Tag: Champions League

Another Defeat For The Foxes

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

LEICESTER suffered another set back at the weekend with their FA Cup exit at League One Millwall and it’s going to get a lot worse on Wednesday night when the Champions of England make the tough trip to the south of Spain to face Sevilla.

The Foxes are having a complete nightmare of a season and Saturday’s FA Cup loss was the low light of what has truly been a staggering collapse from Claudio Ranieri’s side.

Many expected a decline at the King Power, but nobody would’ve predicted that they would be in a relegation battle and without a single win away all season.

This is as tough as it gets in Europe for Leicester and there is no way in the world that can seriously be considered for betting even at the general price 10.00.

Although Leicester has been at their best in the Champions League they arrive at the last 16 stage in the worst form of the season without a win in their last eight matches, with three straight away defeats and no goals scored in those matches.

Sevilla has been the Europa Cup kings in the last couple of seasons and Jorge Sampaoli’s side look absolute good things to win this and odds of 1.40 although very short, will see you collecting.

Los Rojiblancos are a force to be reckoned with at their intimidating Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan home and they’ve been in great form this season sitting in third place in La Liga behind Real Madrid and Barcelona after an impressive seven-match unbeaten run at home.

GOALS LOOK ON THE CARDS

In those seven matches Sevilla have scored a staggering 22 goals and they are expected to add to that tally with a few again against a Leicester side that is conceding goals for fun and I am going to be taking Sevilla on the Asian handicap lines as well -1.5 goals which is 2.05 with BetVictor.

I can’t see Leicester adding to the goals though in this one as main goalscoring duo Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez have gone missing for much of the season, and with clean sheets in their last two home games, I am taking Sevilla to win to nil again at 2.25 with Paddy Power.

For correct-score punters this really could be all over before the return leg in a fortnight’s time and at 10.00 again with Paddy Power you can do a lot worse than back the Spanish giants to win 3-0.

 

Bayern Munich vs. Arsenal: A Recurring Nightmare for Wenger

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

When Arsenal travel to Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on February 15, they’ll do so without the weight of history on their shoulders according to the home side’s winger, Arjen Robben.

Ahead of the Champions League clash, the Dutch star, who knows Arsene Wenger’s tactics inside from his time at Chelsea, believes that previous results won’t matter when the two lock horns again. Although it looks as though Bayern vs. Arsenal is something of an annual affair given that they’ve played three times in the last four years. However, in the annals of time, the two clubs have only played each other ten times.

Unfortunately for Arsenal, only three of those ten matches have gone their way. However, when Robben talks about previous results, we all know he’s not citing the bare stats (Bayern with 5 wins and 2 draws), we all know he’s talking about 2013, 2014 and 2015. If we look beyond the 2015 5-1 drubbing (we know, that’s hard to do), Bayern has knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League twice in recent memory.

Does History Matter?

Now, fans will instantly recall these results, but the big question is will the players? Well, Robben doesn’t believe it will register with his teammates. Talking to ESPN, Robben admitted that Bayern have “happy memories” against Arsenal but they will need to be 100% focused if they’re going to come out on top.

“They are a very strong team. Even stronger than last year. They’re doing very well in the Premier League. We’ve played them a few times over the last few years and always won — we always got through to the next round — but maybe this one will be the toughest one so far,” Robben told ESPN.

Now, when Robben gave this interview back in December, his assessment that Arsenal was doing “very well” in the Premier League was a fair one. Today, however, things aren’t so good. Although fourth in the table after 24 games, Wenger’s men look unlikely to claim the title and may even miss out on a top three finish. A recent 3-1 loss to Chelsea summed up just how far Arsenal are off the pace and, unsurprisingly, renewed the “Wenger out” calls from some fans.

Bayern are the Form Team

In contrast, Bayern is four points clear of RB Leipzig at the top of the Bundesliga with just one loss to their name this season. Add to that the customary winter break in Germany and it not only seems as though Carlo Ancelotti’s side will start with fresh legs but a ton of confidence. In fact, if the players took a moment to look at the latest betting odds they might find a few more reasons to smile.

Sun Bets currently has the home side as the runaway favourites at 1/2, while William Hill appears to have taken the most pity on Arsenal at 9/2 (Coral is offering 11/2 on an Arsenal win). Now, does this all mean Arsenal will roll over and give Bayern an insurmountable lead ahead of the second leg?

Almost certainly not, but the recent performance against Chelsea won’t inspire many. Lazy defending from Theo Walcott contributed to Chelsea’s first goal and saw him subbed in the second half. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mesut Ozil both underperformed, while Alexis Sanchez was isolated throughout. One ray of light in the defeat to Chelsea was Laurent Koscielny who continued to battle even when things were going wrong.

There Will be Goals, but Probably Not for Arsenal

Based on those performances, Arsenal will either have to play out of their skins on February 15 to get some sort of result or simply accept they are going to struggle. Looking through the best options, 16/1 from Sun Bets on a 0-0 could have an outside chance of giving you some value. Arsenal’s players will know their best chance of avoiding elimination and progressing in the competition is to steal a draw in Germany and knick a win at the Emirates. Assuming Koscielny can inspire some sort of skill and desire in the likes of Shkodran Mustafi, Arsenal may have a chance of shutting Bayern down.

However, that certainly won’t be easy. With the likes of Robert Lewandowski and the aforementioned Robben running riot in the Bundesliga (21 goals between them), it’s hard to see how Arsenal get this one done. Assuming history repeats itself, the smart money in this game will be on Bayern to score at least two. Over 2.5 goals is a fairly uninspiring 6/10 at Coral, so if you’re looking for some scorecast value, something like 2-0 Bayern (7/1 at Coral) or even 3-1 Bayern (10/1 at Coral) could be good options.

Unfortunately, if you’re an Arsenal fan, February 15 looks as though it’s going to be a long night. Maybe the Gunners can do their trick of upping their game when it counts and get a result. However, all the signs seem to be pointing towards a comfortable win for Bayern Munich on this occasion.

Manchester City vs. Celtic: Why Pressure Could Upset the Odds

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Manchester City’s season could be on the brink of an implosion unless they can find their form in the Champions League this week. Following an explosive loss to Chelsea in the Premier League, during which Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho were sent off for City, Pep Guardiola’s side looks to be in trouble.

Fourth in the Premier League after 14 games thanks to two losses and three draws, the Sly Blues are starting to look like long shots for domestic success. With that reality starting to set in, the pressure will now be on in the Champions League. Up until this point in the season, City’s fans were able to forgive a lacklustre European campaign because Premier League glory was a distinct possibility.

However, with the tide turning against the Manchester side, expectations in the Champions League will now be heightened. Under normal circumstances, a showdown with Scottish outfit Celtic would be the perfect way for Manchester City to rally and get back on track. But, through a combination of current pressure and previous performances, things might not be so simple when the two sides meet on December 6.

Previous Pressure Could Work Well this Time Around

Last time out it was the Scottish champions who pressed the action inside Celtic Park. Within three minutes the home site went ahead through Moussa Dembele and by halftime the match was poised at 2-2. Although City was able to re-find their form in the second half, the game finished 3-3. Naturally, a point in Group C means different things to different teams, and while Celtic fans went home smiling, the same couldn’t be said for City’s faithful.

Although Guardiola has managed to fire a rocket up his team’s proverbial in subsequent Champions League matches, the fact remains that City are second in the group and in danger of being overtaken by Borussia Mönchengladbach. Whichever way you slice it, City are under pressure and that could tell when the two teams meet this week. Although the latest betting line at Sun Bets would suggest otherwise, this game could actually be closer than many expect.

Indeed, a £10 bet on Man City with Sun Bets would currently return you a relatively meagre profit of £3.33 (1/3 odds). In contrast, £10 the opposite way would net you an infinitely more impressive £85 return (15/2). In fact, when you look out across the rest of the betting world, you’ll see a similar story. Ladbrokes also have Manchester City as the 1/3 and Celtic at 8/1, while Sky Bet will give you identical odds on the Sky Blues but 7/1 on Scotland’s finest.

Don’t Count on the Odds

Of course, as we all know, the odds only tell half the story. We already know that City is a team on the back foot. The recent 3-1 defeat to Chelsea could obviously generate one of two reactions. Either City will come out against Celtic with their heads down, or they’ll be hungry to bounce back and fight for some success this season.

In contrast, Celtic recently came through a similarly explosive match at Motherwell with a 4-3 victory. Although it wasn’t the prettiest of performances, Brendan Rogers’ side did manage to clinch all three points and that could be extremely important on December 6. If we compare City’s and Celtic’s Champions League stats this season, the former’s are far superior. City’s five games, two wins, two draws and one loss is backed up by 11 scored and nine conceded. For Celtic, no wins and 15 goals against are signs of a side struggling to match the firepower of Europe’s top clubs.

Unsurprisingly, it’s these stats which have helped to make Man City the heavy betting favourites. But, if we look beyond the numbers, there could be a glint of optimism for Celtic fans. Unlike City who seemed to falter under the pressure, Celtic came through a heated game with a win. Being able to handle the pressure of a tempestuous game is a sign of a team that knows how to grind out a win in a dogfight.

Some Rough and Tumble Could Suit Celtic

If Celtic can travel to Manchester and drag their opponents into the trenches, they could easily cause an upset. A few crunching tackles, a goal against the run of play or even a refusal to roll over and play dead would really put the pressure on City. In short, any chinks in City’s armour could easily be exposed if things get heated. Now, that’s not to say Celtic will romp home if the home side lose the plot, but it does mean they have a chance.

9/2 on a draw with Sun Bets looks to be a solid bet, but if you really fancy Celtic to rattle an increasingly frail-looking City, 2-1 at 20/1 could be a great shout. Yes, it’s a long shot and no you shouldn’t wager too much on it. However, if you’re looking to add some extra spice to what could be an extremely entertaining game, this could be the way to go.

When all is said and done, Manchester City should come away with a comfortable win on December 6. But, if Celtic can stick the boot in and expose the obvious pressure Guardiola’s men are feeling at the moment, we might well see an upset in the Champions League.

Sporting Lisbon vs. Real Madrid: Will Injury Issues Hurt Real?

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Real Madrid might be firing on all cylinders in La Liga this season, but the Spanish side’s form in the Champions League has been far from vintage. With two wins and two draws, one of which was against bottom of Group E Legia Warsaw, Real Madrid are currently second in the table behind Dortmund.

Although Zinedine Zidane’s men have yet to taste defeat in La Liga or the Champions League this season, they’ve certainly been tested. In fact, the last time Real squared-off against Sporting Lisbon, the players found themselves on the back foot for much of the game.

Despite playing at home, the current champions were unable to find a break against Sporting in the first half and eventually fell behind within three minutes of the restart. Thanks to some solid forward pressure by the likes of Gelson Martins and Bas Dost, Sporting finally got their reward courtesy of Cesar.

Defensive Frailties Cost Real

A series of defensive blunders from Luka Modric and Sergio Ramos gave the visitors the break they’d been searching for and they didn’t waste their opportunity. Unfortunately, Real’s attacking prowess was always there in the background and, despite being under the cosh, two late strikes from Cristiano Ronaldo and Alvaro Morata stole a victory from the jaws of defeat.

Although the record books will show that Real Madrid won the match, the details certainly don’t reflect well on a side looking to defend its Champions League title. So why did Zidane’s men struggle? One thing’s for sure, it wasn’t for a lack of opportunities. According to the stats, Real had 15 shots during the game; 11 of which were inside the box. The problem, however, is that just three of those were on target.

That kind of strike-to-target ratio is simply not good enough in the Champions League. Indeed, when you consider that Sporting had seven shots on target and an accuracy rating of 66.7%, it’s easy to see how they almost nicked the game with a single goal.

Of course, all the blame doesn’t sit with the frontline. Sporting’s goal came as the result of a defensive error and, throughout the game, it didn’t look as though Ramos, Marcelo and Daniel Carvajal were working in unison. In fact, this defensive frailty was also evident during Real’s 3-3 draw with Legia Warsaw.

Odds Favour Madrid but Dynamics Could Help Sporting

This time around, the bookmakers aren’t predicting any major upsets. However, given the last match was so tight, this could be a mistake. Sun Bets currently has the home side as the 4/1 outsiders while Madrid is coming in at 3/5. Paddy Power’s team are equally pessimistic about Sporting’s chances with identical odds on a home win and 8/15 on the visitors taking all three points.

What appears to be missing from the analysis here is Real’s propensity to make mistakes at the back. While it’s true that Sporting have only managed four goals in four games, Jorge Jesus’ men have shown they’re capable of some tough forward pressure. Moreover, we already know that Cesar and Dost are more than capable of capitalising on defensive mistakes.

It’s also worth noting that Real will be heading into the match after what promises to be a tough derby game against Atletico Madrid. As is the case in any derby game, passion can often give rise to some crunching tackles and unexpected knocks. If that proves to be the case, Real could be in for a tough night on November 22.

With Morata diagnosed with a grade 2 muscle injury to his hamstring following international duty, Madrid can’t afford to lose any more players before their next Champions League match. Indeed, if Morata isn’t at full fitness, it could turn this match into a real slugfest. Although a Sporting win might be too much of a stretch, there could be some value in a draw. Coral is currently offering 3/1 on that result and, if Morata misses the game, there’s certainly a chance this could happen.

There’s Value in a Repeat

Of course, if you feel that Real will still have too much for Sporting and you want to get a little more specific, a score cast could be profitable. As we know, Madrid can score, but they can also concede. With this in mind, another 2-1 prediction in favour of the visitors could see you earn 7/1 on your stake at Coral.

On paper, this game should see Real Madrid clinch another three points. However, given the previous game and the current injury issues, things may not go to plan when the Spanish giants travel to Lisbon on November 22.

Champions League Betting Preview: Arsenal, Man City and Bayern

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The latest round of UEFA Champions League action is set to get underway on October 19 and this time around there’s not an easy game in sight (unless you’re Arsenal). While it’s fair to say there aren’t many easy games in the Champions League, this week’s selection of showdowns looks particularly tough for the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Celtic.

Arsenal vs. Ludogorets

With so many tough games to pick through, let’s start with opponents that shouldn’t pose much of a threat to the Gunners: Ludogorets. The Bulgarian champions are far from the biggest names in the competition, but that’s not to say they’ll just come in and roll over for Arsenal. Indeed, an early goal against Paris St Germain almost caused an upset, while a point away at Basel will go down as one of the club’s standout performances of the last decade.

On top of Ludogorets’ propensity to make it difficult for teams, Arsenal have been known to squander “easy” points in the competition before. In fact, you only have to cast your minds back to last season’s home defeat to Olympiacos and you’ll remember the anguish on Arsene Wenger’s face when his side almost failed to make it out of the group stages.

This time around, however, Arsenal should secure a home win before taking a further three points on their trip to Bulgaria. A quick look at Sun Bets’ odds sees the home side enter the match as the overwhelming betting favourites at 1/8. On the other side of the coin, Ludogorets are the proverbial underdogs at 18/1. If you do fancy hedging your bets and believe the Bulgarians can replicate their result against Basel, 15/2 on the draw is a bet you certainly shouldn’t dismiss outright.

Barcelona vs. Manchester City

While Arsenal should be enjoying a gentle Champions League stroll on Wednesday October 19, Barcelona and Manchester City will be engaged in what promises to be another high octane showdown. Despite City’s issues with UEFA in recent years, Pep Guardiola is a man on a mission in the Champions League this season.

City’s 4-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach last month was just the tonic the club needed, and has since inspired the players to even greater things in the Premier League. However, Monchengladbach and Barcelona are two different beasts and no one will know that more acutely than Guardiola. Having taken Barcelona to Champions League success in 2008/2009, the Spaniard not only knows what it’s like to win the competition, but what makes Barcelona tick.

Unfortunately, as if a group stage match against Barcelona wasn’t enough, City will have to travel to the fabled Nou Camp on Wednesday night. To compound that fact, a three-game winless run means the pressure will be on when the tackles start to fly. For analysts and fans alike, the current problem with City seems to be a lack of tactical consistency.

Guardiola doesn’t seem to have found a groove he likes, and despite sitting atop of the Premier League, there’s still work to do if he’s going to mount a serious challenge in the Champions League. In contrast, Barcelona aren’t short of goals at the moment and a 4-0 win over Deportivo last Saturday just goes to prove that (as does September’s 7-0 hammering of Celtic).

Although there have been some bumps in the road of late (i.e. a 2-1 loss to Alaves on September 10), the Spanish side will enjoy a slight advantage heading into the game. Of course, if you’re not quite sure how the land lies before the kickoff, there’s always the option of making an in-play bet. At bet365 this week you can earn a free in-play bet for the Barcelona vs. City game by making a pre-match wager.

As advertised, you can get a free in-play bet by: “placing a bet before kick-off then, once the game starts, place another bet on any In-Play market. If your FIRST In-Play bet loses we will refund this stake, up to the same value as your largest pre-match bet (max refund £50*)”.

As it stands, Barcelona are 8/15 for the win, while City will start the game as the 5/1 underdogs. A draw with bet365 will return you 15/4 on your money and if you want the latest live odds you’ll have to check out the site during the game for the best prices.

Bayern Munich vs. PSV Eindhoven

The other standout fixture in the Champions League this week is Bayern Munich vs. PSV Eindhoven. Two veterans of the competition, the odds would suggest that Munich will come away with a comfortable win, but they certainly can’t take things for granted. PSV haven’t lost in five matches, and while those results have been mainly draws, Phillip Cocu’s side have shown they have a certain amount of resilience on the pitch.

In fact, when you look at Munich’s last five results there’s not much more to get excited about. A 3-0 win against Hertha back in September was then followed by a 1-0 win over Hamburger SV before a loss to Atletico Madrid. Despite a less than stellar string of performances, Munich are currently commanding odds of 2/9 at Ladbrokes while PSV are the 12/1 outsiders. However, if you’re looking for a value bet based on recent form, 11/2 on the draw is more than worth a look. Although Munich are undoubtedly the better side, nothing is ever guaranteed in the Champions League; especially when the opponents are as experienced as PSV.

Champions League – Real Madrid v Juventus

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Juventus have been the surprise package of the Champions League this season but they are being taken very seriously now. The deservedly ran out 2-1 winners of their semi-final first leg against Real Madrid in Turin and must fancy their chances of eliminating the champions on Wednesday night.

Barcelona fell to a 3-2 defeat against Bayern Munich on Tuesday but the result of the tie was never in any doubt. A 3-0 win in the first leg have put them in an unassailable position and it was really just a case of going through the motions. There should be more fire and passion about Wednesday night’s encounter.

Juventus were cut from 9-1 to 6-1 to win the Champions League after the first leg and are only around even money to reach the final. Real Madrid are still leaning heavily on Cristiano Ronaldo, although there is a chance that Benzema may play some part here. He has been injured for around a month so I cannot see him lasting the full ninety minutes.

Juventus do welcome back Paul Pogba who scored on his return at the weekend. That should have been enough to earn his place in the starting line-up. With Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo also in the midfield, they look to have enough strength to cause the home side serious problems. Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata were outstanding in the first leg and the former is certainly worth supporting to score at some point in the match.

Real Madrid have only failed to score at home twice in the past four seasons. Ronaldo looks good value to open the scoring but I believe that Juventus have enough resilience to hold their own in this tie. They are dominant in their domestic league and there is a growing belief that Real Madrid are vulnerable.

I don’t think it will be a thrilling match so it is probably best to go low on goals and the 1-1 scoreline makes some appeal, a result that would send Juventus through to the final.

Cristiano Ronaldo to score first @10-3 Ladbrokes

Carlos Tevez to score at any time @3-1 Boylesports

Real Madrid 1 Juventus 1 @15-2 Paddy Power

Goals under 2.5 @11-10 Paddy Power