Video Information
Steaua vs 
Basel Preview
Champions League Preview: Steaua Bucharest - Basel
The visiting side will be hoping its fantastic away win to Chelsea can be repeated when it travels to face the eastern European club.Steaua Bucharest will be striving for its first Champions League group stage win since 2006 when the club hosts Basel on Tuesday.The Romanian champion has faced Chelsea and Schalke so far this season in Group E and was defeated in both games, conceding a total of seven goals in the process without scoring.
Steaua will be looking to take its domestic form into the Champions League after winning eight and drawing one of its first nine matches of the campaign to set the pace at the top of the table.A 4-0 away victory at Viitorul Constanta on Friday proved to be the perfect preparation for the visit of Basel. The form of Italian attacker Federico Piovaccari has played a significant part in the side's successful start to the season as he has scored five goals in seven league appearances, but Basel heads to Bucharest in a confident mood.
Murat Yakin's side is also sitting at the top of its own domestic league with 25 points from 12 games and the club's away form has been a particular highlight in recent weeks.The Swiss champion has played 11 matches in all competitions on the road and has yet to lose, with the last five away fixtures ending in victory.Basel's start to this season's Champions League, though, has been mixed. A 2-1 victory at Chelsea on matchday one was the first time the club has won a competitive match in England, but Basel's good work was undone by 1-0 defeat against Schalke last time out.
The match will be remembered more for a Greenpeace protest against Champions League and Schalke sponsors Gazprom, but the Germans left Switzerland with all three points thanks to Julian Draxler's second-half strike.Yakin will be able to rely upon a full-strength squad for the trip. Giovanni Sio is serving a domestic suspension, but he is free to play in Europe, while Marcelo Diaz will be available after returning late from international duty.Steaua coach Laurentiu Reghecampf also has no pressing injury concerns and has been boosted by the return of star midfielder Alexandru Chipciu, who played his first match since May in the win over Viitorul.
LAST FIVE MATCHES
Steaua
Oct 1, 2013 Steaua 0 - Chelsea 4 UCL
Sep 18, 2013 Schalke04 3 - Steaua 0 UCL
Aug 27, 2013 Legia Warsaw 2 - Steaua 2 UCL
Aug 21, 2013 Steaua 1 - Legia Warsaw 1 UCL
Aug 6, 2013 Steaua 1 - Dinamo Tbilisi 1 UCL
Basel
Oct 19, 2013 Basel 3 - Sankt Gallen 0 SUI1
Oct 6, 2013 LS 1 - Basel 2 SUI1
Oct 1, 2013 Basel 0 - Schalke 04 1 UCL
Sep 28, 2013 Basel 2 - FC Sion 2 SUI1
Sep 25, 2013 FC Thun 0 - Basel 2 SUI1
0 Comment