Tag: Champions League

Europa League Final – Chelsea v Benfica Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Chelsea take the field for the 68th time this season when they meet Benfica in the final of the Europa League on Wednesday night. Having started the season with so many opportunities for silverware they now find themselves at the last chance saloon. Ironically it is the one competition that they did not want to be in that could provide them with something to celebrate after seven trophies have slipped through their grasp.

Rafael Benitez has few friends at Stamford Bridge but has at least salvaged a little pride by sealing a Champions League spot with a 2-1 win at Villa Park last weekend. Chelsea were grateful to their much-maligned skipper Frank Lampard for his two goals and it was fitting that he should break the record as Chelsea’s leading goalscorer in the process. Lampard may not be finished for the season just yet as an injury to Eden Hazard has reduced the midfield options for Benitez against a Benfica side that are certainly worthy of respect.

In the absence of Hazard, a leg-weary Juan Mata will once again be expected to pull the strings for the Blues. He has been Chelsea’s best player this season despite having been on international duty throughout the summer for his country. He admitted that he and the squad were feeling the strain after a laboured performance at Old Trafford, albeit a crucial winning one. Their attacking options are also limited with Demba Ba cup-tied. Fernando Torres has led the attack in Europe this season but has been well supported by Victor Moses in this competition and Benitez may elect to start with both.

One player who should never be overlooked on the big occasions is Ramires. It was his sensational solo goal that breathed new life into Chelsea’s Champions League hopes in Barcelona last season and he also fired the Blues ahead in the FA Cup final against Liverpool. His most recent action was less distinguished as he was dismissed for a high challenge at Aston Villa but he had previously scored against Tottenham and will be keen to score against his former club. Moses and Ramires are relatively fresh players and could be worth having on your side at 5-1 and 7-1 respectively to find the net at some point in the game.

Benfica will be competing in their ninth major European final but their last success came in the European Cup back in 1962. Chelsea defeated them by a single goal both at home and away in the Champions League last season and a similar result could be on the cards here. Chelsea never seem to make it easy for themselves so I can see Benfica making a game of it without quite having the firepower to beat the Blues. Odds of 3-1 about a narrow Chelsea victory seem fair.

Curiously, Paddy Power are offering to refund all losing bets on the first goalscorer and correct score markets should Oscar find the target at any time during the game. He will have plenty of supporters after the first goal goes in!

Ramires to score at any time 7-1 William Hill

Moses to score at any time 5-1 William Hill

Chelsea to win by a single goal 3-1 Skybet

Football Preview May 11th and 12th

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

FA Cup Final – Manchester City v Wigan

It is a sign of the times that the FA Cup final is almost a sideshow to the Premier League action this weekend. Gone are the days when the Cup final was the grand finale to the season and dominated the sports pages. This year’s final also has a one-sided look to it as Manchester City seek some consolation for losing their Premiership title to archrivals United against a Wigan side staring down the barrel of relegation.

City look assured of second place but grateful for the opportunity of pocketing a bit of silverware at the end of a slightly disappointing season. There is no doubt that they have the firepower to beat Wigan, although they only scrambled past them by a single goal in their recent league clash. Roberto Martinez approached the FA Cup in the same manor as most Premiership managers these days, using it as a platform for his youngsters to gain valuable experience. By virtue of a favourable draw and an impressive 3-0 victory at Goodison, the Latics have found themselves in the final for the first time in their history. Had they managed to perform their usual Houdini act and escaped the drop, this would be a momentous occasion. Unfortunately, a 3-2 defeat at home to Swansea in midweek has left them in deep trouble.

I would love to be able to tip Wigan here but it is looking increasingly bleak for them. The most likely scenario is defeat on Saturday, relegation and even the loss of their manager in the summer. They have simply failed to find the consistency needed this season and I don’t think City will pass up this golden opportunity for a trophy. I take City to win by 2 goals at odds of 3-1 and City to be winning at half-time and full-time at 10-11 with Skybet.

Manchester City to win by 2 goals 3-1 Paddy Power
Manchester City to be winning at half-time and full-time 10-11 Skybet

Aston Villa v Chelsea

Saturday’s lunch-time kick-off sees Chelsea going in search of the win they require to secure a top four finish and a Champions League spot. That looked to be within their grasp on Wednesday night before a late Tottenham goal forced them to settle for a 2-2 draw. Chelsea supporters will not have been at all surprised to see the agony prolonged after a hectic but, as yet, unproductive season at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea may have thumped Villa 8-0 earlier in the season but it is a very different side they are facing on Saturday. Villa dished out a 6-1 thrashing to Sunderland to put themselves within reach of Premiership survival and received a further boost when Wigan were defeated in midweek. Another complication for the Blues is the prospect of the Europa League final next Wednesday. They do not have the strength in depth of previous seasons and have suffered when fielding a weakened side. They rely heavily on Juan Mata and Eden Hazard to provide the spark in their attacking play and both have been showing signs of a long season recently. Chelsea may again be frustrated and have to settle for a draw, putting their supporters through the agony of going to the last match against Everton in the process.

Draw 14-5 Bet Victor

Stoke v Tottenham

Spurs managed to hold Chelsea to a draw on Wednesday and will be hoping that Aston Villa can do them a huge favour on Saturday. They were not at their best at Stamford Bridge but it is to their credit that they managed to get a result and they will need the same sort of determination to get all three points at Stoke on Sunday. Gareth Bale has been largely responsible for keeping them in the hunt for a Champions League spot and they will look to him again this weekend. I think they can grab a vital win and Bale to score at any time looks a fair bet at 6-5.

Tottenham to win 10-11 William Hill
Gareth Bale to score 6-5 Bet Victor

Chelsea v Tottenham Preview May 8th

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Tonight’s match between Chelsea and Tottenham is effectively a Cup final for both sides with a Champions League place at stake. The Blues did this column a favour by grabbing an excellent 1-0 victory on Sunday. Having tipped Juan Mata to score at 100-30 I was more than a little miffed when his deflected strike was credited as an own-goal. I understand that some bookmakers have been paying out on Mata so I hope that your bookie was doing the decent thing!

Moving on to tonight’s game and the Blues now know that they are now in a position to finally kill off Tottenham’s challenge. It has been a long and difficult season for Chelsea supporters but a disappointing season could still end on a high note with a Champions League spot and victory in the Europa League final. Juan Mata has been an absolute star for the Blues this season and he admitted that they were somewhat laboured at Old Trafford on Sunday. Even so, they still clung to the belief that they could sneak a famous win and were rewarded late on. They won’t need any encouragement for tonight’s match against their London rivals.

The game also sees the return to Stamford Bridge of former boss Andre Villas-Boas. Although he was not given sufficient time as coach to make any real impact, he had formerly served under Jose Mourinho and not unpopular at the club. The swift removal of Roberto Di Matteo at the start of this season followed by the appointment of Benitez shows that the fans have no say in what happens at the club and Villas-Boas should receive a warm welcome. Whilst Mata has been Chelsea’s star player, Spurs have been almost totally reliant on Gareth Bale this season. Once again he came to their rescue after a poor performance at home to Southampton and snatched an unlikely three points to keep their challenge alive. He has never really shone against Chelsea in the past and, despite reports to the contrary, there is no doubt that he will be given special attention.

Chelsea’s key player tonight could be Eden Hazard. He has been a revelation this season and can only get better in the next couple of years. His surging runs should prove as much of a threat to Spurs as Bale will to Chelsea and a full strength Chelsea team is capable of getting the win they need this evening. Hazard is 3-1 to score at any time during the match with Bet Victor and those odds are worth taking. Chelsea are a shade of odds-on to win the game and it might be worth going for a 2-1 home win at odds of 8-1 with Ladbrokes.

Chelsea 19-20 Bet Victor
Chelsea to win 2-1 at 8-1 Ladbrokes
Eden Hazard to score 3-1 Bet Victor

Preview and Football Tips

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Liverpool v Everton (1.30pm)

There are two cracking games this Sunday for stay-at-home punters. First up is the Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton. The visitors still have a slim chance of sneaking into a Champions League spot but they would have to win all of their matches and hope that the London clubs slip up badly. Liverpool have nothing left to play for other than the local bragging rights but that is more than enough!

The Luis Suarez biting incident may have put Liverpool back in the news for all the wrong reasons but they came out and thrashed Newcastle 6-0 last weekend. Defensive stalwart Jamie Carragher has confirmed his retirement and will be appearing in a Merseyside derby for the last time in his career. As if any further incentive were required, the gap between Everton and Liverpool is five points and the Toffees have not finished above Liverpool for successive seasons in the last 50 years.

Everton fans are anxiously waiting to hear whether David Moyes is to remain at the club and a Europa League place might give him encouragement to do so. Bookmakers make Liverpool even money favourites to win with a draw priced at 5-2 and Everton as big as 100-30 to grab all three points. As impressive as the Reds were in crushing the Magpies last week, it has to be said that the opposition were woeful and Everton will be a completely different proposition. Liverpool have flitted in and out of form all season and it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise to see their form dip once again. I think Everton are over-priced when you take the season as a whole and the price is worth taking.

Everton 100-30 Bet Victor

Manchester United v Chelsea (4.00pm)

The second match features the fifth meeting of the season between Manchester United and Chelsea. United have just been crowned champions but mid-season talk of them being one of the greatest United teams in history have been proved to be misguided. An early Champions League exit was followed by defeat in the FA Cup against Sunday’s rivals.

The first league meeting of the season was the infamous Clattenburg affair, a game that arguably started the rot at Stamford Bridge this season. They gained revenge in the League Cup and staged a magnificent recovery from 2-0 down in the FA Cup quarter-final before Demba Ba’s solo effort settled the replay. On Thursday the Blues booked their place in the final of the Europa Cup but now face two crucial Premiership matches in the space of four days. They welcome Tottenham to the Bridge on Wednesday night in a potentially decisive match in the battle for a Champions League place.

Juan Mata has been exceptional for Chelsea this season and he only appeared as a late substitute on Thursday night. He looks a fair bet to find the target at any time during the match at 100-30. Demba Ba will lead the attack and Oscar should also make the starting line up. Chelsea will be hoping that United take their foot off the pedal a bit and allow them to gain a vital three points. If they play like they did in the second half against Basle they might just do it.

Chelsea 5-2 William Hill
Juan Mata to score 100-30 William Hill

Europa League Quarter-Final Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Europa League may not sit very highly in the order of priorities for the top sides but there are plenty of reasons for the three remaining English sides to give it a real go tonight. Chelsea have blundered away numerous pieces of silverware this season and are in poll position to gain some sort of compensation after a comfortable 3-1 home leg victory against Rubin Kazan.

There have already been mumblings of discontent from the squad this week about being able to motivate themselves for the trip to Moscow but they have to be taken with a pinch of salt. The excuses of an artificial pitch, freezing cold conditions and their hectic fixture list have also been put up but they looked in a different class to the Russians in the first leg and must surely progress. Rubin believe that the away goal could prove vital and will be hoping to rattle Chelsea’s cage with an early goal. The loss of Ryan Bertrand has left a bit of a weakness at left-back for the Blues but they have enough quality to cope. The bookmakers have put up odds as high as 7-4 about Chelsea winning tonight and I think that is decent value.

Tottenham undoubtedly face a more difficult task in Basle after being held to a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane last week. The injury to Gareth Bale along with the absence of Lennon and Defoe certainly takes a lot of the creativity away from the Londoners as they go in search of a win. The first leg was a strange affair, with Spurs all at sea in defence as Basle strolled into a 2-0 lead. How the game finished at 2-2 is something of a mystery given the opportunities squandered by both sides in the second period. Spurs are priced at 9-4 to come away with the victory tonight with some suspecting that this competition may have to be sacrificed in order to keep their hopes of securing a Champions League spot alive. I don’t believe that for a moment and think that Andre Villas-Boas is desperate to claim a trophy this season.

Newcastle have crept quietly through the competition and are unlucky not to be in a better position going into tonight’s second leg against Benfica. They were unlucky not to gain at least a draw from the opening fixture. A 3-1 defeat was incredibly harsh on the Magpies who look tempting at 9-4 to win tonight. It may be asking too much for them to overturn a two-goal deficit but they will certainly give it a go. With the Premiership not represented in the quarter-finals of the Champions League this year, it may seem an odd time to be backing British. However, I think all three Premiership sides have a chance of victory this evening.

Chelsea to beat Rubin Kazan 7-4 Coral
Tottenham to beat Basle 9-4 BetVictor
Newcastle to beat Benfica 9-4 BetVictor