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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREVIEW

Chelsea need to repeat their Anfield heroics to get a good result away to Barcelona

Barcelona/Chelsea, 7.45pm, ITV1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Whereas the thought of Chelsea and Liverpool clashing again in the Champions League this season was greeted gloomily, the fifth pairing of Barcelona and the Blues in ten years has been eagerly anticipated. Hopefully it won’t fail to match expectations like Barca’s semi-final encounters with Manchester United did last season:

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ADVANTAGE BARCELONA?
Chelsea haven’t won a Champions League game at the Nou Camp - losing two and drawing two - and Barcelona have a fantastic home record this season - winning 22, drawing three and losing just two of their 27 games there this season. They have scored in every home match since last year’s semi-final first leg against Manchester United. Chelsea haven’t won any of their last seven Champions League matches on foreign soil. Pep Guardiola’s side are generally available at 8/11.

Posted: April 28th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment comment

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREVIEW

Five stats about Barcelona’s clash with Bayern Munich

Barcelona/Bayern, 7.45pm, Sky Sports 3, Free Bets, Best Odds

These two teams are the highest scorers in this year’s Champions League so this clash has the potential to be the most exciting of this year’s competition so far. Last year’s “dream match” between Barcelona and Manchester United was such a letdown that even Liverpool/Chelsea managed to be more exciting. Hopefully this one won’t go the same way:

1. The two sides last met ten seasons ago in the Champions League group stages. On that occasion Bayern Munich won both ties, triumphing 1-0 at home and 2-1 away. The German side are 28/1 with Boylesports to win by that scoreline tonight.

2. Barcelona are yet to keep a home clean sheet in the tournament proper this season and have conceded five goals in their last two European matches at the Nou Camp.

Posted: April 8th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment comment

FOOTBALL BETTING

Will Spurs and Manchester City’s woeful away form ruin their UEFA Cup prospects?

Two poor domestic travellers visit the Ukraine and Denmark

Tottenham and Manchester City have been two of the poorest away sides in the Premier League this season but so far their domestic struggles on the road haven’t hampered their UEFA Cup bids.  Tonight though both face tough tasks, with Spurs facing Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk and the Citizens travelling to Copenhagen. Here are all the important stats:

Shakhtar Donetsk v Tottenham (6.45pm, Five)
Tottenham have won just two of twelve Premier League away games this season and are only marginally better in cup competition, with two wins to show from their last six on the road. Redknapp has won just one of his last four European away games with West Ham, Portsmouth and Spurs. Their Ukrainian opponents were the best team not to qualify to the last sixteen of the Champions League. They won five of their eight games in the competition and became the only club to beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp this season. With Redknapp leaving players behind in London, Spurs may struggle.

FC Copenhagen v Manchester City (7.05pm, BBC3)

Posted: February 19th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment comment

COPA DEL REY PREVIEW

Mallorca are 14/1 with Bet365 to repeat their May heroics

Barcelona/Mallorca, 8.30pm, Sky Sports 3, Free Bets, Best Odds

Real Mallorca travel to Barcelona for tonight’s Copa del Rey semi-final first-leg hoping to relive their win there last May, when they came back from 2-0 down to become the only side besides Real Madrid and Villarreal to win a league match at the Nou Camp in the last three years.

Bet365 offer 14/1 on the visitors being victorious again but Barcelona haven’t lost a domestic home game since that day, with the Catalan club winning twelve and drawing just two this season. Just last month they overcame Mallorca, who are currently embroiled in a relegation battle and have won just one away game all season, 3-1.

Like Barcelona, Mallorca are unbeaten in this year’s competition which may make the 7/2 available at Paddy Power on them not losing (double chance) appetising. It is also worth noting that while Pep Guardiola’s side are the most successful in the competition’s history, they haven’t reached the final in eleven years and have lost out at this stage in the last two. Bet365 go 15/2 on Mallorca triumphing over two legs.

Posted: February 5th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment comment

BIG MATCH PREVIEW

Five reasons why Ramos won’t be beaten in El Clasico

Barcelona/Real Madrid, 9pm Sat, Sky Spts 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

Real Madrid breezed past Zenit 3-0 last night but Juande Ramos’ first league game is a much tougher proposition as they travel to league leaders Barcelona. Former coach Bernd Schuster said last week that victory was “impossible” and the bookies agree, with Paddy Power offering 11/8 on Real Madrid avoiding defeat, while Betfair price the draw at 3/1 and the away win at 5.4/1. Here are five reasons why the champions can get a result though:

1. Real Madrid have lost just three of their last seventeen meetings with Barcelona and are unbeaten in five.

2. The fact the game is being played at the Nou Camp isn’t really a disadvantage for los blancos. They haven’t lost any of their last three visits and were victorious there last season.

Posted: December 12th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment comment