5th Apr 2011 | Football
Champions League Quarter Finals
The bookmakers already have Barcelona in the semi finals but who is going to join them? We look at the betting in all the first leg ties.
Caught out on 151. Sounds like a good batting performance, but more remarkably it was the number of home games until Jose Mourinho suffered defeat. Tottenham visit the Bernabeu on Tuesday night and are 15/2 to make it two in a row.
Unusual for him, Cristiano Ronaldo has been the centre of attention. Initially ruled out of the game, the bookmakers now have him at 3/1 to open the scoring. Tottenham’s own jinking winger was a doubt, but Gareth Bale looks poised to start and is 18/1 to grab the first goal.
In Tuesday’s other game, reigning champions Inter again face German opposition in the form of Schalke 04. Leonardo’s men arrive after a debilitating 3-0 defeat against neighbours AC Milan; a result that puts the title almost out of reach. Schalke have long since stopped competing for the Bundesliga, they lie in 11th place, but in Europe are a team transformed. They are 13/2 to win and inflict further misery on the Nerazzurri.
Barcelona are 6/5 favourites to win the competition and the bookmakers expect Shakhtar Donestsk to roll over and play nice. Lionel Messi is 4/7 to score in the home leg, odds so short you’d think they were playing basketball.
The final game this week is an all English affair. Some say the league never lies. If that is a case then the bookmakers are fibbing as they make Chelsea favourites to qualify at 17/20. But we are in the Champions League and the rules are different; United find themselves outsiders at evens to progress.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 10:01 5th Apr, 2011 but subject to change
