the only success in their last eleven away matches in the competition.
Manchester United's Swedish striker Henrik Larsson is entitled to make his first appearance in the UEFA Champions League after joining on a loan from Helsingborgs IF. The Swede's last show in the competition was in last season's final when he came off the bench to inspire FC Barcelona's comeback victory against Arsenal FC.
Sportbet.com has Manchester United at a very cheap EVEN . The value in that bet is so amazing, I suggest you double down, the Red Devils will be unstoppable this time around in their search for payback. Lille is +250 with a draw of +200 and I wouldn't touch either one. The over 2 -125 sounds great to me while the under 2 EVEN sounds good but not better then the over. On the Asian Line Manchester -½ Even is nice as well while Lille +½ -140 is not.
