What: Champions League Round of 16 – Second leg
Who: Manchester United (0) vs Olympiacos (2) – (First leg scores in brackets)
When: Wednesday 19th March 2014, at 19:45 UK Time
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester, England

Manchester United In Crisis Mode

Manchester United have their season on the line come Wednesday night when they host Olympiacos at Old Trafford. Having failed to stay in the title race and now without hope for even a Champions League berth for next season, David Moyes’ strugglers must now try to remain in the competition this season. If they are to do that and advance to the final eight of the tournament they will have to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit against the Greek giants. 

It looked like a big week for Manchester United’s season as the club prepared to host Liverpool last Sunday with the Olympiacos match, an away fixture to West Ham and the Manchester derby all within a span of nine days. However, Liverpool’s 3-0 thumping of the Red Devils has made everything to come mean that much more. This could end up being a massive series of matches that affects not only the season, but the future of the club itself. Losses to Olympiacos and then to Manchester City could yet see Moyes sacked if some are to be believed. The rumours of dressing room bust-ups and crisis talks in the wake of the Liverpool loss have been widespread.
 
Certainly there is no room for error now. Supporters are demanding a response against Olympiacos that would help lift the doom and gloom surrounding the club at the moment. Striker Wayne Rooney urged supporters to back the side come Wednesday and also spoke this week about the Liverpool defeat. 

"Yesterday [Sunday] was one of the worst days I’ve had in football and was hard to take“, stated Rooney. “Having said that the fans were brilliant right until the end under difficult circumstances so I would like to thank them for that. We need to move on as we have a big game on Wednesday. If the fans can repeat an atmosphere like Sunday, then we will have a good chance of going through.”

Greeks Won’t Bear Gifts

While Olympiacos were not underdoing a crisis of Manchester United’s depth, there were problems with Michel’s side into the lead-up to Saturday’s Greek Super League match against Panthrakikos. Olympiacos had lost their last two league fixtures to bitter rivals Panathinaikos and PAOK and looked to have lost their way since the fantastic first leg win against Manchester United.

However, the feel-good factor seems to have returned to the Piraeus side as they beat Panthrakikos at home 2-0 and clinched their 41st league title in the process. The championship was finally mathematically wrapped up even if the winners had been a foregone conclusion for some time. Now the Greek champions-elect will put all their energy into pulling off one of the greatest achievements in their history, defeating Manchester United to advance to the last eight of the Champions League. It is a feat Olympiacos last pulled off in 1999 when they came minutes away from the competition’s semi-finals before a late Juventus goal sent the Italians through. 

The Greeks are expected to sit back and hit Manchester United on the counter-attack, but Paraguayan striker Nelson Valdez says that his side are prepared to go on the offensive. “Our goal is not to play defensively, despite the advantage that we have from the first match”, he said. “We can take the advantage we have and can finally get a big qualification.”

Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, but with Manchester United needing to score four goals if Olympiacos manage just a single goal in England then it may not be a surprise if Michel sets his team out to go for the goal that could kill off the tie.
 

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Recent form

Manchester United:
Olympiacos 2-0 Manchester United (25/02; Champions League)
West Brom 0-3 Manchester United (08/03; Premier League)
Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool (16/03; Premier League)

Olympiacos:
Olympiacos 0-3 Panathinaikos (02/03; Greek Super League)
PAOK 2-1 Olympiacos (09/03; Greek Super League)
Olympiakos 2-0 Panthrakikos (15/03; Greek Super League)

Key absences

Manchester United: Juan Mata (ineligible); Chris Smalling; Johnny Evans; Nani; Javier Hernandez

Olympiacos: Michael Olaitan; Ariel Ibagaza; Dimitris Siovas

Players to watch

Manchester United – Wayne Rooney: After describing the Liverpool defeat as one of his worst ever days in football, the pressure will be on Rooney even more to produce against Olympiacos. Having signed a lucrative long-term contract with the club recently, supporters will be expecting that Rooney now step up in Manchester United’s biggest match of the season. He looked good against Liverpool, but only in spurts. If he can put together a 90-minute performance of the level he is capable of then Manchester United will have a chance to advance.

Olympiacos – Roberto: The Spanish goalkeeper promises to be a central figure on Wednesday night. Manchester United will surely have the bulk of possession and will try to put the former Atletico Madrid player under pressure from the off. Roberto’s heroics in the group stage against Anderlecht and Benfica helped give Olympiacos the points needed to qualify. If he can add another strong performance at Old Trafford he will certainly forever cement a place in the hearts of Olympiacos supporters.

 
Match Prediction

Manchester United can be expected to come out all guns blazing for this one. With virtually nothing left to play for on the domestic front, continuing in Europe is the only way to salvage something from a miserable season. An early goal would certainly help and then it would be up to Olympiacos to see if they can weather the storm. The Greeks have stumbled as of late in the Super League, some believing it has to do with the title have been wrapped up while others point to deeper problems. Manchester United should come through on the night despite their problems, but Olympiacos may well have enough to sneak through to the final eight of the competition. Manchester United 2-1 Olympiacos.

Betting on Man Utd v Olympiacos? Make sure you read our betting preview first!
 

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