Champions League Quarter Final Previews
The Champions League is now down to the last eight, and with half of the remaining teams from the Premier League, the quarter-finals have a distinctly English theme. Last season’s competition came close to producing the first ever all Premiership final, and that dream scenario could well happen in 2008.
Roma Must Seek Revenge Without Talismanic Totti
The defining theme of Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final at the Stadio Olimpico, between Roma and Man Utd, is the 7-1 demolition that the Red Devils metered out to the Italians at the same stage of last year’s competition. The Giallorossi won the home leg 2-1, before being blown away at Old Trafford, in a record defeat. The sides also met in this year’s group stage, drawing in Rome, before United won 1-0 at the Theatre of Dreams, underlining their position as 1.426 favourites to progress this time around with PinnacleSports.com against Roma 3.150.
The Mancunians have been in emphatic form, scoring ten in their last four Premiership fixtures without conceding, half of those goals coming from Cristiano Ronaldo, who must be hot favourite for European footballer of the year. It should however, be remembered that Roma beat Real Madrid home and away in the previous round, but their chances are diminished by the likely absence of their talismanic captain, Francesco Totti, who injured his thigh in Saturday’s disappointing 1-1 draw at Cagliari.
PinnacleSports.com cannot split the sides on their Asian Handicap pricing the Premier League side as marginal favourites Man Utd 1.781 (0/scratch) with Roma 2.180 (0/scratch)* – a market priced to less than 102%.
All Premiership Clash First Instalment in Seven Day Trilogy
The all-Premiership Champions League quarter-final clash between Liverpool and Arsenal sets up an amazing treble bill of fixtures in seven days between the clubs. Game one sees the sides meet on Wednesday night at the Emirates Stadium in their first leg European tie, with the return leg a week later at Anfield; sandwiched between those games is an important Premiership fixture back in London. The Pool are no strangers to Champions League knock-out ties against fellow Premiership sides. Rafa Benitez conspired to knock out Chelsea in the 2005 and 2007 semi-finals, despite being under-dogs on both occasions, and PinnacleSports.com has them as marginal outsiders to progress to the last four 2.020 with Arsenal 1.909*.
Losing 2-0 at half time in Saturday’s game away to Bolton, the Gunners were facing a record six Premier League games without a win, until an amazing three goal turn around. That Houdini-act will have given the club a boost, but it will be a concern for manager, Arsene Wenger, that they dug themselves such a big hole at struggling Bolton. Liverpool by comparison looked comfortable winning the Mersey Derby, with Fernando Torres, the match-winner. Punters shouldn’t read too much into the fact that the Scousers trail Arsenal by eight points in the league, as they are recognised European specialists, reaching the final in two of the previous three competitions.
For the first instalment of the trilogy PinnacleSports.com price Arsenal slight favourites 1.962 (0/scratch & -0.5) with Liverpool 1.962 (0/scratch & +0.5)*.
* Odds subject to fluctation so check out the latest Champions League prices across the top online sportsbooks here at BookieLabRat.com
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Add comment March 31st, 2008
