Football, racing and more with expert advice. Get the best football bets and prices!

Champions League–you need to look at the comprehensive facts and figures for information which could help you to beat the dreaded enemy–the bookmaker!

I have studied the results at the ‘last 16′ stage over the last six years, which is when the current format for the tournament was introduced.

Would you have guessed that Chelsea, Arsenal, Lyon and Real Madrid are the only teams to have reached this stage in each of the last six competitions, or that Real Madrid have got through to the last eight on just one of those six occasions?

There is speculation over whether it is best to play the first leg away, how many goals are needed to guarantee qualification from the first leg etc–and we have all the information you need right here.

Bearing in mind that 48 ties (96 matches) have been played during the last six years, digest these facts:

Of the forty eight teams to have played the first leg at home, 13 have won through to the quarter-finals, 11 have drawn and 24 have been beaten. Eight of the eleven teams that drew on aggregate were knocked out either by extra time/away goals/penalties.

How many goals the home team scored in the first leg and what happened to them:

Scored no goals (15): 2 progressed–13 were eliminated
Scored 1 goal (19): 8 progressed–11 were eliminated
Scored 2 goals (9): 3 progressed–6 were eliminated
Scored 3 goals (5): 3 progressed–2 were eliminated

17 teams won their (first leg) home matches:
11 won on aggregate
2 drew after 180 minutes of play
1 team was eliminated

18 home teams drew their opening home match:
3 won on aggregate
3 drew after 180 minutes of play
12 teams were eliminated

13 teams lost their opening match at home:
No team turned the tie around during 180 minutes
1 team drew on aggregate
12 were eliminated

Twelve of the teams that won through to the last eight after 180 minutes of play (without the need for extra time/penalties) did so by a one goal margin. Ten teams won by a difference of 2 goals and fourteen teams won by the margin of three goals or more.