Tag: Gareth Bale

Real Madrid and Porto for Champions League double

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

There are two further Champions League matches on Wednesday night with Real Madrid away to Schalke and Basel at home to Bayern Munich. If you were expecting to see the Premiership teams in action after Chelsea on Tuesday, the matches are being dragged out over the next fortnight. Arsenal and Man City return to the fray next week.

Real Madrid thrashed Schalke 6-1 in the corresponding fixture last season with Ronaldo, Bale and Benzima helping themselves to two goals apiece. A 3-1 defeat in the return leg consigned Schalke to a 9-2 aggregate thrashing. Former Champions League winning manager Roberto Di Matteo is now at the helm for Schalke and they are expected to put up stronger resistance this time.

Di Matteo has brought in Matija Nastasić on loan from Manchester City and his side are now back in the top four in Germany. Summer signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has already scored nine goals in the Bundesliga but they were taken apart by Chelsea in the group stages and it is difficult to see them holding out for 90 minutes.

Swiss champions Basel meet Porto in the in Wednesday’s other match. Basel reached the last sixteen by holding out for a 1-1 draw at Liverpool in December, finishing second to Real Madrid in Group B. Basel beat Liverpool 1-0 at St. Jakob-Park and restricted Real to a single goal. That was only their second home defeat in their last eleven European home games.

Porto have not lost to a team from Switzerland since the Grasshopper Club in the 1980/81 UEFA Cup. They are unbeaten in the Champions League so far this season and finished five points clear at the top of Group H. They were held to a 2-2 draw at Shakhtar on matchday two but won their other away games at Athletic Club and FC Bate Borisov.

Porto won the competition in 2004 but have not gone beyond the semi-finals since. This is the seventh time that they have reached the last 16 since their victory and their league form suggests that they can go further this year. Porto have won ten of their last 13 matches with Colombian striker Jackson Martínez scoring 12 goals in his last 13 games. Both Porto and Real Madrid are capable of winning comfortably and the win double pays around 5-2.

Wednesday Double

Porto to beat Basel @29-20 BetVictor

Real Madrid to beat Schalke @4-9 BetVictor

Premiership Preview 19th May

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The final day of the Premiership does not have the title or relegation drama of 12 months ago but that was always going to be a tough act to follow. In truth, Manchester United were given an easy ride to the title as their main rivals dropped tamely away. Manchester City failed to build on last season’s title success and were strangely inactive in the summer transfer market. The signing of Van Persie was sufficient to make the difference between the two teams whilst the London clubs battled it out for minor honours.

It is the battle for Champions League places that remains the only significant issue to be decided on Sunday. Tottenham will miss out again if Arsenal take all three points at Newcastle, regardless of Chelsea’s result at home to Everton. Spurs must defeat Sunderland to keep their hopes alive and rely on results elsewhere allowing them to sneak into the top four.

Chelsea v Everton

This game will have a distinct end-of-season feel about it after Chelsea virtually guaranteed their Champions League spot last weekend at Aston Villa. The question has been raised this week of a possible third-place playoff between Chelsea and Arsenal should they finish level on points, goal difference and goals scored. This scenario can only come about if Chelsea draw 0-0 and Arsenal win 2-1. Whether this will be enough to spur the Blues on to one last effort this season is another matter. Several of their players looked dead on their feet on Wednesday night as they won the Europa League with a last-gasp header from Ivanovic.

Everton meanwhile are saying farewell to David Moyes after eleven years at the helm. He was given an emotional send off by the Goodison fans last week in their 2-0 victory over West Ham and the teams look evenly matched. Rafael Benitez will also be packing his bags shortly but will surely send out a re-shuffled side for this finale. I can see Everton upsetting Chelsea’s victory parade by grabbing at least a point and a 1-1 draw might be the way to go. Kevin Mirallas looks overpriced at 11-1 to open the scoring after his two against the Hammers last week.

1-1 draw 8-1 Bet Victor

Kevin Mirallas first goalscorer 11-1 Bet365

Newcastle v Arsenal

Arsenal wavered slightly against Wigan in midweek before producing a second-half blitz to send the Latics down to the Championship after eight seasons in the top flight. Arsene Wenger will be calling on them to produce a similar effort against a Newcastle side that must be breathing a collective sigh of relief now that their Premiership status is secure. The Magpies have put in some desperate displays this season, none more so than their 6-0 drubbing at the hands of a moderate Liverpool side. Anything like that on Sunday will result in another embarrassing defeat but Alan Pardew faces an uphill task rallying his troops for this match. I can only see one winner here and it might be worth taking a risk on the 100-30 about the Gunners winning by three or more goals with Skybet. Theo Walcott is in flying form and 11-2 represents fair value in the first goalscorer market.

Arsenal to win by 3 or more goals 100-30 Skybet

Theo Walcott to score first 11-2 Coral

Tottenham v Sunderland

Tottenham were denied a place in the Champions League by Chelsea’s win in the competition last May and now look poised to miss out, possibly only on goal difference to their London rivals. They are only in contention thanks to Gareth Bale who has dug them out of many a hole this season. There is speculation that he may leave White Hart Lane if he does not get Champions League football next season but it is difficult to see them achieving that. Even so, it is worth taking the 11-4 about Bale scoring first here. Tottenham will have one eye on the Arsenal match and if that starts to go against them it is possible that their heads may drop. With the exception of their mauling at Villa Park, Sunderland have shown a lot more fight since Paolo Di Canio arrived and they could poach a point here.

Draw 19-4 Bet Victor

Gareth Bale to score first 11-4 Ladbrokes

Football Preview May 11th and 12th

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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

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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

Premiership Preview May 4th

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Norwich v Aston Villa 3.00pm

Aston Villa’s 6-1 mauling of Sunderland on Monday night has put them on the brink of Premiership survival. Christian Benteke’s hat-trick confirmed his status as one of the hottest properties in the league and questions are already being asked as to whether or not Villa can afford to keep him this summer. After such an emphatic victory, their supporters will need reminding that it was only three points and there is still work to be done.

Norwich are not yet safe themselves are not an easy side to beat at Carrow Road. They have only been beaten three times at home this season and conceded only 18 goals so Villa cannot expect to simply roll over them. A draw would probably suit both sides and that could be the value bet on Saturday.

Draw 12-5 William Hill

Tottenham v Southampton (3.00pm)

Spurs were lucky to escape with a point at Wigan last weekend, courtesy of an own goal and a complete gift to Gareth Bale via some ridiculous defending. Bale was on his way back from injury in that game and should strip a lot fitter for the visit of former club Southampton. The Saints put up their worst performance for some time in slumping to a 3-0 home defeat by West Brom and look ideal opponents for Spurs as they chase a Champions League spot. With Chelsea at Manchester United this weekend and then playing host to Tottenham, that qualifying places are still very much up for grabs. I don’t expect Tottenham to let this opportunity slip and they are worth including in doubles and trebles at odds of 1-2. I also expect goals and Bet365 offer 11-8 against more than three.

Tottenham 1-2 Ladbrokes
More than 3 goals 11-8 Bet365

West Brom v Wigan (3.00pm)

We are so used to Wigan producing a Houdini-like escape that it is slightly surprising to see them still languishing in the bottom three. The 6-1 win for Villa on Monday has really piled the pressure on the Latics to start producing the goods and it is now or never for Martinez’s men. West Brom comfortably beat Southampton last week with Romelu Lukaku looking particularly sharp up front. Arguably they do not have that much to play for whereas Wigan will be scrapping for their lives. I think West Brom have enough fire power to force Wigan to settle for a point here, a result that will see them edge closer to the drop.

Draw 12-5 Ladbrokes

QPR v Arsenal (5.30pm)

With QPR now relegated, this looks like a nailed on three-points for the Gunners as they chase down a Champions League spot. Rangers looked a broken side as they struggled to a draw with Reading last week and it will be difficult for Redknapp to gather his troops for the visit of Arsenal. Although they are not well placed with Chelsea or Spurs, those two teams meet on Wednesday and Chelsea have a much stiffer run in. A convincing win for Arsene Wenger’s men could see them in pole position by Sunday night.

Arsenal 4-9 Ladbrokes
More than 3 goals 6-4 Bet365

Europa League Quarter-Final Preview

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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