AC Milan

Group E

Bayern Munich P5 W4 D0 L1 Pts 12
Roma P5 W3 D0 l2 Pts 9
FC Basel P5 W2 D0 L3 Pts 6
CFR Cluj P5 W1 D0 L4 Pts 3

Bayern Munich v Basel

Just the game that Bayern needs to wrap up Group E without too many worries. A home match against a side they have ready beaten. Bayern have no worries really about losing top spot because even if the unthinkable happened and they lost, Roma would need to win by a big margin in order to overturn the goal difference between the two sides, which stands at eight in favour of the German side. Roma are not going to overturn that. You would expect the strong German side, even though they aren’t playing quite to their full potential at the moment, to push on and take another three points. Basel have performed decently enough in the Champions League this season, and will want to cling on to third place, which would see them in the Europa League. They would only need a point to do that, and while they haven’t been overwhelmed by any of the higher opposition in the group this year, the Swiss side should come up short on their trip to Germany. Bayern have two wins from two there, and they will probably make it three from three in order to secure top spot in the group. Home win.
Tip: Bayern Munich 4/5 at BetFred
Others: Draw 3/1 at William Hill, Basel 19/5 at Totesport

Cluj v Roma

This group was always going to see Roma and Bayern Munich progress, although Claudio Ranieri’s Roma have made much harder work of things than their German counterparts. They have lost two matches in the group so far, have a -1 goal difference and got thumped by Basel at home. However, Roma showed a bit of bottle in beating Bayern Munich in a great 3-2 match in the Italian capital, and now they only need a point to ensure that they finish second. More than likely they won’t even need that if Bayern Munich beat Basel as expected. However, this has been a fascinating group, with both Cluj and Basel  making a real nuisance of themselves, and pushing the top two sides hard. There have been plenty of goals in this group, and all but three of the matches have been won by just a one goal margin. Including Bayern beating Cluj 3-2, Roma beating Basel 3-2, Bayern beating Basel 2-1. Anyway, the bottom line is that Cluj could well put up a fight against Roma, but they aren’t going to score enough to take over Basel for third place on goal difference. Basel will probably lose to Bayern but not by a lot, and Cluj needs to make up six goals on the Swiss side and beat Roma in the process. Not going to happen. It’s been a great group, but would expect Roma to do enough with a draw just to make sure there are no scares, and knowing that they aren’t going to catch Bayern.
Tip: Draw 13/5 at William Hill
Others: Roma 8/11 at Bet365, Cluj 9/2 at Boylesports

Group F

Chelsea P5 W3 D0 L0 Pts 15
Marseille P5 W3 D0 L2 Pts 9
Spartak Moscow P5 W 2 D0 L3 Pts 6
Zilina P5 W0 D0 L5 Pts 0

Marseille v Chelsea

It didn’t look as if Marseille really had enough to get through this group at one stage, but they have responded well. They take on a Chelsea side which are looking to become the first English side in the history of the tournament to win six group matches from groups. The Blues are not in good form though. Will Didier Drogba’s return to former club be spoiled? Read our full match betting preview here:

Zilina v Spartak Moscow

Well, everything is done and dusted in this match. Spartak will be in the Europa League with a third place finish, no matter what happens on Wednesday night in this group. They looked favourites to go through to the knockout stage with Chelsea at one point, but they blew their lines in a 3-0 home defeat by Marseille, the team which they needed to beat to secure second place. Their chances went out of the window with that somewhat unexpected result, as Spartak have shown that they are a solid and well organised side. So all that is left to do is to enjoy a trip to Slovakia to face the bottom side club, and just relax in a match which really has no importance whatsoever. Zilina have had a rough ride in their Champions League debut, thumped 4-1 by Chelsea, 3-0 by Spartak and them 7-0 at home by Marseille, they have been out of their depth. If the full Spartak side show up in Slovakia then it will be a win for the Russians at a canter.
Tip: Spartak Moscow 7/5 at Bet365
Others: Zilina 9/4 at SkyBet, Draw 12/5 at Totesport

Group G

Real Madrid P5 W 4 D1 L0 Pts 13
AC Milan P5 W2 D2 L1 Pts 8
Ajax P5 W1 D1 L3 Pts 4
Auxerre P5 W1 D0 L4 Pts 3

Real Madrid v Auxerre

This group had the promise of showing a lot more interest than what it has petered out to. Auxerre really woke themselves up with a win over Ajax, but then blew everything with a home defeat by AC Milan. The French side aren’t great really, and their enthusiasm didn’t carry them far enough. There is a slim chance that they could sneak third place in the group for a place in the Europa League, but for that to happen they would have to beat the unbeaten Real Madrid. Jose Mourinho has Real Madrid going well in the Champions League, as expected, as his only hiccup was a 2-2 draw away at AC Milan. Cristiano Ronaldo is firing on all cylinders at the moment and even though Madrid got embarrassed by Barcelona in El Clasico recently by Barcelona, they are good enough to win this match without hitting top gear. Mourinho is too efficient to let chances slide like this, even if this match has no real baring on the outcome of the group. Auxerre are not good enough to get wheat they want from a trip to Madrid. Real Madrid won 1-0 in Auxerre, but you can probably expect a few more goals on the score sheet than that. Auxerre don’t carry enough threat, so a home win here.
Tip: Real Madrid 1/2 at 888Sport
Others: Draw 15/4 at Bwin, Auxerre 7/1 at BetFred

AC Milan v Ajax

This would have been a fantastic match in prospect if they were battling it out on Match Day Six for second place. However, the big threat that was supposed to come from European giants Ajax simply never emerged. Their inability to beat either AC Milan and Real Madrid has really hurt them, and has rightly left them back in third place. Technically they could be caught by Auxerre, if the French side pull off a incredibly result away to Real Madrid, and Ajax beat AC Milan by a couple of clear goals. It’s unlikely to play out that way, both top seeds losing on the same night in the same group? No. Ajax were hammered by Real Madrid in their last match at home, running out to a heavy 4-0 defeat at the hands of Cristiano Ronaldo and co. AC Milan aren’t quite on the same level as Real Madrid, but they are still good enough to secure a home win. A win for AC Milan really would do nothing, as they can’t be caught for second place, and they can’t catch Real Madrid for top spot, no matter what happens. This could just peter out in a drawn match really, with Ajax showing a bit of fight late on and Milan not really all that interested in the match. The two sides drew 1-1 when they met in Amsterdam early in the tournament.
Tip: Draw Evens at Boylesports
Others: Draw 13/5 at Totesport, Ajax 3/1 at Coral

Group H

Shakhtar Donetsk P5 W4 D0 L1 Pts 12
Arsenal P5 W3 D0 L2 Pts 9
Braga P5 W3 D0 L2 Pts 9
Partizan Belgrade P5 W0 D0 L5 Pts 0

Arsenal v Partizan Belgrade

The Gunners may just have blown their chance to win the group, suffering two away defeats in a row, first to Shakhtar and then to Braga. That has left them trailing in second place, and needing a huge favour from Braga if they are going to steal away top spot. A win for Arsenal and a loss for Shakhtar would put Arsenal top on goal difference. This match needs to be won first, as second place in the group is not even secure yet. So how will the Gunners respond? Read our full match betting preview here for tips

Shakhtar Donetsk v Braga

The most interesting match of the night on Wednesday. You have to assume an Arsenal win will come in the other match against bottom side Partizan who have not picked up a single point yet, so that leaves this one in a very interesting situation. Shakhtar Donetsk will only need a point to secure top spot in the group if Arsenal win. That will be just reward for some excellent performances, including the vital win over the Gunners. However, Braga are in an interesting situation themselves as they have a lot to play for. The Portuguese side pulled of a late, but great win over Arsenal on Match Day five, drawing themselves level with Arsenal on nine points. So a win for Braga would be enough so send them through if Arsenal fail to beat Partizan. If both Arsenal and Braga win, then those two, plus Shakhtar Donetsk would all end up on twelve points. All the head to head records would be identical incidentally, so it would be a free for all on goal difference. Arsenal hold the trump card there, so Braga would need to beat Shakhtar by five goals to be safe in that situation. This is the only group where the two places have not been secured. Is there a surprise on the cards?
Tip: Shakhtar 8/11 at Stan James
Others: Draw 14/5 at Totesport, 9/2 at Boylesports

Paddy Power are running a great enhanced odds offer for tonight’s Champions League Match Day Five fixtures. The popular bookmaker is offering a Chelsea, Arsenal and AC Milan winning bet for enhanced odds of 9/1, which makes an interesting proposition. The banker the bunch should be the Chelsea fixture, who are at home to Zilina as the Blues need only one point to book top spot in the group. Can they overcome their troubles to progress? Arsenal are in Portugal to take on Braga, a side which they beat 6-0 on the opening day of the Champions League, so there is no reason not to expect another good win for the Gunners. AC Milan are still fighting for a qualification spot, and they need to overcome the challenge of Auxerre to strengthen their position and keep Ajax off their tails. AC Milan beat the French side 2-0 in their opening group fixture. More of the same to come? If you think so, then taking the enhanced odds of 9/1 for Chelsea, Arsenal and AC Milan all to win tonight, really is a good offer. It is good value as it represents better odds than you would pick up individually for the matches.

Paddy Power run a fantastic betting website, and is one of the most popular destination for sports betting promotions just like this one. If you are not an account holder with Paddy Power yet, there is still time to get yourself set up with them before tonight’s matches. Just head to Paddy Power, open your account, make a deposit and you are set. When you place your first bet on a new account, the online bookmaker will match the value of that first stake, up to £50 as a free bet. The perfect time to take advantage of the Champions League betting that Paddy Power has available.

Champions League Winner Betting Odds

Barcelona: 13/4 at Unibet
Chelsea: 9/2 at Paddy Power
Real Madrid: 9/2 at Ladbrokes
Man Utd: 11/1 at Stan James
Arsenal: 12/1 at Ladbrokes
Inter Milan: 13/1 at Unibet
Bayern Munich: 16/1 at Totesport
AC Milan: 30/1 at Unibet
Tottenham: 40/1 at Boylesports

With the Group Stages of the Champions League betting hitting the halfway mark, we present a football betting guide for your perusal. Things are largely going as expected in the Champions League betting for this season, and at least that should make your bets a little more secure. As far as the British teams are concerned, Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal all look to be in comfortable positions to progress, while Spurs and Rangers still have a little bit of work to do. Below is a betting guide along with best UEFA Champions League Odds for the individual groups and top scorers for the 2010/11 Champions League. Don’t forget the Champions League Predictor Game which runs through the match days of this year’s tournament at online bookmaker SportingBet. There is £10,000 up for grabs every match day. There has been a lot of cash paid out already, but no single match day jackpot. All you need to do to get in on the action, is place a qualifying £10 bet on any Sportsbook market and you will gain a free Champions League Predictor entry. Predict the outcome of all 16 matches correctly on any given match day, and you will win the cash prize, guaranteed. You can also earn yourself a free £50 bet when you sign up for an account with the popular online bookmaker.

Group A

Inter Milan P3 W2 D1 L0 Pts 7
Tottenham Hotspur P3 W1 D1 L1 Pts 4
Werder Bremen P3 W0 D2 L1 Pts 2
FC Twente P3 D2 L1 Pts 2

The Italians are in firm control of this group after their thrilling 4-3 victory over Spurs at the San Siro on match day three. However, there is a feeling that this group isn’t quite done and dusted yet. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was incredibly brave sending out an attacking line up in Italy, which backfired a bit, but there should be enough encouragement there to take on Inter back at White Hart Lane. That really will be the crucial fixture in this. Spurs now have two home matches to book themselves qualification, so it is all in their own hands, and you cannot ask for more than that at this stage. Spurs will really need to win against Inter to be comfortable, and then facing Werder Bremen who are in terrible form at home, Spurs still have a great chance of making the knockout round. You have to fancy them above the bottom two sides on strength and form.
Group A Winner: Inter 4/11 at Coral, Spurs 9/2 at SkyBet
Group A To Qualify: Inter 1/33 at SkyBet, Spurs 4/9 at Totesport, Werder Bremen 5/2 at Bwin, Twente 16/1 at SkyBet

Group B

Lyon P3 W3 D0 L0 Pts 9
Schalke P3 W2 D0 L1 Pts 6
Benfica P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3
Hapoel Tel Aviv P3 W0 D0 L3 Pts 0

The Champions League stalwarts Lyon have really taken a firm grip on Group B. After reaching the semi finals of the competition last season, they are off to a flyer again and look to be a threat again this year. With Michel Bastos banging in three goals in three matches, and their defence holding pretty tight, Lyon will be a hard side to beat. Their opening day win over Schalke was a big one, and although the German side are not in great form in the domestic league, they look a sure bet to join Lyon in the next round. Lyon and Schalke won’t meet again until Match day 6, and qualification could all be settled before then. It could be a group winner decider though, so keep an eye on Schalke’s form up to that final clash, and they will need to win that home match to pinch first place. Back Lyon well here and they will make a huge nuisance of themselves in the knockout rounds again. Neither Benfica or Hapoel are going to come close as they have looked largely outclassed.
Group B Winner: Lyon 1/2 at Coral, Schalke 11/4 at BetFred
Group B To Qualify: Lyon 1/25 at SkyBet, Schalke 4/9 at Coral, Benfica 2/1 at Paddy Power, Hapoel 100/1 at Bwin

Group C

Man Utd P3 W2 D1 L0 Pts 7
Rangers P3 W1 D2 L0 Pts 5
Valencia P3 W1 D1 L1 Pts 4
Bursaspor P3 W0 D0 L3 Pts 0

One of the more intriguing groups. Manchester United haven’t put in a good performance at all yet in their three matches, and Alex Ferguson, with his team selections, seems to have taken it a bit lightly. With the Rooney saga now over after the disgruntled striker had a change of heart and signed a 5 year contract at Old Trafford, once he gets back into form United should get stronger. The fact that they are top of the group without playing well says a lot about their experience in this. Rangers are the surprise package so far, holding both United and Valencia to draws. That’s big kudos to the Scottish champions, and have put themselves in with a great chance of progressing. Their next match will be crucial. It is away in Spain and Rangers really need to get something out of that to keep up their challenge. Showed some good mettle this year in the competition, as Valencia and Man Utd were earmarked as the strong teams in Group C. You would still back United to win the group now that they have the cushion. With Valencia having to come to Old Trafford, there doesn’t look a game left which they could lose.
Group C Winners: Man Utd 1/4 at Bet365, Valencia 11/2 at Unibet, Rangers 18/1 at ExtraBet
Group C To Qualify: Man Utd 1/25 at Coral, Valencia 1/3 at SkyBet, Rangers 3/1 at Bwin

Group D

Barcelona P3 W2 D1 Pts 7
FC Copenhagen P3 W2 D0 L1 Pts 6
Rubin Kazan P3 W0 D1 L2 Pts 2
Panathinaikos P3 W0 D1 L2 Pts 1

Barcelona again haven’t had things all their own  way in the group, but they are still in control and cruising into the knockout stages of the competition, as to be expected. Their only slip up came in an away fixture against Rubin Kazan where they played out a draw. Not a disaster, not when you have Messi on fire. The big surprise package of the Champions League so far this season has been FC Copenhagen, who lost top spot to Barcelona on Match day three, when the Catalans beat them 2-0 at the Nou Camp. While Kazan would have made a great tip at the start of the competition to quality, the Danes have taken a much firmer grip of things. Even if Copenhagen lose the return fixture against Barcelona, Rubin Kazan with a win, would still be behind them in the table, so Copenhagen are in a strong position. However, what may hurt them, is that they have to go to Russia and if Kazan win that, it’ll blow things wide open. There is a serious race for second place in this group to finish behind Barcelona, as Kazan go to the Nou Camp on match day six. The standings may look a little lop sided at the moment, but Kazan are not out of this just yet.
Group D Winners: Barcelona 1/19 at Bwin, Copenhagen 18/1 at ExtraBet
Group D To Qualify: Barcelona 1/250 at Bet365, Copenhagen 4/7 at Totesport, Rubin Kazan 9/4 at SkyBet

Group E

Bayern Munich P3 W3 D0 L0 Pts 9
Basel P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3
Cluj P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3
Roma P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3

Well, this group as far as the winner goes, is pretty much done and dusted. Win three wins out of three, and the other three teams all taking points away from each other, last year’s losing finalists are having things pretty easy in Group E. As to who will join them in the knockout phase, well that is not so cut and dry at the moment, as there has been another surprise team in the Champions League this year. That has been Claudio Ranieri’s Roma, who were pencilled in as a major threat this year. However, their home collapse on match day three against Basel has left them rooted to the bottom of the group at the halfway stage. Do they have enough to get through now? They have to face Bayern at home still, and Cluj, but their next match is now a massive one. They have to go to Switzerland and hope for a big result. For a team which is going to strong in Serie A, you still have to have a good hard long look at them to qualify. If however you are looking for an upset, there are some decent odds on Basel.
Group E Winner: Bayern Munich 1/10 at Totesport
Group E To Qualify: Bayern Munich 1/33 at Coral, Roma 3/4 at Unibet, Basel 5/2 at 888Sport, Cluj 6/1 at SportingBet

Group F

Chelsea P3 W3 D0 L0 Pts 9
Spartak Moscow P3 W2 L1 Pts 6
Marseille P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3
Zilina P3 W0 D0 L3 Pts 0

Premier League Champions Chelsea are pretty much in the next round of the competition. Their solid, steady and unspectacular win in Moscow saw to that. It was a professional job well done, and that is all that can really be said about their progress so far. They now have two home matches out of the remaining three, and that makes them bankers for the group. There is an interesting race for second, largely because Marseille have been incredibly below par. A lot more was expected from them, but they only picked up their first win in a 1-0 home triumph over Zilina on Match day 3. That was also their first goal in the group stage this season. However, if Chelsea beat Spartak on Match day four, while Marseille again beat Zilina, that would put the French and Russians on level points. Then it will be all to play for in Russia when Marseille visit. Spartak have looked the better side out of the duo though, and make a more sound bet, especially with the crucial match being in their own back yard.
Group F Winner: Chelsea 1/20 at BetFred, Spartak Moscow 18/1 at SkyBet
Group F To Qualify: Chelsea 1/100 at BetFred, Spartak Moscow 8/15 at SportingBet, Marseille 17/10 at Bwin

Group G

Real Madrid P3 W3 D0 L0 Pts 9
AC Milan P3 W1 D1 L1 Pts 4
Ajax P3 W1 D1 L1 Pts 4
Auxerre P3 W0 D0 L3 Pts 0

One of the more exciting groups, although Real Madrid’s match day three victory over AC Milan sort of sorted out the issue of who is going to finish top. Under Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid have made steady progress, not conceding a goal yet. They were given a tough time in Auxerre on match day two, but came through 1-0 in typical Mourinho style. You can take Madrid as group winners right now, so the interest in this group is in the runner’s up spot. Will it be AC Milan or Ajax? As the two sides drew in Holland on match day two, this issue probably won’t be settled until match day five when they meet again, this time at the San Siro. You would expect Ajax to have a bit of an advantage in points come that point, and AC Milan will be playing catch up. That’s because in the next round of fixtures, Milan face Madrid again, while Ajax face Auxerre. You would fancy another Madrid win, so if Ajax pick up even a point against Auxerre, they will hold the cards in their hand. Their last fixture is against Madrid though, so there is still an arduous task of picking either side out of a seemingly parity laden situation. To be honest, Ajax look a little more adventurous, and could be a great punt at the price below to qualify.
Group G Winner: Real Madrid 1/8 at Totesport, AC Milan 23/2 at UniBet
Group G To Qualify: Madrid 1/150 at BetFred, AC Milan 6/17 at Unibet, Ajax 5/2 at Bet365

Group H

Arsenal P3 W3 D0 L0 Pts 9
Shakhtar Donestk P3 W2 D0 L1 Pts 6
Braga P3 W1 D0 L2 Pts 3
Partizan P3 W0 D0 L3 Pts 0

This is taking the path which was it was fully expected to really. Arsenal are head and shoulders above the rest, and the dominant force in the group. Their 5-1 thrashing of second placed Shakhtar Donetsk pretty much put a seal on that, and that was against the Ukrainians who were in pretty decent form. So, Arsenal will be expected to take the group title, especially if they come through their trip to the Ukraine on match day four unscathed. It should be plain sailing for them then. Donetsk was always going to look the second strongest side in the group, and neither Braga nor Partizan have looked anywhere good enough really. Expect an Arsenal – Donetsk 1-2 finish to the group. It should be a formality.
Group H winner: Arsenal 1/6 at SkyBet, Donetsk 7/1 at ExtraBet
Group H To Qualify: Arsenal 1/100 at Coral, Donetsk 2/9 at Boylesports, Braga 9/2 at Paddy Power

Group E

Roma v Basel

Roma to win: 11/17 at Unibet
Draw: 29/10 at Boylesports
Basel to win: 11/2 at Ladbrokes

Ex Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri will look for his side to get the upper hand in the group with a good home win over FC Basel. The two sides were thrown together in the Europa League last season, with both teams winning their respective home ties. The Italians won 2-1 at home, but it wasn’t enough to progress on aggregate, trailing 2-0 from the first leg. After losing their first Champions League match against Bayern Munich this season, Roma got their challenge back on track on match day two with a home win over Cluj, and not a very convincing one at that. Basel meanwhile have yet to pick up a point in this year’s competition, so they have a lot at stake from the bottom of the group. Roma, along with Bayern Munich were expected to progress from this group, but Roma haven’t quite made the impact they were expected to as yet. They should triumph over Basel at home though, and will be worth backing. They have to be confident, as they are leading Serie A at the moment, with five wins from seven matches and are looking strong there. They just need to translate it to Europe and settle down a bit. They should qualify, and with Club expected to lose to Bayern, Roma could be sitting a lot more comfortably at the end of match day three.
Tip: Roma to win

Bayern Munich v CFR Cluj

Bayern Munich to win: 2/7 at Boylesports
Draw: 5/1 at Unibet
CFR Cluj to win: 23/2 at Unibet

Last year’s finalists have gotten off to a good start in the Champions League this year. They started as group favourites and that looks as if that is they way it is going to be. What started the ball rolling was beating Roma 2-0 in the opening fixture, a big result as that is their main challengers for the top spot. Another win here against Cluj, should see Bayern take full control of this group and get one foot in the knockout stages. They have looked comfortable, even though they have had an incredibly slow start to their domestic league, winning just three of eight there and floundering around mid table. They have the quality and one of the top bosses in Europe to guide them, and this shouldn’t be a problem for them. Cluj have played out two 2-1 scorelines in the Champions League so far. They beat Basel by that scoreline and lost against Roma. They are actually giving a decent account of themselves and look to work hard. However, an intimidating trip to Germany is probably going to be too overwhelming for them. Why not look for a 2-1 correct score again for Cluj in your football betting? These things happen! Bayern have won six straight home Champions League matches. There’s the big stat for your betting.
Tip: Bayern to win

Group F

Spartak Moscow v Chelsea

See our full match betting preview here

Chelsea to win: 6/5 at SkyBet
Draw: 12/5 at BetFred
Spartak Moscow to win: 11/4 at Victor Chandler

Marseille v Zilina

Marseille to win: 3/10 at SkyBet
Draw: 9/2 at Unibet
Zilina to win: 14/1 at Victor Chandler

The chase is on to catch Chelsea, and Marseille are the ones expected to mount the biggest challenge. However, things haven’t gone that way and the French side remain without a point after their first two matches. Didier Deschamps needs something quickly, and they will be grateful for this home fixture against Zilina, who are also without a point. With Chelsea and Moscow on six points, there is a lot of work to be done by Marseille and they have to win this and hope Chelsea beat the Russians. That would keep their hopes alive, and they will need a huge improvement over their performance against Chelsea. There the French side looked a little out of their depth against the English champions, but they are doing OK in the French league, sitting around the top four. They are a good side, but it looks as if they just need more of a cutting edge up front. After being beaten heavily by Chelsea and Moscow, Zilina may not offer much resistance to Marseille, although they will be targeting the French side as the best possible source of points. Unlikely to happen away from home, so will look for maximum points for Marseille in the football betting for this one.
Tip: Marseille to win

Group G

Ajax v Auxerre

Ajax to win: 7/10 at Totesport
Draw: 14/5 at Bwin
Auxerre to win: 5/1 at SkyBet

Huge amount at stake in this one. Both sides really need to get their campaign going, with the only point between them being one which Ajax picked up in a draw against Milan. It wasn’t a particularly good draw for either of these two sides, being put up against Real Madrid and Milan, but Ajax are a club with a great European history and they are looking to get back their glory days. They will go for this one, and they are a high scoring club in the Dutch league, hitting 24 goals in nine games. They have just the one in the Champions League though, after being beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid and then holding Milan to a 1-1 draw. This match should allow them to cut lose a little bit, and with Auxerre hanging around just above the relegation zone in the French league, having just won one match out of nine, Ajax will go as favourites without a doubt. Auxerre haven’t hit a goal in their two Champions League matches so far, and they are rooted to the bottom of the group. They have to perform here now, as they pretty much have nothing left to lose. It’s a tough trip to the Netherlands, but their Champions League lifeline is hanging by a thread. You should see a more battling performance from them, but you have to bank on the firepower of Ajax edging this one.
Tip: Ajax to win

Real Madrid v Milan

Real Madrid to win: 8/13 at Bet365
Draw: 3/1 at Bwin
AC Milan to win: 5/1 at SkyBet

This is the big match of Match Day Three of the 2010/11 Champions League. Football betting will be prominent in the favour of Real Madrid on this one. Not only are they the home team, and have the steady hand of Jose Mourinho at the helm, you have to fancy them having a bit more scoring power than AC Milan. Real Madrid are already looking like a typical Mourinho side. What does that mean? It means that they are so much tighter at the back than they have been in recent times, and that is because Mourinho knows what it takes to win, and that is building from defence. They have struck a good balance though, averaging over two goals per game in La Liga this season, and are topping the league there ahead of Barcelona. They have actually hit ten goals in their last two league matches, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Hugain in blistering form for the club. They are well worth backing for anytime goalscorer bets, and with Di Maria and Ozil in the middle of the park, Real Madrid look to have stepped up another level. Madrid have lost their last three home matches against Italian teams in Europe though. But, Mourinho makes a huge difference and it should all be too much for AC Milan really, who are doing well themselves in Serie A, occupying second place. They will look to recent history for confidence, as when the two sides met in the group stage in 2009/10, Milan won their first ever match at Madrid, with Pato scoring a late winner in a pulsating match. Pato is top scorer against for Milan this year, hitting four in the league, and they have boosted their offensive corps with Ibrahimovic and Robinho. They carry more threat than they did last year, and should raise their game here, and could be worth looking at a draw.
Tip: Draw

Group H

Braga v Partizan

Braga to win: 17/20 at BetFred
Draw: 13/5 at Unibet
Partizan Belgrade to win: 15/4 at Paddy Power

Another match which involves teams looking for their first points. Both sides have found the going tough in group H against Arsenal and Shakhtar. Partizan were expected to put up a little more of a fight, with a reputation as being a brave side, but Arsenal’s late away show against them really has put the Belgrade side out of the picture, along with Braga. Both sides have a lot of catching up to do, and three points here would prove highly valuable in the race for survival more than anything. Braga’s defence hasn’t stood up very well at all at this level of competition, conceding nine in their two matches. Partizan have been a little better and you would look at them as viable winners of this match. However, home advantage is with Braga and you would really expect this to peter out to a draw, handing a huge advantage to the two strongest teams in the group.
Tip: Draw

Arsenal v Shakhtar Donetsk

Arsenal to win: 3/4 at Unibet
Draw: 14/5 at Totesport
Shakhtar Donetsk to win: 9/2 at Ladbrokes

See our full match betting preview here

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Group E

Bayern Munich v Roma

Just one of a few very interesting matches for the Wednesday edition of the Champions League. This is a big clash between last year’s finalists Bayern Munich, and Claudio Ranieri’s Roma, who are establishing themselves as a strong force in Italian football after finishing second last year. Bayern have not encountered Roma before in the Champions league and won’t be too fazed, especially as they will see that the Italians are well below strength because of injury problems. Bayern have seen plenty of Italian opponents come their way in the Champions League in the past. Just last season they dealt with Juventus in the Group Stage and then Inter Milan in the final of the Champions League. Was last year a flash in the pan from the Germans? They played a strong game for a lot of the time, beating Manchester United along the way to the final but at other times they showed weaknesses that could be exposed. It will be interesting to watch if they have learnt from past mistakes and have gotten even stronger after such a successful season last year. Bayern won the German league and cup, but missed out on the treble in the Champions League final. This is the big clash in the group, as both of these sides will be expected to qualify, so who will draw first blood? Pointers are that Bayern should have the edge in this one, even though the two teams look fairly evenly matched. For Roma, they are missing a handful of players through injury, and are sitting second from bottom in Serie A without a win in their opening two matches. Rodrigo Taddei, Mikro Vucinic, Philippe Mexes, John Arne Riise and Paolo Castellini will all miss out, and there were huge worries over striker Adriano. One piece of good news, is that his injury looks to have finally healed in time to get him into action for this one. This could be quite a pulsating game, especially if Bayern grab things by the scruff of the neck. Things aren’t quite going Roma’s way at the moment, and that is why Bayern Munich must edge the football betting here. Roma missed out on Champions League football last year, but in the season before gave a very good account of themselves. This is a tough start, and although a defeat should not ultimately hurt them, they need to get confidence going quickly.
Bayern Munich to win: 8/11 at Boylesports
Draw: 37/13 at Bwin
Roma to win: 9/2 at Paddy Power

Cluj v FC Basel

Not exactly two Champions League heavyweights going toe to toe, but it’s a great chance for one of the two sides to get off to a strong start. The last appearance for both sides was in the 2008/09 campaign, and both of them were, not unexpectedly, eliminated at the group stage. Romania’s Cluj haven’t had the best preparation for this match, as they have just changed manager because of a pretty poor start to the season on the domestic front. That doesn’t bode too well for them here, but will that new manager factor play a big part in producing a big performance. While there is a big opportunity for three points here, neither can really afford to lose, as they will each see this as the weakest opposition which they will face in the group. To be honest, the stronger input should come from the Swiss team, who had to come through qualification to reach the group stage. That means they are up and running well, and with Cluj not on top of their game at the moment, it could be a great time for the Swiss to strike. Their talisman is Alexander Frei, who netted a couple in the qualification process, but midfielder Valentin Stocker could be the key to everything here. This may be more entertaining than high quality, but is your Champions League betting, Basel could be the better bet of the two.
Cluj to win: 11/8 at BetFred
Draw: 23/10 at Ladbrokes
Basel to win: 9/4 at Bet365

Group F

Marseille v Spartak Moscow

Marseille looked at one point as if they were really going to cause problems to Real Madrid and AC Milan in the group stage last season. It didn’t pan out that way for the French side, as they missed out on the final day, finishing in third place. But, to their credit, in a tight French league, they have qualified again for another crack of the whip for the fourth consecutive year. This time around, they will be a bit happier with the draw, and should qualify along with Chelsea from the group. While Marseille on paper should be the stronger team here, there are some football betting stats that you should be aware of. Marseille haven’t exactly been that great at home in the Champions league in terms of results, and in each of the last two campaigns they have lost their match day one fixtures. Can they rectify that this time around? On a similar note, Spartak struggled the last time they were in the Champions League, their away form really hammering the nails in the coffin. It is this last fact which should just give Marseille a slender advantage here. There is always a bit of feeling out the opposition in these match day one fixtures, and Spartak would be happy with a draw. That means the initiative has to come from the home side, and Marseille have to grab this opportunity with both hands. If they let this one slide, then they will be in for more of a qualification struggle than they will have hoped for. Like many of the teams in the Champions League this year, Marseille’s new season domestic form has been pretty poor, with just one win in four matches. A tight game here, but the French should succeed.
Marseille to win: 3/4 at Stan James
Draw: 13/5 at Totesport
Spartak Moscow: 17/4 at Bet365

Zilina v Chelsea

A David and Goliath battle in the Champions League here. Zilina are making their Champions League debut, while Chelsea are one of the favourites to lift the title. The Blues did struggle on the road last year a bit, and at times didn’t look convincing at all. Is there a shock upset on the cards? Read our full Zilina v Chelsea betting preview here
Zilina to win: 14/1 at Bet365
Draw: 5/1 at Bwin
Chelsea to win: 1/4 at SkyBet

Group G

Real Madrid v Ajax

Possibly the best group of the tournament this year. Jose Mourinho’s new Real Madrid will start their campaign at home, against one of Europe’s giant names, Ajax. While the Dutch side hasn’t really done much in recent times to live up to their past European glories, they are at least back where they belong, among Europe’s elite. After taking Inter Milan to the title, what can we expect from Real Madrid? Well, the thing with them now, is that they make take on a little different personality. Mourinho is famed for playing tight games, strangling the opposition with economy over any real flair. In their two opening matches in the Spanish domestic league, for all of their talent in the team like Kaka, Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Higuain, Mesut Ozil and more, they have only scored one goal. People want to see the flair of Real Madrid, that is what they expect from the Galacticos, so is Jose Mourinho the right man for the job? We will find out, and if they lift the Champions League, then there will at least be a certain answer to that question. It is early days in the season though, and Mourinho may need a little time to get things going his way. Real Madrid were found out badly against Lyon in the Champions League last year, and Ajax have the tools to present just as many problems. The Dutch giants have won four of their first five league games, which suggest that they are certainly heading in the right direction again. For such a big club, this is the first time that Ajax have been in the Champions League since the 2005/06 season. They have failed to come through qualification rounds in subsequent seasons, but now they could be back with a real bang. They have Luis Suarez (remember the Uruguayan from the World Cup?) who continues to display his prolific goal scoring talents, as he hit three goals in four qualification matches. This is one of the top games of match day one, and there is just a hint that Ajax will spoil the Madrid party. Perhaps going to Spain and running up a victory is just a little to much to ask, Ajax could well hold for a draw here. Madrid weren’t great at home last season, and Ajax could strike while the Galacticos are still a little cold.
Real Madrid to win: 1/3 at 888Sport
Draw: 9/2 at Bet365
Ajax to win: 10/1 at Boylesports

AC Milan v Auxerre

These two make up a fascinating group. There is something of the feel, and a disappointing one, of a fallen giant when you look at AC Milan. After winning in 2006/07, they looked on top of the world, or Europe at least, but how quickly things change. In the next three seasons, they crashed out at the last sixteen stage twice, and failed to qualify for the tournament altogether in 2008/09. Well, there is a new man in charge at the San Siro, as AC Milan sent coach Leonardo packing and brought in Massilimiano Allegri. It has been a while since AC Milan picked up a Champions League victory at home in the competition. It’s been about two years since they have given their passionate supporters anything to cheer about on the home front. While AC Milan are no strangers to the Champions League, their manager is making his debut. History is on his side though, as AC Milan have a good home record against French clubs in the competition, having won seven, drawn three and lost just one at home. This should be the ideal opportunity for Milan, who finished third in Serie A last term, to shake off those home blues. AC Milan have one win and one loss in their opening Serie A fixtures this year, so not too much to read into there. Auxerre are back for only the third time in the tournament, and in their previous three visits to Italy in Europe, they haven’t managed a single goal. Looking at the French Ligue, Auxerre, like Lyon and Marseille (France’s other Champions League participants) are occupying three of the bottom six places. That’s not a great advert for them to do well in the Champions League. Auxerre are not in form, and haven’t won a single game in the league this year, and have only scored five. You have to go with some kind of form on this one, and feel that the trip to the San Siro will be too daunting for them. You can’t expect too many fireworks from AC Milan, who last year looked a yard slower than everyone else in the Champions League, as they look to rebuild. What they have done is sign Brazilian star Robinho from Manchester City. Didn’t really see that one coming, but he replaces Klaas Jan Huntelaar who moved to Schalke. With Ronaldinho, Pato, Inzaghi and Zlatan Imbrahimovic who has joined on a season loan, they look to have plenty of fire power. They just need to play with a some fresher, quicker legs and a higher tempo. Milan win.
AC Milan to win: 2/5 at Blue Square
Draw: 19/5 at William Hill
Auxerre to win: 9/1 at Bet365

Group H

Arsenal v Braga

Although Arsene Wenger will be missing Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie, he will be confident of getting maximum points at the Emirates. No reason to bet against that happening, as they are a strong force at home. Braga from Portugal are making their Champions League debut, and could we see a surprise package emerging? Read our full Arsenal v Braga betting preview here
Arsenal to win: 2/7 at Bet365
Draw: 9/2 at SkyBet
Braga to win: 12/1 at Boylesports

Shakhtar Donetsk v Partizan Belgrade

Shakhtar, from the Ukraine, spent three consecutive years in the Champions League before failing to qualify last year. They picked themselves to get back on track though, and they will be happy to start their campaign at home against Belgrade. These two should be in competition for second place in the group behind Arsenal, so there are some big points to be scored. Serbian football is doing ok at the moment, and Partizan Belgrade will be proudly flying the flag for them among Europe’s elite. One stat to take note of, and that is striker Cleo, who hit eight goals in six matches during qualification for the group stages. That surely makes him worth an Anytime Goalscorer bet. Although Donetsk are at home, and travelling out east is often tiresome and tricky, would actually lean towards Partizan coming away with at least some of the spoils in this one.
Shakhtar Donetsk: 2/5 at SkyBet
Draw: 15/4 at Bet365
Partizan Belgrade: 8/1 at William Hill

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Champions League Match Day One Fixtures (14th/15th September)
FC Twente v Inter Milan
Werder Bremen v Tottenham Hotspurs   
Benfica v Hapoel Tel Aviv
Lyon v Schalke 04
Bursaspor v Valencia   
Manchester United v Rangers
Barcelona v Panathinaikos
FC Copenhagen v Rubin Kazan
CFR Cluj v Basel
Bayern Munich v Roma
MSK Zilina v Chelsea
Marseille v Spartak Moscow
AC Milan v Auxerre
Real Madrid v Ajax
Arsenal v Sporting Braga
Shakhtar Donetsk v Partizan Belgrade

If you think that you can easily predict the outcome of all those match day one fixtures, then SportingBet is the place to go to in order to make your football knowledge work for you. There looks to be some certain bankers in there such as Real Madrid, Arsenal, Barcelona and Manchester United, but can you pull all sixteen fixtures out of the bag? £10,000 is on the line. The usual suspects will be the main challengers for the biggest prize in European football again this season, with Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid leading the charge. Let’s take a look at the Champions League contenders in a little more detail with Champions League football betting at SportingBet.

Barcelona: 5/2
Well, they didn’t get Cesc Fabregas, but how much of a difference will that really make to their chances of winning the Champions League? They fell short last year, and that hasn’t stopped them gunning for the prize they covet most. Interestingly they were drawn against Russian champions Rubin Kazan as they were last season, and Kazan managed to take five points off the Catalan giants. Will Barcelona be out for big time revenge this season? In a group with Panathinaikos and Copenhagen, they will be clear favourites to progress. Barcelona have moved Zlatan Ibrahimovic on loan to AC Milan, and moved Thierry Henry to the New York Red Bulls. They’ll hardly be missed after Barcelona signed David Villa and Adriano, along with Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano. They look much stronger than last year and are rightly instilled as favourites. They will have learned lessons from last year’s failures.

Real Madrid: 9/2
What can Jose Mourinho do here? He as hired at Inter Milan with the sole purpose of winning the Champions League, and he achieved that last year with a victory in the final over Bayern Munich. Now Mourinho has one of the biggest resources at his disposal and again, Real Madrid want Champions League glory. They will never get a better chance than with Mourinho at the helm, and with such a strong squad including Cristiano Ronaldo, Ricardo Carvalho and Germany World Cup star Mesut Ozil, Mourinho’s Madrid will have to be watched out for. Mourinho is a winner and he will make Madrid a much more economical and efficient outfit. They square off against Auxerre, Ajax and the tough challenge of AC Milan. Mourinho has proven himself time and time again, and can he bring European glory back to the new Galacticos, who have been hungry since 2001/02. Mourinho will make a huge difference to one of Europe’s already powerhouses. Very strong challenger.

Chelsea: 11/2
Boss Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping for more progress on the European front than what they achieved last season. Chelsea were beaten by eventual champions Inter Milan in the first knockout round of the competition last year, and was actually something which probably propelled them on to win the Barclays Premier League. Prolific striker Didier Drogba will get the chance to return to Olympic Marseille to face the club from which Chelsea purchased him, and on the other side of that, it will give Marseille boss Didier Deschamps a return to Stamford Bridge. The Blues will be favourites to win the group ahead of the French side, Spartak Moscow and Zilina, but Chelsea need to be a bit more savvy on the continent than they were last year. There have been changes at Chelsea with players departing, and Brazilian midfielder Ramires coming in, and the London side have blitzed their way to a fierce 100% winning record for the start of the new Premier League. This is the title which the club really want though, having come so close so many times.

Manchester United: 8/1
Alex Ferguson will want more from his men this year too. Last season they threw away a good position against Bayern Munich to crash out. It could really be the last chance for some of United’s aging stars to add more glamour to their trophy cabinets, and United will always be a threat. There is a sense that United and Chelsea are falling some way behind Barcelona and Real Madrid, but United have all the experience needed to go the distance again. Probably not as strong as they have been in past years, but they have a great draw for themselves against Valencia, Rangers and Bursaspor, that they have pretty much already booked their place in the knockout stage. Can they go all the way though? They showed frailties last year, just as Chelsea did, and remain firmly behind the favourites, but still worth a shot nonetheless.

Inter Milan: 12/1
Rafa Benitez took over where Jose Mourinho left off at Inter Milan, but there is just the feeling that there is no way they are going to be able to repeat the success of last year. The managerial difference between Mourinho and Benitez is vast, and that already puts the Italian side behind other challengers. They are back in the Champions League football betting because they haven’t got as good a squad as the teams listed above, and it will be such a tough task for Benitez to emulate Mourinho and win the Champions League for the club again. It is a most unlikely scenario and they will probably be found wanting.

Arsenal: 14/1
A great Champions League side which tries to do everything the right way. But Arsenal are a young side and they probably haven’t quite got the necessary experience to go all of the way. Arsene Wenger has a wonderful crop of young players, but it is unlikely to be enough. They will have some fantastic nights in Europe again this year, and at the Emirates they will always be strong. They were blown away by Barcelona last year in the knock-out stage, and defensively they will have to be much stronger.

AC Milan: 18/1
They picked up striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but as shown when they played Manchester United last year, they looked a yard short of pace and quality to compete with the very best in Europe. They did a good job of turning their season around after a slow start, but can the capture of Manchester City’s Robinho push them on a little further this year. They need an injection of pace and that’s what he will bring alongside Ronaldinho and Andrea Pirlo. They have good parts, but not strong enough of team most likely.

Tottenham: 33/1
Not the easiest of welcomes for Tottenham in the Champions League. Boss Harry Redknapp will be licking his lips at his first taste of Group action. He pulled off quite a coup on the transfer window deadline day by signing Holland World Cup star Rafael Van Der Vaart from Real Madrid. His playmaking skills will add a little experience and quality to the side. They have Inter Milan, FC Twente and Werder Bremen to contend with. For a team making their Champions League debut, that’s not a particularly easy ride. Spurs may well grow in to the role of Champions League participants this year, but they really need to grab this chance with both hands as a return next season is no guarantee with the competitiveness of the Barclays Premier League.

Becks is back. David Beckham returns to his old stomping ground tomorrow, as his AC Milan side looks to overturn a 3-2 deficit against Manchester United in the Champions League. This is the first time back at Old Trafford for Beckham, since departing from under Alex Ferguson’s win around 7 years ago. England stalwart, who plays for LA Galaxy, but is on loan at the Italian giants so that he can play top level football to keep himself in shape for the 2010  World Cup, was mobbed as he way his way back to Manchester United ahead of the game. A legend in the Red Devils shirt, Beckham is still popular at the club, and remains the face of English football.

There is no guarantee that Beckham will start on Wednesday night, throwing some confusing on what line up coach Leonardo will go with. Despite setting up the first goal for AC Milan at Old Trafford, Beckham was largely ineffective in his central midfield role, a place where he longed to play for Manchester United. If he comes of the bench, it is fair to say that he will receive a hero’s welcome. It could be a different story however, if he scores the winner which knocks his old club out. Beckham scored twice on his last Champions League appearance at Old Trafford, for the Red Devils. Untied fans will probably have mixed feeling about the possibly of Beckham hitting the back of the net on Wednesday. They’ll probably cheer a consolation, but bite their tongue at a winning goal.

The other unquestionable start of the English show, Wayne Rooney, has been declared fit to play in the big match. United are defending a slender lead, and need their talisman up front to create problems and carry an offensive threat. This last 16 second leg fixture of the Champions League is the one which has been carrying all of the hype and excitement. After aggravating a knee problem in England’s friendly against Egypt, Ferguson had come out and said that Rooney was extremely doubtful for this crucial big match. Rooney know has seemingly made a miraculous recovery after training on Tuesday. Ferguson isn’t without him problems still though, as Ryan Giggs and Wes Brown are missing, as well as Michael Carrick following his red card at the end of the first leg. AC Milan welcome back Pato, who could have a huge influence on the game, alongside Ronaldinho.

BETTING STATS

Head to Head
AC Milan 2, Man Utd 3
AC Milan 3, Man Utd 0
Man Utd 3, AC Milan 2
AC Milan 1, Man Utd 0
Man Utd 0, AC Milan 1

Last 5 Match Goals
Man Utd: 10 For, 6 Against
AC Milan: 9 For, 5 Against

Current Form:
Man Utd: W8, D1, L1
AC Milan: W4, D3, L3

Champions League Form:
Man Utd: WWWDLWW
AC Milan: WLWDDDL

Win Percentage:
Man Utd have a 73.9 win percentage at home
AC Milan have a 52.9 win percentage away from home

LATEST MATCH PRICES
Man Utd to win: 8/11 at SkyBet
Draw: 11/4 at Ladbrokes
AC Milan to win: 9/2 at SkyBet

David Beckham Specials:
Anytime Goalscorer: 13/2 at Stan James
First Goalscorer: 20/1 at 888Sport
To Be Booked: 4/1 at SkyBet
To Be Sent Off: 20/1 at SkyBet

Wayne Rooney Specials:
Anytime Goalscorer: 11/10 at Boylesports
First Goalscorer: 4/1 at Blue Square

Wednesday night promises to be the big David Beckham and Wayne Rooney show in the Champions League clash between Man Utd v AC Milan. The first leg in Milan, ended in a pulsating 3-2 victory for Alex Ferguson’s men, but they will need to rediscover some of that home invulnerability if they are to make light work of the second leg at Old Trafford. After nearly seven years away from Old Trafford, David Beckham makes his return, courtesy of his loan spell with the Italian giants. On his last Champions League game at Old Trafford before heading to Real Madrid, Beckham scored himself a brace of goals. The majority of the Manchester crowd will not want to see history repeating itself like that on Wednesday night.

Things could have been a lot more comfortable for Manchester united, had a lapse in concentration not allowed Clarence Seedorf to grab a crucial second goal for AC Milan. They have a big job in overturning Man United at Old Trafford, if they want to keep their strong record against United going. Every encounter over two legs between the two sides in the Champions league, the Italians have come out on top, largely thanks to their performances at home. The home leg in this season’s competition however, let them down badly, despite getting off to a promising start. Milan overran United in the early part of the game, and should have put the fixture out of sight there and then. United looked at their disjointed worst, unable to keep a hold of any possession. That was until Wayne Rooney stole the show in the second half.

The England striker scored twice with head (that makes 9 headed goals for him in the Champions League). United only managed to pick up four points out of the possible nine available in the home fixtures of the group stages, and that was some surprise as they were in an easy group. They even squandered their excellent home record in the Champions League, when they lost to Besiktas, ending a 23 run of games without defeat at Old Trafford. The previous defeat that United had suffered at home in the Champions league, was of course, to Wednesday night’s opponents, AC Milan. United have had to come from behind twice this season at home in the Champions league, but now the stakes are different because there are away goals to worry about. Milan need a clear two goal advantage on the night.

The first leg result bore a spooky similarity to the 2006/07 meeting between the two sides in the semi final of the competition, when United won 3-2 in the first leg, but then lost badly in the second leg, 3-0, with Kaka on target that night. United laboured to 1-0 win over Wolves in the Premier League on the weekend, but they should not need any motivating ahead of Wednesday. Fans will be packed in to see David Beckham mark this historic return. United simply need to do what they do best, and that is up the tempo to attack at speed. Beckham was employed in the middle of the park in the first leg, and was not effective there at all, and as a whole, the Milan side don’t look particularly fast. Their control on the ball and passing is what they rely on, and if United can disrupt that, they should be in for a good night. It is unlikely that Milan would be able to match United in full flow at Old Trafford.

But is there a sting in this tale from former servant of Alex Ferguson, David Beckham? Will his return fade into anonymity, or will he produce one of his big match moments that could crush the Champions League dreams of United for 2010? Beckham scored 86 goals in 394 appearances for Manchester United, and won the Premier League six times. United will be waiting on news about Wayne Rooney, who missed the weekend game at Molineux because of an aggravated knee problem. Quite how United will manage without him, as he is their one man strike force, could be a key factor on the biggest night of their season so far.

Milan still have Serie A dreams for this season, as well as success in the Champions League. Boss Leonardo has included striker Pato, who is the key component up front for them, in the squad, after missing their weekend match with a hamstring problem. The likelihood of Wayne Rooney appearing on Wednesday night, is not so promising, as he has been described as very doubtful for the match by Alex Ferguson. There were reports that Rooney was not going to be fit for England’s midweek friendly against Egypt, but he appeared. However, his knee was not in good shape afterwards, appearing to have aggravated any problem that may have been there, during England’s 3-1 win. Ferguson has already lost Michael Owe for the season, so that just leaves Berbatov up front. Subsequent reports hint that the problem with Rooney’s knee is serious enough to keep him out of action, so he may appear off the bench if his club needs him on the night. Not so for defender Wes Brown, who may be out for the rest of the season with a broken foot.

BETTING STATS

Head to Head
AC Milan 2, Man Utd 3
AC Milan 3, Man Utd 0
Man Utd 3, AC Milan 2
AC Milan 1, Man Utd 0
Man Utd 0, AC Milan 1

Last 5 Match Goals
Man Utd: 10 For, 6 Against
AC Milan: 9 For, 5 Against

Current Form:
Man Utd: W8, D1, L1
AC Milan: W4, D3, L3

Champions League Form:
Man Utd: WWWDLWW
AC Milan: WLWDDDL

Win Percentage:
Man Utd have a 73.9 win percentage at home
AC Milan have a 52.9 win percentage away from home

MATCH PRICES
Man Utd to win: 8/11 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 11/4 at SkyBet
AC Milan: 9/2 at Ladbrokes

Asian Handicap Betting Advice: AC Milan have problems with pace and speed, while United don’t quite have the ball skills in the middle of the park. This is why they are fairly evenly matched, but for some reason, United have struggled at home this season in the Champions League. Milan should be good enough for a draw on the night, it won’t get them through, but they are of equal quality with United as long as they don’t have a super collapse. If Rooney is missing and Ronaldinho is at his devastating bet, and with Milan having nothing to lose, away from home and already behind, they could pose a threat.
AC Milan +0.50 Asian Handicap: 11/10 at Paddy Power

David Beckham Anytime Scorer: 13/2 at Paddy Power

The return of David Beckham playing against his old team Manchester United has been dominating the Champions League news, ever since the draw for the first stage of the knockouts were announced. Old Trafford will have to await the return of their old hero, but Tuesday will see Beckham turn out against Man Utd for the first time since leaving the fold. Beckham has vowed not to celebrate if he scores a goal against Milan, but in order to do that, he will need to come off the bench. Despite that, he will draw a lot of attention at the bookmakers on popping up with a goal. He has been kept on the side lines for the past couple of games by boss Leonardo, as Milan look to challenge hard for the Serie A title. The Rossoneri recently lost a crucial derby match against league leaders Inter Milan, but their season has generally been one of transformation.

After a slow start they have played their way into contention to becoming Italian champions, as well as making steady, but not overwhelming progress through the Champions League. Milan were on the receiving end of one of the biggest Champions League shocks this season, when they lost at home to FC Zurich. They finished four points behind Group Winners Real Madrid, but beat the Spanish giants in Madrid, before earning themselves a draw back on home turf. The draw against Madrid was the first in a line of three drawn matches to round out their campaign, with the other two ties coming against Zurich and Marseille. They only managed to score eight goals during the campaign, and bearing in mind the increasing rate of Manchester United’s success in the Premier League, one wonders if that return will be enough.

They currently stand in third in Serie A, 9 points back of Inter and 2 behind second placed Roma, although Milan have a game in hand over both of those above them. The two nil defeat at the hands of their San Siro rivals was their first defeat in a long and impressive return to form, and remains their only loss in their last seven games. They have also been scoring quite freely, in stark contrast to their early season form, until a bit of a recent stutter up front. The Italians giants cannot be taken too lightly, not with being Champions of Europe 7 times in their history. Brazilian Ronaldinho, who has been left out of the Brazilian squad in the nation’s build up to the 2010 World Cup, has been on blistering form of late, and will be the one which the United defence will have to contain.

The reverse of that, is the Milan defence will need to find a way to stop one man goalscoring machine, Wayne Rooney, who is in the form of his life, and ranks amongst one of the best players in the world at the moment. Beckham has said, that for the first time in his life, he wants United to lose, but is looking forward to being reunited with the Old Trafford return leg. Milan will need to start strong and take full advantage of their defensive strengths at the San Siro. Manchester United had a relatively easy ride through their qualifying group and there appears not to be too much between the two sides involved in this Quarter Final. The two sides have come into contact twice before in the Champions League, with Milan winning out on both occasions. Their last match in Milan ended in a comfortable 3-0 win for the home side, and if they get their noses in front, it could be a much harder task for United to come back from, than many may think.

This is the glamour Champions League tie of the week, and one that could prove a fascinating tactical battle between two very good teams. With United going well near the top of the Premier League, and Milan a confident side, this will be a tie between two very confident and strong teams, each with a star of their own which they will be hoping will shine. United will have Rio Ferdinand available, as his ban is only domestic, but will still be without Nemanja Vidic for the fixture, and the experience of Ryan Giggs will be missing as he’s out of action for a month.

BETTING STATS

Head to Head (Champions League)
Milan 3, Man Utd 0
Man Utd 3, Milan 2
Milan 1, Man Utd 0
Man Utd 0, Milan 1

Last Five Match Goals (domestic)
AC Milan: 4 For, 6 Against
Man Utd: 16 For, 3 Against

Last 10 Form (domestic)
AC Milan: W5, D2, L3
Man Utd: W6, D2, L2

Win Percentage:
AC Milan have a 52.9 win percentage at home
Man Utd have a 61.1 win percentage away from home

Match Prices:
AC Milan to win: 17/10 at Paddy Power
Draw: 11/5 at Totesport
Man Utd to win: 15/8 at Bet365

Asian Handicap Betting Advice: Looking at the stats, it should be a match that United would win, but the Champions League brings a different environment and a different level of opposition. Granted AC Milan haven’t been outstanding, but have a long pedigree in the tournament, and in front of expectant fans, probably won’t be easy for Man Utd to break down. Clearly Man Utd cannot afford to have one of their aberrations which they have suffered this season, as they will get punished. They key factor is how much AC Milan can get over their hump after losing a crucial game in their Serie A title hunt. A few weeks ago, Milan could have been going into this match as strong favourites, now it should be a very close contest.
AC Milan 0 Asian Handicap: 41/40 at Bet365

It has recently come to our attention that there has been a change of fixture scheduling as far as Europe’s elite club competition is concerned. In previous seasons, the last sixteen ties would start with four first leg games on the Tuesday and the other four matches taking place on the Wednesday. This pattern would then be repeated a fortnight later, essentially giving punters four nights on In-Play betting opportunities.

However, it’s all change for season 2009/10. Now there will be two Champions League matches being played on 16th February, 17th February, 23rd February, 24th February, 9th March, 10th March, 16th March and 17th March! Eight evenings where customers can turn on their televisions, log on to their favourite bookmaker such as bet365 or Ladbrokes and decide which of the two matches are most attractive for In-Play betting!

UEFA have clearly identified that the Champions League has now become so popular that the competition can demand high viewing figures when it reaches the business end of proceedings. There are some truly exciting ties taking place, with Jose Mourinho’s return to Chelsea possibly making Inter’s last sixteen game the most attractive. The first leg at the San Siro will be all the better for In-Play betting, considering that the only other match that night is CSKA Moscow v Sevilla, with bookmakers looking forward to increased business as a result.

The bookies are expecting England to have the upper hand over Italy at this stage of the competition, with Paddy Power offering 8/15 that Carlo Ancelotti has the upper hand over his nemesis at Inter. The Italian’s former club Milan entertain Manchester United on 16th February, with all eyes on David Beckham as he looks to help steer the Rossoneri to a memorable victory. However, bet365 offer a best price 4/7 that Sir Alex Ferguson will be having the last laugh, with Milan the 6/4 outsiders (Coral).

Once the competition reaches the quarter finals, we will see a return to the normal format of two matches being played on four separate evenings. While the bookmakers like to promote In-Play excitement during the group stages by stating that punters can bet live on up to eight matches simultaneously, it’s realistically impossible to follow all the matches and place accurate bets on each and every one. For the last sixteen stage, we can watch the games more carefully and hopefully place some informed bets.