Champs League = to qualify

[MARTINLAURSEN]

havent seen a thread for this yet (odds with totesport) teams to qualify

man utd 2/5 vs ac milan 7/4
bayern munich 4/7 vs fiorentina 5/4
sevilla 1/3 vs cska 9/4
arsenal 1/3 vs porto 9/4
chelsea 8/15 vs inter 11/8
real madrid 1/3 vs lyon 9/4
bordeaux 1/2 vs olympiakos 6/4
barcelona 1/9 vs stuttgart 5/1

im not interested in the champs league YET as im a villa fan!!!
but to make it more appealing a small stake on utd, bayern, sevilla, arsenal, chelsea, madrid, bordeaux and barcelona. I think all the seeded teams are a lot stronger this year than their opposition, only the milans may cause an upset from what i can read into it.

opinions welcome!

[ultravires]

AC Milan 7/4 is a nice price as I think this tie is going to be very close. AC are a lot more dynamic than their neighbours who Man U wiped aside last year.

The rest look pretty likely to go with the odds to my mind. With my teams nowhere to be seen I am supporting Sevilla as I am a huge fan of their play and I think they could make waves this year.

[marron]

Milan have been awful whenever i have watched them in the league this year, lacking creativity, whilst Ronaldinho has been a major disappointment for me.

I think Bordeaux @ 1/2 are great value to qualify against Olympiakos. They have opened a good 9 point lead at the top of their league and played very well in the group stages winning 5 and drawing one against Bayern Munich, Juventus and Maccabi.

Olympiakos beat Arsenal in their final group match but that Arsenal team were severely under strength. They only scored 4 and conceded 5 goals in their 6 games to qualify so never put in a performance that made people sit up and take notice.

Also, the 2nd leg is in France which could be a key factor.

[RealGreen]

These are only outrights worth betting on (also maybe Bordeaux/olympiakos as mentioned above). The rest I'd concentrate on individual games, and also individual games for these. Especially concentrate on the 2nd leg because what happens in the first leg usually determines the 2nd leg if you follow the angles.

Milan v. United (United at 1.5)
-Milan are a trainwreck that can barely finish games in Serie A. And United are on fire right now.

Bayern v. Fiorentina (Bayern at 1.5)
-Bayern seem to have made a comeback, opposite of Fiorentina who did awesome in the group stages but are shaking a bit. Bayern should be able to score enough at home secure a win even if they loose in Italy.

Chelsea v. Inter (Chelsea 1.5)
-Inter are cursed at these stages of the CL. And Chelsea have been frustrated way too long. So... they both are out for revenge, yet Chelsea seems a huge favourite here especially at what they can do at home even if Inter pull a miracle at their own home.

[spinctz]

I was thinking about a double that includes Bayern to qualify and Manchester United to qualify . I think Bayern is clearly too much for Fiorentina to handle and now that Mutu will be suspended their chances to qualify are almost zero . About Manchester vs AC Milan my argument is that Premier League level is way over Seria A and the recent results between english and italian teams are in my favor . Of course Liverpool lost against Fiorentina in both games this season but Liverpool is not anymore the team we all know . The odds of 2.4 for this double are very good so I'll take it with 7/10 units.
Good luck to all with your selections !!!

[Rob the I ty]

There is some good value on Porto @3.00. They've been here before and they almost took out a great Man U team last season. Arsenal have struggled as of late and perhaps their lack of depth is getting to them. Porto have been in good form lately as well.

[Rob the I ty]

Originally Posted by marron

Milan have been awful whenever i have watched them in the league this year, lacking creativity, whilst Ronaldinho has been a major disappointment for me.

I think Bordeaux @ 1/2 are great value to qualify against Olympiakos. They have opened a good 9 point lead at the top of their league and played very well in the group stages winning 5 and drawing one against Bayern Munich, Juventus and Maccabi.

Olympiakos beat Arsenal in their final group match but that Arsenal team were severely under strength. They only scored 4 and conceded 5 goals in their 6 games to qualify so never put in a performance that made people sit up and take notice.

Also, the 2nd leg is in France which could be a key factor.

I don't see how 1.50 is great value for a team who has never been at this stage of the CL up against a team that may be inferior has been at this stage numerous times before.

[Rob the I ty]

I like Inter to get by Chelsea as well @2.50, but I would be a little greedy and go for Inter to win the CL outright @15.00.

[SpiritOf67]

AC Milan v Man Utd- Man Utd to qualify- 1/2

Premiership teams have an excellent record against Serie A teams in recent years with the high tempo English game overcoming the slower, more tactical Italian approach. I've watched Milan a few times this season and they have been a mixed bag. In the 2nd half of the game they won in the Bernabeu they were excellent, Pato was a class act and Seedorf controlled the midfield. I also watched them overrun by Marseille's superior speed and stamina in the San Siro later in the group stages.

Milan's Serie A form has been patchy and while Ronaldinho is coming into top form and Huntelaar is scoring goals I just see Man Utd having too much for an old Milan side. Over the last few seasons Ferguson has played a 4-5-1/ 4-3-3 defensive system away in Europe and it has been very successful. Man Utd may not be the team of recent years and look vulnerable away against decent teams domestically but I just feel the legs and energy of Fletcher/Anderson/Carrick/Park in midfield will wear down this Milan side. Utd went to the San Siro at this stage last year and held Inter to a 0-0 and I can see a similar low scoring draw in Italy with Utd finishing the job in front of a packed Old Trafford with Rooney thriving under the floodlights at Old Trafford.


Inter v Chelsea - Chelsea to qualify - 1/2

Similar reasoning here. Every season Inter are bigged up as potential winners yet always fall at this hurdle. Chelsea have had some poor recent domestic results away from home and haven't been playing particularly well but I'd be shocked if they went out at this stage. They haven't won this competition but they have been losing finalists and semi finalists many times and Ancelotti will be desperate to bring European success.

Chelsea had too much for Juventus in the knockout stages last year and while Inter are a better side than their Turin counterparts I can't see Inter being able to contain Didier Drogba in this season's form and he can blast Chelsea through to the quarter finals.


Man Utd & Chelsea to qualify - Double
5/4(2.25) - Bet365

[Kosher Readies]

Originally Posted by Rob the I ty

There is some good value on Porto @3.00. They've been here before and they almost took out a great Man U team last season. Arsenal have struggled as of late and perhaps their lack of depth is getting to them. Porto have been in good form lately as well.

Yeah, I like this too, especially if Porto can take a lead to the Emirates which I think they will. Arsenal with no Arshavin and Gallas tonight.

Porto more than capable of scoring goals in London also