Wednesday December 09, 2015 19:45pm – KAA Gent Stadium

Recent form (all competitions)

KAA Gent: DWWWW

Zenit: DLWWL

A win will be enough to send KAA Gent through to the knockout phase of the Champions League for the first time in their history, but they will need to beat a Zenit team aiming for a 100% win ratio in this year’s campaign.

Destiny in Gent’s hands

Second-ranked KAA Gent can confirm their status as runners-up in Group H with a win on Wednesday night. If they draw or lose against group winners Zenit, they can still qualify, but only if Valencia fail to defeat Lyon in the group’s other game.

The good news for the Belgian team is that their home record is excellent, with just a single competitive defeat in their last 22 matches. However, they are facing a Zenit side that are just one win away from becoming only the sixth team in history to play out a perfect group stage campaign.

It has been 15 years since a Belgian side made it beyond the first round of the competition (Anderlecht 2000/01). Whatever happens on Wednesday night, Gent will be playing European football next year as they are guaranteed a spot in the Europa League.

Brecht Dejaegere, Lasse Nielsen and Danijel Milicevic are all on the doubtful list for Gent, while Thomas Matton and Nicklas Pedersen are both set to miss out.

Zenit looking for perfection

Zenit may have already qualified but they will not be taking this game lightly. With the Russian league now on a winter break until March, Andre Villa-Boas is expected to name a full strength squad as his side goes in search of their sixth straight win in Group H.

Only six teams have ever won all six of their Champions’ League group stage games, the last being Real Madrid who achieved the feat in the 2014/15 campaign. However, their task will be difficult against a Gent side that has a very good record on home soil.

Zenit midfielder Axel Witsel will be banned for this game, while Viktor Fayzulin will also miss out through injury. Igor Smolnikov remains on the doubtful list.

Prediction

Zenit have scored in 10 of their last 11 away matches in all competitions, and have managed five goals in their two away games in Group H so far. Gent have scored in their last 22 competitive home games. You can back Both Teams to Score at 10/11 with Betfair.