Champions League Betting: Bordeaux v Olympiacos
Olympiacos have the toughest task of all in the Champions League this week after losing 1-0 at home in the first leg and they’re unlikely to pull it off against the Ligue1 table-toppers, says Richard Aikman. “However, a glance at Olympiacos’s away form makes for grim reading. Božidar Bandovi?’s men failed to register a single win on the road in a group containing Arsenal, AZ Akmaar and Standard Liege.” Although only a goal separates these two sides from the first leg in Piraeus, the fact that Bordeaux scored it has left the Greeks with Mount Olympus -sized uphill climb. Olympiacos gave a good account of themselves in the first leg forcing goalkeeper Cédric Carrasso into a series of saves from Ieroklis Stoltidis and Lomana LuaLua, twice, as well as Benoît Trémoulinas into a goal-line clearance from Benoît Trémoulinas late on, but Michaël Ciani’s header on the stroke of half-time has effectively killed off this tie. If that appears a bold statement then you only have to look at Les Girondins’ form in this competition. The Ligue 1 side have won six out of their last seven Champions League matches, winning all three of their home matches against Juventus, Bayern Munich and Maccabi Haifa, and they boast the best defensive record in the competition, conceding just two goals in seven matches. In fact not only is the 1.56 about Bordeaux beating their Greek opponents worth snapping up but so is the 28.0 about the French side going all the way. In this sort of form they’re capable of mixing it with the best sides in Europe and at worst a few points will be shaved off that price if they get a decent draw or have a good first leg
