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Wednesday night’s “other Champions League match” is one that is holding a lot of significance, as one of Spain’s giants have an uphill task. Real Madrid lost the first leg of their tie against strong French side Lyon. Lyon finished second in the group stage, behind Fiorentina, which sealed Liverpool’s exit from the competition. Now the plucky French, who, more often than not are a tricky handful to manage in the Champions League, hold a one-nil lead to take to the return leg in Madrid. Ahead of the first fixture, it was clear that the new Galacticos were not going to be in for an easy rise, and this was demonstrated perfectly in the first leg.

The final of the 2010 Champions League is at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, where Real Madrid play their home matches. They would love nothing more than enjoy the experience of the final on home turf, but first they have to overcome this tricky hurdle, against a Lyon side which have produced some incredible defensive displays recently. It has been 620 minutes in all competitions since Lyon have conceded a goal. That is roughly seven matches, and keeper Hugo Lloris has naturally played a massive part in that. Lyon are part of a trio of French sides, which are somewhat elevating the status of Ligue 1 around Europe. Naturally all focus is on the English Premier League and the Spanish La Liga, but the likes of Italy, Germany and France really are not that far behind in terms of quality.

It has been over half a decade since Real Madrid have made the semi finals of the competition though, and for Lyon, the reading is worse. They haven’t managed to get past the last sixteen of the Champions League in their last three attempts. Lyon haven’t lost to Madrid in the Champions League, in fact they have been a bit of thorn in the side of the Spanish team’s ambitions, beating them out of top spot in the group stages twice before. Lyon have not lost a game in the Spanish capital, but Real Madrid have had success against French opposition already this year, when they beat Marseille in the group stages. They will be hoping to improve upon a record against French teams. The last three encounters against French sides in the knockout stages, have all ended in elimination for the Spaniards.

Lyon only need to stand firm at the back to squeeze their way through, and there is also the promise of an away goal. Lyon are a good away team, make no mistake about that, and while the stars of Real Madrid like Ronaldo will be trying to put on a show, the humble hard work of the French side, could well be their undoing. Lyon, who are putting pressure on Bordeaux at the top of the French league, have played their way into form, and if they put in one of their solid European performances, and not one of their lazy lacklustre ones, then there is every chance that they can get through this. A draw is simply good enough for them, and Lyon are good enough to achieve that in the Spanish capital on Wednesday night.

BETTING STATS

Head to Head
Lyon 1, Real Madrid 0
Real Madrid 2, Lyon 2
Lyon 2, Real Madrid 0
Read Madrid 1, Lyon 1
Lyon 3, Real Madrid 0

Last 5 Match Goals
Real Madrid: 17 For, 6 Against
Lyon: 8 For, 0 Against

Current Form
Real Madrid: W8, D0, L2
Lyon: W7, D2, L1

Win Percentage
Real Madrid have a 93.8 win percentage at home
Lyon have a 44.4 win percentage away from home

MATCH PRICES
Real Madrid to win: 1/3 at BetFred
Draw: 47/10 at Bwin
Lyon to win: 10/1 at Coral

Asian Handicap Advice: Lyon +1.50 Asian Handicap: 9/10 at Victor Chandler

Bayern Munich v Fiorentina

Two of the midweek Champions League clashes, involve the two teams which saw to the demise of Liverpool’s campaign this season. Italians Fiorentina won Group E ahead of Lyon and Liverpool, and to some extents, were one of the surprises of the tournament. They showed great composure along with an attacking flair, and while they may not quite have all of the tools in place to make it to the final against some more illustrious opposition, if they can find their game, they could cause problems. Fiorentina scored heavily during qualifying, averaging over two goals per game. It wasn’t a one man show in the scoring stakes either, as while Gilardino netted four times in six games, talented youngster Stevan Jovetic (one to watch for the tournament) and Adrian Mutu netted three each. They had a slow start to the Champions League, losing their opening fixture, but then rattled off five straight wins to take the group by a two point margin.

However, they seem to have forgotten how to score goals at the moment. They have fallen back into mid table in Serie A after riding high in the early parts, but just one point in their last five matches isn’t the kind of form to be taking into the Champions League. Bayern Munich on the other hand, had some serious problems trying to qualify from their group, and they had until the final match day to secure their place in the next round at the expense of Juventus. Bayern’s form is a lot stronger than Fiorentina’s at the moment, and the German giants are tied for first spot in the notoriously difficult Bundelsiga. They seem to have found top gear, and are in some extremely impressive form, as well as being potent in finding the back of the net. The German side will start as strong favourites, and should take full advantage of the home fixture. They could be out of sight ahead of the return fixture, as they have scored 28 goals in their last 10 fixtures. They met in the Champions League in 2008, where Bayern ran out 4-1 aggregate winners.

Match Prices:
Bayern Munich to win: 8/15 at SkyBet
Draw: 13/4 at Bwin
Fiorentina to win: 13/2 at Coral

Asian Handicap Betting Tip: Bayern -0.75 are 33/20 at Paddy Power

Lyon v Real Madrid
Lyon took second place in Group E ahead of Liverpool, and their reward was to be thrown up against Real Madrid. Lyon are one of those teams who are always hanging around the Champions League, and which opposition find hard to play against. They have a good history, without making a major impact, yet they often get tipped to make the big upsets. They are fourth in the French Ligue 1, eight points back of leaders Bordeaux. They are not particularly high scorers, but they efficient in their performances and run a pretty tight ship. On their day, at the top of their game, they can cause problems for most teams in Europe, but you never quite know if that strong team is going to present itself when the time comes. Up front, Lisandro will be the key figure for then, and they have  a quality midfielder in Miralem Pjanic.

Lyon have triumphed over Real Madrid twice before in the Champions League, knocking the Spaniards out of the 2005 and 2006 competitions. This will give them confidence they can repeat the feat, but Real Madrid are flying at the moment, and have scored three goals on each of their last three outings in La Liga. Surprising for such giants, Madrid haven’t reach the Quarter Final stage of the Champions League for 5 years now, and this will probably be put right against Lyon. They are still hot on the heels of Champions League holders Barcelona in the race for the Spanish title, and have just gotten Cristiano Ronaldo back from suspension, who celebrated by scoring two goals on his return to action.

It is hard to pinpoint the stand out star in the glitterati of talent that Madrid send out onto the pitch every week. Ronaldo and Kaka stand out obviously, but there is talent all over the pitch, and on the bench. Ronaldo is the Champions League top scorer this season, and has banged in 11 goals in 13 games this season in La Liga. Whether Lyon can live with the power of Madrid this time around is in question, as the Spaniards are in fine form ahead of the clash. They appear to be growing in stature, and simply reaching the Quarter Finals won’t be enough for them. International striker Karim Benzema, who was a doubt for the game, has travelled with the squad to face his old side, after making a speedier than expected recovery from injury.

Match Prices:
Lyon to win: 5/2 at Paddy Power
Draw: 12/5 at Victor Chandler
Real Madrid to win: 23/20 at Boylesports

Asian Handicap Betting Tip: Real Madrid -1 is 39/20 at Bet365

The Champions League draw for the first knock-out stage of the 2009/10 stage was completed on Friday at FIFA head-quarters, and the fixture list does not disappoint in terms of excitement. From an English perspective, both Manchester United and Chelsea have draw tough Italian opponents, both of which sees the return of past faces. The fixtures takes place over dates in February and March, and there are some major clashes to look forward to, most notably involving the top two English clubs.

It has been seven years since England star David Beckham played in front of the Old Trafford crowd, but Alex Ferguson’s men were drawn out against AC Milan, where Beckham will be on loan for six months. It has been a desire for some time now of Beckham’s to play again there, and now he is likely to get his chance, which adds a little extra spice to this fixture. Although they had a slow start to their season, AC Milan have really picked up their form, and are chasing their domestic league title as well as a little bit of Champions League glory. They have proven to be a pain in the side of Manchester United in the tournament, most recently in 2006/07 when the Milan side had the upper hand in the semi final encounter.

Chelsea meanwhile will get to pit their wits against their irrepressible former manager Jose Mourinho, as the blues are paired up against the other Milan side, Inter. This, arguably is a tougher task than AC Milan, as Inter have been going strong all season domestically, led by the winner Mourinho. Whatever bad blood may have transpired between the hierarchy at Chelsea and the Portuguese manager, there will, more likely than not, be a war of words to the press when the time approache, even though Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti will probably a calming presence in the whole affair. Inter failed to get the better of Barcelona in the group stage of the Champions League, and that will give Chelsea some hope. Italian Carlo Ancelotti is no stranger to Inter, having coached AC Milan 8 years.

There would have been much easier draws for both Manchester United and Chelsea, and now they will really have to prove to the rest of Europe that they can take on the best of Europe and win. If they both progress then it will be the end of the Italian challenge for the Champions League this season. Arsenal meanwhile were handed one of the easiest tasks in the draw, as they drew out FC Porto, who finished second in their group behind Chelsea. Arsene Wenger will be the happiest manager of the three English participants, as Porto, despite promising a lot, were dealt with comfortably by Chelsea. The Blues didn’t really need to get out of first gear to win both of the games against the Portuguese, and Wenger will be hoping for a fully fit squad by the time the Champions League comes around again.

Current Champions League holders Barcelona will be happy with their draw against struggling German side Stuttgart, while David Beckham’s old club, Real Madrid will have a battle on their hands against French side Lyon. Lyon can be hit and miss, brilliant on their day, vulnerable when they are not. Both Spanish teams will be confident of progressing.

Champions League Draw First Knock-Out Stage
First Leg February 16th, Second Leg March 10 (Match odds in brackets)
AC Milan (17/10) vs. Manchester United (11/8) at Blue Square
Lyon (2/1) vs. Real Madrid (5/4) at Bet365

First Leg February 17th, Second Leg March 9
Bayern Munich (8/13) vs. Fiorentina (9/2) at SkyBet
FC Porto (9/5) vs. Arsenal (13/10) at 888Sport

First Leg February 23rd, Second Leg March 17
Olympiacos (11/8) vs. Bordeaux (13/8) at BetFred
Stuttgart (12/5) vs. Barcelona (8/11) at Bet365

First Leg February 24th, Second Leg March 16th
Inter Milan (8/5) vs. Chelsea (6/4) at 888Sport
CSKA Moscow (13/8) vs. Seville (11/8) at SkyBet

Friday’s draw will have affected prices somewhat, so here are the latest Champions League Outright Winner Prices:
Barcelona – 10/3 at BetFred
Chelsea – 9/2 at Bet365
Real Madrid – 11/2 at BetFred
Manchester United – 9/1 at Bet365
Arsenal – 10/1 at Coral
Inter Milan – 14/1 at Boylesports
Sevilla – 16/1 at Sporting Bet
Bayern Munich – 20/1 at Totesport
Fiorentina – 50/1 at BetFred
Porto – 66/1 at Stan James
Lyon – 66/1 at Bet365
Olympiakos – 125/1 at Victor Chandler
CSKA Moscow – 150/1 William Hill
Stuttgart – 150/1 at Bet365

Sixteen teams are left in Europe’s elite club competition, with the draw set to take place this Friday (18th December). While all of these sides finished either first or second in a tough qualifying group, the Champions League is in danger of becoming predictable, with only a handful of teams likely to reach the final at the Bernabeu Stadium.

While Porto and Monaco contested the final in season 2003/4, it’s hard to imagine a Portuguese team facing a French side in Madrid next May. The strength of the Premier League in England and the Primera Liga in Spain mean that the first five in the outright betting are clubs based in these countries. FC Barcelona (7/2 Ladbrokes) are favourites with most bookmakers on the basis that they won the Champions League last season and have retained the nucleus of the squad that were victorious.

The other semi-finalists last season were Manchester United (15/2 bet365), Chelsea (4/1 Coral) and Arsenal (10/1 Coral), with the three English clubs all winning their qualifying groups this season and therefore set to meet a runner-up from one of the other groups. On a separate note, it’s hard to understand why Sir Alex Ferguson’s team are so much bigger in the betting than the Blues, especially as little separates them in the Premier League and the Red Devils are likely to improve as the season wears on.

The only other team trading at single-figure odds are Real Madrid (6/1 Victor Chandler), whose ‘riches’ brought Xabi Alonso, Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema to the club over the summer. It’s on this basis that they are added to this list of favourites, and these five English and Spanish teams provide an obstacle for any other team attempting to win the competition. Part of the problem is that all ties until the final will be two-legged affairs, so this eliminates the chance of any upsets like we might see during next year’s World Cup. A top team can afford to play one poor match and still scramble through to the next stage.

Inter (16/1 Coral) might be the outstanding team in Italy, having won Serie A for the past couple of seasons under Jose Mourinho, although the team were easily beaten by Manchester United last season and this illustrates that the domestic league in Italy and other nations are some way behind England and Spain. Indeed, Greek champions Olympiakos were made to work hard for a 1-0 victory at home to Arsenal in their last group game, despite Arsene Wenger fielding an entire reserve team.

The one outsider that could go further than the betting suggests are Sevilla at odds of 22/1. Bet365 might be underestimating a team that easily won their qualifying group and have almost become the forgotten third Spanish team in the competition. Sky Bet’s quote of 14/1 seems nearer to the mark about a team that have already beaten Real this season and sit just four points behind the moneybags team.

After the completion of the Group Stages, the Champions League Draw is next on the agenda for the ultimate domestic prize in European footbal. Although the Champions League does not resume until next February, the draw for the last 16 takes place on Friday, December 18th at the headquarters of UEFA in Switzerland. The line up for the for the final 16 was completed on Wednesday night, with defending Champions Barcelona joining the fray along with Inter Milan, Stuttgart and Olympiacos, courtesy of their win over Arsenal. Incidentally, the draw for the last 32 of the Europa League, of which the 8 third placed teams from the Champions League groups enter, which includes Liverpool and Juventus, will take place after the main event of the Champions League fixtures.

The first legs of the Champions League Knock-out stage will take place on February 16/17th and 23/24th, followed by the second legs on March 9/10th and 16/17th. The Group Winners will all be kept separate in a seeding system, but that still leaves some big potential for a major clash. Let us look at the list of Group Winners and Group Runner’s Up.

As you can see, the two Milan clubs will be floating around the draw, and pose a big threat to any of the Group Winners. One stipulation is that they won’t be able to be drawn against the winners of the group which they were in, which means that there will be no repeat of Inter Milan vs. Barcelona, nor Real Madrid vs. AC Milan. At least not at this stage. So who is looking favourite after the qualifying Groups? A look at the odds right now will give better prices on teams than they will after the draw next Friday. Obviously once the Champions League draw has been made, and pairings have been decided, then the chances of winning the competition outright will change. For example, Fiorentina, who topped Liverpool’s Group, will have a better chance of progressing if they draw CSKA Moscow, than they will if they draw Serie A leaders Inter Milan.

Now is a good time to back your winner from the last 16, even if it is as an each way bet, which would guarantee you some return on your team, just for them reaching the Champions League final. Here are a list of the best Champions League Outright Winner prices available at the moment, as we rate the chances of the big teams. One thing is for certain, is that the Group Stages have shown that the competition may just be a little closer than expected this year. The major players from Spain, Barcelona and Real Madrid had their hiccups along the way, so did Manchester United, Chelsea and both Milans.

Barcelona – 7/2 at SkyBet
Will be a threat, simply because they have the money to throw at problems, as well as being able to field the most accomplished set of players in the world at the moment. They are a threat simply because of their attacking prowess, but showed some vulnerability when they suffered a shock defeat in the Group Stages at against Russian Champions Rubin Kazan, and could only manage a 0-0 draw in the return fixture. Even in their final game they had to muster a comeback after falling behind to Dynamo Kiev. But they showed resilience, despite being on the brink of being eliminated at one point, coming back to win the Group by two points ahead of Inter Milan. The title holders are favourites, as with Lionel Messi and co, they have an awesome outfit, as they showed in last year’s final when they made Manchester United look like a Sunday league team.

Chelsea – 4/1 at Coral
Won their Group without looking anything too spectacular, although to be fair the opposition was not as high in standard as some of the other Groups. Their main threat, Porto, they beat twice, and the Blues did thrash a very poor Atletico Madrid 4-0. Chelsea will probably welcome the break until February to resume their Champions League dreams, as they have not won a game in their last four matches. Their final Group Match showed them being wasteful in front of goal at home, allowing the lowly APOEL to steal a 2-2 draw. By the time it comes back around, Carlo Ancelotti will have the likes of Didier Drogba back from duty in the African Cup of Nations, and they should be a good bet to reach the semi finals at the very least, and have the potential to win it, if they can iron out their problems in defending set pieces.

Real Madrid – 6/1 at Bet365
The Galacticos are another team who should be a shoe-in for a semi final appearance. Even during Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence, they had Gonzalo Higuain step in from the bench, and subsequently blitzed a hatful of goals. They have Kaka, Raul, Benzema, Alonso and Guti to name but a few, on their books. They are a serious threat, but again, like Barcelona, had their problems against one team in particular. In Real’s case it was AC Milan who beat the Spaniards and held them to a draw. Real Madrid, like Barcelona though, will score goals with the wealth of talent available to them, and the runner’s up will want to certainly avoid them in the Champions League Draw.

Manchester United – 15/2 at Boylesports
Manchester United have not looked at their best this season, and are undergoing a lot of problems with injuries to their defence. Nonetheless, Alex Ferguson’s experience has guided his team to the top of the group again, even affording the luxury of putting out a side of youngsters with a couple of games to spare. That was a calculated risk which back fired as they lost at home to Besiktas, but bounced back to thrash Wolfsburg 3-1 away in their final match to secure top spot, and dump the dangerous German side out of the competition. Should be a stronger side come February, which will make them a threat. It will be surprising if they don’t get to the semi finals. As for winning the competition, they don’t look in the same class as Barcelona, or Real Madrid at the moment.

Arsenal – 10/1 at Coral
From a neutral stand point, Arsenal are probably the most pleasing football team to watch, certainly from the Premier League. They can be dangerous, but are unlikely to be dangerous enough to win the tournament. This season they have shown that they are still behind Manchester United and Chelsea in the domestic league, and Arsene Wenger, while he enjoys blooding his youngsters, does not quite have the robust team which can take on physical sides. If they cannot get their passing game going, they will struggle. They are also missing an enigmatic figure like a Thierry Henry up front. Robin Van Persie staying fit will be vital to them progressing very far in the competition.

Inter Milan – 16/1 at Coral
A decent bet at 16/1, even at each way. Coached by Jose Mourinho, they are a good side who will always be a handful. They proved to be a difficult team to beat in the Group, but by the same measure were guilty of not being ruthless enough. They did manage to neutralise Barcelona in one game, but then were given a bit of a footballing lesson in losing to them in the reverse fixture. Inter had the chances to win the Group, especially with Barcelona’s slip up against Rubin Kazan. The Group Winners will want to avoid them, because they do have Samuel E’to. Maybe not the household names of Barca or Real Madrid, but Mourinho is a determined man, and a winner. Good outside bet.

Bayern Munich – 22/1 at Totesport
Coming from probably the toughest league Europe, the mighty Bayern have not looked as mighty as they have done in the past. They are in a dog fight at the top of the Bundesliga, and it was only a Match Day six victory over Juventus which kept them in the competition. Both they and the Italian giants were given a lesson by French side Bordeaux in their Group, and now the competition loses Juventus, while all along it looked as if it would be Bayern Munich falling back into third. They are better than they were when the competition started, but unlikely to be good enough.

Sevilla – 22/1 at Bet365
A strong Spanish side, which were keeping pace with Barcelona and Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, but have recently fallen back. Regardless of that, they have looked fairly impressive in their Champions League campaign, but were in a weak group. Could be one of the surprise teams of the tournament, if they can keep their form together. Only suffered one bad blip, losing 1-0 at home to Dan Petrescu’s Unirea Urziceni.

AC Milan – 25/1 at Sporting Bet
Surprisingly a little far out at 25/1, but this makes them a great bet. One thing with Italian teams, is that you know they will be resilient and hard to break down. AC Milan took a long time to get out of first gear in their Serie A season, and some of that poor early form translated to the Champions League. They suffered a rather embarrassing 1-0 home defeat against FC Zurich, and finished their last three games in the Group stage by drawing them all 1-1. Perhaps not the form of a side which can win the tournament, but they represent a good outside chance. Their form has picked up a lot, and they have climbed from mid table mediocrity to second in the league, and hot on the tails of San Siro rivals Inter Milan. Despite being such a big name, a favourable Champions League draw could see them as a real dark horse.

Others: Bordeaux – 33/1 at SkyBet, Lyon – 40/1 at SkyBet, Fiorentina – 50/1 at William Hill, Porto – 66/1 at Boylesports, Stuttgart – 100/1 at Coral, CSKA Moscow – 100/1 at Stan James, Olympiacos – 125/1 at Skybet. Looking at the quality of the teams on the outskirts of the Champions League market, it is hard to see a winner coming from any of these. Bordeaux have had a fantastic campaign, as well as looking as if they are flying in the French domestic league. The same can be said to some degree of Italians Fiorentina, who beat Liverpool twice in their Group matches. Whether either have them have enough to make it even to the semi finals is another matter though, especially as they will have to come up against some real top quality teams. Bordeaux though, did that in overcoming both Juventus and Bayern Munich, while Fiorentina topped the Group ahead of Lyon and Liverpool. Lyon have a good tradition of being a handful in the Champions League, but still look as if they are trying to rediscover some of that real strength and class.

Again, these are just early prices, which will change when the Champions League draw is made, and when the time comes in February to play the matches. A lot of form can change between now and then, both for good and for bad. The tough winter months are ahead for a lot of the teams, and usually it is the time when the most resilience and class shines through. For now though, it is a good opportunity to back your team, or back a team who are at longer odds now, than they are likely to be come the first stage of the kncokout section of the Champions League.

GROUP A
Juventus v Bayern Munich
Maccabi Haifa v Bordeaux
The Group A clash between Juventus and Bayern Munich, is a surprising race for second spot in the group. The two teams were expected to be the strongest two teams who would occupy the top two spots. But things haven’t quite gone to plan, as it is French side Bordeaux who have jumped to the top of the table, securing the spot with a 2-0 win over the Italians on match day six. That was a crucial game for both sides, which left Bordeaux five points clear at the top. This means that whoever wins the big match out of Champions League rivals Juventus and Bayern Munich, will secure that second spot. It is has, for all intents and purposes come down to a one game knockout. Juventus will be sleeping just that little bit easier due to the fact that they are at home for the fixture, but their defeat to Bordeaux will be giving them nightmares. Bayern Munich have looked like a shadow of their former selves. The previous match between the two giants produced a 0-0 draw, and both sides have found goals hard to come by, Juventus scoring just 3, and Bayern netting just 5. Juventus will also have their confidence riding high, after they beat top of the table Inter Milan 2-1 on Sunday. Bayern meanwhile in the Bundesliga are playing catch up with the top teams from fourth spot. The other game in the group is completely meaningless. No-one can catch Bordeaux, who are looking a pretty strong side at the top of the French league too, and Maccabi Haifa are yet to put a single point on the board. Should be a run of the mill outing for Bordeaux, but if they take a weakened side, it could give Maccabi Haifa a bit of glory.

Juventus to win: 13/10 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
Bayern Munich to win: 12/5 at SkyBet

Maccabi Haifa to win: 13/8 at SkyBet
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
Bordeaux to win: 2/1 at Victor Chandler

GROUP B
Besiktas v CSKA Moscow
Wolfsburg v Manchester United
This group could end up with Wolfsburg, Manchester United and CSKA Moscow all on ten points, if both the Germans and the Russians win. Fortunately for United, they have a decent enough goal difference over the Russians which should keep them in second place if that happens. The game at Wolfsburg could be an open, attacking classic, as the Germans will need to get some points from the game to secure second spot at least, with CSKA level on points with them. Moscow play away at bottom of the league Besiktas and a draw could even pull them ahead of Wolfsburg, if Manchester United do them a favour. This could end up in any way, so there is everything to play for in the games, and the teams need to go all out for their crucial victories. Whether Alex Ferguson will go with his youth infused team which lost against Besiktas on Match Day Five remains to be seen, but there could be a few more of the first tamer’s on show. They will likely need them, because Wolfsburg are clearly a stronger side than Besiktas. Wolfsburg have a potent strike force in Edin Dzeko, Grafite and Obefami Martins. A draw would simply be good enough for Manchester Untied, but maybe not enough for Wolfsburg, which would be a shame for the Germans, as they would probably like to showcase their skills a little, especially with fellow countrymen Bayern Munich on the brink of going out of the competition as well. Manchester United won on the weekend, Wolfsburg drew, CSKA won a Besiktas drew. CSKA Moscow beat Besiktas 2-1 in the corresponding fixture on Match Day 2, and Manchester United won by the same score line against the Germans.

Besitkas to win: 7/4 at Bet365
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
CSKA Moscow to win: 8/5 at Boylesports

Wolfsburg to win: 6/4 at SkyBet
Draw: 12/5 at Victor Chandler
Manchester United to win: 2/1 at Expekt

GROUP C
FC Zurich v AC Milan
Marseille v Real Madrid
Group C has been fun to watch all through the Match Days, especially the big games between AC Milan and Real Madrid, in which the Italians came out on top. This is another group where anything could happen, because there is a third party keeping in touch with the big two names. Again, just like Bordeaux, it is a French team which are making more than a nuisance of themselves. Marseille have put in some good performances to keep them in touch with second spot at least. They need a win to put themselves in with a chance, and it will have to come at the expense of the Group leaders Real Madrid, who beat them 3-0 on Match Day two. They will need a turn around in fortune to try and play their way into second spot, for although a win would put them level on points with Madrid, the Spaniards have a much better goal difference. So their fate will come down to how well AC Milan perform against FC Zurich. Real Madrid could only muster up a 1-0 win against the plucky Swiss on Match Day 5, and who will forget the major upset on Match Day two when lowly FC Zurich beat the proud and mighty AC Milan 1-0 at the San Siro? Yes, that really did happen, and now they get the chance to try and replicate the result in front of their home crowd. That win was Zurich’s only points of their campaign and maybe they will want to go out with a bang. The Italians have picked up a lot of form since early into their domestic season, and have moved all the way up into second place in Serie A. They ran out 3-0 winners over Sampdoria on the weekend, and will be expected to come through the tie in Switzerland, not letting history repeat itself again. The expected outcome is for AC Milan and Real Madrid to make it through to the knockout stages of the tournament, Madrid sitting on 10 points, Milan on 8 and Marseille on 7.

FC Zurich to win: 8/1 at SkyBet
Draw: 15/4 at Bet365
AC Milan to win: 4/9 at 888Sport

Marseille to win: 21/10 at Paddy Power
Draw: 5/2 at William Hill
Real Madrid to win: 11/8 at Bet365

GROUP D
Chelsea v APOEL
Atlético v FC Porto
Chelsea’s fate is already booked, as they cannot be caught at the top of the group. They have accumulated 13 points, dropping only two so far in a drawn match against Atlético Madrid. Chelsea have done enough without really getting out of first gear too often in any of the matches, and their success has been built around their stingy defence which has only let in two goals so far, the joint best record in the Champions League this season. Second place has also been taken care of, with Porto wrapping that up, which was kind of expected  from the start. More was genuinely expected of the Spaniards in the Group, Atlético Madrid, but they have been having a woeful season on both the domestic and European front. They are just one point ahead of bottom placed APOEL, which would probably have put their Europa League hopes on a knife edge if the Match Day six fixtures had been a little different. Third placed teams in the Champions League groups go through to the Europe League’s final 32 in the spring. It is unlikely that APOEL will get anything out of their visit to Stamford Bridge, and that could be their only saving grace as FC Porto beat Atlético 2-0 when they met on Match Day two. Atlético have not managed a win in the Champions League, which has included two disappointing drawn games against the Cypriots APOEL. The third position is really all there is to play for on Tuesday night, and even that looks like a forgone conclusion with Chelsea’s 100% home record this season.

Chelsea to win: 4/11 at BlueSquare
Draw: 9/2 at SkyBet
APEOL to win: 9/1 at Bet365

Atlético to win: 4/5 at SkyBet
Draw: 27/10 at Expekt
FC Porto to win: 9/2 at Victor Chandler

Sunday, November 29
Kick-off: 6pm GMT

El Classico. The name says it all. This is the heavyweight clash in La Liga between two of the strongest teams in Europe, when at the Camp Nou on Sunday, the world gets treated to the showcase that is Barcelona vs. Real Madrid.

This fixture is more than just a bitter rivalry, it is also a contest to brag as to who really is the best team in Europe. The Spanish league continues to be one of the strongest on the continent, with Barca, Real and Sevilla going well in the Champions League, and the national team recently leap-frogging above Brazil at the top of the FIFA World Rankings. This is a battle between the best of the best, and should produce a classic game, especially if they stick to their game plans and go for broke instead of being cautious. On a day of derby games in the English Premier League, this Spanish rivalry is always one of firey contests, with emotions often running over.

Real Madrid were buoyed by the sight of Cristiano Ronaldo making a 20-minute cameo appearance in their midweek Champions League fixture. That was the ex-Manchester United man’s first run out for his clubs for about eight weeks. For Barcelona, their enigmatic figure, Argentine Lionel Messi, is also fit again after injury, and the derby will see them go head to head in a tussle for supremacy. Barcelona will also welcome back striker Zlatan Imbrahimovic for Sunday’s game. Ronaldo and Messi are the stand out talents on both sides, which is saying something considering the names that get pencilled into the respective team sheets every week.

The amount of  talent on show is simply staggering. Not only is there Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but when you run down a list of names which include Kaka, Xabi Alonso, Guti, Lassana Diarra, Raul, van Nistlerooy, Benzema, Thierry Henry and Iniesta, then the talent is unquestionable. Real Madrid are of course, famed for collecting together the best players in the world, seemingly regardless of cost. It has led them to the current standing of top of La Liga by one point over Barca, but Barca are still unbeaten in the league, whereas Real Madrid have lost one game. A win for Madrid would open up a convincing and commanding lead at the top.

This is new generation of Galacticos in Madrid, backing up the golden generation of the likes of David Beckham and Zinidane Zidane. That injection of cash from Real President Perez, failed to bring home the silverware intended, and actually it gave rise to Barcelona’s success instead. Madrid’s coup of Beckham, meant that Barcelona instead ending up signing some Brazilian guy called Ronaldinho, which would inject good fortunes on the Catalan side. Barcelona won the treble last year, the first team in Spanish history to do so, all under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, who has come under fire this term, due to performances in the Champions League.

The two sides had contrasting games in the Champions League, with Real Madrid getting an expected win over FC Zurich, while Barcelona, who are in a tight battle for a qualification spot, rallied back to their best for a needed win over Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan. Madrid have a lot to prove, after Barcelona ran riot in their last meeting in the league last season, running out 6-2 winners over them. There is actually, having watched the teams ply their trade in the Champions League, a difference in class between the two giants. One thing that stands out, is that Barcelona look to be more of a team unit, while Madrid at times look like strangers still trying to get used to a way of playing with the personnel at their disposal. That could mean that there is a lot more to come from Real Madrid and coach Manuel Pellegrini.

El Classico brings together some of the best players in the world. Barcelona are the stronger of the two sides, and Real Madrid are failing to bring their A-game to the pitch when facing some of the best teams. However, Real Madrid look to be the form team with four wins and draw from their last five league games, whereas Barcelona have won two and drawn three. Camp Nou advantage here though, should mean that Barca will be good enough to take back some initiative in La Liga and press home their dominance over their bitter rivals.

Match Prices:
Barcelona to win: 10/11 at Totesport
Draw: 11/4 at Bet365
Real Madrid to win: 10/3 at Coral

Last four head to head league meetings:
Real Madrid 2 – Barcelona 6
Barcelona 2 – Real Madrid 0
Real Madrid 4 – Barcelona 1
Barcelona 0 – Real Madrid 1

Betting Stats:
Barcelona have a 100% home record
Real Madrid have a 60% away win record
Last 10 matches: Barcelona W7, D3, L0 – Real Madrid W8, D1, L1

Betting Tip: Barcelona -0.75 Asian Handicap – 15/14 at Expekt

Group A
Bordeaux v Juventus
Bayern Munich v Maccabi Haifa

Bordeaux are the surprise leaders of Group A of the Champions League, and they have surprised many with their performances against the more favoured teams in the Group. Juventus and Bayern Munich have a good history of Champions League action, and were the two favourites to go through. However, the French side have really stamped their mark over Group A, with back to back wins over the Germans. Now Bayern are on the brink of missing out on qualification, as everything is now out of their hands. A win for Juventus would essentially kick Bayern out of the competition, as the Germans could only finish on 10 points, the amount which the leaders Bordeaux, who have already qualified, have at the moment. They will have to put thoughts of a Juventus win out of their minds and concentrate on beating bottom of the table Maccabi Haifa. The German side beat Israelis 3-0 on Match Day 1, and despite lacking a bit of form, should come through the tie at home unscathed. Only a win will give them a chance of pinching second spot going into Match Day 6. They are currently down in seventh in the incredibly tough Bundesliga, and are looking like falling giants with a run of three consecutive draws. Juventus go into the game against the leaders after finding their goal scoring touch in Serie A. They currently sit in second place behind Inter Milan, and do have the capacity to beat the French side. When the two met on Match Day 1 however, they were, in many respects, very lucky to hang on to a 1-1 draw at home

Bordeaux P4, W3, D1, L0 Pts 10
Juventus P4, W2, D2, L0 Pts 8
Bayern Munich P4, W1, D1, L2 Pts 4
Maccabi Haifa P4, W0, D0, L4 Pts 0

Match Day Prices
Bordeaux to win: 19/10 at William Hill
Draw: 9/4 at Coral
Juventus: 13/8 at Boylesports

Bayern Munich to win: 1/4 at Bet365
Draw: 5/1 at Ladbrokes
Maccabi Haifa to win: 14/1 at Ladbrokes

Betting Advice:
Bordeaux +0.25 Asian Handicap – 27/40 at Bet365
Bayern Munich – Under 2.5 goals 4/7 at Totesport

TO WIN GROUP A
Bordeaux – 2/5 at BetFred
Juventus – 9/4 at 888Sport

Group B
CSKA Moscow v Wolfsburg
Manchester United v Besiktas

It’s a funny time for the Muscovites in the European competition, as they are finishing their domestic season, while a lot of other European countries are just getting underway. Rubin Kazan have already won the Russian league for the second time, with one fixture remaining. In order to extend their seasons a little further, CSKA Moscow need to pull out a big win over German side Wolfsburg. The Russians are three points behind the Germans, and suffered a heavy 3-1 defeat against Wolfsburg on Match Day one. The only highlight of Moscow’s campaign so far though was their solitary victory over bottom side Besiktas. The Russians, to their credit though, gave Manchester United a good run for their money on their last outing, which was at Old Trafford. It took two fight-back goals from United to earn a 3-3 draw. A win for Wolfsburg, who are an exciting attacking team, will settle things in terms of qualification from the group, although the final places won’t be. Manchester United will be favourites to top the group without having looked anywhere near as proficient as they had in recent years, as just 7 goals in their four games will highlight. Even a mediocre Manchester United though appear good enough to top this group, and if things go as expected on Wednesday, the Match Day six fixture between Wolfsburg and Manchester United, should be an entertaining shoot out to claim top spot in the group. Wednesday night’s games should be something of a formality for Manchester United and Wolfsburg, who are sitting down in eighth in the Bundesliga, but just six points off the top, in probably the toughest league in Europe.

Manchester United P4, W3, D1, L0 Pts10
Wolfsburg P4, W2, D1, L1 Pts7
CSKA Moscow P4, W1, D1, L1 Pts4
Besiktas P4, W0, D1, L3, Pts1

Match Day Prices
CSKA Moscow to win: 6/5 at BetFred
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
Wolfsburg to win: 11/4 at Bet365

Manchester United to win: 2/5 at BlueSquare
Draw: 7/2 at SportingBet
Besiktas to win: 10/1 at Coral

Betting Tips:
Wolfsburg 1-0 Correct Score – 10/1 at ExtraBet
Manchester United -1 Asian Handicap – 5/8 at Bet365

TO WIN GROUP B
Manchester United – 1/9 at Totesport
Wolfsburg – 7/1 at Ladbrokes

Group C
Real Madrid v FC Zurich
AC Milan v Marseille

There is a return to one of the most exciting Match Day 1 fixtures of this year’s Champions League, when Spanish giants Real Madrid entertain the minnows of FC Zurich. The hotly tipped Madrid found themselves in more of a game than they had expected in Switzerland, when Zurich started to stage a comeback after being 3-0 down at one point. The plucky Swiss hit two quick goals to bring themselves within one goal of the La Liga leaders, before Cristiano Ronaldo and Guti hit late goals to flatter the score line a little. Real Madrid are locked in battle with Champions League holders Barcelona in their domestic league, and are having to cope without the might of Cristiano Ronaldo at the moment. The Portuguese star missed duty for his country in their World Cup play-off against Bosnia. Fortunately for the Galacticos, they have a wealth of talent to cope with the absence of one of the World’s best players, and that has been highlighted by striker Gonzalo Higuain. Higuain has hit five goals in the short time Ronaldo has been missing, and for a guy who scored 22 times in 34 last season to be sitting on the bench, illustrates the depth that Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini has at his disposal. However, they are not infallible, as has been proven in the Champions League this year, as AC Milan have gotten the better of their two matches. Milan stole a 3-2 victory in Spain, before returning to the San Siro to pick up a 1-1 tie. Both teams however have another factor to take into consideration, and that is the French side Marseille, who are not getting left behind in the group. Didier Deschamps’ men were a little unlucky on Match Day One, to lose 2-1 to Milan at home, and it feels like that was their chance gone begging. This time around, they will face an AC Milan who have picked up their domestic form, to pull themselves up to third place in Serie A. Marseille’s two victories were back to back wins against bottom placed Zurich, and they will realistically need a big win over the Rossonieri to keep their dreams alive. A draw for Marseille would take it to the final day, while a loss would see them eliminated with a Real Madrid victory over Zurich.

AC Milan P4, W2, D1, L1 Pts 7
Real Madrid P4, W2, D1, L1 Pts 7
Marseille P4, W2, D0, L2 Pts 6
FC Zurich P4, W1, D0, L3 Pts 3

Match Day Prices
Real Madrid to win: 2/14 at Bet365
Draw: 7/1 at BetFred
FC Zurich to win: 20/1 at SkyBet

AC Milan to win: 10/11 at Bet365
Draw: 5/2 at BetFred
Marseille to win: 7/2 at SkyBet

Betting Tips:
Real Madrid and AC Milan Win Double at Bet365

TO WIN GROUP C
AC Milan – 10/11 at Coral
Real Madrid – 5/4 at SkyBet

Group D
FC Porto v Chelsea
APOEL v Atlético Madrid

Group D is already decided, with two teams having already qualified with two games remaining. The top two, Chelsea and FC Porto respectively, go head to head in Portugal, with the home team confident that they can pinch a surprise top spot from the London glamour club. When the two sides met on Match Day 1, it was a uninspiring 1-0 win for Chelsea, with a goal from Anelka. Didier Drogba was missing from the line-up for their first three Champions League games, but still Chelsea have managed to negotiate their way through the competition. They dropped their first points away to Atlético Madrid on Match Day four, with a spray of late goals ending the game at two-a-piece. This will be the showcase game, and definitely Chelsea’s most challenging. The group had all the likelihood of ending up like this. Porto have been tottering along nicely since that opening defeat, and have played themselves well into contention, albeit the group was weakened by the terrible form of Atlético Madrid both domestically and in Europe. Still, games have to be won, and that’s what the top two have done exactly. A win for Porto would make things interesting going into Match Day 6, while another win or a draw for Chelsea, should pretty settle the positions. The other game is simply a matter of playing for a bit of pride, and a non-entity as far as the Champions League itself goes. When the pressure is off, perhaps Atlético may actually turn up for a game.

Chelsea P4, W3, D1, L0 Pts10
FC Porto P4, W3, D0, L1 Pts9
Atlético Madrid P4, W0, D2, L2 Pts2
APOEL P4, W0, D1, L3 Pts1

Match Day Prices
FC Porto to win: 2/1 at Coral
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
Chelsea to win: 17/11 at Expekt

APOEL to win: 11/4 at Bet365
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
Atlético Madrid to win: 11/10 at William Hill

Betting Tips:
Chelsea Draw No Bet – 4/5 at Paddy Power
Atlético Madrid To win by 2 or more goals – 3/1 at Bet365

TO WIN GROUP D
Chelsea – 2/9 at Totesport
FC Porto – 4/1 at Paddy Power

GROUP A
Bayern Munich v Bordeaux
Maccabi Haifa v Juventus

Out of a group which contains Juventus and Bayern Munich, you would not be expecting French side Bordeaux to be topping the group at the half way stage. But that is the exact situation, as Laurent Blanc’s side travel to Bayern Munich to try and press home the advantage they have gained for themselves. Undefeated so far, Bordeaux pulled out a momentous 2-1 victory over Bayern on Match day three, which saw them jump ahead of the Germans in Group A. They have managed to open up a two points lead over Juventus, and with Juve being expected to win their game against lowly Maccabi Haifa, the Munich v Bordeaux game is one of the biggest games of the night. Another defeat for the German giants and they would be clinging onto a qualification place with their very fingernails, and would need to pull out a positive result against Juventus down the line. The defeat against Bordeaux would really have hurt Bayern, but after seeing how well Bordeaux performed against Juventus, they need to be seen a quite a threat. Maybe not as much of a threat overall as French counterparts Lyon in the competition, but they look as if they can hold their own. This is a big match for Blanc’s men now, for a win would all but  guarantee them a place in the next round.

Group A
Bordeaux – P3    W2    D1    L0    Pts7
Juventus – P3    W1    D2    L0    Pts5
Bayern – P3    W1    D1    L1    Pts4
Maccabi Haifa – P3    W0    D0    L3    Pts0

Match Prices
Bayern Munich to win: 4/5 at Bet365
Draw: 13/5 at SkyBet
Bordeaux to win: 4/1 at BetFred

Maccabi Haifa to win: 6/1 at SkyBet
Draw: 11/4 at Bet365
Juventus to win: 8/13 at Extrabet

Betting tips:
Bayern to win 2-1: 8/1 at Boylesports
Juventus to win 1-0: 11/2 at 888Sport

TO WIN GROUP A
Bordeaux – 6/4 at Totesport
Juventus – 2/1 at Coral
Bayern Munich – 5/2 at Victor Chandler
Maccabi Haifa – 1500/1 at Bet365

GROUP B
Manchester United v CSKA Moscow
Besiktas v Wolfsburg

This group should pretty much be done and dusted with regards the winners, come the end of Match day four. Even with their injuries, and the new father Wayne Rooney missing from the line-up, this should be another uneventful, Manchester United European performance. Even though they have not at any point looked their explosive and powerful best, they have been the job done on the large part, and even a below par United should have enough in the tank at Old Trafford to beat CSKA. Not that CSKA are a bad side or anything, although they are nowhere near winning their domestic league. CSKA have been outclassed by both Manchester United and Wolfsburg in the Champions League, and a win for the Moscow side would add a little bit of interest into a group, which is likely only to play out one way, with United winning and Germans Wolfsburg finishing second. Wolfsburg travel to bottom side Besiktas, as they look to continue their European adventure. There was always the chance, out of all of the new sides in the Champions League this term, that Wolfsburg were going to prove the biggest threat. Besiktas, who did give Manchester United at tough time, gained their first point of their campaign in Germany, holding the hosts to a 0-0 draw, which was some feat considering the fire power that Wolfsburg have at their disposal. If they want to be real challengers, then this is exactly the type of game which the Germans need to polish off without any fuss. If they fail to win on Tuesday night, then it could seriously impede their chances of progress. A must win.

Group B
Man. United – P3    W3    D0    L0    Pts9
Wolfsburg – P3    W1    D1    L1    Pts4
CSKA Moscow – P3    W1    D0    L2    Pts3
Besiktas – P3    W0    D1    L2    Pts1

Match Prices
Manchester United to win: 4/11 at Bet365
Draw: 4/1 at Boylesports
CSKA Moscow to win: 10/1 at BetFred

Besiktas to win: 7/4 at Paddy Power
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
Wolfsburg to win: 8/5 at Bet365

Betting tips:
Manchester United to win 2-0: 11/2 at Ladbrokes
Wolfsburg to win 2-1: 9/1 at Sporting Bet

TO WIN GROUP B
Manchester United – 1/50 at Bet365
Wolfsburg – 25/1 at Paddy Power
CSKA Moscow – 40/1 at Paddy Power
Besiktas – 250/1 at Paddy Power

GROUP C
AC Milan v Real Madrid
Marseille v FC Zurich

Unquestionably the game of Match day four takes place on Tuesday night in Milan. Struggling for league form to contend against city rivals Inter at the top of Serie A, AC Milan pulled out their best performance of the Champions League this year, to beat Madrid 3-2 on Match day three. This was one of the classic Champions League fixtures, in clearly one of the most exciting groups. Striker Raul scored his 66th European goal as he opened the scoring, but two goals in four minutes saw Milan take the lead in the second half. After a Madrid equaliser from Drenthe, it was an 88th minute winner from Pato which sealed the dramatic win for the Rossoneri. Real Madrid apparently know how to put on a show, having scored 10 goals in their first three fixtures, with 5-3 and 3-0 wins, followed up by the five goals thriller against Milan. Both sides are sat on 6 points in the group , but Milan definitely have the edge going forward with Raul, Benzema, Kaka, Ronaldo, Van Nistlerooy and Alonso to name but a few. The result in the corresponding Match day three fixture was somewhat of a surprise, and it has kept the group alive. With Ronaldinho and Fillipo Inzaghi leading the forward line, another win back in the San Siro for AC Milan, who have agreed a deal to bring David Beckham back on loan in January, would really set the cat amongst the pigeons. It could allow third placed Marseille to draw level on points with Milan. Marseille entertain the gutsy Champions League debutants FC Zurich. Remember that it was the Zurich men who pulled off one the Champions League upsets, as they beat AC Milan 1-0 in Italy. The minnows triumphed with an impetuous back-heeled goal from Finnish player Hannu Tihinen. The Zurich defence did resist an onslaught, but they definitely had their moments going forward, just as they did when they pulled two goals back from 3-0 down against Real Madrid. Didier Deschamps will be hoping that his Marseille side, who are down in seventh in the French league, will be seeing this as a real opportunity to mix it with their illustrious group rivals above them. The maths are simple, if there is a winner and loser in AC Milan v Real Madrid match, then a win for Marseille will put them in a good position to some extent, as they will still have the opportunity to take points of both of those teams with the remaining fixtures. It is a big night in Group C.

Group C
Milan – P3    W2    D0    L1    Pts6
Real Madrid – P3    W2    D0    L1    Pts6
Marseille – P3    W1    D0    L2    Pts3
Zürich – P3    W1    D0    L2    Pts3

Match Prices
AC Milan to win: 28/17 at Expekt
Draw: 23/10 at Coral
Real Madrid to win: 7/4 at BetFred

Marseille to win: 3/10 at Bet365
Draw: 9/2 at SkyBet
FC Zurich to win: 12/1 at SkyBet

Betting tips:
Quatro Bet – Real Madrid to win or draw with two or fewer goals scored in the match: 13/8 at Ladbrokes
Over 3.5 goals: 6/4 at Stan James

TO WIN GROUP C
Real Madrid – Evens at William Hill
AC Milan – 11/10 at Totesport
Marseille – 14/1 at Paddy Power
FC Zurich – 200/1 at Paddy Power

GROUP D
APOEL v Porto
Atlético Madrid v Chelsea

Chelsea look to be strides ahead in Group D, and can confirm their progress through the next round with a victory over Atlético Madrid. It is fair to say that the Madrid side have been struggling, as they are in a something of a relegation battle at the foot of the Spanish league. Quique Sánchez Flores has since arrived to coach the team after their 4-0 thumping delivered at Stamford Bridge by Chelsea on Match day three. With Didier Drogba back for Chelsea, there could be another cruise-control game for the Blues, but they will be possibly be facing a new look team, with refreshed tactics from the new coach. There is a long way to go for the Madrid side, but they do have Diego Forlan who can do some damage. But with only one point and no goals scored in the campaign so far, it will require a massive collective effort to overcome Chelsea. The arrival of the fresh coach could be just that spark they need and why not do it against one of the best in Europe. Porto are sitting comfortably in second place in Group D, with two wins from three games. They are three points behind leaders Chelsea, against whom they conceded defeat like so many teams do, at Stamford Bridge. Cypriots APOEL have shown more stubbornness than any flair capable enough of beating anyone else in the group, but there have been some upsets in this Champions League campaign which will give them hope. This could be their night. APOEL battled well when Chelsea visited, but Porto will head into the match knowing that a win will book them a place in the next round of the competition. That should be incentive enough to just go there and get the job done, but  they will be wary of any threat posed by APOEL. Not in great form at the moment, Porto only managed to beat APOEL 2-1 at home, having to stage a comeback after conceding an early own goal. The Porto fight back was led by the incredible Hulk who scored both of Porto‘s goals. It could be a tight night in Cyprus.

Group D
Chelsea – P3    W3    D0    L0    Pts9
Porto- P3    W2    D0    L1    Pts6
APOEL – P3    W0    D1    L2    Pts1
Atlético – P3    W0    D1    L2    Pts1

Match Prices
Atlético Madrid to win: 10/3 at Paddy Power
Draw: 13/5 at Bet365
Chelsea to win: 10/11 at BetFred

APOEL to win: 9/2 at Sporting Bet
Draw: 11/4 at Coral
Porto to win: 7/10 at Blue Square

Betting tips:
Both Players to Score Bet – Forlan and Drogba: 15/2 at SkyBet
APOEL Draw No Bet: 3/1 at SportingBet

TO WIN GROUP D
Chelsea – 1/12 at Victor Chandler
Porto – 6/1 at Paddy Power
Atletico Madrid – 100/1 at Paddy Power
APOEL – 500/1 at Paddy Power

GROUP A
Bordeaux v Bayern Munich
Juventus v Maccabi Haifa

Juventus have yet to win a game in Group A, and Wedensday’s fixture should give them the best opportunity to do so. Two draws is not the way to go about stamping your authority on a group, and they were lucky to come away with a 1-1 win in their opening game against the French side Bordeaux. Group A is proving to be a much tighter group than one would probably have put their money on before it started. Juventus should beat bottom side Maccabi Haifa, but it will still all need a turn around in form, as Juve haven’t won in four domestic league matches. This match could be the springboard which they need to put some spark back into their season, and elevate themselves towards the top of Group A, with Bordeaux and Bayern Munich squaring off. Bayern and Bordeaux are level at the top on four points each and there is not much to choose between the two sides. The French side will be keen to press home that all important home advantage in this crucial match. The scales appear to be evenly balanced, but when it comes down to it, Bayern Munich should just have the edge. Bordeaux on a two match slump with defeats, but Bayern do have some injury concerns, notably with absent wingers Frank Ribery and Arjen Robben. There is a long way to go in the group, and come the end of the halfway stage, there should be all to play for.

Match Prices
Bordeaux to win: 17/10 at BetFred
Draw: 5/2 at Totesport
Bayern Munich to win: 7/4 at Ladbrokes

Juventus to win: 2/9 at Coral
Draw: 11/2 at Bet365
Maccabi Haifa to win: 14/1 at SportingBet

Betting tips:
Bayern to win 2-1: 10/1 at Boylesports
Juventus to win 1-0: 13/2 at Bet365

TO WIN GROUP A
Bayern Munich – 10/11 at BetFred
Juventus – 2/1 at Paddy Power
Bordeaux – 7/2 at Bet365
Maccabi Haifa – 500/1 at Stan James

GROUP B
CSKA Moscow v Manchester United
Wolfsburg v Besiktas

Man United travel off to the somewhat inhospitable domain of Russia to take on CSKA on their artificial pitch. Wayne Rooney, nor Ryan Giggs have travelled with the squad due to injury, and that could leave the Reds a little light up front. United can always find goals though when they need them, and they have the advantage that they do not ever really need to score too many, because they run a tight ship at the back. This is an interesting game on the fake grass with its extra bounce and speed. It could suit United’s flowing passing game if they get that going, but they will have to deal with some pressure as CSKA will be trying to keep up their challenge to make it out of the group stage. Wolfsburg, currently in second place in the Group, take on winless Besiktas, in a game they should win. A victory would put them on six points, the number which United have at the top of group, and so whatever happens in Russia will have a big influence on the outcome of the group. Wolfsburg are blessed with an awesome strike force, and ran United close on Match Day Two at Old Trafford. They’ll be welcoming the sanctuary of home turf as they look to get their Champions League quest back on track.

Match Prices
CSKA Moscow to win: 11/4 at BetFred
Draw: 23/10 at Bet365
Manchester United to win: 6/5 at SkyBet

Wolfsburg to win: 2/5 at Expekt
Draw: 15/4 at Bet365
Besiktas to win: 9/1 at SkyBet

Betting Tips:
Manchester United to win 1-0: 13/2 at 888Sport
Wolfsburg to win 3-0: 9/1 at SkyBet

TO WIN GROUP B
Manchester United – 1/6 at Bet365
Wolfsburg – 7/1 at ExtraBet
CSKA Moscow – 18/1 at ExtraBet
Besiktas – 150/1 at Paddy Power

GROUP C
FC Zurich v Marseille
Real Madrid v AC Milan
The one stand out fixture of Match Day three is the Madrid v Milan clash. This actually should have been a much bigger deal, but AC Milan are in no kind of form to match Madrid. The Italians are struggling to keep tabs with the top teams in the domestic league, and their Match Day Two result will have sent shockwaves through their supporters. At home to minnows FC Zurich, they were beaten 1-0 in the San Siro, in the biggest surprise of the competition so far. That could prove a valuable lost two points for them, especially now that they have to try and take down high flying Real Madrid to keep their Champions League hopes alive. AC Milan are level on three points with Zurich now, and if they lose to Madrid and Zurich pull out a home victory over Marseille, then this Group could get even more interesting. Zurich have been the eptiome of an underdog, playing with some much determination and passion, that they have gotten their fair rewards. On Match Day One, they entertained Real Madrid in a 4-2 loss, fighting back from a 3-0 deficit at one point. Marseille will be a little disappointed they are without a win, for they did more than enough to beat Milan on Match Day one, but fell to a 2-1 defeat. The subsequent 3-0 thrashing by Real Madrid did not help any, and they will be wary of what Zurich have achieved so far. While taking that into consideration, this could be the turning point where they get their first three points. Real Madrid have not been facing any problems, having scored 8 times in their two Champions League games. They are one point behind Barcelona at the top of the Spanish League, and with the array of talent they can field, they should have more than enough in the tank against a poor AC Milan side. It is the first time for Real Madrid midfielder Kaka, to face up to his old club after his summer transfer.

Match Prices
FC Zurich to win: 37/13 at Expekt
Draw: 5/2 at Totesport
Marseille to win: Evens at Blue Square

Real Madrid to win: 9/20 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 7/2 at Bet365
AC Milan to win: 7/1 at Stan James

Betting Tip
Zurich Draw No Bet: 33/20 at SportingBet
Real Madrid to win 2-0: 7/1 at SkyBet

TO WIN GROUP C
Real Madrid – 1/7 at Coral
AC Milan – 7/1 at ExtraBet
Marseille – 40/1 at SportingBet
FC Zurich – 100/1 at Paddy Power

GROUP D
Chelsea v Atletico Madrid
FC Porto v APOEL

Yes Chelsea have suffered two away defeats in the Premier League and yes they will be without Droga up front, as he endures the last of his three match European ban on the sidelines. Still, the Stamford Bridge side should have enough confidence to get past Atletico without too much bother. Chelsea did beat Porto on Match Day One without breaking into too much of a sweat, but without looking particular settled. Much could be the same of their away in against APOEL, when they slackened off after taking the lead. Under manager Carlo Ancelotti, that is not something which should be expected. What can be expected is that Chelsea should be a tight, cohesive unit, and that any kinks in defending set pieces will have been drilled out of them since the weekend. Altetico are looking a poor side, and have only won one domestic league game so far, and are without a win from their two Champions League matches. It is hard to see it coming at Stamford Bridge. Porto should be favourites to take second place in the Group, and that can strengthen that position with a win against the Cypriots. If both they and Chelsea win, that will open up a clear division in the group between the top and bottom two. Come the end of Wednesday night’s matches, it is hard to see anything other than that happening.

Match Prices
Chelsea to win: 7/19 at Coral
Draw: 4/1 at SkyBet
Atletico Madrid to win: 10/1 at SkyBet

FC Porto to win: 1/4 at Totesport
Draw: 11/2 at Ladbrokes
APOEL to win: 15/1 at ExtraBet

Betting tip:
Chelsea to win 2-0: 11/2 at BetFred
FC Porto to win 1-0: 6/1 at Bet365

TO WIN GROUP D
Chelsea: 1/7 at Bet365
Porto: 13/2 at ExtraBet
Atletico Madrid: 25/1 at Paddy Power
APOEL: 200/1 at Paddy Power