Real Madrid

It is another treat in Spain, as we look at Barcelona v Real Madrid Copa del Rey betting and online bookmaker Boylesports have a good Money Back Special running to cover you. Back a First Goalscorer selection in the big match and if that player does not open the scoring on the night, but does net the second goal of the game, then Boylesports will refund your lost stake as a free bet. So you can back First Goalscorer bets in Barcelona v Real Madrid betting at Boylesports for Wednesday’s second leg and if your First Goalscorer selection loses, but scores the second goal of the game, then you will get a lost stake refund. In the First Goalscorer market we have Lionel Messi as 3/1 favourite, and then Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo back at 5/1 in the market. Popular online bookmaker Boylesports offer a free £20 bet for new customers registering an account. The bookie will match you first stake on a new account up to the maximum value of £20, giving you some great free betting cash to work with to get started.

Barcelona v Real Madrid Copa del Rey betting is the second leg of the quarter final of the cup, which Real Madrid won against the Catalans in last season’s final. Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid found themselves 1-0 up early in the first leg at home thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo goal, but a stirring comeback from Barcelona saw the visitors run out 2-1 winners. That is the good advantage, with those away goals, which they will take back the Nou Camp on Wednesday night. It doesn’t seem to matter what Special touch that Jose Mourinho brings to Real Madrid, it seems to come a little bit unstuck when they come against Barcelona. Real Madrid have already lost to them in the league this season, a big 3-1 reverse at the Bernabeu, suffered a defeat in the Spanish Super Cup and with Copa del Rey first leg deficit, The Special One has to do something, well, special. So what can he do? If Real Madrid go defensive and try and sneak counter attack goals, then Barcelona will just pass the ball around them all night at the Nou Camp, and if Real Madrid come out with all guns blazing, Barcelona will probably tear them apart going forward. So this is the quandary for Jose Mourinho. He led his men to cup victory in last year’s final, thanks to a gritty extra time win, courtesy of Cristiano Ronaldo. He needs more than that though, his side have to go out and beat Barcelona by two clear goals in order to get through. That is a tough ask, especially against a side who have dropped just two points at home all season.

The highlight of the El Clasico is of course the attacking talent on display and that is generally the treat of Barcelona v Real Madrid betting, that something magical is likely to happen. Barcelona have beaten Jose Mourinho during his tenure as Madrid boss, four times, drawn twice and have suffered just the one loss to The Special One. So it is Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola who apparently has the special touch here. The question really is, can you see Barcelona allowing Real Madrid to get out of this game what they want? There is going to be no let up in the intensity of this match, with Real Madrid defender Pepe allegedly stamping on Lionel Messi’s arm in the first leg, and it is not as if the rivalry needs any extra fuel thrown on the fire. It is a great football spectacle and with Barca firing in eight league goals in their last two matches, with Lionel Messi scoring five of those, it really looks as if Barcelona’s fate is simply in their own hands. Those comeback goals in the first leg away from home have given them a cushion to work with, one which Real Madrid should never have allowed to happen. So Barcelona will go as favourite in this match, especially on home soil.

League status is in favour of Real Madrid at the moment, with a five point advantage over the Catalans. Barcelona’s weakness (if you can call it that) has been dropping points against lesser opposition where Real Madrid have not. That is the only difference in the title race at the moment, with Barcelona still having the upper hand when it comes to the crunch matches against Madrid. There is a lot of drama yet to be played out this season and you can guarantee there will be more in Barcelona v Real Madrid Copa del Rey betting on Wednesday night. In the Head to Head in the Copa del Rey, Barcelona leads the way with 15 wins compared to Madrid’s 10 (with 5 draws). In the Head to Head standings in competitive matches, the two sides stand at 86 wins a piece, with 45 draws between them. Will Barcelona’s advantage from the first leg be enough to guide them through to the semi finals? Does Jose Mourinho have something really special up his sleeve?

Barcelona v Real Madrid Copa del Rey betting odds
Barcelona to win: 7/10 at William Hill
Draw: 33/10 at Bwin
Real Madrid to win: 9/2 at Totesport

To Win Copa del Rey
Barcelona: 1/2 at Ladbrokes
Atletic Bilbao: 6/1 at Bet365
Valencia: 8/1 at Bet Victor
Real Madrid: 11/ at Bwin

We really can’t get enough of the El Clasico, as the two Spanish giants Real Madrid v Barcelona betting takes centre stage on Wednesday night in the Copa del Rey. This is the first leg of the quarter finals, held at the Bernabeu and of course we can look at all sorts of rivalry and history between these two. Firstly there was the recent league match, in which Barcelona played pretty much a perfect tactical game at the Bernabeu to beat Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid 3-1 with Alexis Sanchez, Xavi and Cesc Fabregas wrapping up the crucial three points. However, Barcelona are still trailing Real Madrid at the top of La Liga by five points, as the two giants battle it out, so the ball is very much still in Madrid’s court there. Between them, out of 36 league matches combined, they have only lost three matches all season between them. It looked as if a shift of power and confidence was going to swing back to Barcelona after that league win, but with Barcelona dropping points away at Esponyol, it is Real Madrid who have stretched their legs at the top, rattling off three straight wins after that home defeat. The scoring power of these two sides are phenomenal. Overall, Madrid are averaging 3.5 goals per game in the league (4.25 at home) while Barcelona are ticking along at 3.05 goals per game (4.3 at home). Naturally the two main protagonists in all of this, is Ballon D’Or winner Lionel Messi banging in 19 goals for Barca, and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo bettering that with 21 goals for the season. The bigger difference between the two sides this season, is that while Barcelona have a better defence, Real Madrid have a good support system up front to support Ronaldo, with Gabriel Higuain and Karim Benzema both weighing in with double figures.

So will Madrid have learned from their most recent meeting? You will remember that it was Real Madrid who won last year’s Copa del Rey final against Barcelona, when Cristiano Ronaldo netted an extra time winner. There is not going to be a case of putting out weakened sides of course for this one, as Real Madrid will want to get back at their Catalan rivals, and Barcelona will know it. However, for all of Real Madrid’s pace setting work this season, they still have a pretty poor record against Barcelona and that should be a factor in your Real Madrid v Barcelona Copa del Rey betting. Madrid have taken just one victory (in last year’s cup final) against Barcelona in the last twelve matches against their rivals. In that run, Madrid have suffered eight defeats, so definitely current form in the head to head meeting is firmly with Barcelona, who again proved in the recent La Liga meeting that they are a champion side for a reason. That man Lionel Messi will probably have to be watched, as he has netted on six of the last seven matches at the Bernabeu for Barcelona. So the stage is set for another mouth watering El Clasico meeting on Wednesday night. Who will draw first blood? Will Barcelona show their true champions qualities again Jose Mourinho’s men? Or will Pep Guardiola look for some securing to take back to the Nou Camp for the second clash of this giant clash? This will be the ninth El Clasico in just over twelve months and frankly we love it. They should meet at least once a month. Expect drama. Expect fireworks. Expect goals? Real Madrid may have home advantage but that has not counted for much in recent times against Barcelona, and it is the Catalans who go into the match as favourites in the El Clasico 2012 betting.

Real Madrid v Barcelona Copa del Rey Betting Odds
Real Madrid to win: 7/4 at Bet365
Draw: 12/5 at VC Bet
Barcelona to win: 13/8 at BetFred

First Goalscorer Odds
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi 9/2 at BetFred

Will there be goals galore again with the two high scoring Spanish giants or will some caution be shown ahead of the second leg? Well, as with all football betting on their site, popular online bookmaker Bet365 offer some 0-0 insurance on your betting. Place a Correct Score, Half Time/Full Time or Scorecast bet on any match listed at Bet365, and if the game ends in a 0-0 Bore Draw, then the bookie will refund your lost stakes on those markets. Great football betting coverage from Bet365, who also provide a superbly generous welcome bonus offer. The bookie offer up to £200 in free bets for new customers registering an account. Bet365 will match the value of your first deposit on a new account with a 100% bonus, meaning that you can get up to £200 worth of free bets!

Well, Barcelona’s incredible second half performance at the Bernabeu on Saturday night to beat Real Madrid 3-1, has led to a market influx of bets on them to win La Liga again. That was a huge win for the defending Champions, as they were three points behind Jose Mourinho’s Madrid going into the match, and were a game ahead as well. So that triumph of style over tactics was a huge boost for Pep Guardiola and his side, and showed their rivals that they are still the force to be reckoned with. That win for Barcelona put them back on level points with Real Madrid, although Mourinho’s men still have a game in hand to look forward to.

The win has naturally led to a spark of wanting to get a wager down on Barcelona, who were starting to look second best to Real Madrid this season, on winning La Liga again. They are now at a best market price of 5/6 with BetFred to win the league title, this season, with Real Madrid close behind at Evens with SkyBet. Naturally only of these two are going to win La Liga, the might and the power which they are able to field (both teams have now scored 50 goals already this season) is just too much over a long season for anyone else to deal with.

Third placed Valencia’s defeat on Saturday didn’t do anything to change this, because they could have been within four points of the leaders had they beaten Real Betis. The crunch match could all come down to the rematch at the Nou Camp later in the season. But for now, Barcelona have gained a huge psychological boost, yes, they were lucky at times against Madrid on Saturday, but when you get a lucky break then you have to capitalize. That is just what Barcelona did. Will they retain their title in La Liga betting?

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Chelsea v Man City may be the Premier League’s big match on Monday night, but before that, there is the unquestionable appeal of Real Madrid v Barcelona betting in La Liga on Saturday. Yes, the two Spanish giants come together once again in a battle for supremacy in Spain’s top division. Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid have gone from strength to strength over the last twelve months, and they are arguably the strongest they have been for a long time. It is also arguable that they are better than Barcelona at the moment. Real Madrid top La Liga by three points over FC Barcelona and still have a game in hand over the Catalans. Real Madrid have largely been playing with four up front for most of the season, with Cristiano Ronaldo firing in seventeen league goals, with fantastic support from Higuain and Benzema carrying them forward. Just to put into context the firepower they have, they have scored three or more goals in each of their last four league games now. However, they are likely to switch back to a 4-3-3 because Mourinho will remember that 5-0 drubbing Barcelona handed out to them in the league last season when Madrid went with four forwards. So it is probable that Madrid will drop an extra ball winner back into the middle of the park because the last thing they will want to do again there is cede ground easily in the midfield battle.

As for Barcelona, they haven’t been perfect this season and they will likely change their formation as well for the big match, in order to cope with a Real Madrid front three. They will probably switch from their preferred 3-4-3, which works perfectly when you have the lions share of possession in matches, but they will need to drop back to a flat back four to handle three Madrid forwards, and to stop Madrid getting down the flanks. Barcelona came unstuck against Getafe at the end of November, suffering their first league defeat of the season. It means they have been a bit unsteady on the road this season, picking up three draws, one defeat in their six away matches in La Liga this season. Barcelona are not quite as strong or as dominant as they were last season, and there are just signs that they are losing their hold on things to Real Madrid. Following that defeat against Getafe though, they bounced back with a 4-0 and a 5-0 win in their following matches, but again you still have to look at their away from. You have to stand it up against Real Madrid’s 100% home record so far in the league this season where they are averaging over an incredible four and a half goals per game at the Bernabeu. That is 28 goals in six home league games. Remarkable.

The other things which is working in favour of Real Madrid heading into this match, is their potential six point lead over Barcelona (assuming they win their game in hand). A point here in Real Madrid v Barcelona betting would be massive for Jose Mourinho’s men, because they could still hold that potential six point lead over their rivals, and as long as they keep winning, which they have done in their last ten league games, then they will win the title. At the end of the day, it would not matter if they lost in the return fixture against Barcelona later in the season, so long as they can keep at least that six points gap by grabbing a point of Barca on Saturday. With home advantage as well, things are looking good for Madrid in this match. But Barcelona know that they have to close the gap to stop Madrid gaining more advantage over them. A crucial away win for Barcelona pulls them back level for now, still a game behind Madrid, but will certainly start putting the pressure on.

The battle of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will again be a huge highlight of this match. Both of the strikers have seventeen league goals for the season, and is around these two geniuses that online bookmaker Paddy Power have built their Real Madrid v Barcelona Money Back Special.

If Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo scores the last goal of the game on Saturday, the bookie will refund all losing First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Correct Score and Scorecast singles placed on the match. In the First Goalscorer market for example, Ronaldo is 4/1 with Messi at 9/2 to opening the scoring, with Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema back at 6/1. In the Correct Score market for Real Madrid v Barcelona betting, a 1-1 draw is well priced at 6/1, with a 2-1 win trading for 15/2 behind that. So great value with the coverage in place for your football betting at Paddy Power.

Real Madrid v Barcelona Betting Odds at Paddy Power
Real Madrid 6/4, Barcelona 9/4, Draw 12/5

Online bookmaker Paddy Power offer a free £50 bet for new customers registering an account as a sign up bonus. The bookie will match the value of your first bet on a new account, with a free bet up to the maximum value of £50.

It has been a great season so far in Spain’s La Liga Primera, and if you have been missing out on the action, then you may want to head to online betting exchange BetFair, where you can watch free live streams! Real Madrid have sneaked their way into top spot, just one point ahead of their great rivals Barcelona. Jose Mourinho’s Madrid haven’t had a perfect season, losing one match, but they have managed to pick up more wins that last year’s La Liga winners, Barca. Madrid have now won their last six straight, and not only have Real and Barcelona both hit 32 each in their respective 10 matches, the defenses have been remarkable. Real Madrid have only conceded 6 goals so far this season, two more than Barca. But it was surprise package Levante who had been leading the way up until last week, when they suffered their first loss of the season. It had been a remarkable run of seven straight wins for Levante, including a 1-0 win over Real Madrid along the way. They have been one of the success stories in La Liga this season, but they lost their unbeaten record last weekend against Osasuna. So it will be interesting to see just how they bounce back from that deficit. If you want to get yourself closer to this weekend’s action, before they take the international break next week, then BetFair stream some great live coverage from La Liga for their customers. The Spanish league is one full of flair and attacking sensibilities, and makes for some great entertainment. So, by getting right into the live action with BetFair live streams, it opens up the doors of possibilities when it comes to live in play betting. Being able to get a real feel for the match, through BetFair Live Video can make Live in play betting so much easier, as you can get a feel for just how the game is going. The BetFair live video streams really are a superb service from the highly popular betting exchange, and is a great feature in delivery top quality content to their customers.

New customers wanting to get in on the Live La Liga streams, have the added bonus of being able to take advantage of BetFair’s sign up bonus. New customers can either get a No Risk £20 bet on their first stake, which means that if your first bet on a new BetFair account loses, you will get your lost stake back up to the value of £20, or you opt for the £10 to £1000 Cashback sign up bonus. In this offer, the more you bet within your first 30 days on a new account, then the bigger  your Cashback bonus will be! Great offers, whichever way you want to go, and the highly rated, highly successful Betting Exchange, which is a superb alternative to regular online bookmakers, have all of your Live La Liga matches covered as well. Tune in this weekend to see the likes of Seville, Villareal and Espanyol in action!

Group A
Standings: Bayern Munich 6pts, Napoli 4pts, Man City 1pt, Villarreal 0pts
Huge night for Manchester City in their debut Champions League season. It is Match Day three and they are still looking for their first win. Man City need to take all three points off struggling Spaniards Villarreal if they are going to keep pace for a qualification spot. Mancini’s men are three points adrift of second placed Napoli already and can’t afford to drop any more points. See our full Man City v Villarreal preview here. The other big match is just as important in Group A on Tuesday night, as Napoli host group leader Bayern Munich. Bayern are looking very strong at the moment, with two wins from two and are on a very strong run of form at the moment, conceding just one goal in the Bundesliga this season and none in the Champions League. They have an impressive defence, which Napoli need to try and break down. The Italians have to take advantage of the match in Naples in the quest for three points, and while they are sitting third in Serie A, lost on the weekend at home, which would have dented their confidence. However, they are a strong attacking team and this should be a great match. However, with the might of the Bayern defence, which held out for a 4-0 win on the weekend against Hertha Berlin, the Germans have to be favourites to take a win. A win for Bayern Munich would really put top spot out of the question for Man City, but would help them reel in Napoli for second place. A draw in Napoli v Bayern Munch betting would not be a bad thing for Manchester City’s chances at all. Big, big night in Group A
Man City 3/10, Draw 17/4, Villarreal 10/1 at Bet365
Napoli 14/5, Draw 12/5, Bayern Munich Evens at Bet365

Group B
Standings: Tabzonspor 4pts, Inter Milan 3pts, Lille 2 Pts, CSKA Moscow 1 pt
Interesting happenings in Group B of the Champions league, where Inter Milan look as if they are going to have a battle on their hands. After opening with a home loss against Turkish side Trabzonspor at the San Siro, they scraped through a 3-2 win at CSKA Moscow on Match Day Two. Now they head to France to face Lille for a big three points which would ease a bit of pressure. Inter Milan are struggling at the moment, struggling badly. In Serie A, they have won just one match all season, sitting fourth from the bottom of the league with just four points in the bag. They lost again on the weekend against Catania to further compound their problems. Their defence is just in a bit of tatters are the moment. So this is a good opportunity for Lille, who are in good form and probably make the safer bet. Lille are fourth in the French League, having lost just one match, and beat Auxerre away 3-1 on the weekend. However, with two draws from their opening Champions League fixtures, they need a win, and they will be targeting Inter. This is a big game with Milan just one point ahead of Lille. In the other match, Trabzonspor head to CSKA Moscow in a top v bottom match up. After beating Inter on Match Day One, the Turks could only follow up with a 1-1 home draw with Lille. CSKA Moscow also drew with Lille and then narrowly lost out to Inter at home on Match Day Two. There is not much to choose between all four teams in this group at the moment, whatever happens on Tuesday, the standings are likely to be very close. It really is all to play for in Group B, which is taking on a really interesting shape. A draw in Moscow and a win for Lille look probable.
CSKA Moscow 4/7, Draw 11/4, Tabzonspor 4/1 at SkyBet
Lille 11/8, Draw 11/5, Inter 13/8 at Totesport

Group C
Standings: Basel 4pts, Benfica 4pts, Man Utd 2pts, Otelul Galati 1pt
English interest here with Manchester United in the running. United head to Romania to face Otelul Galati for their Match Day Three fixture. United have yet to get a win under their belt, snatching draws in both of their opening fixtures against Benfica and Basel. United will still qualify as the Romanians don’t look strong enough to cause an upset here. See our full Otelul Galati v Man Utd betting preview here. So the other match for Tuesday in Group C see group leaders FC Basel host second placed Benfica. Interesting match up here with top spot in the group at stake. If these two draw and United win, then all three would be on five points at the half way stage. Swiss side Basel have been doing alright, opening with a 2-1 home win over Otelul Galati before having United on the ropes at Old Trafford. The Swiss fought their way back from 2-0 down at United, only to see Ashley Young snatch a 90th minute equaliser in a 3-3 draw. Benfica also took a point off United and followed that up with an away win over Otelul Galati, to leave htem on even standing with Basel. Basel certainly know where the goal is, as they are the highest scorers in their domestic league. However, would consider an away win, because Benfica look as if they can grow into this tournament and scored a good 4-1 home win in the Portuguese leage on the weekend. There are plenty of goals in Benfica as well, but you have to consider them as a bit more accomplished than Basel. United will certainly have their eye on this one.
Basel 12/5, Draw 12/5, Benfica 11/10 at Boylesports
Otelul Galati 14/1, Draw 6/1, Man Utd 2/11 at Bet365

Group D
Standings: Real Madrid 6pts, Lyon 4pts, Ajax 1pt, Dinamo Zagreb 0pts
We get the big fixture we have been waiting for in this group on Match Day Three as Lyon host Real Madrid. Madrid have opened with two wins from two, winning 1-0 in Zagreb before thumping Ajax 3-0 at home. Madrid are going along well again this season, not unsurprisingly, but are still tracking behind Barcelona in La Liga. Madrid are as prolific as ever, with Higuain and Ronaldo weighing in heavily with the goals. There is great history between these two in the Champions League, with the French side not unaccustomed to upsetting their illustrious counterparts. Lyon are going well in the French League, level on points at the top of the league and holding a pretty tight defence. With Lyon two points behind Madrid already, they really need a good win to keep things interesting here, as they can’t allow the Spaniards to get five points clear of them at the half way stage. Doing that at the Bernabeu though is not going to be an easy task though, so Madrid will be favourites to take the win. Both sides will qualify from this group anyway, so it is a matter of bragging rights for top spot. Dinamo Zagreb v Ajax should be an opportunity for the Dutch side to get a win under their belt. They come into the Champions League with a great European history behind them, but truthfully that is where their success is going to stay. They are a good attacking side, but they are not good enough to compete strongly here for a qualification spot. They battled to a 0-0 draw at home against Lyon, before rolling over against Real Madrid. The Croatians have not offered much either, trying to stay organised and tight but not offering too much up front. A draw seems likely here, but an opportunity for either side to give themselves false hope of qualifying.
Dinamo Zagreb 9/5, Draw 9/4, Ajax 8/5 at Victor Chandler
Real Madrid ¼, Draw 5/1, Lyon 10/1 at Bet365

Group E
Standings: Chelsea 4pts, Bayer Leverkusen 3pts, Valencia 2pts, Genk 1pt
Chelsea occupy top spot in the group and it will, most likely stay that way at the end of Match Day Three on Wednesday night. The Blues have a 24 unbeaten match record in the group stage of the Champions League at home, and you can’t see Belgian side Genk breaking that. Chelsea are starting to click under Villas Boas and owner Roman Abramovich will be as hungry as ever for Champions League success. Chelsea have made life a little bit harder for themselves than necessary so far in Group E, but still have the advantage, are getting stronger and should win this at a canter. See our full Chelsea v Genk betting preview here. The other match here pits Valenciia against Leverkusen in Germany. There is a big three points on offer for both of these sides and a win for the home side could really put some daylight between the top and bottom two. A win for the Spaniards, or a draw however would keep things pretty interesting in the race for second spot. Valencia have drawn both of their Champions League matches so far, a disappointing 0-0 away at Genk and then a lucky escape at home against Chelsea. Leverkusen opened with a defeat at Stamford Bridge, but then scored a 2-0 home victory over Kent ,and they look as they may just have a little more to offer than the Spaniards, and should make use of home advantage here. Neither side are in tip top form at the moment, and they will be in a race for second place behind Chelsea. So whoever can take points off the other in their two meetings should ultimately have the edge.
Chelsea  1/8, Draw 7/1 Genk 25/1 at Bet365
Bayer Leverkusen 7/5, Draw 9/4, Valencia 2/1 at Victor Chandler

Group F
Standings: Marseille 6pts, Arsenal 4pts, Borussia Dortmund 1pt, Olympiacos 0pts
More British interest here this week, with Arsenal in the hunt for a place in the kncokout stage. The Gunners earned themselves a 1-1 draw out in Dortmund to start their campaign, which wasn’t too bad a result, and then backed it up with a 2-1 home win over Greek side Olympiakos. The Gunners are not as good as they have been though, and were lucky to get past the Greeks unscathed. So their match at Marseille is going to be a massive one for them. Marseille are in great form at the moment and top Group F with two wins from two. If the French make it three from three, they will open up a five point gap over the Gunners at the half way stage. See our full Marseille v Arsenal betting preview here. Olympiacos v Borussia Dortmund is likely to ultimately end up as been the battle to avoid the wooden spoon in the group. Favouritism would have to be given to the Germans, but they were outclassed by Marseille in a 3-0 defeat on Match Day Two. That followed a 1-1 draw against Arsenal at home, in which they had to come from behind to rescue a point. Olympiacos have lost both of their opening matches against Marseille and Arsenal, and you would expect them to be finishing bottom. There is a big incentive though and importance on this match, because if Arsenal lose, Dortmund could pull level with the Gunners if they win, so there is a window of opportunity. Although it looks probable that Marseille and Arsenal will go through, the impetus is on Dortmund to try and claw their way back into things. This will be their best opportunity to do so, so far.
Marseille 7/5, Draw 23/10, Arsenal 2/1 at Paddy Power
Olympiacos 12/5, Draw 9/2, Borussia Dortmund Evens at SportingBet

Group G
Standings: APOEL 4pts, Zenit St Petersburg 3pts, Porto 3pts, Shakhtar Donetsk 1pt
Probably the least focused on group in the Champions League this season, because you haven’t really got a highly recognised team in there. Such is the case of the group being pretty even so far, and no-body really looking a favourite. Group leaders APOEL from Cyprus head to Portugal this week to face FC Porto. APOEL have secured one win and a draw from their opening two matches, beating Zenit and the securing a decent 1-1 away draw against Shakhtar Donetsk. Even a point would at Porto would keep them ticking along nicely, but the home side should raise the pressure a bit. Porto, last season’s Europa League winners under Andre Villas Boas, beat Shakhtar Donetsk in their opening fixture, before crashing heavily out in Russia against Zenit, going down 3-1. On home soil you would expect Porto, who are a pretty decent team to prevail against the Cypriots, but the visitors look as if they can make life difficult enough to grab a draw on a good night. A win for APOEL though would be huge, putting four points between themselves and Porto. Shakhtar Donetsk v Zenit St Petersburg is an interesting clash, with Shakhtar looking a bit weaker than many would have though, only picking up a point so far. They are bottom of the group at the moment and need a response to get themselves back into the thick of thing. Ukranians Zent are on  three points and could really leave Shakhtar floundering with a win over them. Zenit lost away in Cyprus though, before redeeming themselves at home against Porto. There should not be too much between these two, and picking a winner from this group at the moment is a tough call. Do expect to see Porto coming on strong in their Match Day three fixture, and a draw is looking likely between the other two.
FC Porto 1/3, Draw 4/1, APOEL 17/2 at Bet365
Shakhtar Donetsk 11/10, Draw 23/10, Zenit St Petersburg 5/2 at Boylesports

Group H
Standings: Barcelona 4pts, AC Milan 4pts, BATE 1pt, Plzen 1pt
All that this group is going to come down to, is who finishes top between Barcelona and AC Milan. Both teams are on four points, thanks to their Match Day One draw at Nou Camp. Both followed up that 2-2 parity with a win on Match Day Two. Barcelona are back at home and welcome Plzen from the Czech Republic. Plzen drew 1-1 with BATE in their first match, before losing 2-0 at the San Siro against AC Milan. Barcelona will be expected to keep on winning, and keep on racking up the goals (seven already in two games), and the decider will come later in the group when they meet AC Milan again. Should not be ably problems for Barcelona against the Czechs. Same thing for AC Milan really, who are also at home, as they face BATE Borisov from Belarus. Following that 1-1 draw with Plzen, BATE were thumped 5-0 at home by Barcelona in their second match. That Match Day One draw against Barcelona was perhaps the most surprising result of the group so far, because Milan have started their domestic season poorly, and need a lot of building there with just two wins in the season. However, they held on for a point at the Nou Camp and then backed it up with a home win over Plzen. Now it will be their turn to try and rack up a few goals against BATE, and they shouldn’t have too many problems at home in picking up all three points. Both Plzen and BATE both shot themselves in the foot when they drew 1-1 on Match Day One, that was the biggest opportunity for one of them to pick up three points. They too will have to wait until they meet again, because a win for either elsewhere, doesn’t look likely.
AC Milan 1/6, Draw 6/1, BATE 18/1 at Bet365
Barcelona 1/16, Draw 9/1, Plzen 25/1 at SkyBet

Champions League Outright Winner Odds: Barcelona 15/8, Real Madrid 4.1, Man Utd 7/1, Bayern Munich 8/1, Chelsea 11/1, Man City 14/1, AC Milan 25/1, Inter Milan 28/1, Arsenal 33/1 at Bet365

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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.

2010 has nearly finished and I hope it’s been a great punting year for everyone. It’s now time to start looking ahead to 2011 and seeing where we can make some money, especially on some of the antepost markets where some value prices are available.

1)    Barcelona to win the Champions League

Many people don’t like to back favourites on antepost markets. If you’re going to lay out a decent amount of money for several months, people argue that they should at least have a big potential return if their selection wins.

Nevertheless, it is hard to ignore the 5/2 with Stan James that Barcelona win the Champions League this season. They recently proved to be head and shoulders above arch-rivals Real Madrid and the Spanish champions were recently described by Arsene Wenger as ‘super favourites’ to win the tournament.

The addition of David Villa to the squad makes them outstanding in attack, with Javier Mascherano also being added to provide cover if Sergio Busquets or Xavi get injured. With so many talented youngsters coming through and Lionel Messi the best player in the world, it looks like a great way of more than doubling your money.

Real Madrid are next in the betting at 4/1 (Boylesports), with Chelsea out to 5/1 (bet365) and Manchester United at 8/1 (bet365). However, it must be said that the English teams all have major faults this season.

2)    Back Lee Westwood to win every major tournament

Lee Westwood has never won a golfing major, although this is set to change in 2011. The player recently became the world number one and that is because he’s quite simply the most talented golfer on the planet right now.

The Englishman has been knocking on the door to win a major tournament for the past couple of seasons and is currently on offer at 14/1 (Paddy Power) to win the 2011 Open, 14/1 (bet365) to win the US Masters and 16/1 (Betfred) to win the US Open.

Colin Montgomerie recently commented that it was likely that Westwood would lift at least one major next year and it’s amazing to see him available at such a bigger price than Tiger Woods.

3)    Arsenal to win the Premier League

This is being written ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Old Trafford, although I am pretty confident that the Gunners have what it takes to beat Chelsea and Manchester United to the title. Arsene Wenger’s team are currently available at 4/1 (Ladbrokes) and this is surely an each-way bet to nothing considering that the north London side have so many form players at the moment.

Their lofty position at the top of the Premier League has been achieved despite injuries to Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott, not to mention defensive problems considering that Thomas Vermaelen is injured.

Lyon v Real Madrid is yet another revenge match on the cards following last season’s Champions League. French side Lyon, who have a great record against the mighty Spaniards in the competition, again threw a spanner in the works of the Galacticos, as they knocked Madrid out of the last sixteen. Now fate has brought the two sides back together again, and Lyon will be looking for a repeat of the 1-0 home success which they gained over Madrid at this stage last season at the Stade de Gerland. It was a firecracker of a goal from Jean Makoun, which gave Lyon the upper hand then, and with the French side earning a draw back in Spain, Madrid once more faltered. Lyon have a great pedigree in the Champions League, and they always prove to be a difficult side to play against. What they do so very well is play efficient and economical football, built around a very tight formation in which defensive duties are rarely overlooked. Now Lyon have the tough task of knockout out Real Madrid again, and they know the Spaniards will be coming at them with a bit of revenge in mind. Lyon went to the semi finals last year, and they will look to their great home record against Madrid, having won all three matches against the Spaniards at home in France, to get a head start again. Lyon are on a great run of form at home in the Champions League, with seven wins and just one defeat in eleven matches there (the loss coming against Bayern in last year’s semi final). Lyon’s home record is W4 D2 L2 when facing Spanish opposition in European competition. Lyon will go without striker Lisandro, as last year’s Player of the Year in Ligue 1 misses out through injury.

Real Madrid are a bit of a different prospect this time around though, simply because they have Jose Mourinho at the helm. Mourinho led Inter to Champions League success last year, and immediately Madrid were installed as one of the favourites with the online bookmakers, to go all the way and lift the trophy. They looked more than comfortable in their group stage, winning five out of six matches, and picking up a draw in the other match. What was impressive through, was their goal scoring form, hitting fifteen goals in their six matches and conceding just two. This is what Jose Mourinho brings to the table, defence. It was what Inter’s success was built on last year, as the Mourinho way has always been about keeping things tight, even if it as the expense of pretty football. However, at Madrid, he sort of has the best of both worlds, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo gunning for him. Madrid have more of a solid defensive output about them now, but they have the genuine world class match winners to go on and make the most of the hard work being done at the back and in the midfield. Madrid saw off Ajax and AC Milan in the group stage, not easy tasks, and they look to be full of momentum, even if they have slipped backwards in the race for the Spanish league title behind Barcelona. There is no doubt that Real Madrid are a much stronger side than they were last year, and that is all down to the Special One. He really does make such a huge difference to sides, and you wouldn’t back against them getting through to the quarter finals.

They will be happy enough to not lost away at Lyon again, and they will be better suited for a tight battle under Mourinho. A draw would probably suit them fine, but there is a sharper edge about them this year. Last year under Pellegrino, you felt that they were always trying to live up to their reputation, but now other teams are once again understanding that yawning level of respect which Madrid commands under Mourinho. Can Madrid pull out a win in Lyon? Yes, they are better and stronger and should be able to nick a win. They’ll have to work hard for it though, and overcome some history. The last four occasions in which Madrid have been pitted against French sides in two-legged ties in Europe, they have failed to qualify on all four occasion. However, they did pick up a home and away win against Auxerre in the group stage this season, and Madrid’s match record in France is W4 D1 L6. There is of course history between these two sides, and is always worth looking at for your Champions League football betting. The ties have all followed the same pattern. Lyon have won all the home matches, and then held on for a draw back at the Bernabeau. It will be a second return to former club for Madrid striker Karim Benzema, who moved from Lyon back in 2009.

Madrid are strong favourites to pick up an away win, with a best price of 17/10 at Blue Square representing some decent value on Jose Mourinho’s men. The Draw is backed at 5/2 with Bet365, and the bookies aren’t expecting a repeat of Lyon’s heroics from last season, as they are fairly long at 7/2 with Bet365. Bet365 offer some coverage on your football betting, because they will refund any lost stakes placed pre match on Correct Score, Half Time/Full Time or Scorecast bets, if the match plays out to a 0-0 draw. Will the French hold their own again? There is a fantastic bonus waiting at Bet365 for new customers, who can get up to £100 in free bets when opening a new account with the highly recommended online bookmaker.

It wouldn’t be a Premier League season if it wasn’t for some drama surrounding Carlos Tevez. The Manchester City player handed in a transfer request, after a dismissing reports earlier in the season that he was unhappy at Eastlands. He has reportedly been homesick as his family live back in Argentina, and there are rumours that he wanted to leave the club in the summer, but was convinced to stay by boss Roberto Mancini. Well, either all of his words of confidence that he was happy at the club was a bit of diplomacy on the Argentineans part, or something untoward as happened. The reason Tevez wants away, is apparently because of personal issues he has with certain executives at the club, although who these people are remain a mystery. Now there could be one almighty stalemate at City, with the club insisting that they will not sell him, forcing the 26 year old to stay and fulfil his contract. Tevez, who moved to City from neighbours Manchester United, still have a good three and a half years on his contract, and there has been speculation that he will refuse to play for the club again. Club owner Sheikh Mansour is not willing to give up on the star player yet, wanting him to stay until the summer and help City in their quest for the Premier League title and European glory.

Tevez has been one of the most devastatingly in form players this season in the Premier League, and there would not be a shortage of clubs lining up to take him of Man City’s hands. In a transfer fee, he would certainly command a big sum, and no doubt the major Spanish clubs would be interested. In all likelihood though, if the rumours of his homesickness are true, then he could well head back to Argentina. There is a cloud over whether or not he will play again for Manchester City this season, and their next match is in the Europa League on Thursday against Juventus. City will miss him, as he has carried them all season in the goal scoring department, is their true creative outlet. The former West Ham and Manchester United player could just have upset Manchester City’s hopes for the season. Even if he stays, even if he plays, will it be the same genius that has lit up matches before, or will the transfer saga simply be a negative for the whole of the club. For the club captain to be causing such disruption, it is bound to have a negative impact somewhere down the line, if not simply missing him as the most important player on the team. There is always the evident friction between Tevez and Mancini too, highlighted when Tevez started rowing with the boss after being substituted against Bolton.

Tevez did show up for training on Tuesday with his team mates, but this probably is not too much of an indication as to whether he will play on Thursday or not. Boss Mancini was not at the training as he is in Italy, and so Tevez may not even get on the plane to face Juventus. The two parties are apparently going to meet across the table on Friday, with Mancini probably doing all he can to smooth things over with the Argentinean and trying to convince him to stay. If Tevez goes though, either in the January transfer window, or at the end of the season, where is his likely destination? Naturally topping the list would be Any South American Club which is a great offer at 7/4 from Victor Chandler. With the reports that Tevez is missing his daughters, a move back to the continent does make a lot of sense. Boca Juniors for 8/1 at Paddy Power and Corinthians for 11/1 at Paddy Power lead the South American charge. However, would the temptation of a move to Real Madrid (9/4 at BetFred) or Barcelona (13/2 at Victor Chandler – just imagine trying to defend against Tevez, Iniesta, Xavi, Villa and Messi in the same side) convince him to stay in Europe. Perhaps in a way it would be a little bit closer to home, and he would have genuine chances of major silverware.

What would tempt Tevez to stay in England though? Is there anything? He clearly wouldn’t go back across the divide to Old Trafford from whence he came, but what about Chelsea? He would be the perfect spark of inspiration that would breathe new life into them. BetFred have priced Chelsea at 8/1 to be Tevez’s next club. When would Tevez leave? To Leave During January Transfer Window is 6/4 at Stan James, while Not To Leave During January Transfer Window is 1/2 at Stan James. What of the rest of the season at Manchester City if he really is going to be forced to stay. Will he play again? You can take odds of 4/11 at SkyBet for Tevez to play for Man City again this season, and 2/1 at SkyBet for him not play.