jose mourinho

Real Madrid v Barcelona 2011 Spanish Super Cup betting is a great way to open your football wagers on the Spanish front. The two heavyweights come together on August 14th in the first leg of the domestic Super Cup. The two were no strangers to each other last year of course, as they battled it out for La Liga title as well as coming together in the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. It was Barcelona who prevailed in the Spanish Primera as well as the Champions League of course, and now the early season throws them back into battle again. So who will prevail? Who takes the edge in Real Madrid v Barcelona 2011 Spanish Super Cup football betting? Well here we take a look at the two sides, their pre season preparations, their signings and what differences we may see this season. One of the biggest rivalries on Continental Europe looks set to resume.

Barcelona look set to land Cesc Fabregas finally from Arsenal, but they have generally been taking things pretty quiet on the transfer market. This could be an ominous sign that coach Pep Guardiola has enough faith in his current squad to go out and repeat successes. We have not seen the best of Barcelona through pre season though, and they have suffered some loses. Three of them in fact, including a defeat against Manchester United. But can we pay attention to all of that, when competition levels are low and players are getting back to match sharpness? These are the games when it really counts, and Barcelona will want to come out firing. The Catalans have bolstered their forward ranks bringing over Alexis Sanchez from Udinese. Looking over the comparative pre seasons of the two giants, you could suggest that Barcelona are perhaps a little less prepared for this opener than Madrid. There will be battles of ego and battles of some of the best football talent in the world here of focus. Their strengths are in the movement of the ball in midfield, with Xavi and Iniesta the king pins there, and of course the ever existing threat of Lionel Messi. We looked a lot last season at how to beat Barcelona, and while Real Madrid triumphed in the Copa del Rey, it is hard, and still is, to see where Barcelona can be picked apart with any great regularity. Barcelona are going to create chances and if you cut off one supply route, there are numerous others which they exploit. Barcelona are the team to emulate, but will they be caught cold on this opening fixture of the season for them? It is never an easy task to play away from home in the back yard of your most bitter rivals, but Barcelona cope with things like that with relative ease. Barcelona will be strengthened in cover if Fabregas arrives but nothing else on the surface is likely to change too much this season. It is still up to the rest of Spain and the rest of Europe to try and catch them up.

Real Madrid have gone spending their cash though, with a big signing at the back with Fabio Coentrao coming in. There have also been a couple of signings in midfield to bolster strength in the depth. Coach Jose Mourinho did manage to get something out of Barcelona last year, when Real Madrid snatched a late winner in the final of the Copa del Rey. People wondered if there was going to be a momentum shift then, but it was Barcelona who prevailed over the two legs of the Champions League semi final. So that suggests that Jose Mourinho has a lot more work to do in order to not only catch up, but surpass Real’s bitter rivals. Madrid have gone well in their pre season, but they haven’t used too many of their big stars while touring China. This is naturally home advantage for Jose Mourinho and they cannot fall into the trap of being caught being over confident. They can look at Barcelona’s squad and see they haven’t put it together in their pre season matches, but they should be written off at Mourinho’s peril. Cristiano Ronaldo will again by the biggest cog in the Real Madrid machine this year, but as with Jose Mourinho, you know that if anyone is capable of tactically bringing down the best club side in the world, then it is him. Real Madrid tried their best, and succeeded a lot of the time last season to limit the number of chances that Barcelona would create in the match. They were not going to give Barcelona their own way in the middle of the park, and that is where Madrid won the biggest battles against their rivals. They have a lot of firepower and wealth in their squad, but often it is repressed when it comes to facing Barcelona. Sharp, incisive counter attacks may be their best way still to get the better of Madrid, but if they use this first battle ground of the new season wisely, it could lay down an important marker for the season ahead.

Real Madrid v Barcelona Spanish Super Cup betting
Real Madrid to win: 6/4 at Totesport
Draw: 12/5 at Stan James
Barcelona to win: 21/10 at Bwin

Real Madrid v Barcelona betting tip: Would honestly look towards a draw here. The are positives for both sides, but at the same time there are questions marks. It is the first competitive game, who will be match sharper? Real Madrid have been better in pre season but have faced lesser opposition than Barcelona. Don’t read too much into pre season results anyway as they are not going to count for much. Real Madrid may grab a little bit more of the early initiative, but you just can’t count Barcelona out, even if they have a cold start. There’s too much talent to leave them wanting, so a first up match ending in parity sounds about right for the two.  This is only the first leg remember, so a score draw Barca would be happy with.

Barcelona v Real Madrid Champions League semi final second leg betting odds look to be pretty much all sewn up. Nothing quite kills off the excitement of a Champions League semi final than the away team scoring a couple of goals in the first leg, and derby rivalry dragging the match into play acting and niggling tensions. The football got a bit forgotten at times during the first leg of the Real Madrid v Barcelona Champions League semi final. Despite being the home side, Jose Mourinho sent out his Real Madrid side in a defensive set up again, hoping to replicate the success of their Copa del Rey final against their Catalan rivals. However, after getting defender Pepe sent off in the second half, which did seem a bit of a harsh decision at the time, the already stifled threat of Real Madrid was weakened. When the two sides met at the Bernabeu recently in La Liga, Madrid were down to ten men there, but managed to claw their way back to a 1-1 draw thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo. There was to be no sting in the tail of Jose Mourinho’s men this time around, as they were undone by a Lionel Messi brace, the second of which was a stunning solo run from the little Argentinean genius. Messi picked the ball up deep, ran at a angle towards the penalty area, jinked inside, and pushed the ball into the far corner of the net past Iker Casillas. Brilliance. That is the man who wins games. Now Barcelona have a huge advantage ahead of Tuesday’s second leg back at the Nou Camp, because of those two massive away goals in the last fifteen minutes of the match, Real Madrid will have a hard time overcoming their deficit.

Real Madrid like to play counter attacking football, and they are arguably the best side in Europe at doing so, but will that carry weight in your Barcelona v Real Madrid Champions League semi final second leg betting? Their tactics didn’t pay off during midweek, as they really failed to threaten the Barcelona goal, with the game dragged into a bit of a dull midfield battle. That was Madrid’s game plan, to slow up the impeccable Barcelona passing game, and while it was working for long periods, it meant the game was not the big spectacle it should have been. Throw in some unfriendly rivalry between the two sides and game was really spoiled. Hopefully the second leg will be a much more open affair, because plain and simple, Real Madrid have to go and attack. Is it all over for Mourinho and his quest this year to become the first man to reach three Champions League finals with three different clubs? Well, it looks like it, but not yet entirely, because you can never discount the man. Remember last year when he stunned Barcelona in the semi finals by adopting a surprising attacking set up with Inter Milan? Well, that is what Real Madrid are capable of doing, so the threat is not entirely over. They need to get a quick goal though, and defensively stay alert or Messi and co will pick them off. Things really looked to be going the way of Mourinho in this long series of El Clasico meetings. Tuesday’s second leg in the Champions League is the fourth meeting between the two side in just over a fortnight. There was the draw at the Bernabeu in La Liga, followed by a Copa del Rey triumph for Madrid. Momentum certainly seemed to be shifting the way of Madrid, however, the first leg semi final defeat was a major blow. Any experience and tactical genius that Mourinho can muster up now, has to come to the fore.

The embittered Mourinho spouted off his dislike of Barcelona and pretty everyone in the higher echelons of footbal after the match. The former Chelsea boss has always a fan of conspiracy theories, especially when it comes to Barcelona, against whom he has a feisty history, that the war of words will continue. Mourinho was sent to the stands in the first leg, their substitute keeper got sent off at half time for a scuffle and now both sides are facing UEFA charges. It really is spoiling the thrill of what should be a fascinating encounter between two of Europe’s best sides. The football is not getting much of a chance to shine at all, but now, with the two goal lead, Barcelona can perhaps relax and enjoy their football a little more in the second leg, knowing that the job is halfway done. Thanks to Lionel Messi, they have a huge lead to defend, and Barcelona v Real Madrid Champions League semi final second leg betting would really support them in doing so. You don’t immediately picture Real Madrid going to the Nou Camp and getting at least a 2-0 win which would sent things into over time. Tuesday’s match has to see what Real Madrid are really made of. They have played some great attacking football in La Liga, but Mourinho has been more cautious in his approach in the Champions League. That is because the Champions League is what both of these two European giants really want. It is looking like sweet revenge finally for Barcelona, who have failed twice before in European Cup semi finals against Real Madrid. Barcelona will also take a strong home record against the Merengues to the second leg of the semi final, having not lost to Madrid at the Nou Camp since 2007.

Always worth revisiting some head to head stats. Until Madrid’s draw in La Liga recently, there had been five straight wins for Barcelona. Overall in the head to head, Madrid lead with 86 wins over Barcelona’s 83 and there have been 43 draws. At the Nou Camp, Barcelona hold a strong head to head advantage, having won 47 encounters to Madrid’s 18. There have been 16 draws between the sides at the Nou Camp (in all competitions). As far as European Cup semi finals go, Barcelona don’t have a strong record, having won five and lost six semi finals. Real Madrid on the other hand, hold the record for semi final appearances in the European Cup, this being the 22nd time they have made it this far. They have won 12 and lost 9 of their previous 21 attempts. In the competition this year, Barcelona have won all of their home matches (averaging over two goals per match), while Madrid do remain unbeaten on their travels, picking up two draws and three wins in the Champions League this year. The stats really are stacked against Madrid here. They have been in a losing position after the home first leg five times in their European history, and have only managed to prevail once. Barcelona on the other hand have qualified in 30 out of 32 occasions when they have won the first leg away from home.

Barcelona v Real Madrid Betting Tip: Love him or hate him, Jose Mourinho is a winner, but this may even be too much for The Special One. Everything really points to Barcelona progressing to the Champions League final here. Seeing them let a two goal lead slip at home does just not seem plausible. While they would be happy with a low scoring draw, knowing that Real Madrid have to attack, it is likely that Barcelona will find a way to pick off Madrid at the end of the day. Are we finally going to be in for a classic El Clasico?

Barcelona v Real Madrid Champions League semi final second leg betting Odds

Barcelona to win: 4/6 at Bet365
Draw: 31/10 at Unibet
Real Madrid to win: 4/1 at Bet365

Online bookmaker Paddy Power have already lined up their Barcelona v Real Madrid Champions League betting promotion. If Real Madrid win the match, then the online bookmaker will refund all losing Correct Score, Scorecast and First/Last Goalscorer bets placed on the match. You may remember they did this for the Chelsea v Man Utd Champions League first leg at Stamford Bridge, offering refunds if United won, which they did and had to pay out. So, this is a bit of coverage for your Champions League semi final betting here from Paddy Power. New customers to Paddy Power can get a free £50 bet when they sign up and register for a new account!

Speculation is rife again about the future of Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho following his side’s controversial defeat in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final with arch-rivals Barcelona. Mourinho said he was "disgusted to live in this world" following Real’s 2-0 defeat at the Bernabeu in which their Portuguese international Pepe was shown a straight red card by German referee Wolfgang Stark following a challenge on Barcelona defender Dani Alves. Mourinho is now no bigger than 5/4 with sportingbet to be in charge of Real at the start of the season, even though he’s barely 12 months into a three-year contract.

In the wake of Pepe’s dismissal, a seething Mourinho was sent to the stands by the referee and an ill-tempered match deteriorated even further when Barca reserve goalkeeper Jose Pinto was also shown a red card following a scuffle as the teams went down the tunnel at half-time. In the post-match press conference, a clearly still angry Mourinho hit out at the match officials and again made claims that Barcelona’s opponents aren’t getting a fair rub of the green in big matches. Real have now had a player sent off in each of the four matches they’ve played against Barca this season, though they did beat Pep Guardiola‘s team in the Copa Del Rey final.

Mourinho, who is looking to become the first coach to conquer Europe with three different teams having already won the Champions League with Porto and Inter, has never been one to shy away from controversy and much of what he says in the heat of the moment has to be taken with a pinch of salt. But ‘The Special One’ may have gone too far this time and Barcelona are considering taking legal action against the former Chelsea manager regarding his comments about the Catalans receiving preferential treatment. They were, of course, embroiled in controversy in 2009 when Norwegian referee Tom Ovrebo made a string of contentious decisions which denied Chelsea a place in the Champions League final. Real players Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso have already spoken out in support of thei coach but Mourinho is only 2/1 with Skybet to be managing in the Premier League next season. Barcelona are now 8/15 favourites to win the Champions League with Paddy Power and likely final opponents Manchester United are 15/8 with Boylesports.

Mourinho to mastermind Madrid success? The Champions League clash between the two Spanish giants of Real Madrid and Barcelona, may just have a new twist on it. Going into the tournament, the two were the front runners to win the tournament outright, with Barcelona going as odds on favourite. This is because of the sheer might of talent that Barcelona can produce, but as the semi final draw pitted them together, one of them will fall before the final. The bookies still have not had any hesitation in making Barcelona favourite to get through, but the influence of Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho on Real Madrid’s progress continues to grow. After getting thumped 5-0 in his first El Clasico match, the former Chelsea boss couldn’t wait to get his chance of revenge. Because of the semi final draw, it meant that the two sides would go up against each other four times in the space of just over two weeks. It started with last week’s return fixture in La Liga, in which 10 man Real Madrid managed to hold on for a draw. That was a substantial step forward for Mourinho and his side, and the Special One showed just what a tactical genius he is, and how quickly he learns from mistakes. There was going to be no repeat of that 5-0 horror show at the Nou Camp for Mourinho, and although his side had to concede a lot of possession to Barcelona, they looked the more dangerous on the counter attack.

By flooding the midfield, Mourinho gained level playing field for Real Madrid with their rivals. The Spanish cup final was then played on Wednesday, as the two sides came together again for the conclusion of the Copa del Rey. This time the game took on a different feel, Real Madrid were the better side for large parts of the game, and their closing down tactics, especially in the middle of the park, again gave them a competitive nature. The Mourinho learning curve continued, as Madrid came away with a 1-0 win to take the honours. So, while Barcelona are still favourites to reach the final of the Champions League (and they have been boosted by news that Andres Iniesta will be eligible to play after appealing a ban), has the power started to shift a little bit. Barcelona have the Spanish League title wrapped up, so there really is not much concern there, but both of these sides want top European glory. It has looked like Barcelona all the way until these recent spate of matches. The first leg of the Real Madrid v Barcelona Champions League semi final is at the Bernabeu, and so Madrid once again have to stifle and limit Barcelona, and hope for a crucial goal of their own. You feel they will need to take some kind of advantage back to the Nou Camp, so how much with the tactical awareness of Mourinho come into play here. In just a couple of games he has found a way to frustrate and bring down the infrastructure of Barcelona’s passing game on the pitch.

Do Real Madrid have more of a chance in the Champions League semi final than many are expecting them to have? Those games, especially the victory in the final of the Kings Cup on Wednesday, has maybe shifted the goal posts a little bit. Jose Mourinho is a  two times winner of the Champions League, and is aiming to be the first man to win the tournament with three different clubs. Don’t dismiss the threat that Real Madrid are going to carry into this one. It should be a spectacular tussle over the two legs. There has been plenty of niggles and grit about the recent games, which suggest that there could be plenty of fireworks on the way. The goals have not been flowing in the fixture, to some surprise given the amount of attacking power on the field, but that shows how much deeper these teams go. A tight, close contest is just the thing at which Jose Mourinho and his management style excels at.

Real Madrid v Barcelona Champions League Semi Final First Leg Betting

Real Madrid to win: 8/5 at Bet365
Draw: 12/5 at Bet365
Barcelona to win: 17/10 at Unibet

To Qualify: Real Madrid 7/4 at Bet365, Barcelona 6/11 at Bwin

Speaking at a charity event in London this week, Jose Mourinho has re-iterated his intention to return to management in the Premier League to complete, as the self-styled ‘Special One’ described it, ‘unfinished business’.

The charismatic Portuguese coach left Chelsea in 2007 after a hugely successful spell at Stamford Bridge before winning the Serie A title and Champions League with Inter Milan last season. He is contracted for another three years at Real Madrid and will be determined to leave a lasting legacy at the Bernabeu before he leaves but has again hinted that he is planning a return to England sooner rather than later. "I miss England and my next job will be in England," he told The Sun recently. "There is unfinished business and I think England wants me back, no? It was the most enjoyable time of my career."

Mourinho is currently preparing his team to face Tottenham in the Champions’ League quarter-finals, for which the Spanish side are a best 5/1 with Victor Chandler behind Primera Liga rivals Barcelona (a general 6/5). Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to be fit to face the London club after a recent injury scare and Mourinho is confident his team will progress to the last four, though acknowledges that Harry Redknapp has done a wonderful job at White Hart Lane this season considering Spurs had to get through a qualifying round before even making the group stages.  "Any team is difficult and any team is a motivation for us." he told reporters, "Tottenham are a good team: they beat Inter, they beat Milan, they have ambitions, they have a very good team and a good manager."

Mourinho‘s self-confessed love affair with the English game is sure to have alerted several Premier League clubs, with Chelsea and Manchester United leading the way. Skybet are offering 7/2 against the Blues or the Red Devils securing his signature should he end up back in England, with Manchester City 4/1 with the same firm. Victor Chandler have him at 10/1 to join Liverpool and 20/1 to end up at Arsenal. 

Tottenham Hotspur have been rewarded for their great strides during their inaugural Champions League campaign, with a quarter final tie against Spanish giants Real Madrid. If Spurs are going to win the Champions League, then they are going to have to do it the hard way, because Barcelona could be standing in the way come the semi finals. First of all though, there is the not so small matter of Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid. Tottenham Hotspur have been a breath of fresh air in the competition this season, playing a brave style of football which has won them many plaudits. Boss Harry Redknapp has not been afraid to take the game to the opposition, no matter who they may be. They have created some fantastic atmospheres at White Hart Lane in the tournament, and their performances have fully backed up the home support. There was the crucial win over Inter Milan in the group stages. There was the battling second leg draw against AC Milan in the round of last sixteen, which saw them through. This is just where Tottenham want to be, and the draw is really set up for them to have at least two more magical Champions League nights. This is, undoubtedly their toughest test of course, but Spurs have shown great aplomb and Redknapp must be hugely applauded for his tactical approach to the games. He has pretty much got things down to a tee, and now he has the chance to pit himself against one of the best teams in the world. To start this fixture, Spurs will take a trip to the Bernabeu, against a club which has won the European Cup nine times. It will be a return to familiar surroundings for Rafael van der Vaart, who left Real Madrid in the summer to join Spurs. The first leg is played in Madrid on Tuesday, April 5th, with the return in London on Wednesday, April 13th.

Jose Mourinho has once again shown what a special touch he has, as he guided Real Madrid to the quarter finals for the first time since the 2003/04 competition. Real finally buried their bogey team Lyon in the last sixteen, even though the French could have made it a lot more difficult for Real, had their strikers been in any kind of form. With Cristiano Ronaldo in tremendous form this season, holding on tight at the back in Spain, is just what Spurs will need. But they won’t be afraid of pushing forward, that is, if they can get the ball. They will have watched how Barcelona passed Arsenal off the park in the round of last sixteen, and much of the same can be expected from Real Madrid on their home turf. However, that having been said, Spurs are likely to get a lot more of the ball against Madrid, than they ever would against Barcelona. Madrid play lovely football, but they do concede possession more readily and rely on defensive work. Finally a bit of caution may need to be aired by Redknapp, in this fascinating tie. Jose Mourinho (who can become the first man to win the Champions League with three different clubs) can’t wait, not because he tie is easy he said, but because he really likes playing in England. With Spurs making their first foray into the Champions League, you have to go back to the 1984/85 UEFA Cup to find a meeting between them. Real Madrid won that on a 1-0 aggregate. However, there is a lot of hope for Tottenham to really give this one a good go. Real Madrid do not have a great record against English teams, losing four of their last five matches against English opposition. Tottenham could really write one of the biggest chapters of their history here. Not too surprising that Real Madrid are favourites to progress, and they are only one of two sides left in the competition who remain unbeaten (Man Utd being the other). Real Madrid are 2/5 favourites at Paddy Power To Qualify, with Spurs out at 3/1 with Bwin.

Real Madrid v Tottenham Hotspur First Leg Odds

Real Madrid to win: 1/2 at BetFred
Draw: 3/1 at Bet365
Tottenham Hotspur to win: 13/2 at Unibet

Champions League Outright Winner Odds

Real Madrid: 5/1 Victor Chandler
Tottenham Hotspur: 29/1 at Unibet

The head of the betting market for the Champions League Golden Boot can be likened to Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. We have the Barcelona player of the past in Samuel Eto’o, the Barca player of the present in Lionel Messi and someone for the future in David Villa, with the striker having recently arrived at the Nou Camp.

It is Samuel Eto’o that leads the way after his brace against Tottenham took him to six goals in the competition so far. The Cameroonian is enjoying a brilliant season for Inter and really seems to be relishing the freedom afforded to him by new manager Rafael Benitez. The player is two goals clear of the pack and can be backed at 3/1 with Coral to stay out in front.

Naturally, it often depends on how far the player’s team progresses as to whether they can win this award and that is why the two Barcelona forwards are short odds in the betting. Lionel Messi was the top Champions League scorer last season and his brace against FC Copenhagen takes him to four in Europe so far this season. With some rich pickings to be had in remaining group matches, perhaps he’s the one to back at 3/1 with Coral.

Meanwhile, David Villa has clearly proven himself as one of the best strikers in the world and he could be the sort of player to prove the match winner in the knockout stages when the games start to get tighter. He has just two goals to his name so far to sit four behind Eto’o, although the bookies are wary of offering too big a price about the former Valencia man, going 8/1 (bet365).

Naturally, it’s hard to exclude Cristiano Ronaldo from the shortlist considering that Real Madrid are starting to get amongst the goals and we should probably expect Jose Mourinho to steer the team to the business end of the competition. The former Manchester United man is 14/1 with bet365 to finish top of the pile although he only has one goal so far.

Perhaps it would be better to consider Nicolas Anelka, the Chelsea striker who took his tally to four goals when slotting home in Moscow to help the Blues to a 2-0 victory. With MSK Zilina and Spartak still to come to Stamford Bridge, then the 10/1 being offered by bet365 could be an outstanding each-way price, even if Didier Drogba is back from suspension.

Marouane Chamakh has been helping Arsenal rack up the goals and the Moroccan is 14/1 with Blue Square to finish top of the pile after finding the net in each of the Gunners’ three group games to date. Continuing this ratio might put him close, while Michel Bastos of Lyon can also boast three goals and he is 40/1 with Blue Square. Zlatan Ibrahimovic also has three for Milan and the Swede can be backed at 14/1 with Blue Square.

It’s the start of the Champions League group stages and that will mean punters eyeing up some big money accumulator bets with the bookmakers. There are eight matches taking place on Tuesday night and three include home teams available at odds-on.

Barcelona, Benfica and Manchester United will be expecting to pick up three points against the respective opposition of Panathinaikos, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Rangers, with Paddy Power offering the best odds on a treble with 1.97. We shouldn’t expect Barca to slip up, although perhaps Benfica are the selection which might let us down with that particular accumulator.

Meanwhile, Inter are in action away to FC Twente and you would get odds of 3.67 with Stan James if you added the Italian champions to the above three teams to create an accumulator.

On Wednesday night, there are no less than seven teams available at odds-on to win their opening group games and there will be plenty of accumulator bets on AC Milan, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Marseille, Real Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk winning their games.

Blue Square offer odds of 11/1 that all of them oblige with victory, although if you were considering a seven-fold on these teams on Wednesday night, you would be better off taking the 10/1 with bet365 as they have a Euro Soccer Accumulator Bonus which adds extra to your winning multiple bets.

For a winning treble, you will get an extra 5% added to your winnings and there is a 30% bonus available that can be added to winning 7-fold bets. If you fancy trying to pick 14 winning selections in a multiple bet, there is a 100% bonus on your winnings awaiting you at bet365, so you can essentially double your money.

Once again, we should expect the Premier League teams to have a major impact in Europe and they all have matches that could see the quartet land victory. A four-fold on Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea is available at 6/1 with Sky Bet, who are the only firm to get anywhere near the 6/1 mark with this particular multiple.

It’s also worth noting that Ladbrokes have a ‘Best Odds Guaranteed’ promotion that runs from Tuesday morning through to the games kicking off at 19:45 BST on Tuesday night. The popular betting firm are committed to offering the best odds about EVERY one of the 32 teams participating in the Champions League this season as far as the outright market is concerned.

Therefore, if you haven’t yet placed your Champions League outright bets yet, then you can get 11/4 that favourites Barcelona achieve greatness this season, while Chelsea will be at least 6/1 with Ladbrokes to finally win a piece of silverware which seems to elude them every season.

Many punters will think that Real Madrid will go well under Jose Mourinho and you should expect to find the Magic Sign offering at least 6/1 as they are committed to offering industry best prices which offers great value to the customers.

CSKA Moscow v Inter Milan Champions League Betting Preview: Jose Mourinho continues to entertain the press, even though his Inter Milan side have been stuttering at the top of Serie A. Mourinho is not a big fan of the way Italian football is being ran, insisting that there are conspiracy theories about to keep his Inter side from dominating on the domestic scene. While Inter have enjoyed success on the home front, one of the primary reasons that the ex-Chelsea boss was drafted in, was to bring the Champions League to the San Siro. After knocking out Chelsea quite convincingly in the last 16, the “Special One” should be confident of progressing, after drawing a quarter final tie against CSKA Moscow. If the Italians progress through, then a big rematch against current Champions League holders Barcelona could be on the cards for the semi final.

Mourinho’s Inter were fantastically efficient and clinical against Chelsea, both in the home and away legs of their encounter. The matches showed that the Mourinho side is still incredibly difficult to play against, and one that is constructed to bring success. Inter finished second in the group stage to the Spanish champions Barcelona, and Mourinho would relish another chance to take on the favourites. Despite gunning for success, Mourinho doesn’t seem a settled man, and has talked about a return to the Premier League, with several clubs at the front of the rumour mill. His future in Italy could all hinge on whether he brings home the Champions League this season or not, and even holding on and winning the domestic title may simply not be enough to keep the wolves from his door.

CSKA Moscow qualified in second place behind Manchester United in their group stage, winning three of their six matches. It could be a long night in Russia for Mourinho’s men, as they try and break down what is likely to be a defensive Moscow side. While appearing to be the lowest ranked team left in the competition, and therefore a good draw for Inter, CSKA Moscow  put in two decent performances to beat a very strong Seville side in the last 16, including a 2-1 win in the away leg. Now they will have to take on one of the best teams in Europe, if not one of the teams which play with the most amount of flair. Mourinho’s team is all about getting the job done, and are more than happy with 1-0 results. Inter have world stars in Samuel Eto’o, Thiago Motta, Walter Samuel and one of the Champions League’s most influential players, Wesley Sneijder, who is one of the best players in the world in his position.

Inter will be favourites, and they are perfectly suited to these tricky away fixtures in Europe, picking up a draw against Russian Champions Rubin Kazan, and a win in Ukraine over Dynamo Kiev in the group stages. Although they only won two of their six league games, their only defeat came at the hands of Barcelona. Driven on by the success they had over one of the Champions League favourites in Chelsea, Mourinho will be expectant of securing a semi final place in this year’s competition.

Match Prices
CSKA Moscow to win: 8/1 at Bet365
Draw: 7/2 at SkyBet
Inter Milan to win: 4/9 at Totesport

The big influx on sports betting, and football headlines of the week will be surrounding the re-uniting of The Special One, Jose Mourinho with Chelsea. Inter Milan host Chelsea on Wednesday, the second of two major Italian v English Champions League clashes. Manchester United beat AC Milan 3-2 at the San Siro last week, and Chelsea will be hoping to leave with less damage done to their defence. Mourinho spent 3 and a half successful years at Stamford Bridge, winning the Premier League title twice for the Stamford Bridge outfit, building a lot on defence. Now he will have to use all of his craft and while to undo a lot of the legacy that he built, which still remains in place today under the new management of Carlo Ancelotti.

Mourinho is one of the great characters of the game, and is something to consider when looking at online betting prices on this match. Between two evenly matched teams, the manager can make all the difference. Both confident and outspoken, Mourinho certainly knows how to play up to the press, and is in many ways refreshing in his honesty. He left Stamford Bridge under a bit of cloud, but his efforts were greatly appreciated by the Chelsea faithful. Mourinho took over at the helm of Inter Milan, after they sacked now Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini for not brining them Champions League success. That is the amount of pressure which Mourinho is under, and while they are stretching their legs at the top of Serie A, domestic honours is often not enough these days for Europe’s elite. A season is apparently not complete without Champions League honours.

For the Nerazzuri, three Serie A titles in a row certainly wasn’t enough, and it cost Mancini his job, and Mourinho has yet to make a real impact with Inter in the Champions League. Keen to build a team with his identity all over it, Mourinho sold Zlatan Imbrahimovic, and brought in Samuel Eto’o, Wesley Sniejder and Diego Milito, which many believe gave Inter a lot more strength. Since the deal, which was a gamble, betting on team quality as opposed to a superstar, Inter have developed from being a one dimensional team, which was hitting the big man Ibrahimovic, to one with attacking threat from everywhere. Sneijder and Diego Milito look to have been two strokes of genius by The Special One, as both have been in outstanding for this season. The pressure is now on Mourinho to deliver in the Champions League, and to make Inter one of the strong favourites, like Barcelona, Real Madrid and Wednesday night’s opponents Chelsea, season after season.

Inter suffered a small set back on Sunday, when they were held to a 0-0 draw against Sampdoria, in which they had Walter Samuel and Ivan Cordoba sent off. Betting on them remains strong to win Serie A, but perhaps discipline is becoming a factor as the pressure mounts, as Sniejder was shown a red card too in their derby win over AC Milan. That wasn’t the end of it though, as two more players picked up bans for incidents off the pitch, and Mourinho will find himself in hot water again after making a “handcuffs” gesture about the refereeing decisions going against his team. Mourinho doesn’t believe that too much has changed since he left. After recently taking a trip to Stamford Bridge to soak up the atmosphere and so that the return fixture wouldn’t get caught up in the emotions of the first time being back there, Mourinho understands exactly where Chelsea are at under Ancelotti.

Mourinho believes that defensive tactics and positioning are the same, the formations of a 4-4-2 diamond and a 4-3-3 which Chelsea switch between are still in place from his days there. So to is the warm up procedure, and of course, the bulk of the players. The likes of Terry, Lampard, Carvalho, Joe Cole, Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba were all part of Mourinho’s success at the club. Chelsea are top  of the Premier League at the moment, but haven’t looked as consistent as in past season. Still, they remain one of the favourites to lift the domestic title, as well as the FA Cup and Champions League for the first time. They are the nearly men of the Champions League, and Mourinho himself suffered two semi finals defeats while in charge. It is hard to see Inter losing at home, as Mourinho hasn’t lost a home league game in 8 years, and betting strategies should reflect that, as well as Chelsea‘s slightly dodgy away form.

This is the big clash of knock-out stages, and a tight game should be in order. Does Mourinho have an advantage by knowing Chelsea? Or do the Chelsea players have an advantage in knowing Mourinho? Chelsea earned a battling 2-0 win away at Wolves on the weekend, and they have had their problems against lower opposition away from Stamford Bridge this season. They do have the players with the big match experience though, and they will need all of that on Wednesday night. Inter Milan keeper Julio Cesar was involved in a car accident on Sunday, which may keep him out the first leg, with bruising and cuts. He will be assessed ahead of the game, otherwise Francesco Toldo will step in.

BETTING STATS

Last 5 Match Goals (League)
Inter Milan: 5 For, 1 Against
Chelsea: 8 For, 5 Against

Overall Stats (League and Cups)
Inter Milan: P35, W22, D10, L3
Chelsea: P39, W27, D8, L4

Win Percentage
Inter Milan have an overall 62.9 win percentage
Inter Milan have a 75.0 win percentage at home

Chelsea have an overall 69.2 win percentage
Chelsea have a 47/4 win percentage away from home

Last 10 Match Form
Inter Milan: W6, D4, L0
Chelsea: W8, D1, L1

Champions League Form:
Inter Milan: DDDWLW
Chelsea: WWWDWD

Match Prices:
Inter Milan to win: 7/4 at Totesport
Draw: 21/10 at Bwin
Chelsea: 19/10 at BetFred

Asian Handicap Betting Advice: Not much to choose in the betting above, but Inter’s a pretty nice price at home. Inter Milan finished as Runner’s Up in their group, behind Barcelona. They did hold Barca to a 0-0 draw, so this isn’t going to be an easy task for Chelsea, although only two wins for Inter out of their six group matches wasn’t startling form. They have a great midfield, but there shouldn’t be too much to chose between the teams on the night. A draw is favourable in the betting, but Chelsea shouldn’t be too overawed by the occasion. Carlo Ancelotti will know about the Italian way of course, and should be an even contest between two very good sides. Depending on which way you are going to lean here are some betting options. 
Chelsea +0.5 Asian Handicap: 1/2 at Bet365 is a decent price
Or
Inter Milan -0.75 Asian Handicap: 2/1 at Bet365 is a similarly nice price