champions league betting

Arsenal v AC Milan Champions League betting, is pretty much the draw that Arsene Wenger did not want for the round of 16. Arsenal won their group comfortably, but with AC Milan qualifying behind Barcelona in their group, it has left Arsenal with a tough fixture in the first knockout stage. AC Milan are enjoying a good season in Serie A, having lost just twice and are currently on a long nine match unbeaten run in the league. With the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho in the side, they are a very strong unit this season, much more so than the past couple of seasons. They held Barcelona to a draw at the Nou Camp in the Group Stage, and then narrowly lost 3-2 back at the San Siro, matching up against the Spanish giants well. Milan actually make a great outside bet this season for the Champions League and this will be a pretty evenly matched contest against the Gunners. Because AC Milan finished second, they will be starting this tie at home on February 15^th, with the return leg at The Emirates on March 6^th. Arsenal v AC Milan Champions League betting is pretty tight at the moment, and with Arsenal’s improved form in the Premier League, there really shouldn’t be too much to chose between the two sides. Milan will probably play a more patient game than Arsenal, and stroke the ball around well, and it will probably all come down to the battle of Robin van Persie and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to decide the spoils in this one.

To Qualify: Arsenal 10/11 at Totesport, AC Milan Evens at SkyBet

Online bookmaker Unibet offer a great Champions League Money Back Special. This offer applies to all Champions League matches, including the Final itself. Place a pre match Correct Score, Half Time/Full Time, First goal scorer or Last Goalscorer bet on any Champions League match, and if that games ends in a 0-0 draw, then the bookie will generously refund your lost stakes. This provides some great coverage for your Champions League betting, especially at the tense first legs of the knockout stage. Popular bookie Unibet offer a risk free £20 bet for new customers registering an account. If your first bet on a new Unibet account loses, you will get your stake back, up to the maximum value of £20.

See our Full Champions League Last 16 Draw Betting Preview here

Chelsea v Napoli Champions League Betting Preview. After a strong finish at Stamford Bridge in their must win Match Day six encounter with Valencia, Chelsea won their group and have been rewarded with a tie against Italian side Napoli. This is of course, Andre Villas Boas’s first season in charge of Chelsea in their quest to win the Champions League for owner Roman Abramovich, and they will be pretty pleased with this draw. The first leg is in Naples on February 21^st, with the return at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, March 14^th. Napoli of course, got the better of Manchester City for second place in Group A of the Champions League. The Italians grabbed a vital 2-1 win in Naples over City, giving them just enough to get through to the knockout stage. Chelsea v Valencia Champions League betting will see the London side favourites to go through, even though the test out in Italy, is going to be a tough one. While Chelsea fight to stay in the Premier League title race, Napoli are trying to hang on to the coat tails of the top four in Serie A. This will be the first time that Chelsea have faced Napoli in European competition, and Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri is ready for a tougher test for his side than the one faced against the more inexperienced Manchester City. All in all though, there were easier sides which Chelsea could have faced, but they will be expected to get through this one. How well they fare out in Napoli for the first leg will probably be the cornerstone of this tie, with Chelsea’s Champions League home form strong enough to see them through.

To Qualify: Chelsea 4/7 at Ladbrokes, Napoli 9/5 at Bwin

See our Full Champions League Last 16 Draw Betting Preview here

Online bookmaker Bet365 offer great coverage on football betting markets. Place a pre match bet on a Correct Score, Half Time/Full Time or Scorecast market for a match, and if that match ends in a 0-0 draw, then the bookie will refund your lost stakes. This provides some very nice coverage for all of your football betting with the highly rated bookie. Bet365 offer a free £200 bet for new customers registering an account with them. The bookie will match the value of your initial deposit on a new account, up to the maximum value of £200.

It is the Italian Job for both Arsenal and Chelsea, the sole Premier League survivors in the Champions League this season. The Gunners really got the rough end of the draw against the strong AC Milan, while Chelsea have to square off against Napoli, who held off the challenge of Manchester City in the group stage. So the stakes are higher now at the knockout stage, and it is the Spanish sides who are still dominating the Champions League outright winner betting market. Holders Barcelona were handed a tie against Germans Bayer Leverkusen, who followed Chelsea through from their group, while Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid continue their campaign against CSKA Moscow.

Here is a Champions League betting preview for the Last 16 draw for this year’s tournament.

Lyon v APOEL
Pretty much a great draw for APOEL, who became the first Cypriot side to make it through to the last sixteen of the competition. It was a remarkable run in the group stage from APOEL, who saw off Zenit St Petersburg and Porto to claim top spots in Group G. They are the great success story of the tournament so far this season, making a bit of history for themselves and only losing one match out of their six. They will probably really fancy their chances against French Champions League stalwarts Lyon, who left qualification to the knockout stage pretty late. Lyon went into the final round of matches, trailing second placed Ajax by three points, and needing to overcome a huge goal difference. Lyon, who had struggled a bit through the group turned on the afterburners to beat Dynamo Zagreb 7-1, and with Ajax going down 3-0 against Real Madrid, it meant that the French side squeezed through in pretty remarkable fashion. Lyon have all the experience here, and could be pushed out in Cyprus, but you would expect the French outfit to pull it together in this tie.
To Qualify: Lyon 6/17 at Bwin, APOEL 3/1 at Stan James

Napoli v Chelsea
Decent enough draw for Chelsea, and Napoli will probably be thinking the same thing. Chelsea topped their group thanks to a superb final group match effort against Valencia. The Stamford Bridge crew jumped to the top of the group, quite unexpectedly as leaders Leverkusen failed to beat Genk, handing the Londoners top spot. Napoli edged out Manchester City for second place behind Bayern Munich in their group, and with the likes of Edison Cavani in the side, the Naples side have shown a lot of promise. Chelsea have the experience needed to pull this off, but the trip to Italy for the first leg is not going to be an easy one. There is a big gap now until the Champions League returns and form up until that first leg, which is going to be the crucial one, will be vital. Chelsea have to start well out in Naples to give themselves something to build on back at the Bridge. Tough draw for Chelsea, but one that is navigable.
To Qualify: Chelsea 4/7 at Ladbrokes, Napoli 9/5 at Bwin

AC Milan v Arsenal
last season Arsenal finished second in their group and got the bum tie of Barcelona. This year they go and win their group and also get the bum tie of facing AC Milan. The Milanese are definitely the pick of the second placed qualifiers in the draw, as they are going very well in Serie A, and pushed group opponents Barcelona very hard in both of their meetings. AC Milan are certainly not going to be any pushovers, and Arsenal could not have asked for a tougher test at this stage. They will need the best of their improved form to earn themselves something out in Italy for the first leg, and then look to their good home form to carry them through. This should be one of the ties of the Last 16 for your Champions League betting, with two very good and very entertaining sides squaring off. Milan could just edge this though, and make a great dark horse outright winner bet in the competition.
To Qualify: Arsenal 10/11 at Totesport, AC Milan Evens at SkyBet

FC Basel v Bayern Munich
Well, this looks as if it will be an easy match up for the strong German outfit. Bayern qualified at a canter from a tough group including Napoli and Manchester City. Even though, they lost their final match at the Etihad Stadium against City, they really had more than enough in the tank, and should go far in the competition. FC Basel secured their place in the next round with a tremendous Match Day Six win over Manchester United, sending the English champions packing from the competition. So this could easily have been Manchester United in this position, which would have been a great fixture. FC Basel battled ever so well through their group, and their impressive come back from 2-0 down at Old Trafford to take a 3-2 lead, to then be denied at the death will live long in their memories. Just as their home win over the Red Devils will. They are one of the surprise packages, a very organized and hard working side led by the threat of Alexander Frei and the handful that is Marco Streller. Wouldn’t go against Bayern Munich though in your Champions League betting, as they can look very ominous at times. There has been a suggestion that if the Swiss FA fail to punish FC Sion (who were kicked out of the Europa League) for signing players when they weren’t supposed to, it could lead to a European ban for Swiss sides. That would mean that United would replace Basel here if that were to come into fruition.
To Qualify: Bayern Munich 1/7 at BetFred, Basel 5/1 at Stan James

Bayer Leverkusen v FC Barcelona
German side Leverkusen, who followed Chelsea through from the group stage, landed the short straw in the last 16, having to face holders Barcelona. The Germans, with Michael Ballack running the midfield show, really didn’t offer enough in the group stage to suggest that they will cause Barcelona any real upset. Qualification for Barca was easy, although they were tested very well by AC Milan in their two encounters. A 3-2 win at the San Siro secured the edge in the group, sending them through as winners. Can’t see anything other than a Barcelona win over the two legs here.
To Qualify: Barcelona 1/9 at Bet365, Leverkusen 8/1 at Bwin

CSKA Moscow v Real Madrid
Russians, CSKA Moscow qualified in second place from Group B behind Inter Milan, and did beat the Italians on Match Day six. However, having to face Real Madrid is a totally different kettle of fish for the Russians, who will be big underdogs in this tie. Real Madrid look very strong and would expect to see them in the semi final stage at the very least. Jose Mourinho’s men were the only side in the group stage to maintain a 100% record, winning all six matches and scoring 19 in the process. Madrid should be far too strong for Moscow, and unless the Russians get anything out of the first home leg, then it could all be done and dusted after the first 90 minutes of this tie.
To Qualify: Real Madrid 1/7 at Bet365, Moscow 7/1 at Bwin

Zenit St Petersburg v Benfica
Granted, Zenit St Petersburg probably did benefit from being placed in one of the weaker groups, but they still couldn’t steal top spot away from APOEL. Still, the Russians only lost one match in their group stage, and will probably prove to be more stubborn than threatening to Benfica. The Portuguese side were one of the most exciting attacking forces in the group stage, holding Manchester United to two draws, which was part of the undoing of the Red Devils. Benfica really look as if they have a lot to offer and would expect them to put up a stronger showing of attacking power than Zenit in this one. Would get behind Benfica for your Champions League betting in this one.
To Qualify: Benfica 4/6 at Ladbrokes, Zenit 6/4 at SkyBet

Marseille v Inter Milan
Inter boss Claudio Ranieri, who seems to have gotten the Milan side back on track in Serie A after the club had a torrid start to the new season, will be looking forward to this clash against Didier Deschamps and Marseille. Inter topped their group ahead of CSKA Moscow, while French side Marseille, a hard working and physical team, finished a point behind Arsenal in their group. Deschamps was in charge of AS Monaco when whey beat Ranieri’s Chelsea in the 2003/04 semi finals of the Champions League. That was the last time Ranieri was in charge of Chelsea in Europe, and he will be keen for some revenge. Marseille have the ability to frustrate and close down a lot of space, but if Inter continue their revival under Ranieri, then would back them early next year to get through this tie.
To Qualify: Inter 1/2 at Bet365, Marseille 2/1 at Bwin

Champions League Last 16 Match Dates
February 14^th: Lyon v APOEL, Leverkusen v Barcelona
February 15^th: AC Milan v Arsenal, Zenit St Petersburg V Benfica
February 21^st: Napoli v Chelsea, CSKA Moscow v Real Madrid
February 22^nd: Basel v Bayern Munich, Marseille v Inter Milan
March 6^th: Arsenal v AC Milan, Benfica v Zenit St Petersburg
March 7^th: APOEL v Marseille, Barcelona v Bayern Leverkusen
March 13^th: Bayern Munich v FC Basel, Inter Milan v Marseille
March 14^th: Chelsea v Napoli, Real Madrid v CSKA Moscow

Champions League Outright Betting Odds
Barcelona: 13/8 at Bet365
Real Madrid: 5/2 at SkyBet
Bayern Munich: 11/2 at Victor Chandler
Chelsea: 14/1 at Stan James
Arsenal: 25/1 at Victor Chandler
AC Milan: 28/1 at Boylesports
Inter Milan: 33/1 at Victor Chandler

Manchester City v Bayern Munich Double Odds at Ladbrokes. There is a great promotion at Ladbrokes for Manchester City’s final chance to squeeze into the last sixteen of the Champions League. They need to beat group toppers Bayern Munich to start with and then hope that Villarreal show a bit of form and stop Italian side Napoli from winning. That is the only scenario which will see Roberto Mancini’s men go through to the knockout stage on Wednesday night, and while it may seem a long shot, look at the upset that happened in Chelsea’s group last night, when leaders Leverkusen were held to a point and Chelsea fired the crucial win they needed and grabbed top spot against the odds. If City do pull of the miraculous and find themselves having qualified for the last sixteen of this season’s Champions League, then there will be good news for you if you have done your First Goalscorer and Correct Score betting for the match at Ladbrokes.

If Manchester City do qualify for the last sixteen of the Champions League on Wednesday night, then Ladbrokes will double the winning odds on the Man City v Bayern Munich First Goalscorer and Correct Score markets. This applies to bets placed on those markets before kick off and could well be worth a shot, especially with the chance to double your money. A 1-0 win Correct Score bet for City is trading at 6/1 and if that is the score line at the end of the match, and Napoli fail to win, then Ladbrokes would pay you out at 12/1, double your original odds. In the First Goalscorer Market Sergio Aguero and Mario Balotelli are both trading at 9/2, with Edin Dzeko just behind at 5/1 and again, those odds would be doubled up if they are winners and Manchester City qualify for the last sixteen.

Great promotion from the highly rated online bookmaker Ladbrokes. The bookie offers a free £50 bet for new customers registering an account with them as a welcome bonus. The bookie will match the value of your first stake on a new account, up to the maximum value of £50, giving you some good free betting cash to enjoy.

Man City v Bayern Munich Champions League Odds at Ladbrokes
Man City 8/13, Draw3/1, Bayern Munich 4/1

What is going to happen next in Group C of the Champions League as we take a look at FC Basel v Manchester United betting. The Red Devils have only failed to make it out of the group stage of the tournament twice in their history. But if they suffer a defeat on Wednesday night in Switzerland, it will be a hat trick of failures for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side. After failing to beat Benfica at Old Trafford on Match Day Five, the Red Devils have pretty much conceded top spot in the group to the Portuguese side. If both United and Benfica win on Wednesday night, they will finish level on points, but United will only qualify in second place because of Benfica scoring two away goals in the head to head against United, while United only managed one away goal in Portugal. Fine margins but they all count. The scenario is simple enough for Manchester United, if they lose they are out, and could possibly join Chelsea and Man City on the sidelines as well. But there is still a lot of hope for United as they will be banking on their proud Champions League pedigree to get them through. They know that a draw would secure them a spot in the knockout stages, whereas their Swiss opponents must win in order to overhaul them. When the two sides met earlier in the group, there was a thrilling 3-3 draw at Old Trafford between the two sides, in which United blew an early two goal lead and needed a late equaliser from Ashley Young to rescue a point for them. United have only managed one win and two drawn matches at home this season, and away from Old Trafford there has been just one win and one draw. So a big night for United as they see themselves in this unusual position of having to scrap for their Champions League lives.

FC Basel have been making a nuisance of themselves in Group C and can really secure a famous night with a win over the Red Devils. The Swiss side have won one and lost one match at home in the tournament this season, beating Otelul Galati before losing to powerful attacking side Benfica. But Basel have netted nine goals in their five matches so far, just one fewer than United have managed themselves. So this will be a fascinating game. The only other time United have faced Basel was in the 2002/03 Champions League, where a brace from Ruud van Nistelrooy helped United to a comfortable 3-1 win. You have to imagine the Heiko Vogel’s side will be up for this one, as they are on the threshold of making just their second appearance in the last sixteen of the Champions League. They have home advantage and they will probably have been watching United, who are not at their fluent best by any stretch of the imagination. The Red Devils scored a 1-0 away victory as Aston Villa in the Premier League on the weekend, their fourth one nil victory in five league matches. So they are simply scraping and battling their way through fixtures at the moment, and after slackness at the back against Benfica on Match Day Five of the Champions League Basel will fancy their chances of making a breakthrough.

Are United going to slip up? Well, their history in the tournament would back them to get through really, so your FC Basel v Manchester United betting should reflect that. United have not lost in their last eight away matches in the Champions League and just as impressive is that seven of those matches have resulted in the Red Devils keeping a clean sheet. But United have shown cracks in their back line this year, only keeping clean sheets in the group stage against Otelul Galati so far. With Wayne Rooney not firing at all at the moment in front of goal, United were dealt a further blow when the in form Javier Hernandez left the game against Aston Villa early with an ankle injury. So it may have to be another endeavour of battling endurance for Manchester United, especially away from home in the Champions League. You would always, at the end of the day, bank on United to come through. Because even a draw would be enough for the Red Devils they will get that minimum you would think. It is tough to see them losing, and with the fact that Basel have only ever won two home games in a single Champions League group stage, just once before, it all points to a United win. The scenario for Basel is straight forward, beat United and they are in the next round of the Champions League, at the expense of the English champions.

FC Basel v Manchester United Champions League Betting Odds
Basel to win: 5/1 at VC Bet
Draw: 3/1 at SkyBet
Manchester United to win: 8/13 at Bet365

Online bookmaker Boylesports are running a Goalscorer promotion for your Basel v Man Utd betting. Take a First Goalscorer bet in this match and if the player you have selected does not score the first goal of the match, but does net the second goal of the match, then the bookie will refund your lost stake as a free bet, giving you some nice insurance. In the First Goalscorer Market at Boylesports, you have Wayne Rooney at 7/2 favourite, with Danny Welbeck behind him at 9/2. Basel’s Marco Strellar, who troubled the United back line so much at Old Trafford is 9/1 in the market. So good prices and good coverage for your FC Basel v Manchester United first Goalscorer betting. Boylesports offers a free £20 bet for new customers registering an account with them as a welcome bonus. The bookie will match the value of your first bet on a new account, up to the maximum value of £50.

Manchester City v Bayern Munich Champions League betting sees the Premier League leaders face their final chance to get through to the knockout stage at the first attempt. A crucial defeat away at Napoli on Match Day Five has left City’s Champions League life line hanging by a thread. It has not been an easy ride for City adjusting to the Champions League, and while they were handed one of the most difficult draws possible, there is just a thin sliver of hope left for them to qualify. City need to win to start with and nothing else than that will do for them. It means that even a draw for City would not be good enough under any circumstances and even if they manage to get the better of the Germans, they would still need Napoli to fail to win. So the only thing that City can do now is go for broke at home against the strong Bayern Munich. When the two sides met on Match Day Two, City were totally outplayed away from home, and Bayern strolled to a 2-0 victory. It is not as if City’s home form has been that much to write home about either, because they could only muster a disappointing draw with Napoli, before a late Sergio Aguero winner managed to take all three points off Spaniards Villarreal when they visited. So form would suggest that things aren’t going to go Manchester City’s way on Wednesday night either in the Champions League, as Bayern Munich remain unbeaten in the group so far. It is a tall ask for City, and even if they crown their night with an important win, the other fixture is not in their favour either, as Napoli are expected to beat bottom side Villarreal.

So what are City’s chances? Well they are on a 14 match unbeaten home run in European competition, which should put them in good stead, but the experience which they will bring to the table, pales in comparison to that of Bayern Munich in the Champions League. The strong Germans have a great defence, and although their form has dipped just a little bit in the Bundesliga, they are still top are still very mean at the back. City found that out when they faced them in group, so Roberto Mancini’s men need to find a bit more craft and guile, and turn on the after burners which they have done so often in the Premier League this season. Bayern have won six of their last eight away games in the Champions League and are clearly going to be no pushovers. The fact that they have won the group already, may afford them the opportunity to rest some players, but they will still be a handful whatever they do with their line up. Bayern’s last trip to face an English side was that incredible 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford in the 2009/10 Champions League quarter finals, which saw them eliminate United due to those away goals, in a fantastic game. However, it is worth noting for your Manchester City v Bayern Munich Champions League betting, that the Germans don’t have a great record in England. They have a W2 D7 L5 record in England and they have lost their last three straight away to English sides. So can City capitalise on that poor record and grab the victory that may just keep them in this?

City have just not looked as convincing in the Champions League as they have done on the domestic front. They certainly have not been as tight at the back, and the chances up front are not as free flowing. It is why the Champions League title is so coveted, because it is a tough adjustment to make in terms of football style. At the end of the day, whether they survive until the new year in the Champions League or not, may not ultimately be in Man City’s own hands. All they can do is win, and hope. But while there is hope, anything can happen and Man City have to be ready to launch a big assault on the German’s back line. It will be a remarkable life line if they can take it.

Manchester City v Bayern Munich Champions League Betting Odds
Man City to win: 8/13 at Boylesports
Draw: 16/5 at Bet365
Bayern Munich to win: 9/2 at Stan James

Online bookmaker Boylesports are running a Goalscorer promotion for your Manchester City v Bayern Munich betting. Take a First Goalscorer bet in this match and if the player you have selected does not score the first goal of the match, but does net the second goal of the match, then the bookie will refund your lost stake as a free bet, giving you some nice insurance. In the First Goalscorer Market at Boylesports, you have Edin Dzeko, Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero all at 5/1, while prolific Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez is at 13/2. So good prices and good coverage for your Man City v Bayern Munich first Goalscorer betting. Boylesports offers a free £20 bet for new customers registering an account with them as a welcome bonus. The bookie will match the value of your first bet on a new account, up to the maximum value of £50.

Group A
Standings: Bayern Munich 11pts, Napoli 8pts, Man City 7pts, Villarreal 0pts
Napoli head to Spain to try and ensure they hold on to second spot in the group. They can’t win the group, but their qualification fate is in their own hands. All they need to do is beat Villarreal, who have managed just two goals in their five group matches so far and so the obvious looking outcome of Villarreal v Napoli Champions League betting is going to be a win for the Italians. When the two sides met earlier in the group stage Napoli secured a comfortable 2-0 win, and with Villarreal failing to pick up a point and out of the running completely, it could be another easy night for Napoli. The big problem here for Manchester City, is that they require a favour from the Spaniards, in stopping Napoli from winning. The basic scenario here in the race for second place in Group A, is if Napoli win, they go through with Bayern Munich and City fail at their first attempt in the Champions League to make it through to the last sixteen. So to a large degree the fate of Manchester City is out of their own hands, however there is a glimmer of hope. City need to beat Bayern Munich at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night. Failure to do that will send City crashing out with a whimper, regardless of what Napoli do. So it is a win for Manchester City and a failure to win for Napoli which would sent Roberto Mancini’s men through. However, you can fully expect a Napoli win really, because Villarreal have been poor and won’t be interested in their match at all. There are still enough big doubts over whether or not City can beat Bayern Munich, but what could help City is that Bayern may rest players because they have already taken top spot. A draw in both games sounds like a plausible proposition at this point. See our full Man City v Bayern Munich Betting Preview here.
Manchester City 8/13,Draw 16/5, Bayern Munich 9/2 at Bet365
Villarreal 4/1, Draw 11/4, Napoli 8/11 at SkyBet

Group B
Standings: Inter Milan 10pts, Trabzonspor 6pts, Lille 5pts, CSKA Moscow 5pts
It should be a cracking finale in Group B with the second qualification spot up for grabs behind Italians Inter. Although Inter are having a very rough time in Serie A, they have been pretty efficient about their business in the Champions League, recovering from an opening night reverse at the San Siro by Trabzonspor. A run of three wins helped them secure top spot, although they could only manage a draw against Trabzonspor in Turkey on Match Day Five. The Italians round off their campaign against CSKA Moscow, who desperately need a win to keep their chances alive. A draw is not going to be good enough for them to get through, and a win will only help them if the other match in the group on Wednesday night ends in a draw. Have been a bit disappointed with CSKA Moscow’s contribution and while they can be a difficult side to break down, a draw is plausible here because Inter won’t be too concerned about this match as they have already won the group. So there could be an opening for Moscow who have drawn their other two away matches. Don’t see a win happening for them though. Regardless of what happens in the Inter v CSKA Moscow match, if there is a winner in the Lille v Trabzonspor match, then that is who will be joining Inter Milan in the last sixteen. So it is a one match shoot out between those two, who drew 1-1 in Turkey on Match Day Two. A draw on Wednesday night would be good enough for the Turkish side again as they are one point to the good over the French side. That is something to consider for your Champions League betting. Home advantage is usually pretty crucial in times like this, but Lille haven’t won at home in the group stage yet. Trabzonspor have only scored three goals in their five matches so another draw here really is not out of the question. Lille recorded their first win of the campaign on Match Day Five, which should give them confidence. The Turks are a really stubborn side, but can see Lille just sneaking this narrowly.
Lille 8/15, Draw 13/4, Trabzonspor 13/2 at SportingBet
Inter Milan 8/5, Draw 12/5, CSKA Moscow 19/10 at Unibet

Group C
Standings: Benfica 9pts, Manchester United 9pts, FC Basel 8pts, Otelul Galati 2pts
Two very different matches happening here. First of all, Benfica with a win will guarantee themselves top spot in the group, because they have the head to head advantage over Man Utd. Benfica have played some great attacking football in the Champions League, which a lot of other teams could learn a lesson from. Interestingly, they have done better away from home, winning two and drawing one, while drawing both of their home games. They head back to Portugal to face bottom side Otelul Galati who are already eliminated and you have to expect that the attacking power of Benfica will get the desired three points to keep them on top of the pile. In the group’s other match on Wednesday night, we have a cracker. If Manchester United lose away to FC Basel, then the Red Devils will fail for just the third time in their history to make it through to the knockout stage of the Champions League. They go into the match just one point ahead of Basel, but will face the tricky away trip. Basel will no doubt be really up for this, especially after almost beating United at Old Trafford. So the maths are simple, whoever wins out of Basel v Man Utd betting joins Benfica in the next round. United do have a slight advantage in that a draw will be good enough for them, and they will be banking on their Champions League experience to get them through. The Red Devils have kept seven clean sheets out of their last eight away matches in Europe, and as long as that happens, they will be in the next round. If Benfica fail to win and United do, there is still a chance that Sir Alex Ferguson’s crew can still top the group. See our full FC Basel v Man Utd betting preview here.
Basel 6/1, Draw 3/1, Man Utd 8/13 at Bet365
Benfica 1/7, Draw 8/1, Otelul Galati 22/1 at Victor Chandler

Group D
Standings: Real Madrid 15pts, Ajax 8pts, Lyon 5/1, Dynamo Zagreb 0pts
Real Madrid are the only team in the competition left with a 100% record with five wins from five. It has been a comfortable stroll for Jose Mourinho’s men, who have scored 16 goals and conceded just two. The La Liga leaders have made this all look very simple on their way to winning the group. They round off with an away match against Ajax, who have big plans of their own. The Dutch side need a point to secure their place in the next round as well, as they are three points ahead of third placed Lyon. Even getting a draw off Real Madrid at this stage is looking like a very difficult task ahead for the Dutch side. There is still a chance that they could get through if Lyon fail to win anyway. Lyon, usually a certainty for making it to the knockout stage have really struggled this time around. They head to Croatia to face bottom side Dynamo Zagreb in their final match. When the two met earlier in the group, the French side won 2-0 but even a repeat of that score line won’t be enough for Lyon. Basically, the only way that Lyon are going to get through, is if Ajax lose against Real Madrid, and Lyon somehow overhaul the goal difference of seven which Ajax has over Lyon should the two teams finish level on points. They will be helped if Real Madrid run riot against Ajax. That is the scenario, because Ajax and Lyon drew both of their meetings 0-0. So there will probably be a win for Real and Lyon may sneak a victory, but not by enough to steal second from Ajax.
Ajax 2/1, Draw 12/5, Real Madrid 6/4 at Bet365
Dynamo Zagreb 10/3, Draw 45/17, Lyon 10/11 at Unibet

Online bookmaker Unibet have a great Champions League betting promotion running for all matches this season. Take a pre match Correct Score, Half Time/Full Time, First or Last Goalscorer bet, and if the match ends in a 0-0 draw and ruins any bets in those markets on a Champions League match, then the bookie will refund your lost stake as a free bet. This provides you some great coverage for your betting and it runs all season long in the Champions League. The highly rated bookie offers a risk free £20 bet for new customers registering an account. The bookie will refund a lost first bet on a new Unibet account, up to the value of £20, giving you that risk free first wager!

FC Basel v Manchester United betting has a good promotion at online bookmaker Paddy Power covering the action on Wednesday night. We all the threat that Wayne Rooney poses to teams, and while he is on a goal less streak in the Premier League, with Javier Hernandez sidelined, the Red Devils will need Rooney’s influence more than ever. United are in Switzerland to face the battling Basel side, who earned themselves a great 3-3 draw at Old Trafford. This is pretty much a shoot out with the winner taking the big prize of a place in the next round and also eliminating the other. United need a win to try and steal top spot from Benfica, and they must still hope that the Portuguese side fail to win their final match in order for that to happen. So will Wayne Rooney step up to the mark and fire his club through to the last sixteen of the Champions League to join Chelsea and Arsenal there, or will the Red Devils fail for only the third time in their history to make it out of the group stage?

Online bookmaker Paddy Power are running a Money Back Special for Basel v Man Utd betting, and if that man Wayne Rooney scores the last goal of the match, then the bookie will refund all losing First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Correct Score and Scorecast singles placed on the match. So there is great coverage here for your football betting, with Rooney at 4/1 in the First Goalscorer Market, and a United 1-0 win trading at 11/2, there are many great options to look at with this Paddy Power coverage in place.

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FC Basel v Man Utd Champions League Betting Odds at Paddy Power
Basel 9/2, Draw 14/5, Man Utd 8/13

Chelsea v Valencia Champions League betting sees the Blues with their last chance to make it into the last sixteen of the Champions League. With no win in their last two matches, following a draw against Genk and then a disastrous defeat in Germany against Bayer Leverkusen, Andre Villas Boas’s men are basically in a one match shoot out now with Valencia on Tuesday night to secure progress. The winner of Chelsea v Valencia betting goes through, while the loses goes out, it is all as simple as that. If there is a score draw at Stamford Bridge, then it is Valencia who will go through, while a goal less draw would suit Chelsea, as long as group leaders Bayer Leverkusen lose on Tuesday against Genk. While there are permutations going on, the basic upshot is that Chelsea need to win. That is the attitude with which they need to go in with, and that is what they need to do. Chelsea’s form hasn’t been great of late at Stamford Bridge, but they actually played a very powerful game at Newcastle in the Premier League winner on the weekend, and played in a manner in which we haven’t seen for the last half dozen matches or so. When the two met on Match Day Two in the Champions League, Frank Lampard had put Chelsea ahead until a moment of madness from Salomon Kalou gave Valencia a late penalty through which they equalised. That was a value two points dropped for Chelsea away from home which may now come back to haunt them. With Valencia finally waking up and thumping Genk 7-0 on Match Day five, Chelsea need to keep things tight and find a way to break down the Spaniards. Fortunately for the Blues, while Nicolas Anelka has handed in a transfer request, and Fernando Torres still looks lost, Didier Drogba is starting to look like his old self a little bit more, and the speed of Daniel Sturridge is still getting him in amongst the goals, so there is some hope for Chelsea here. If the Blues don’t make it through, it will be the first time since the 2002/03 which they will have failed to reach the knockout stage of the tournament.

The two sides have met twice before at Stamford Bridge, and both times the matches ended in a draw, the most recent a meeting in the 2006/07 Champions League which produced a 1-1 draw, and this time around that would not be good enough for Chelsea. Chelsea do have a pretty good home record against Spanish sides, having not lost in their last twelve home fixtures against teams from Spain, and the Blues hold a W7 D4 L1 record at the Bridge. The Blues have won both of their home matches in the Champions League group stage so far this season, a 2-0 win over Leverkusen and a 5-0 thumping of Genk. That is in stark contrast to their away form, where they drew two and lost one. Valencia’s romp against Genk, which included a hat trick for Roberto Soldado in less than half an hour means that they are the top scorers in the group. Their stats going forward in the Champions League group stage are pretty evenly matched with Chelsea’s, the Blues have just had a handful more shots on and off target in total. So they should be evenly matched as Valencia are a good side. They are currently third in La Liga, just four points behind Barcelona with a game in hand over the Catalans, and Roberto Soldado is their main weapon, with nine league goals to his name. The Chelsea back line really need to find a way to keep him quiet, because he has the potential to dump the Blues out of the Champions League.

So it is going to be a tense night at Stamford Bridge and the longer the game stays goal less the more tension will be filtering down onto the pitch. Chelsea can win this match though, they are good enough, but it is not going to be romp and you can only really see them winning by a one goal margin. Chelsea to win by a 1 Goal Margin is priced well at 11/4 with Ladbrokes. The important thing to remember here for your Chelsea v Valencia Champions League betting, is that the survival of the Spaniards in the competition is also on the line and they do have the advantage of being happy enough to walk away with just a score draw. Valencia’s record on the road so far in the Champions League has resulted in a 0-0 draw at Genk and a 2-1 defeat against Leverkusen. The same outcome as Chelsea’s road trips to those two. So it is all down to the wire now for Andre Villas Boas and his first season in charge of trying to get owner Roman Abramovich that much coveted Champions League title. They are going to need the influence of Didier Drogba on the night, who is 5/1 at Bet365 in the First Goalscorer Market, while the ever dangerous Soldado is priced at 7/1 with Paddy Power.

Chelsea v Valencia Champions League Odds
Chelsea to w in: 8/11 at Bet365
Draw: 11/4 at Bet365
Valencia: 4/1 at Boylesports

Online bookmaker Unibet have a great online betting Champions League promotion running for the entire season. Place a pre match Correct Score, Half Time/Full Time, First Goalscorer or Last Goalscorer bet on a match, and if that game ends in a 0-0 draw, then the bookie will give you a lost stake refund. So a good bit of coverage for all of  your Champions League football betting from the highly rated online bookmaker. The bookie offers a risk free £20 bet for new customers. If a first bet on a new Unibet account loses, the bookie will refund that stake, up to the maximum value of £20.

Olympiacos v Arsenal Champions League betting in Group F has no bearing whatsoever on the progress of the Gunners to the next round. That is because they have already secured their place there by winning the group with a match to spare. This is all due to Tuesday night’s opponents Olympiacos grabbing an away win against Marseille on Match Day Five, which left Arsenal four points clear of the French side heading into the final round of matches. It has been an efficient group stage campaign from the Gunners, who, after their poor early form in the Barclays Premier League could easily have struggled. Thankfully for them Robin van Persie has been carrying them through their trials and they look to have learned well from last season’s mistake of letting the group lead slip and only qualifying in second place. No such problem this time and around, and it means that boss Arsene Wenger can sit back and take this one easy, give some of his main players a rest as the other three English sides struggle for a place in the last sixteen alongside them. Arsenal have really turned their form around this season, and are now seven games unbeaten in the Premier League and remain undefeated in the Premier League so far. So all in all, good stuff from the Gunners, and they will be expected to close out the group unbeaten by avoiding defeat against the Greeks. Arsenal’s away form this season has seen them pick up a draw against Borussia Dortmund, followed by a massive 1-0 away victory in France over Marseille, which really set up their charge for taking ownership of the top of the group. This could have been a tricky group, and while the Gunners haven’t been prolific in front of goal, hitting just six in their five matches so far, it has been enough to guide them to three wins and two draws. They  have succeeded so far, where Chelsea, Man Utd and Man City have failed to this season, in booking qualification before the final round of matches.

But there is still something at stake in Olympiakos v Arsenal Champions League betting, and that is qualification for the Greeks. After beating Marseille on Match Day Five, the Greek side are now just one point behind the French and are fully embroiled in a three way race to qualify in second place behind Arsenal. The bottom line for the Greeks to start with is that they need to win and hope that Marseille do not beat Dortmund. However, the extra scenario here, is that if Olympiakos just draw with Arsenal, the Greek side would go through as long as Dortmund beat Marseille by more than three goals. So it is going to be an interesting final day in Group F of the Champions League. So far in their home matches in the Group Stage have lost to Marseille and have beaten Dortmund. The Greeks have been a bit hit and miss, but they showed up on Match Day Five when they needed too to grab three points and keep themselves in the hunt. They will be confident after how well they played against Arsenal at the Emirates earlier in the Group. While Arsenal ran out 2-1 winners in that match, the Greeks breached the Arsenal back line time and time again, and with better composure in front of goal could have easily and deservedly come away with a point. So the Greeks have a lot to play for as they need to really gun for the Gunners and grab that win at home, which would carry them through as long as Marseille don’t win.

The teams met each other in the 2009/10 Champions League group stage, and the Greeks won that one at home by a 1-0 score line after losing at the Emirates earlier in the group. The Greeks do not have a great home record against English sides though, which is something else to consider for your Olympiakos v Arsenal Champions League betting. Out of nine home European fixtures against English sides, Olympiakos have won just three and have drawn three. As for Arsenal, out of six visits to Greece, they have won two, drawn one and lost three, so not a particular strong record for them either, and if they send out a weakened side, there could be a potential for a draw in this match. Olympiakos do go as favourites for the football betting in this match, because of their need to win at home and Arsenal probably being under strength.

Olympiakos v Arsenal Champions League Betting Odds
Olympiakos to win: 4/5 at SkyBet
Draw: 13/5 at Blue Square
Arsenal to win: 15/4 at Stan James

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