Wednesday’s Champions League Preview
It’s the London clubs’ turn in Europe tonight with Arsenal and Chelsea both facing important fixtures in their Champions League campaigns. Arsenal face Borussia Dortmund at Emirates Stadium knowing a victory will ensure them a place in the Last 16 as group winners. Dortmund are starting to come into form themselves, having beaten Bayern Munich 1-0 at The Allianz Arena at the weekend, and go into the game needing a win to keep their hopes alive and set up an all or nothing final game against Marseille. Arsenal are in excellent form and will once again look to Robin van Persie to lead them and he is 7/2 to be the first goalscorer. Arsenal look good odds at 11/10 to win the game and Arsene Wenger will want to make sure they do in order to finish top of the group and avoid the likes of Barcelona in the Last 16. It will be a sign of how Arsenal’s youngsters have improved if they can secure that top spot.
Arsenal will look to Robin van Persie to fire them into the Last 16.
Chelsea travel to Leverkusen in dismal domestic form and face an old friend in Michael Ballack who will want to pile further pressure on Andre Vilas Boas and make Chelsea’s task of qualification tougher, with The Blues still to face tricky Valencia at home. The draw looks good value at 9/4 and is a result that would probably suit both sides going into the final set of games in Group E, with less than 2.5 goals to be scored 4/5 looking a good option for punters. Valencia host Racing Genk needing a win to keep the pressure on Chelsea and should get what they need comfortably against the Belgian minnows, the Spanish side to win by two goals is 3/1.
AC Milan host a clash of the giants against Barcelona at the San Siro and this game may prove less exciting than neutrals expected with both sides having qualified. It’s evens on there being less than 2.5 goals and punters should be biting the arm off the bookies for that price. Of course course Lionel Messi is also likely to find the net and is 3/1 to be first scorer. Milan were less than convincing in their previous European outing against Borisov and are 13/8 not to find the net tonight. BATE themselves face Victoria Plzen in what is effectively a play off for a Europa League place. The Belarussians are 5/4 and in a double with Barcelona yield a price of 3/1 which is good value on the double.
In Arsenal’s group Marseille will want to give themselves as much breathing space as possible over Dortmund and can do that at home against Olympiakos. Disappointing Shakhtar Donetsk host Porto in an important game in Ukraine with the draw looking a likely outcome at 12/5 while Zenit St Petersburg will look to secure their place in the knockout rounds with a win over surprise package APOEL Nicosia, who will probably face a nervy final night at home to Shakhtar in which they may need just a point to secure an unlikely passage to the Last 16.
SYS Predictions:
- Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Chelsea
- Valencia 2-0 Racing Genk
- Arsenal 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
- Marseille 2-0 Olympiakos
- Shakhtar Donetsk 2-2 Porto
- Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 APOEL Nicosia
- AC Milan 0-1 Barcelona
- BATE Borisov 2-1 Victoria Plzen
SYS Tip: Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen to draw at 9/4
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