Champions League Tips: Goals await Roma in Russia

Roma's Gervinho scored twice at home to CSKA Moscow

Michael Lintorn offers best bets for the Champions League ties at CSKA Moscow, Paris St-Germain and Sporting Lisbon...

CSKA Moscow v Roma
Tuesday, 17:00
Live on Sky Sports 5

Match Odds: CSKA Moscow 3.052/1, Roma 2.546/4, The Draw 3.55n/a

CSKA Moscow and Roma have both been better than abject Man City in Group E, but not quite good enough to kill off the Premier League champions' challenge: both are a mere two points ahead of their more fancied opponents having collected four apiece from their opening four fixtures.

An even more frequent occurrence than Man City underachieving has been goalkeepers picking the ball out of their nets. Both CSKA Moscow and Roma have conceded in all four encounters and only failed to fire once apiece, when faced with Bayern Munich. There were no clean sheets when the sides met in Rome either as the Italian club won 5-1, or in any of either's dealings with Man City.

Recommended Bet: Back both teams to score @ 1.794/5

Paris St-Germain v Ajax
Tuesday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports Red Button

Match Odds: Paris St-Germain 1.364/11, Ajax 11.010/1, The Draw 5.59/2

Things are finally coming together for Paris St-Germain after a stilted start to the season, with their late win away to Metz their seventh in a row across all competitions. They are actually unbeaten in 19 outings this term despite drawing too many initially and so are in a promising position: a point shy of Ligue 1 leaders Marseille and one clear of Barcelona at the top of Champions League Group F.

There is still a sense that they aren't performing to their full potential though, with four of their most recent six victories in their hot streak obtained by a one-goal margins, including a pair of 1-0 successes against APOEL on Champions League matchdays three and four. They defeated Barcelona 3-2 prior to that in week two.

Recommended Bet: Back Paris St-Germain to win by one goal @ 3.711/4

Sporting Lisbon v Maribor
Tuesday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports Red Button

Match Odds: Sporting Lisbon 1.341/3, NK Maribor 12.011/1, The Draw 5.79/2

Sporting Lisbon achieved their first triumph since returning to the Champions League against Schalke three weeks ago, but trail the German club by one point and lead Maribor by one in the congested battle for second place in Group G.

The Slovenian visitors have been far more competitive than expected and proved that their 0-6 thrashing at Chelsea on matchday three wasn't the derailing loss that it appeared destined to be by holding the Blues 1-1 in the reunion earlier this month. Maribor haven't trailed at half-time in Group G besides when outclassed at Stamford Bridge, and Sporting haven't been in front at the break.

Recommended Bet: Lay Sporting Lisbon to lead at half time @ 1.824/5