The moment of truth has arrived with two of european football’s heavyweight contenders, Bayern Munich & Inter Milan set to do battle to win the Champions League & claim the greatest prize in club football.

Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid, Saturday 22nd May is the location & date for this years UEFA Champions League Final and now it rests between Bayern Munich & Inter Milan to see which team can best hold their nerve & produce the necessary quality, team spirit & desire to claim the prize.

There can be no doubting that Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan was certainly not the expected or predicted line-up for this years Champions League Final but neither can there be any doubting that these two great sides totally deserve their place in the final & without doubt they have totally earned their chance at glory.

Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan & Loui Van Gaal at Bayern Munich, are two of the finest, most experienced & indeed most successful managers in european football and they have expertly guided their teams through to what looks certain to be an intensely interesting & fascinating final.

We have had a good look at the set up of both sides, their strengths & weaknesses, the likely tactical approaches from both sides & based on that here our views on how the match may well work out & the value betting options we feel are worth consideration.

Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan – (Saturday 7.45pm)

Both Loui Van Gaal & Jose Mourinho have won the Champions League before so they are proven in the extra demanding & pressurised conditions that being in the Champions League Final brings but equally we expect them both to have their teams perfectly prepared for this final & it really does look a fascinating final to call.

Whatever people say or think about Jose Mourinho as a person & character, his record as a manager cannot be questioned & he deserves tremendous praise for guiding Inter Milan to the Champions League final.

Of course, Inter Milan have a fantastic squad full of high class, proven international players but it is without doubt Mourinho’s skills as a manager that have been the difference for Inter Milan & earned them a deserved place in the final.

Inter Milan’s record in the competition this year reads: played 12, won 7, drawn 3 & lost only 2 with a total of 15 goals scored & 9 goals conceded and that record illustrates the strength that Inter Milan have shown this year.

To be fair & honest, Inter Milan have not been spectacular in terms of the quality of football played but what they most definitely have been is tremendously well organised, defensively strong, hard to break down & virtually impossible to beat with their only 2 defeats coming away at Barcelona.

Indeed it was Inter Milan’s incredible team performance in losing 1-0 at Barcelona having played for over 60 minutes with only 10 men that really highlighted the strengths of Inter Milan & what Bayern Munich must overcome if they are to win the Champions League.

Inter Milan have kept 5 clean sheets in the Champions League this season, won 4 of their games to nil & only conceded more than 1 goal in a game on 2 occasions which clearly indicates where Inter Milan’s strengths lie with Lucio & Maicon absolute inspirations in defence & Caesar a top class goalkeeper who is hard to get past.

However, Inter Milan are not just about defensive strength & organisation and indeed they possess some of the finest talent in europe with Wesley Sneijder, Samuel Eto’o, Esteban Cambiasso & Milito 4 world class players who can cause problems for any side in the world & produce the quality required to win any game.

The real, key strength to Inter Milan is their incredible team spirit & belief that they will get through any challenge they face & having secured another League Championship, we expect them to come into this match with full confidence & determination to win by whatever means necessary.

Loui Van Gaal is also a manager who deserve great praise for the fantastic job he has done at Bayern Munich & the achievement in getting them back to another Champions League final is something he deserves massive praise for.

Admittedly, Loui Van Gaal has had a huge budget & a very talented squad to work with but nevertheless Bayern Munich were a club in desperate need of turning around & improving when he took over & he has certainly done that in style.

Bayern Munich’s record in this season Champions League reads: Won 7, drawn 1 & lost 4 with a total of 21 goals scored & 13 goals conceded, so more goals scored & more goals conceded than Inter Milan and that does highlight the differences in their approach to matches.

Bayern Munich have played the entire Champions League campaign with a very positive, attacking formation & indeed they have based their approach on scoring goals which they have done to great effect but at the same time that has made them vulnerable in certain games.

The fact that Bayern Munich have lost 4 matches in the Champions League already does highlight a weakness that could be a problem against Inter Milan & indeed the fact they have conceded 2 or more goals on 4 separate occasions will give Inter Milan the confidence to attack & look to exploit that.

In terms of where Bayern Munich’s strengths lie there can be no doubting that it is in their ability to play positive, attacking football with the likes of Olic, Robben & Ribery being the main threats to opponents with their combination of skills, technique, speed, running power & indeed eye for goal that makes them a threat whoever they play against.

A big factor in this match could be the fact that Bayern Munich’s star player & playmaker Frank Ribery is suspended for the Final & his absence does affect the set-up of the side & places more pressure on Olic & Robben to create & deliver the goals & that could be key in this match.

Jose Mourinho & Loui Van Gaal have been there & done it when it comes to situations like this & they are both tactically very astute so this really is a tough game to call and purely what happens on the night will decide everything.

Tactically this match represents a clash of styles & both managers will be fully aware of the key threats of each others side and so that could lead to both teams cancelling each other out which makes a draw in 90 minutes & the game to go to extra time & penalties very tempting but we are giving our tipping vote Inter Milan in this one.

Inter Milan are a far superior side to Bayern Munich in terms of defensive strength & organisation and importantly they have more overall quality in the key areas of midfield & attack and in our view that makes Inter Milan a solid bet to get the job done in 90 minutes & take the Champions League back to Milan.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Inter Milan to win

Correct Score options: Inter Milan to win 1-0/2-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Eto’o/Sneijder/Milito

Scorecast options: Eto’o/Sneijder/Milito score 1st & Inter Milan win 1-0/2-0

Double Result: Inter Milan H/T & F/T

Barcelona, Inter Milan, Lyon & Bayern Munich are all now potentially just 90 minutes away from their dream final & all four teams still have absolutely everything to play for.
Inter Milan got the better of Barcelona & Bayern Munich edged past Lyon in the first leg matches but both ties are still firmly in the balance & anything is still possible which does make it all so exciting & dramatic.

We have had a good look at the Semi Final 2nd leg matches & here are our views on how the games may well go & the value betting recommendations which we feel are worth consideration:

Lyon vs Bayern Munich – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

A tight, competitive & indeed at times bad tempered match was the outcome between Bayern Munich & Lyon in the first leg & this 2nd leg match looks certain to be similar givens the pressures on both teams & the prize at stake.

Bayern Munich deservedly earned a 1-0 advantage from the 1st leg & that is indeed a massive advantage with Lyon knowing that they have to win this game to have any chance & even then they are not forced to qualify so the majority of the pressure is on Lyon.

Lyon have to at least match the 1-0 scoreline just to take the tie into Extra Time & they know that an away goal for Bayern Munich will mean they have to score 3 goals to go through so this really is a tough quandry for Lyon to solve.

To win the match Lyon must be positive & attack and they certainly have the quality to do that but to stop Bayern Munich scoring they must also balance their attacking play with solid, organised defending and that is going to be a very tough task against a strong Bayern Munich side.

As we said, Bayern Munich’s target in this match will be to score 1 goal because that in all probability will be enough & they have already proven by scoring away at Fiorentina & Manchester United that they have the necessary quality to do that.

This tie is finely balanced but the absolute key to it all is based upon whether Bayern Munich score & we feel there is every reason to believe they will and that clearly sways the tie in Bayern Munich’s favour but still makes this an hard game to call on the night.

Lyon will be positive & give their best in this match but we can also envisage Bayern Munich scoring as well & so in our view a competitive, scoring draw looks a value bet worth taking & Bayern Munich can get the job done again.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Results: DRAW

Correct Score Options: 1-1/2-2

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Lopez/Robben/Olic

Scorecast options: Lopez/Robben/Olic score 1st & 1-1/2-2

Double Result: DRAW H/T & F/T

Barcelona vs Inter Milan – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

Inter Milan deservedly won the 1st leg 3-1, having too much strength, organisation & indeed quality for Barcelona on the night but some reason many people seem intent on ignoring the evidence & have Barcelona in the final already despite the fact they are 2 goals behind.

Bookmakers & experts still have Barcelona as favourites to progress into the final and in our view that is simply wrong & totally disrespectful to the great work Jose Mourinho & his team did in the first leg & the undoubted quality they have within their side.

Of course, Barcelona are an incredibly talented side with Lionel Messi a true genius capable of destroying anybody & Barcelona at the Nou Camp provides a formidable test for any side but as Inter proved in the 1st leg, they are human & they are certainly beatable and particularly when under pressure.

All the pressure going into this tie is on Barcelona because they are fully expected to win the game & then retain the European Champions League & it seems like the whole world expects Barcelona to win this game but we don’t see it that way.

Barcelona have fantastic quality within their side & if you let them play free & to how they want to just as Arsenal did, then you will get destroyed just like Arsenal did but Inter Milan showed in the 1st leg that they know how to play against Barcelona & control their best players.

Jose Mourinho is a tactical genius & the way he organised Inter Milan in the 1st leg to instil their own influence on the game & also control Barcelona was fantastic & he will see this as the perfect test of his abilities so he will certainly want to get this right as well.

More importantly, Inter Milan have great experience & quality within their side & they will not fear going to Barcelona and will have gained massive confidence from the 1st leg victory so will believe they have the ability to get a positive result in this one & will even believe they can win it at their best.

The basic demands of the game are that Barcelona have to win 2-0 or by 3 clear goals which is entirely possible when they are at their fluent best but the big key question is whether Inter Milan will let them be at their best in this match & the evidence from the 1st leg suggests they won’t & Inter Milan are more than capable of doing what they have to do to get through.

This match is incredibly tight to call & Barcelona are deserving favourites to win the match given their strength at home but the odds on Inter Milan winning or drawing this match are outrageously large & we have a sense that this is the perfect occasion & world stage for Jose Mourinho to prove himself & his Inter Milan players can once again prove their quality & strength by getting the result they need.

The odds on a win for Inter Milan or a draw are incredibly tempting so we certainly believe it could pay to cover both options but the most probable option of the two is a draw & that looks a value bet worth taking as Inter Milan can once again deny Barcelona & earn themselves & Jose Mourinho another chance at Champions League glory.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Results: DRAW

Correct Score Options: 1-1/2-2

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: E’too/Sneijder/Milito

Scorecast options: E’too/Sneijder/Milito score 1st & 1-1/2-2

Double Result: Inter Milan H/T & DRAW F/T

Double Chance bet: DRAW or Inter Milan

Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid, Saturday 22nd May is the location & date for this years UEFA Champions League Final with 4 teams now left & set do to battle to try & reach their ultimate dream.
Reigning Champions Barcelona, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich & Lyon are four great, prestigious names of european football & they have all totally deserved their place in the Semi Finals & now it’s all about which two teams can hold their nerves & produce the quality to push them through.

The Semi Final line-up is truly fascinating & promises to deliver great quality, intrigue, drama & excitement and all 4 sides have a realistic chance to win the prize so anything is possible from here on in.

We have had a good look at the two Semi Final 1st leg matches & here are our views on those matches & the value betting options we feel are worth consideration.

Inter Milan vs Barcelona – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

Fascinating clash of two giants of european football here as Inter Milan & Barcelona line up to do battle once again having already faced each other in this years group phase & anything really is possible.

Barcelona got the better of Inter Milan in the group phases by earning a 0-0 draw in Milan & then beating Inter Milan 2-0 at home but that is unlikely to have too much bearing here & if anything will inspire Jose Mourinho further to make sure Inter Milan do their very best to get revenge here.

Inter Milan have been fantastic in this competition since the 2nd round onwards with tremendously strong, organised & indeed quality performances to get past a strong Chelsea side & then a difficult trip against CSKA Moscow.

Jose Mourinho bases his whole reputation on being successful in the Champions League & his quest to be regarded as the ‘special one’ is built completely around winning the competition with whichever team he is in charge & indeed he was appointed by Inter Milan for this very purpose.

The challenge of facing Barcelona is indeed a fierce one but Jose Mourinho is a proven master at facing these challenges head on & winning them and for Inter Milan to earn their place in the final, that is something we feel they must do in this first leg.

Inter Milan earned excellent home victories over Chelsea & CSKA Moscow to earn their way through & given how tough it is to win in Barcelona, Inter Milan’s best chance looks to lie in winning this 1st leg & taking any sort of advantage to defend in the 2nd leg.

Tactically, there are few better managers than Jose Mourinho & he will have a well thought out plan on how to face Barcelona in this 1st leg & how that plan comes off will determine this 1st leg & probably the whole tie.

In terms of quality, then Inter Milan are very strong in all areas & certainly have the capabilities to control Barcelona’s possession, enough power & strength in midfield with Cambiasso, Muntari, Sneijder & of course they have the lethal, ex-Barcelona striker Samuel E’too who will be desperate to score against his old side.

Jose Mourinho will know Inter Milan have to perform to their best & be solid to get a result in this match but they also have to be positive and their attacking quality gives them a definite chance to get a positive result from this match & maybe even win it.

Barcelona are strong favourites for this competition again & they totally deserve that with the truly sensational Messi in the form of his life backed up by a Barcelona side over-flowing with quality in all areas.

Barcelona are flying at present with sensational victories over Arsenal & Real Madrid, and although they could only draw 0-0 at the weekend, their focus was clearly on this match & they will come into it totally confident they can get the goals & the result they need.

Barcelona really only have one style of play & they will look to score the vital away goals and win the match but they will feel any positive result is good enough to take into the 2nd leg given their extreme quality & confidence at home.

In our mind, this leg will determine the whole tie because a win for Inter Milan will give them the lead they need to take to Barcelona whereas Barcelona will look for away goals & to kill the tie off here so it really is set up to be titanic battle.

It’s a really tough call to make the clash of style between Inter Milan & Barcelona makes the game incredibly competitive & any result is entirely possible with a scoring draw very tempting but we are going to take a value punt on Inter Milan proving their strength & edging this 1st leg with E’too the man to the damage.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Inter Milan to win

Correct Score options: Inter Milan to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: E’too/Sneijder/Milito

Scorecast options: E’too/Sneijder/Milito score 1st & Inter Milan win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Inter Milan H/T & F/T

Bayern Munich vs Lyon – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

A feast of positive, attacking football should be the order of the day in this one as both Bayern Munich & Lyon base their game on attacking & scoring goals so this should be a real cracker to watch.

Both Bayern Munich & Lyon have displayed their abundance of fantastic attacking quality play already in this competition & both will totally believe they have an excellent chance to get to the final so we expect both teams to have a real go here.

Bayern Munich have based their entire qualification through the rounds of this competition by being strong at home & winning then going away and scoring the away goals to kill off the tie & that is exactly how we expect them to approach this.

Bayern Munich’s key strength is the great pace, variety & quality they have in attack with the likes of Ribery, Robben, Gomez, Muller, Schweinsteiger & Olic all capable of creating & scoring goals and they proved their readiness for this match with a thumping 7-0 win with a hat-trick from Robben & couple each for Muller & Olic.

Team confidence with the Bayern Munich squad is sky high & we fully expect them to go for it from the kick-off and really take the game to Lyon because they do need to take goals & lead to Lyon for the 2nd leg.

Lyon will also come into this match positive & believing they can get the goals & results they need as their natural style is to attack & certainly with Lisandro Lopez back in the side they have the natural goalscoring threat to test Bayern Munich’s fragile defence.

Away goals will be the key target for Lyon & having already beaten the likes of Liverpool, Fiorentina, Bordeaux & Real Madrid they will have no fears about going to Bayern Munich & they certainly have the ability to get the result they want.

This game should be a footballing classic because both Bayern Munich & Lyon go out to play football & win matches and so it should be an open, entertaining match & one that we feel Bayern Munich will make home advantage & their overall extra attacking quality pay and get a vital lead to take to Lyon for the 2nd leg.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Bayern Munich to win

Correct Score options: Bayern Munich to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Robben/Ollic/Muller

Scorecast options: Robben/Ollic/Muller score 1st & Bayern Munich win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Bayern Munich H/T & F/T

Santiago Bernabeu Stadium Madrid, Saturday 22nd May is the location & date for this years UEFA Champions League Final with 8 teams now left & set do to battle to reach the ultimate dream.
Manchester United, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow, Lyon, Bordeaux & Arsenal are the teams that have made it through to the Quarter Final stages & now they all know that they are only a matter of 4 games away & this is when the pressure really starts to rise.

All 8 teams have had to show a combination of quality, determination, fighting spirit & consistency to get through to this stage & whichever team can continue that the best over the next 2 months will be the team crowned Champions of Europe.

The Quarter Final 1st leg matches where really interesting & fascinating and there really is still everything to play for so let’s hope the matches provide the quality & entertainment we as football fans crave for.

We have had a good look at the all 4 Quarter Final 2nd leg matches & here are our views on the games with the value betting options we feel are worth consideration:

CSKA Moscow vs Inter Milan – (Tuesday 5.30pm)

Can CSKA Moscow overturn the 1-0 defeat they suffered at the San Siro?? Will Inter Milan go to CSKA Moscow & repeat what they did to Chelsea in the last round?

For us those are those are the key questions to answer ahead of this 2nd leg which is finely balanced after Inter Milan’s 1-0 win in the first leg in Milan.

The 1st leg was a fascinating game with CSKA Moscow playing well & giving a very good account of themselves without quite having enough to score & in the end the extra strength & quality of Inter Milan won through & they got the vital goal but it was quite close on the night & is likely to be again here.

CSKA Moscow know that they have to win so we know they will look to take the game to Inter Milan & have a go but what they will also know is that Chelsea faced the same task in the last round & where ultimately beaten by a better, stronger Inter Milan side on the night and that is the danger here.

CSKA Moscow have players who can cause Inter Milan damage & who can score but whether they can also stop Inter Milan scoring is doubtful & that could ultimately prove to be the key to the whole game.

Inter Milan have great quality & experience in this situation and they proved with their fantastic performance at Chelsea that they have what is required to get the job done whether that be through getting a draw or another win and they will feel very confident of doing that here.

Inter Milan can adapt to the situation & play it defensively tight if they have to or use their extra attacking quality to counter attack and we do expect Inter Milan to get a positive result of some king from this match.

It’s all set up to be a fascinating game as CSKA Moscow have to go for the win & Inter Milan know exactly what they have do as well so it’s a tight call & we are going to take a punt on this match being a competitive, low scoring draw with honours shared on the night but with Inter Milan taking the glory of a place in the Semi Finals.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: DRAW

Correct Score options: 1-1

Player to score 1st each way/Player to score anytime: Krasic/E’too/Sneijder

Scorecast options: Krasic/E’too/Sneijder score 1st & 1-1 draw

Double Result: DRAW H/T & F/T

Barcelona vs Arsenal – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

The starting point to looking at this match has to evolve around trying to work out just how Arsenal are still alive in this tie after what was surely the most one sided 2-2 draw in history.

The scoreline for the 1st leg reads Arsenal 2 – Barcelona 2 which sounds like an entertaining, competitive match and yes while was really entertaining, it was certainly not competitive for most of the match & how Arsenal came out of the match level at 2-2 will remain always remain a mystery to anybody who witnessed it.

Barcelona absolutely destroyed Arsenal in the 1st half with their supreme control, passing & pressing game that just left Arsenal nowhere to go & somehow clinging on to what was an incredible half time scoreline of 0-0.

0-0 was a great injustice to Barcelona as they should have been 6-0 up but it did not take them long in the 2nd half to put that right & they quickly went 2-0 up & in total control of the match.

Barcelona looked comfortable at 2-0 & the tie looked over already but Arsenal somehow found the courage & ability to get 2 goals back and that alone gives them a chance they should not have had.

So how will this fascinating 2nd leg go with Barcelona having the massive advantage of 2 away goals but also knowing that Arsenal have the natural ability to get a win in Barcelona.

Tactically both Barcelona & Arsenal never change and we expect them both to play in a similar fashion which is ominous for Arsenal because Barcelona will be at home & be even more confident in possession & more determined to show their quality.

Arsenal are always committed to playing their positive, fluent passing game & although they were totally outplayed by Barcelona, the fact they scraped a 2-2 draw from a game that should have been a heavy defeat will give them confidence & belief.

In terms of personnel then both Barcelona & Arsenal have big players missing from the match so that adds an interesting element to it with Barcelona missing their main central defenders plus goalscorer Ibrahimovic.

Those losses of big ones for Barcelona but they have quality in depth & the loss of defenders will not hurt them as much as the loss of Fabregas, Gallas & Arshavin will hurt Arsenal who are much weaker without those three star players.

Barcelona are a very short price to win the game & even shorter price to qualify and those odds are justified because the 1st leg showed that Barcelona are superior to Arsenal & if both teams play to their best then Barcelona should win this time.

Clearly Arsene Wenger will feel Arsenal still have every chance of getting the goals & win they need to progress but to it is tough to envisage Arsenal doing it.

Arsenal know that a 1-0 win will do it or indeed that any win will do it but whether they truly believe they have enough to go & win in Barcelona is an entirely different matter & a much tougher task.

The first leg was brilliant entertainment & this 2nd leg promises to be the same with goals likely again but in terms of the result we cannot look beyond Barcelona who should have too much class & we like the look of Messi & Henry to lead Barcelona to another victory.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Barcelona to win

Correct Score options: Barcelona to win 2-1/3-1

Player to score 1st each way/Player to score anytime: Messi/Henry/Pedro

Scorecast options: Messi/Henry/Pedro score 1st & Barcelona win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Barcelona H/T & F/T

Bordeaux vs Lyon – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

After what has been fantastic Champions League campaign for Bordeaux so far this season, it has now reached do or die point as they look to overturn a daunting 3-1 deficit after being outplayed by arch rivals Lyon in the first leg.

This all french battle was largely expected to be a close, intensely competitive affair with both Bordeaux & Lyon so closely matched in terms of quality & form but that 3-1 defeat in the first leg was a huge blow for Bordeaux & a massive success for Lyon.

Psychologically, that result from the 1st leg makes this 2nd leg incredibly tough for Bordeaux because they come into the match knowing that they have to score at least 2 goals without conceding and judged on their first leg performance & current form that looks incredibly tough.

Bordeaux have been very strong at home in this competition but they come into this match having lost their last 3 games & importantly they have begun to develop a fragility & weakness in defence which is making it tough for them to get draws let alone wins.

There is no doubt Bordeaux have the talent with the likes of Gourcuff & Chamakh to creat the chances and score the goals they need but whether then can crucially stop Lyon scoring is doubtful & that looks likely to be the whole key to this match because if Lyon score then the tie will almost certainly be over.

Lyon were excellent in the first leg & had the quality with Lisandro Lopez leading the way to take advantage of Bordeaux’s defensive problems & that 3-1 win was a truly massive result which has filled the Lyon side with huge confidence ahead of this match.

Lyon know that a draw will be good enough or even 1-0 or 2-1 defeats so they have no real pressure on them but Lyon always look to be positive & we expect them to go to Bordeaux determined to get another win & deliver another huge blow to their rivals.

Another goal from Lyon will completely kill off this tie & Lyon will certainly go to Bordeaux believing they will score so with Bordeaux also having to go for it this should turn out be another exciting & entertaining match.

Bordeaux have to be positive & go for the win while Lyon will want to show their quality as well so it’s a tight game to call & we are tempted by a scoring draw but we are more tempted by a value punt on Lyon winning this & that looks a bet worth having here with Lisandro Lopez to lead the way.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Lyon

Correct Score options: Lyon to win 2-0/2-1

Player to score 1st each way/Player to score anytime: Lopez/Delgado/Bastos

Scorecast options: Lopez/Delgado/Bastos to score 1st & Lyon win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Lyon to win H/T & F/T

Manchester United vs Bayern Munich – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

A truly massive game which is certainly to have incredibly intensity & pressure with it being so finely balanced after Bayern Munich’s dramatic but deserved 2-1 win against Man United in the first leg.

European nights at Old Trafford in this competition are always massive events that promise so much & this match definitely fits into that but what effect will the huge pressure have on the outcome of the game.

When we say huge pressure, the truth is that all the pressure is fully on Manchester United now because they have to win the match 1-0 or by two clear goals to go through & failure is something that cannot be contemplated again after the first leg defeat & the desperate blow of losing to Chelsea in the league.

Those two massively important defeats against Bayern Munich & Chelsea have left Manchester United in a desperate, intense situation as they know they face the facts they are now unlikely to win the Premier & more immediately face being knocked out of the Champions League.

Is it possible for Manchester United to lose 3 matches of this magnitude & importance in succession?- a few weeks ago we would have answered no to that question but now things are very different & the answer is definitely yes if they are not careful & don’t perform again.

The loss of key influence & goalscorer Wayne Rooney has been the biggest blow to Manchester United & the fact he won’t be playing in this match has to be seen as an absolutely vital & key element because Manchester United do not play well without him.

The fighting spirit, the determination & team ethics of Manchester United don’t change when Rooney is missing & we fully expect Manchester United to have a real go here but the fact he is missing really does make it hard for Manchester United to win games at this level & under this much pressure.

More worryingly, the performances against Bayern Munich & Chelsea have not been good to suggest that Manchester United warrant being odds on shots to win this match but then again opposing them completely at home is incredibly tough to do.

Bayern Munich come here know that a draw will be good enough but having that mentality when going to Old Trafford is a very dangerous policy & indeed one that Bayern Munich are unlikely to adopt.

Bayern Munich presented their case in the 1st leg & their strengths lie in being positive & attacking and that is the way we expect Bayern Munich to play here.

With Manchester United needing a win, Bayern Munich know they will get the chances to play their own attacking football & that first leg win will give them huge confidence to do so.

Importantly for Bayern Munich they are likely to have important attacking players such as Gomez, Robben & Schweinsteiger back & they really could make a huge difference and certainly present even more problems to Manchester United.

This is a truly fascinating match & indeed should be really entertaining one as Manchester United face the pressure of having to win & Bayern Munich will do their very best to inflict more misery on United so anything is possible here.

It is hard to oppose Manchester United at home given their quality & strength at Old Trafford but the pressure they are under is a massive factor & Bayern Munich have the ability & confidence to get a positive result so wer are going to take a punt on this being an intensely competitive, scoring draw & ultimately add more frustration & disappointment for Manchester United.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: DRAW

Correct Score options: 1-1/2-2

Player to score 1st each way/Player to score anytime: Gomez/Olic/Berbatov

Scorecast options: Gomez/Olic/Berbatov score 1st & 1-1/2-2

Double Result: DRAW H/T & F/T

Santiago Bernabeu Stadium Madrid, Saturday 22nd May is the location & date for this years UEFA Champions League Final with 8 teams now left & set do to battle to reach the ultimate dream.
Manchester United, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow, Lyon, Bordeaux & Arsenal are the teams that have made it through to the Quarter Final stages & now they all know that they are only a matter of 4 games away & this is when the pressure really starts to rise.

All 8 teams have had to show a combination of quality, determination, fighting spirit & consistency to get through to this stage & whichever team can continue that the best over the next 2 months will be the team crowned Champions of Europe.

The Quarter Final line-up is really interesting & fascinating this year and there really is everything to play for so let’s hope the matches provide the quality & entertainment we as football fans crave for.

We have had a good look at the all 4 Quarter Final 1st leg matches & here are our views on the games with the value betting options we feel are worth consideration:

Bayern Munich vs Manchester United – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

Two historical giants of european football clash here with Bayern Munich & Manchester United staging a repeat of the dramatic & enthralling 1999 Champions League Final and hopefully this game lives up to that & more.

Back in 1999 Bayern Munich where major players on the european scene & regularly involved in the final stages of the Champions League but then they suffered a decline so it is good to see them back were they feel they belong.

Manchester United’s place among the european elite has strengthened greatly since then with continued domination of the domestic scene & 2 more Champions League final appearances with victory over Chelsea & last years defeat against Barcelona.

A match of this status clearly brings great pressure with it for both teams & particularly the 1st leg because the aim for both teams is to ensure they still have a good chance going into the 2nd leg so that tends to produce tight, tactical 1st leg matches but we don’t think this one will be.

Bayern Munich & Manchester United are two teams who believe in & excel at playing positive, attacking football to go for the win and that is what we expect from both of them here.

Bayern Munich know that their best & most likely chance of progressing through this tie will be to win the home leg & then get a positive result at Old Trafford so we do expect them to really have a go in this match & they have the attacking talent to do it on their best form.

Ribery, Robben, Klose, Schweinsteiger, Olic & Gomez all carry a fantastic attacking threat to their opponents & if they hit their best form then they certainly have the talent to cause the Manchester United defence real problems.

Ribery & Robben are threats with their direct pace & skill from wide areas, while Schweinsteiger & Olic provide a goal threat from midfield & Klose & Gomez carry a real aerial threat & physical strength up front.

The real weakness for Bayern Munich is that because they are so offensive, they can become defensively fragile in games and games often become stretched & open which is clearly a massive concern against the attacking quality & pace of Manchester United.

Bayern Munich’s showed their defensive fragility against Fiorentina in the last round & again their 2-1 home defeat at the weekend was not the best preparation for this match so they will clearly have to show improvement on that form to get something here.

Manchester United come into this Quarter Final tie with the proven experience & quality to handle such highly pressurised situations & of the two sides, we do expect Manchester United to be the more relaxed, controlled & indeed confident coming into the game.

Alex Ferguson knows what to expect from Bayern Munich & he will have the Manchester United team greatly prepared for this test & he will know that the really important aspect of the game will be for Manchester United to enforce their strength & quality on the match.

Manchester United showed with their confident, controlled destruction of AC Milan in the last round that they have the all important combination of quality, belief & a real determination to win and everything looks in place for a similar performance here.

Tactically Manchester United have a tried & tested team selection for all the major games with a 4-5-1 formation and that is what we expect again here with Van De Sar, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra & Neville providing great quality & experience in defence, Darren Fletcher & Michael Carrick to control the unit of 5 in midfield with Rooney leading the line up front.

Manchester United will look to gain early control of the match through possession & then use their excellent counter attacking qualities to hit Bayern Munich on the break & get the away goals & result that can prove so vital in these matches.

We are expecting this to be a fantastic match as both sides always play with the intention of producing positive, attacking football & highly pressurised, competitive nature of the match dictates it will be a test for both sides but Manchester United are confident & in such good form at present, we cannot oppose them & they do look an excellent bet to win this tie with Rooney again likely to be the difference.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Manchester United to win

Correct Score options: Manchester United to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Rooney/Carrick/Park

Scorecast options: Rooney/Carrick/Park score 1st & Man United win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Man United H/T & F/T

Lyon vs Bordeaux – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

All the eyes of France will be on this one for this all French clash between Lyon & Bordeaux which certainly looks set up to be a really entertaining contest.

Lyon have the Champions League pedigree & were the major, dominant force in French football for many years with their domination of the French 1st Division but all that has changed in recent seasons with Bordeaux taking over as the number one team in France so this really is a massively important clash to everybody involved.

Lyon & Bordeaux have fully deserved their places in the Quarter Finals with both displaying fantastic quality & consistency in the group stages & again in the last round which really does make this game an incredibly tough call.

Lyon have so far won 5 & drawn 2 of their 8 Champions league matches, scoring 14 & conceding only 4 goals during those games while Bordeaux have so far won 6 & drawn 1 of their 8 games in the competition scoring 12 only conceding 3 goals so it really is as tight as you can get.

Interestingly the bookies don’t quite see it that way as they have Lyon at even money favourites while Bordeaux are priced around the 11/4 mark & in our view the prices should be closer so if you are looking for a side to win this close battle a Bordeaux win definitely rates as better value bet than that of a Lyon win.

This really is going to be fascinating night & a really intense night for both teams because while both Lyon & Bordeaux will want to win, neither side will want lose & the fear of losing makes us believe that a competitive, scoring draw is a likely scenario & indeed a value bet worth taking because it really is too close to call either way.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: DRAW

Correct Score options: 1-1/2-2

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Gourcuff/Lopez/Chamakh

Scorecast options:Gourcuff/Chamakh/Lopez score 1st & 1-1/2-2

Double Result: DRAW H/T & F/T

Arsenal vs Barcelona – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

A neutral fans dream looks the best way to describe this immense clash between Arsenal & Barcelona as a full 5-star menu of top class, free flowing football looks set to be served up here.

Arsenal & Barcelona are regarded as the two best free flowing, positive, passing sides in world football & there is no doubt that this will be the game that most of the footballing world will want to see above any other because the possibilities are boundless.

As we have previously, Quarter Final 1st leg matches are notoriously intense, competitive & tight tactical matches that often disappoint through both sides having a fear of losing but that just does not seem at all possible here with both Arsenal & Barcelona totally committed to playing attacking football to win the game.

The key strengths of both sides are to use their creative, attacking qualities to gain control of matches & to score the goals that win them the game and that is exactly what we expect here.

Fabregas, Nasri, Rosicky & Arshavin are the key creative forces behind Arsenal & they will go head-to-head against the magician that is Lionel Messi, Ibrahimovic, Xavi & of course former Arsenal legend Thierry Henry and the prospects of those players being on the same pitch is immense as to the skills & quality we should witness.

In saying all that, the absolute key to this game might well be which side defends better when the other team comes on the attack & this is where Barcelona could have a vital edge as they have only conceded 4 goals so far in the Champions League & have managed to keep 5 clean sheets in 8 games.

Arsenal have displayed defensively fragility on occasions & only have 3 clean sheets to their name & they will certainly have to be at their very, very best defensively if they are to stop the likes of Messi & Ibrahimovic scoring what would be vital away goals.

Anybody who sits down to watch this match should enjoy a great football match as both Arsenal & Barcelona will look to get an all important win so the game should be open & both teams are definitely capable of winning so it’s a tight call but Barcelona are the number one contenders for this prize & they do look a good bet to get a vital win here with perhaps Thierry Henry returning to bite the hands that fed him for so long.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Barcelona to win

Correct Score options: Barcelona to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Messi/Henry/Ibrahimovic

Scorecast options: Messi/Henry/Ibrahimovic to score 1st & Barcelona to win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Barcelona to win 2-0/2-1

Inter Milan vs CSKA Moscow – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

3rd favourites Inter Milan welcome rank outsiders CSKA Moscow to the San Siro for what the bookies predict will be a straightforward task for Inter Milan but it might not be that straightforward.

Undoubtedly Inter Milan do deserve their status as 3rd favourites for the fantastic quality, organisation & team ethic they displayed in knocking a very strong Chelsea side out & clearly on that form they warrant maximum respect whoever they face.

Jose Mourinho & the Inter Milan clearly put absolutely everything into winning that tie against Chelsea & it was a magnificent team achievement but this task against CSKA Moscow is an entirely different test & quite possibly more of a test of mental strength than actual football quality.

The Inter Milan squad as far more strength & quality than the CSKA Moscow squad but it is likely to be their mental approach that determines what happens in this game & in the tie overall because they cannot afford to underestimate CSKA Moscow for 1 second.

Sevilla were widely expected to dispose of CSKA Moscow without too many problems having achieved a 1-1 draw in Moscow but CSKA Moscow turned that on it’s head by going to Sevilla & deservedly winning 2-1 so Inter Milan do have to give CSKA Moscow maximum respect as well.

Tactically we expect the same approach from Jose Mourinho & Inter Milan as to how they played their 2nd round tie against Chelsea, looking to control the home game & getting a winning advantage to take to the away match and we do expect Inter Milan to play a controlled but positive style here.

Inter Milan do have a fantastic balance to their squad with a very good goalkeeper, solid defence inspired by Lucio & then a great combination in midfield and attack with Cambiasso, Sneijder, E’too, Milito, Stankovic, Pandev as good a unit as there is in european football.

CSKA Moscow have been fantastic in this competition with their never say die, positive approach in games and they have certainly gained a lot of praise & new fans along the way.

CSKA Moscow are not a squad blessed with loads of world class players & no real world superstar names amongst them but they have got quality players capable of doing damage to their opponents with Krasic the star of the show & real creative, attacking force for them.

The 2-1 away win Sevilla & the 3-3 away draw against Manchester United shows that CSKA Moscow are capable of getting goals & results against the big sides away from home and that has to be their target for this match and we do expect them to have a real go here because they have no pressure & they are not expected to achieve anything.

Free flowing football may not be dominant in this match as Inter Milan will look to control the game & probably keep it tight but CSKA Moscow will attempt to play their positive style so it should be a decent game & one which we feel Inter Milan look a really solid bet to get an all important win to take into the 2nd leg although CSKA will put up a fight.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Inter Milan to win

Correct Score options: Inter Milan to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: E’too/Sneijder/Milito

E’too/Sneijder/Milito score 1st & Inter Milan win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Inter Milan H/T & F/T

The action in the champions League this week focuses on the 2nd set of 2nd round 2nd leg matches & everything looks in place for another fantastic week of top european action.
All four 2nd round ties taking place this week are incredibly closely balanced with two of the ties level at 1-1 & only 1 goal separating the other games & all 4 teams playing this week will believe they have a chance to progress.

Every 2nd round 2nd leg match has it’s own fascinating story to tell & all the games look set to be fantastic, entertaining football so there is plenty for us all to get stuck into & here are our views on those matches with the value betting recommendations we feel are worth consideration.

Chelsea vs Inter Milan – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

This is what the Champions League is all about – Chelsea & Inter Milan going head-to-head in what looks certain to be a highly pressurised, intense battle with quality all the way.

Of course, the media focus of this match will be the return of Jose Mourinho to Chelsea & while that does add something to the match in terms of profile, it is what happens on the pitch that will count & what will decide the match on the night.

Inter Milan travel to Stamford Bridge with the numerical advantage of a 2-1 lead from the 1st leg & the general feeling appears to be that this is going to be an incredibly tight, tense affair but we don’t see it that way.

Obviously the prize of place in the Quarter Finals of the Champions League is a massive prize & both Chelsea and Inter Milan desperately want that, but that did not stop the first game being an open, competitive battle & there is every reason to believe this 2nd leg will be the same.

The scenario with Chelsea having scored 1 away goal means Chelsea have to win & can go through with a 1-0 win or victory by 2 clear goals, while Inter Milan know that a draw will be enough for them so the relative tactical approaches will be what decide this match on the night.

Chelsea know they have to win & while that obviously brings pressure, we feel it is a massive bonus because it means Chelsea know exactly what they have to do & can plan for that.

Chelsea are incredibly strong at home & no matter who they are playing & no matter the situation, their approach will always be to go out & attack with the intention of winning the match & that is exactly what we expect here.

Of course Chelsea do have to be concerned about Inter Milan scoring but when you have got attacking talents that include Drogba, Anelka, Ballack, Lampard, Cole & Malouda then it is clear where their strength lies & where their best chance of qualifying lies.

Chelsea have the ability & experience to try and get a 1-0 win & look to hold on to that but Chelsea are at their best when the go for teams & they will know from the 1st leg they can do that.

Chelsea did lose 2-1 but they played very well & created a lot of goalscoring chances and could quite easily have won the match on the night so they should have no fear & certainly have confidence to go for Inter Milan back at Stamford Bridge.

Jose Mourinho will have everybody believe that this is Chelsea vs Mourinho and that Mourinho will conquer but a lot of that is his usual false bravado & he will know the task that Inter Milan face at Chelsea.

Tactically this match is a real test for Inter Milan because they can go into the game looking to keep it tight & hold on for a 0-0, 1-1 draw but that will prove pointless if Chelsea score early as they will come under immense pressure.

Also, it is doubtful that Inter Milan can actually go to Chelsea & keep it as tight as they want to because they looked vulnerable defensively at times in the San Siro & will come under far more pressure at Chelsea.

In our view, Inter Milan’s best chance of proagressing is to be positive & look to score early as they did at the San Siro but whatever happens they will face a really tough test here.

This is going to be an immense occasion & it should prove to be a fascinating, competitive match but Chelsea know what they have to & importantly they have the extra quality to do it & they look a great bet to show their class & win through with Drogba, Terry & Lampard leading the way.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Chelsea to win

Correct Score Options: Chelsea 3-0/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Lampard/Drogba/Malouda

Scorecast options: Lampard/Drogba/Malouda score 1st & Chelsea win 3-0/3-1

Double Result: Chelsea H/T & F/T

Sevilla vs CSKA Moscow – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

Sevilla & CSKA Moscow shared a hard fought, competitive 1-1 draw which provided quality & entertainment in the first leg & this 2nd leg looks certain to be just as entertaining.

Sevilla are a fantastic, entertaining footballing side who thrive on playing positive, attacking football and we certainly expect them to go for the win here.

Sevilla are strong at home as they usually look to control their home matches by dominating possession & then relying on the attacking quality which the likes of Fabiano, Kanoute, Renato, Konko & Negredo bring to the side & they will firmly believe they can beat CSKA Moscow here.

The advantage of the away goal is a massive plus for Sevilla because CSKA Moscow have to score to go through & that will open the game up which will suit Sevilla’s passing game & from that they can create the chances & score the goals to win the tie.

CSKA Moscow are amongst the rank outsiders to win the Champions League & that is unsurprising when you compare their squad with others & there are no world stars amongst the CSKA squad.

What CSKA Moscow do have is a fantastic team work ethic & a determination to be positive in every match they play, perfectly illustrated by their incredible 3-3 draw away against Manchester United & they do deserve respect in this tie.

Tactically it is easy for CSKA Moscow because they know they have to score at least once to win the game & will probably need at least 2 goals so they have to come into this game, be positive & look to attack whenever they can.

Krasic, Gonzalez, Dzagoev & Berezutsky are the stars amongst the CSKA Moscow squad & they all carry a live goal threat to Sevilla but whether they will get enough opportunities to show their quality is another matter entirely.

This should prove to be a fascinating & indeed entertaining match because both Sevilla & CSKA Moscow will look to play positive, attacking football & given their strength at home & their extra over all quality, we like the look of Sevilla as a solid bet to win this with Kanoute & Fabiano likely to be the inspirations.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Sevilla to win

Correct Score Options: Sevilla to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Kanoute/Fabiano/Konko

Scorecast options: Kanoute/Fabiano/Konko score 1st & Sevilla win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Sevilla H/T & F/T

Barcelona vs VFB Stuttgart – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

Reigning Champions League holders Barcelona take centre stage here as they welcome Stuttgart to the Nou Camp & hopefully this 2nd leg proves to be as entertaining as the 1st leg was.

When this tie was announced at the draw, it was widely expected that Barcelona would win through with great comfort & that Stuttgart would have no chance at all but they certainly showed otherwise in the 1st leg.

Stuttgart were fantastic in the 1st leg, taking the game to Barcelona, deservedly going in front before holding onto a well deserved 1-1 draw.

That result was not perfect for Stuttgart as Barcelona have the away goal but they would have accepted the draw before the match & will be incredibly pleased they are very much in the tie and they know what they have to do so that should suit them.

Stuttgart have to score in this match to have any chance so that forces their hand & how they will play so positive, fluent passing football is what we expect from Stuttgart here.

Stuttgart are massive underdogs to get anything at Barcelona so they can go to Barcelona & play without fear which will suit them & their attacking style gives them a chance.

Obviously teams that go to Barcelona committed to attacking have to be defensively solid & that is a concern for Stuttgart given the attacking talent of Barcelona but we still expect Stuttgart to have a go.

Barcelona have been there & done it many, many times before so they can certainly handle the pressure of Champions League football but having witnessed the expensive demise of arch rivals Real Madrid, they will be fully aware of what has to be done.

Being the reigning Champions of the Champions League does bring pressure but Barcelona have handled that very well & will certainly expect to qualify through this tie given their strength at home.

Barcelona will have great respect for what Stuttgart can do given they had to fight for a 1-1 draw in the 1st leg but Barcelona will also be aware the likes of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta & Ibrahimovic have more than enough skill & quality to take the Stuttgart defence apart on their best form.

Barcelona & Stuttgart both believe in playing positive, attacking football so this should be a really open match and the goals can flow but we expect Barcelona to do the scoring & they look a rock solid bet to win this with Messi’s magic the key to it all.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Barcelona to win

Correct Score Options: Barcelona to win 3-0/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Messi/Ibrahimovic/Xavi

Scorecast options: Messi/Ibrahimovic/Xavi score 1st & Barcelona win 3-0/3-1

Double Result: Barcelona H/T & F/T

Bordeaux vs Olympiacos – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

Without doubt, Bordeaux vs Olympiacos is the lowest profile of all the 2nd round ties but that won’t concern either set of players as they look set to do battle in another competitive contest to replicate what happened in the first leg.

Bordeaux took the honours in the first leg with a deserved 1-0 away win but the game was incredibly tight & this looks likely to be exactly the same as both Bordeaux & Olympiacos know they both have a big chance to qualify through.

The first game saw a few goalscoring opportunities for both sides, but primarily it was a close match as both teams enjoyed spells of possession without quite having enough attacking quality to make the most of that.

Bordeaux have the advantage of being in front from the first leg & of course the away goal but they won’t sit on that here & their style is all about being positive & playing attacking football.

Laurent Blanc & his players know that this is a massive chance for Bordeaux so we expect them to really go for it here with the likes of Chamakh & Chiani there to provide the quality & goal threat.

Olympiacos are a well organised side who compete very well physically & they had chances in the first leg so should go into this game positive of achieving a result.

The major weakness in Olympiacos’s set-up is their failure to score enough goals & also their away form in this competition is a big concern and does certainly make this a tough test.

Now this match will slip under the radar of many fans because of bigger matches elsewhere but Bordeaux & Olympiacos should put on a decent, competitive show & it is likely to be tight but we expect Bordeaux to have the edge again & they look a really solid bet to get another massive win.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Bordeaux win

Correct Score Options: Bordeaux win 1-0/2-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Chamakh/Ciani

Scorecast options: Chamakh/Ciani score 1st & Bordeaux win 1-0/2-0

Double Result: Bordeaux Half Time & Full Time

The action in the 2nd round of the Champions League kick-offs again this week after last weeks break for internationals & everything looks in place for another fantastic week of top european action.
All four 2nd round ties taking place this week are incredibly closely balanced with only 1 goal seperating all 4 ties & although away goals are a factor, nothing is guaranteed yet & all 8 teams playing this week will believe they have a chance to progress.

Every 2nd Round 2nd leg match has it’s own fascinating story to tell & all the games look set to be fantastic, entertaining football so there is plenty for us all to get stuck into & here are our views on those matches with the value betting recommendations we feel are worth consideration.

Fiorentina vs Bayern Munich – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

Fascinating contest in prospect here with the classic 2nd leg set-up with Bayern Munich ahead in the tie but with Fiorentina having the away goal & that should make this an entertaining well worth watching.

The first leg was a very competitive contest & certainly dramatic with Bayern Munich scoring late in both halves to secure a 2-1 victory so they know a draw will be good enough for them here while Fioretina know that a 1-0 home win will be enough for them so this match really is finely balanced.

The fact Fiorentina have to go out & win this match could well be the crucial factor because they will have to attack which will open the game up & that will definitely suit Bayern Munich’s attacking style & the advantage is definitely with Bayern Munich.

In terms of form going into this match then Fiorentina’s form since they qualified for the 2nd round has been very poor & that was again highlighted at the weekend by the way lost at home which clearly will not do their confidence any good ahead of this match.

Fiorentina are definitely under massive pressure coming into this match as the home fans will want a performace & a winning one at that so that pressure may well cause problems for the Fiorentina players which could well affect their performance in a negative way which is a concern.

Bayern Munich achieved a solid away draw at the weekend & have been in good, solid form for the last few months so we expect them to go into this game very positive & believing they can get the job done & we think they will do it by attacking Fiorentina & trying to win the match on the night.

In the group stages Bayern Munich had to go to Juventus & win to qualify and they did that in emphatic fashion winnning 4-1 so they will certainly have no fear about travelling to Fiorentina & in our mind Bayern Munich look a value bet to get another massive win & book their place in the quarter finals.

Betting Recommendations

Outright Match Result: Bayern Munich to win

Correct Score options: Bayern Munich to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Robben/Klose/Schweinsteiger

Scorecast options: Robben/Klose/Schweinsteiger score 1st & Bayern win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Bayern Munich H/T & F/T

Arsenal vs FC Porto – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

This match has exactly the same game scenario as the Fiorentina vs Bayern match as Porto bring a 2-1 advantage to Arsenal but Arsenal have the away goal & again this should be another cracking match for us to enjoy.

The first leg between Porto & Arsenal was an incredible mix of top quality passing & attacking play, great technical skills & flair and also incrediblly fragile defending & horrendous defensive errors and there is real scope that this match could also be very similar & equally entertaining.

Arsenal know they can qualify by winning 1-0 or by 2 clear goals but as with all of Arsenal’s matches, the only focus is on winning the match & doing it in a style that will entertain & score goals.

Arsene Wenger knows that Arsenal cannot afford any defensive mistakes here beause they will be punished but equally Arsenal’s open style of play will give Porto chances to attack & creates goalscoring chances so this is going to be a fascinating test.

Both Arsenal & Porto look to play open, attacking football & that should make the game flow quickly and both teams will believe they can win this so it could well go either way.

Obviously a massive factor to this game will be whether Cesc Fabregas is playing or not because Arsenal do not play their best football without Fabregas & if he does not play it will greatly boost the chances of Porto.

Arsenal are tremendously strong at home & Porto do struggle away so home advantage is likely to be a big factor but the biggest factor will be who scores first.

If Arsenal score first then they will believe they can go on & win the tie comfortably while if Porto score first it will really make Arsenal’s challenge tough & open up the game forcing Arsenal to attack & take more risks which would suit Porto better.

The prospects are definitely high for goals here as both Arsenal & Porto are defensively vulnerable so this should be a cracking game which can go either way but Arsenal’s home form is so strong that they look good to win this match & qualify although it may well take extra time to do that.

Betting Recommendations

Outright Match Result: Arsenal to win

Correct Score options: Arsenal to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Arshavin/Nasri/Bendtner

Scorecast options: Arshavin/Nasri/Bendtner score 1st & Arsenal win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Arsenal H/T & F/T

Real Madrid vs Lyon – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

Last summer, Real Madrid invested upwards of

The Champions League has passed through it’s usual winter break & the action is all to set to kick off again this week with the first set of 2nd round matches.

The 2nd round is where the Champions League really starts to get very interesting as 16 top class sides now match up against each other in a knock-out format of 8 fantastic 2 legged matches with teams playing home & away.

This season, UEFA have done things slightly different with the games staggered with the 4 ties which took place last week & the 4 ties that are set to take place this week.

The 2nd round line up is fascinating & all the matches look set to produce their own drama, quality & entertainment and here are our views on this weeks matches with the value betting options we feel are worth consideration:

Olympiacos vs Bordeaux – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

With Olympiacos priced at 80/1 to win the Champions League & Bordeaux at 33/1 to do likewise, it is highly unlikely this tie will produce the winners but that won’t concern either side & all they will see is a fantastic opportunity to progress.

Olympiacos qualified for the 2nd round by finishing 2nd to Arsenal in Group H with 3 wins & a draw from their 6 group stage matches.

The real strength of their qualification was their home form & their defensive record with only 4 goals conceded in those 6 games with the game based on being hard to beat & break down.

Olympiakos are strong at home & their fans create a phenomenal atmosphere which does represent a test to their opponents & if Olympiakos are too progress they need to win this so we expect an organised, determined approach here from them.

There are no real stars amongst the Olympiacos squad with their strength based on fantastic team spirit, commitment & work ethic that does make them tough to break down & particularly at home.

The one weakness for Olympiacos is they do not convert all the chances they create & goals scoring is an issue for them at this level which does add pressure & makes winning matches much tougher.

The group stage standings show that Bordeaux were the most successful of all 16 teams who qualified for the 2nd round as they won 5 & drew the other of their 6 group stage matches with a record of 9 goals scored & only 2 conceded.

That record was very impressive & indeed the performances that Bordeaux put in prove they are well worthy of their place & represent a threat to anybody they will play.

Bordeaux know that they face a test against Olympiacos with the whole crowd against them but that won’t concern them with the great belief they have in their own ability to go there & get a positive result.

Bordeaux play a naturally positive, attacking style of football and their approach will be to go out to try & get the away goals and win that would give them a huge chance of progressing.

Bordeaux have a real level of talent within their squad with the stars being the much vaunted striker Chamakh who is strong & as a real eye for goal while Gourcuff offers creativity and the ability to score vital goals as well.

This is going to be a competitive match given the strength of Olympiakos at home & Bordeaux’s proven ability so a scoring draw is a tempting option but we just favour the attacking quality of Bordeaux who look worth a bet to get a vital away win.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Bordeaux to win

Correct Score options: Bordeaux to win 2-0/2-1

Player to score each way/Player to score anytime: Chamakh/Gourcuff/Ciani

Scorecast options: Chamakh/Gourcuff/Ciani score 1st & Bordeaux win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Bordeaux H/T & F/T

Stuttgart vs Barcelona – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

This is a fascinating David vs Goliath clash & the differences in profile, history & size of Stuttgart & Barcelona cannot be underestimated & it should be a really interesting game to watch.

Stuttgart earned their place in the 2nd round phase in the most dramatic of circumstances because they had the pressure of having to win their final group stage match to progress but incredibly they went 3-0 up inside 11 minutes & incredibly they finished 2nd behind Sevilla.

That win was easily their best performance in what had been a frustrating qualifying & the fact they had 3 draws shows how tough Stuttgart do find it to win at this level.

A match against Barcelona is clearly a very tough task indeed but Stuttgart have an excellent team spirit & work ethic so they will be positive & compete for everything which will test Barcelona.

Barcelona are the reigning champions in the Champions League & favourites to retain their title which is entirely understandable given the immense quality they have.

Barcelona were not at their brilliant best in the group stages but they did have a particularly competitive group & ultimately did enough to win the group with a record of 3 wins & 2 draws from 6 matches.

Possessing the great talents of Henry, Messi, Ibrahimovic, Xavi & Iniesta gives Barcelona the ability to beat anybody in the world home or away & we expect Barcelona to come to this match with winning it their only ambition.

This should be an entertaining game because Stuttgart know they probably need a good win here to progress while Barcelona are certain to go for the win as well so with the game likely to be an open, attacking game, that will perfectly suit Barcelona & they look a rock solid bet to win here.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Barcelona to win

Correct Score options: Barcelona to win 2-0/2-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Messi/Xavi/Ibrahimovic

Scorecast options: Messi/Xavi/Ibrahimovic score 1st & Barcelona win 2-0/2-1

Double Result: Barcelona H/T & F/T

csKA Moscow vs Sevilla – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

This clash has got the makings of being a really entertaining match as both CSKA Moscow & Sevilla like to attack & this should prove well worth watching.

CSKA Moscow finished 2nd in Group B behind Manchester United despite losing 2 of their 6 matches & that shows the incosistency in their performances.

CSKA Moscow had 2 wins & a defeat in their 3 home matches & also produced a remarkable performance to draw 3-3 against Manchester United which does highlight the attacking threat they carry when on form.

The star of CSKA Moscow’s group phase matches was Krasic who has great technical ability & a real eye for goal while Dzagoev & Berezutsky also offer a real attacking threat & the ability to score important goals.

A record of 10 goals scored & 10 goals conceded shows CSKA Moscow have the ability to score but also a defensive fragility that will be tested by Sevilla and that is a concern for this match.

Sevilla are a side overloaded with attacking talent & on their day they have the ability to beat any side in european football proven by their excellent record in europe over the last 5 years.

Kanoute, Fabiano, Navas, Squillaci, Konko & Renato all have great attacking quality & a real eye for goal which makes Sevilla a real threat as an attacking force & we are expecting Sevilla to go for the win here.

The trip to Russia won’t be easy & Sevilla will be confident of beating CSKA Moscow at home but they will want away goals & a win to take to that 2nd leg so we are expecting a really positive performance from them here and in our view they look an excellent bet to make their extra quality pay & get a vital away win

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Sevilla to win

Correct Score options: Sevilla to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Kanoute/Fabiano/Navas

Scorecast options: Kanoute/Fabiano/Navas score 1st & Sevilla win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Sevilla H/T & F/T

Inter Milan vs Chelsea – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

Without doubt, this is the most interesting & highest profile of all the 2nd round ties and Inter Milan & Chelsea look primed to play their part in what should be a really fascinating, high pressure battle.

On a football level this is real, proper contest as both Inter Milan & Chelsea go into this match clear leaders of their respective leagues & looking highly like to become league champions come the end of the season.

There is so much quality within both the Inter Milan & Chelsea squads & both teams are very strong in all areas of the pitch & their are no obvious weaknesses in either side.

Inter Milan have Lucio, Sneijder, Samuel, E’too, Milito, Stankovic & Balotelli while Chelsea can more than match that with Drogba, Lampard, Anelka, Cech, Terry & Ballack and this really is going to be a battle of quality & intensity.

The two managers also bring their own vast qualities & experience to the match with Carlo Ancelotti a proven Champions League winner with Inter’s great rivals AC Milan & of course Inter Milan’s manager Jose Mourinho has a proven history of success managing Chelsea so there are many fascinating personal twists to this match as well.

The key target for both Inter Milan & Chelsea is to win the Champions League so this match is going to be an incredibly high pressure, intensely important match that neither Inter Milan or Chelsea will want to lose & while they both have the talent to win it, a very competitive & maybe even physical scoring draw looks a value bet worth taking as both teams look likely to match each other all the way.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match result: DRAW

Correct Score options: 1-1/2-2

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Drogba/Milito/Lampard

Scorecast options: Drogba/Milito/Lampard score 1st & 1-1/2-2

Double Result:

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.

The Champions League has passed through it’s usual winter break & the action is all to set to kick off again this week with the first set of 2nd round matches.
The 2nd round is where the Champions League really starts to get very interesting as 16 top class sides now match up against each other in a knock-out format of 8 fantastic 2 legged matches with teams playing home & away.

This season, UEFA have done things slightly different with the games staggered with 4 ties to start this week & then the remaining 4 ties to be started next week.

The 2nd round line up for the Champions League is fascinating & all the matches look set to produce their own drama, quality & entertainment and here are our views on the first 4 2nd round matches with the value betting options we feel are worth consideration:

AC Milan vs Manchester United – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

The creation of contests such as this was the motivation behind the formation of the Champions League and this clash of two massive european super powers such as AC Milan & Manchester United should prove to be a great battle.

Domestic success is of course a combined aim of both AC Milan & Manchester United but the whole ethos of both clubs & the driving force behind them is to be successful in europe so this game represents a truly massive clash that means absolutely everything to everyone connected.

To use a boxing analogy, this is a real heavyweight clash as both AC Milan & Manchester United are loaded with a potent mix of quality, experience & desire to win which guarantees that this match is going to be physically intense, tactical battle with both sets of players very well matched.

AC Milan’s key strength coming into this match is the combination of quality & experience that their midfield & attacking units possess with the likes of Ronaldinho, Pirlo, Gattuso, Ambrosini, Pato, Huntelaar, Borriello, Beckham, Seedort & Inzaghi all possessing the individual ability to win games.

Anyone of that group of players can produce a match winning performances & whichever combination of those players play, they will pose a threat to Manchester United.

The weakness of AC Milan is that their obvious attacking quality does have an impact on their overall solidity & particularly defensively where they are vulnerable to fluent attacking & pace which is clearly a major issue given the threat of Manchester United.

Manchester United come into this 2nd round tie with one clear target of progressing through to the next round & they certainly have a squad capable of doing just that.

Manchester United’s record in the Champions League over the last few years is amazing & they are just so incredibly tough to break down & beat in the Champions League.

Alex Ferguson takes his Manchester United side to Milan knowing they are in truly excellent, winning form and confident in the knowledge that the likes of Rooney, Carrick, Evra, Fletcher, Van De Sar, Ferdinand & Scholes all have proven quality & experience at this level which gives them the confidence to succeed.

The side issue in terms of the media to this match is of course David Beckham coming up against Manchester United for the first time since he left but that should not be a factor for this match & neither side will be affected by that on the pitch once the game kicks off.

The first leg of knock-out ties are usually incredibly tense, competitive & tactical affairs as the first aim is usually to make sure you still have a chance going into the 2nd leg & there has to be a good chance that this game will turn out that way as well.

AC Milan & Manchester United don’t usually draw matches as both are loaded with match winners & somebody usually produces a match winning contribution but this contest looks set to be incredibly competitive as both sides are well matched in terms of quality & both will fear losing so on that basis a competitive, scoring draw packed with quality play looks a value bet worth taking.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: DRAW

Correct Score Options: 1-1/2-2

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Pato/Pirlo/Rooney

Scorecast options: Pato/Pirlo/Rooney score 1st & 1-1/2-2

Double Result: DRAW H/T & F/T

Lyon vs Real Madrid – (Tuesday 7.45pm)

A feast of top class, attacking football looks on the menu here as Lyon & Real Madrid look set to produce what could well be the most entertaining of all the 2nd round matches.

Lyon & Real Madrid both obviously want to win but in many ways, entertaining their fans is just as important & producing positive, attacking football is what drives them on & this match could well produce plenty of goals.

Lyon & Real Madrid scored a combined total of 27 goals in the group stages and come into this match with identical records of 4 wins, 1 draw & 1 defeat from their 6 group stage matches so this looks certain to be a very competitive match.

In terms of strengths & weaknesses then Lyon & Real Madrid are well matched as the great quality they show in attack is their main weapon while defensive fragility is an issue for both teams.

When comparing both Lyon & Real Madrid in terms of quality of squad & overall form this season then Real Madrid clearly come out on top with their array of stars headed by Ronaldo, Kaka & perhaps importantly former Lyon star Benzema who will certainly be extra motivated for this one.

Both Lyon & Real Madrid will come into this game looking to win it so it should be an open, entertaining game of attacking football & goals look guaranteed so for a bet we are looking towards Real Madrid who have a clear edge in terms of attacking quality & they look good value to win this.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Real Madrid to win

Correct Score Options: Real Madrid to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Benzema/Ronaldo/Kaka

Scorecast options: Benzema/Ronaldo/Kaka score 1st & Real Madrid win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Real Madrid H/T & F/T

Bayern Munich vs Fiorentina – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

Fascinating contest in prospect here between Bayern Munich & Fiorentina who experienced different qualifying group stage campaigns but those are quality sides & this should be a cracking contest on the night.

Bayern Munich had a tough & inconsistent group stage campaign which required them to produce a stunning performance to win 4-1 away in Juventus.

That performance showed the true quality within the Bayern Munich side & it really did have a major, positive affect on the team & their performances since then.

Bayern Munich have been in excellent form & come into this match with a good win at the weeken which took them to joint top of the Bundesliga so confidence should be high coming into this match.

Bayern Munich will want a win from this first leg at home to take to the 2nd match in Fiorentina so we are expecting a high tempo, confident approach from Bayern Munich and they certainly do have the quality to do just that.

Fiorentina qualified for the 2nd round with a stunning performance in the group stage to top the group with a record of 5 wins & 1 defeat and that record does mark them down as dangerous opponents worth respect.

However, in terms of recent form, Fiorentina are experiecing a really poor run & they come into this match with a record of 4 defeats & a draw from their previous 5 games in Serie A & team confidence is very low right now.

Fiorentina will be looking to try & achieve a positive result of some kind from this away match but clearly their current poor form makes that a really tough challenge & they will have to show real improvement to do that.

It is dangerous to totally right off Fiorentina given their group record & the quality they have but all the momentum for this match appears to be with Bayern Munich who are in excellent, confident form right now & they do look a rock solid bet to win here.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Bayern Munich to win

Correct Score Options: Bayern Munich to win 2-0/3-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Gomez/Olic/Robben

Scorecast options: Gomez/Olic/Robben score 1st & Bayern Munich win 2-0/3-0

Double Result: Bayern Munich H/T & F/T

FC Porto vs Arsenal – (Wednesday 7.45pm)

We have a cracking game in prospect here as Arsene Wenger takes his talented Arsenal side to face a tough test in Porto & this really could provide entertainment & goals.

FC Porto & Arsenal are two sides committed to playing positive, attacking football so this is going to be fantastic, open contest which should be great to watch as both sides will want to aim for a win.

FC Porto are very strong at home but poor away & they know that given how strong Arsenal are at home, they definitely need a win in this first leg to take advantage into the 2nd leg so we are expecting Porto to really go for it here.

Porto know that their best chance of beating Arsenal will be to attack them & try to expose their defence which has shown to be vulnerable in recent weeks and the likes of Hulk, Falcao, Gonzalez & Rodriguez have the quality to cause Arsenal real problems.

Arsenal always go into games trying to win by playing positive, attacking football & that is what we expect here as they know a win here will virtually guarantee their qualification.

Arsenal know they have the quality to go to Porto and win but the key to that will be how well they organise themselves defensively because that has been a major weakness in the big matches so far & they will be aware of the threat Porto carry.

Cesc Fabregas is the key performer for Arsenal & how he imposes himself on the match will determine whether they win or not and his role becomes more important in this game with the expected absence of Andrei Arshavin.

We are expecting this to be a really entertaining game as both Porto & Arsenal will look to attack so that should make the game open and any result is possible given the quality on show but we have great respect for Porto at home & they look worth a bet to prove too strong for Arsenal & edge this on the night.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: FC Porto to win

Correct Score Options: FC Porto to win 2-1/3-1

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Hulk/Falcao/Rodriguez

Scorecast options: Hulk/Falcao/Rodriguez score 1st & Porto win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Porto H/T & F/T