With the Champions League about to take over couch life’s for the next two nights at least, we thought it best to highlight a few punts which we consider ‘fun to watch’. The ones where you don’t have to necessarily worry about losing a lot but could instead not only watch the game with excitement throughout but also win a nice amount for your pennies. This can range from First Goalscorer, Anytime Scorer, Correct Scores and even Team Goals. All of which we’ve found entertaining bets during live TV encounters.
I’m sure you’re all well aware of which games are on TV this week… All of them, but for Terrestrial viewers, the highly anticipated Arsenal V Barcelona clash will be shown for your viewing pleasure on ITV1. A game you simply have to have small squirt on!
Lyon V Bordeaux
The first ever all French encounter in the Champions League sees the former French powerhouses Lyon (2.20 Boylesports) wrestle for European supremacy with the side who destroyed their seven year stranglehold over the French leagues in Bordeaux (3.80 Bodog).
First of all, we don’t think this tie in particular has the makings of a classic, but even so, you just never know what’s around the corner in the unpredictable sport of football. Should there be a few goals on Tuesday night, which looks a big ask to me, then there are several stand out candidates.
For Lyon; Lisandro Lopez looks the more likely of scorers considering he flies the flags on his lonesome most of the time up front, while he’s a proven goalscorer. However, it’s actually a little Bosnian which leads the way for Lyon in terms of goals scorer as Miralem Pjanic‘s four goal haul in the competition thus far makes him joint-second in the goalscoring chart, three behind Ronaldo whom is no longer involved after Pjanic scored the goal that knocked the Galacticos out in the last round at the Bernabeu in a 1-1 draw.
For Bordeaux; The obvious selection will be Marouane Chamakh whom has only really been made famous back home in England but the constant speculation linking him with Arsenal. However, back in France he’s been claiming all the limelight and the majority of the plaudits for Bordeaux. He only has 3 goals in this seasons competition but only has a slim tally of 9 back home as well, which does beg the question, ‘Are there others of more value?’. Well, there certainly is and we quite like the look of Gourcuff to score on the night as not only does he have a lethal shot on him but he takes all of their set-pieces, while Brazilian Wendel is a danger on those Bordeaux counters.
FGS: Lisandro Lopez (Lyon) @ 6.50 SkyBet, Marouane Chamakh @ 8.00 SkyBet
Anytime Scorer: Miralem Pjanic @ 6.00 SkyBet, Yoann Gourcuff @ 5.00 PaddyPower
Correct Score: 1-0 to Lyon @ 7.00 totesport
Bayern Munich V Manchester United
Memories of that famous night in Barcelona in 1999 will instantly flood back if you’re a fan of either Bayern Munich (3.20 Bodog) or Manchester United (2.40 PaddyPower), while there’s no need to panic as I’m sure both ITV and Sky will show countless of replays of that incredible night during their broadcasts of the games. However, it is easy to forget that the final was over a decade ago and since then these two teams have gone in completely opposite directions, with United now regularly challenging for both European and domestic honours, while Bayern are struggling to keep the German pretenders at bay. Perhaps you could say the tables have turned and that Bayern now enter this tie as the underdogs much like Man Utd were back in 1999.
Everyone, and that does include us, is hoping for a rip-roaring affair at the Allianz Arena, although we will dampen your spirits by saying we don’t think that will materialize. While every side aims to take a vital and often pivotal away goal back home with them, we feel Alex Ferguson will be more content with keeping this first leg to a restricted scoreline and that a low scoring affair, possibly even a draw, would massively favour his team going into the second leg back at Old Trafford. The pressure will now be on the Germans to bring it to United, who just might opt to sit back and see what Bayern have to offer in the opening exchanges, which could be very little judging by some of their recent displays, while the fact Arjen Robben is a doubt decreases their credentials further. Nevertheless, write any German side off at your peril.
Goalscoring wise, Franck Ribery looks a decent outsiderish bet to breach Van Der Sar’s goal, while Miroslav Klose, a proper, old-fashioned centre forward looks the pick of the bunch. We’re unsure as to whether or not Mario Gomez, considered a big flop in Germany since his big summer move from VFB Stuttgart, will line up alongside Klose or whether Ivica Olic, whom works his socks off in every single match for Bayern and you’ll see exactly what I mean if the Croatian born star starts tonight.
It goes without saying that 32 goal man Wayne Rooney is the obvious FGS selection. A striker which Bayern Munich, Franck Ribery in particular, is a striker carrying this United team, and while we don’t like German mockery, we wouldn’t exactly disagree too much with those comments. Granted, the rest of the United team does work hard for the cause and they all do their roles well, but Rooney has been and will be for some time the class above player in that squad and without him, you would seriously reconsider Manchester United’s chances in any European contest. He is a minor scare as he does have an injury but he did travel with the rest of the squad and should start from the off. Someone with a touch more value though could be Ryan Giggs or even Paul Scholes, both of which never shy away from the big occasions, with Paul Scholes in particular partial to scoring in the glamour games.
FGS: Miroslav Klose @ 9.00 SkyBet, Wayne Rooney @ 5.00 Bet365
Anytime Scorer: Franck Ribery @ 5.00 ExtraBet, Paul Scholes @ 8.00 PaddyPower
Correct Score: 1-1 @ 7.00 BlueSquare
We will give our views on Wednesday’s encounters later…. Until then, Good Luck with your Tuesday punts!
