Football Champions League 20th Feb

This Wednesday sees the conclusion of the opening legs of the Champions League last 16. Here is our guide to the best of the bets from these two games.

It is a sign of how the mighty Milan have fallen that the multiple European Champions are as big as 108/17 (pinnacle) to win a Champions League home game. The opponents are the mighty Barcelona who are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with the San Siro side (winning four and drawing three). This tie will be their fifth encounter in the last two seasons of the Champions League. In general the signs are not encouraging for the Italians who somehow managed to make it through the group stages without a single home win. Milan can take small heart from the fact that Barcelona have won just two of their last five away in the Champions League. The Italians are also in good form with four wins and two draws from their last six games. The draw is a best priced 73/21 (pinnacle) while the away victory is available at 4/7 (paddy Power).

Milan though will be hampered by the fact that Mario Balotelli is cup-tied while Stephan El Shaarawy is likely to miss the game with tendonitis. The Spaniards should come through though at those prices I will look around for a better bet.

In a tough game to call why not take a little interest in the time of the first booking market. bet365 are going 5/6 that it comes under the first 30 minutes and I think that will be the case. No side has picked up more bookings than Milan in the group stages (17) while no side has had more possesion of the football than Barcelona. These things combine together to make this worth a small interest.

The second game of the evening pits galatasaray against Schalke. If the game had been played in December I would have suggested Schalke would progress, two months later and the momentum seems very much with the Turkish team. The big-name signings of Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder should provide a huge boost while the German side have lost a manager, a key player (Lewis Holtby) and an awful lot of games (just two league wins in the last three months). The Turkish side are 5/4 (general) for victory on the night while the draw is a best priced 88/35 (Pinnacle) and an away win is 23/9 (Pinnacle). If Schalke can take any encouragement it is from the way they have played in Europé this season winning three and drawing three of their six group games. In addition away from home in the Champions League they have lost just one of their last eight (at Old Trafford). I still like the look of the Turkish side though with this away form in mind maybe it is best to move the bet into the ’to qualify market’ where they can be backed at 31/20 (You Win) to progress.

One bet I do like the look of in the game is in the goalscorer markets where Michel Bastos is 10/1 (general) to score the opening goal or 7/2 (Blue Sq/888 Sport/BWin) in the anytime scorer market. With all eyes on big name strikers Didier Drogba, Umur Bulut and Klaas Jan Huntelaar he has slipped through the radar. The Brazilian has grabbed three in three games, including two last time out.

BEST OF THE BETS

GOLD: galatasaray to qualify v Schalke, 31/20 (You Win)
SILVER: Michel Bastos to score v Galatasary, first, 10/1 (general), anytime 7/2 (Blue Sq/888 Sport/BWin)
BRONZE: First booking Milan v Barcelona, under 30 mins, 5/6 (bet365)

Go To bet365

#Ad

20/02/2013     © Frixo 2024