Midweek Multiples – UEFA Champions League

Champions League Tips

 

Our previous attempt at landing a Champions League treble went completely array, embarrassingly so in fact, with only one of our selections coming in. However, they were a tad optimistic, much like these one in fairness as neither AC Milan, Bayern Munich and Rangers are ‘sure things’. With this said, we recommend small stakes for anyone choosing to jump on board with our Treble.

Leg 1: AC Milan
Leg 2: Bayern Munich
Leg 3: Rangers

Bet Type: Treble
Odds: 10/1 VCbet

 

AC Milan have yet to win away from home this season, losing 2-0 away to Cesena and drawing 1-1 with Lazio in Serie A, while their 2-0 victory over French side Auxerre on Match Day 1 came back in Italy at the San Siro. On the other hand, Ajax have won all three of their home fixtures back home in the Dutch Eredivisie and have been scoring goals for fun. Preference, though, is for the Italians who are gradually beginning to take shape after a summer of transition, and in Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a former Ajax player of course, Milan have a player boasting goals and a team capable of winning at the Amsterdam Arena against an Ajax side still a million miles off the pace of Champions League football.

Ajax’s first assignment was to conjure a result at Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid against Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid. The game ended 2-0 to the home side but in reality it could and probably should have been five or six such was the dominance Real enjoyed. Ajax just couldn’t get to grips with the game nor their opponents, with Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenberg bailing them out of trouble on numerous occasions with some fine stops from the likes of Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain. You would expect the Dutch giants to feel more at home back in Amsterdam, while they also welcome back the prolific Luis Suarez from suspension, and it’s just as well the Uruguayan returns as there’s a vulnerability about the Ajax defence which leads us to believe that a team performance which lacks any cutting edge will be punished by an improving Milan side, one boasting a goal-laden Swede who I’m sure the fans will instantly recognise.

 

Bayern Munich‘s defence of their Bundesliga crown hasn’t gone to plan in the early stages, with their performances on the pitch simply not up to scratch and the results have reflected this. They were beaten by the perfect starting FSV Mainz on Saturday as the Bavarian’s season took yet another turn for the worse, while injuries to Ribery, Robben and Contento haven’t helped their cause. Even so, I just see this game with FC Basel in Switzerland being to their liking, with the hosts having to play on the front foot in search of three points they so desperately need to stay alive in the group following an opening defeat to Cluj. If Thomas Muller and Bastien Schweinsteiger can execute their passes on the night, and if Miroslav Klose and Ivica Olic are at their clinical best then Bayern could be surprised by the outcome, positively though.

 

Backing Rangers in a European encounter is never the smartest move, but Walter Smith’s men should be in high spirits and in buoyant mood ahead of their crunch encounter with Turkish champions Buraspor. On paper we have an enthralling contest between two teams with perfect records domestically, with Rangers having won all six of their opening SPL games and Buraspor beginning the defence of their Turkish title with a five consecutive three point hauls. However, the pair enjoyed contrasting nights in Europe a fortnight ago, with Rangers delighted with their point away in Manchester against Man Utd, defending resolutely for the full 90 minutes, but the same couldn’t be said for Buraspor, who opened their Champions League account with an emphatic defeat at home to Valencia, losing 4-0 in Bursa.

We are concerned with a lack of big names in the final third for Rangers, with Kenny Miller hardly the most mobile of sorts these days while I’ve never been much of a fan of Kyle Lafferty. However, Buraspor were so poor in their Champions League début that Rangers have to be confident about trying their luck with some open and expansive play, while surely they can’t fare any worse at home in Europe than they did last term, when losing all three of their home fixtures against VFB Stuttgart, Unirea Urziceni and Sevilla. The Glasgow club have made a bright start in all competitions so far, with even the club’s finances looking a lot brighter because of their Champions League commitments, so we’re banking on them making the very most of a tournament which has aided them significantly in balancing the books at Ibrox.

 

Other Multiples:

First Goalscorer (Lucky 15; 10P Stake – £1.50 Total): Zlatan Ibramhimovic (AC Milan), Michael Essien (Chelsea), Klaas Jan-Huntelaar (Schalke 04) & Ivica Olic (Bayern Munich) – Returns £764.90 with VCBet
Both Teams to Score (Goals Galore): Basel V Bayern Munich, Auxerre V Real Madrid, Schalke V Benfica & Tottenham Hotspur V FC Twente – 9/1 BetFred