Home and Away: Galatasaray to make home advantage pay against Schalke

20Feb 2013

Betfair

Jonno Turner looks to the Champions League and the Championship to provide two selections for todays Home and Away column.

We're off to Turkey for our first pick of the day - and Galatasaray welcome Schalke to the Turk Telekom Arena, looking to make their home advantage in the first leg of this UEFA Champions League second round tie count.

Fatih Terim's side have been impressive in both the group stage of this competition, and domestically - and line up for this one sitting top of the Super Lig - six points ahead of second placed rivals Fenerbahce.

That will give them much confidence ahead of this clash, and the January additions of Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba - who scored his first goal for the Cimbom on Friday - have made the rest of Europe sit up and take notice.

Terim now has a quality squad to play with, and could welcome Emmanuel Eboue back into the side at right back - but will miss Johan Elmander who is absent through injury.

Three wins on the bounce in front of their own fans is the perfect preparation for this clash, and Gala will be desperate not to throw away their home advantage without securing three points.

And this could be the perfect time for them to play the Germans - for Jens Keller's side is out of form and missing key players ahead of this encounter.

No wins from their last four games will have knocked confidence in the away camp, and that will not be helped by the absence of the likes of Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Ibrahim Afellay, Ciprian Marica and Atsuto Uchida this evening.

A dozen goals shipped in their last five games suggests that the Konigsblauen are likely to concede against a Gala side full of vigour and momentum, and they will be looking to nick an all-important away goal here.

But four unbeaten in this competition will have Terim's side eyeing that Quarter Final place, and I can see them getting one foot in the next round tonight.

Bet 1: Galatasaray (HOME) @ 2.26

Back to more familiar climes now, and we're off to West Yorkshire - as Leeds United line up against a Blackpool side who appointed new boss Paul Ince yesterday.

The hosts are a little off colour at the moment, and their draining 4-0 thrashing by Man City on Sunday capped a miserable run which has seen them go four games without a win.

That poor form has seen the Whites drop to 13th in the Championship, and boss Neil Warnock will be desperate for his side to get back to winning ways here.

But eight goals shipped in that time suggests that the United defence is susceptible to conceding a goal or two, and that will be of particular interest to Blackpool, who have notched six in their last four away from Bloomfield Road.

The Seasiders go into this one in inconsistent form, but two hard-fought wins from their last four proves that they are capable of taking three points on their day.

And one player who will be particularly buoyed by Ince's appointment will be his son, Thomas - who has notched four from his last four outings ahead of this game, and has the quality to turn a match by himself.

Blackpool have won their last three meetings with Leeds, and I expect them to continue that hoodoo this evening, with Paul Ince securing his first three points in the hotseat.

Bet 2: Blackpool (AWAY) @ 2.98