Tag: "Stuttgart"

Champions League Betting: Bayern Munich v Manchester United

Dave Farrar just can’t see how Bayern can get past United, in fact things could get messy at the Allianz Arena “Unless Ribery can produce a vintage performance out of nowhere, then I just don’t see an area of the pitch in which Bayern have an advantage. Mario Gomez is out, and so Miroslav Klose will play alongside Ivica Olic up front, and that looks a little bit lightweight to me against a sometimes shaky, but generally powerful, United backline. “ The Champions League draw threw up two glorious looking ties which are both dripping with glamour and resonance, but whereas Arsenal against Barcelona looks a relatively even match, and at least a competitive pair of games, I can really see only one winner between Bayern and Manchester United . It’s been a strange few weeks in the Bundesliga, with none of the big teams taking advantage of chance after chance, slip-up after slip-up, by their rivals, and Bayern have been as guilty as anyone. Louis Van Gaal ’s team did well to beat the League leaders Schalke in the Cup, but they have lost their last two Bundesliga games, and the news that Arjen Robben could well miss out against United is a real hammer blow. Franck Ribery came on as a half-time substitute against Stuttgart at the weekend, but his injury ravaged season means that he doesn’t look as match sharp as he might, and without their two wingers fully fit and firing, Bayern are half the team that they might be. Unless Ribery can produce a vintage performance out of nowhere, then I just don’t see an area of the pitch in which Bayern have an advantage. Mario Gomez is out, and so Miroslav Klose will play alongside Ivica Olic up front, and that looks a little bit lightweight to me against a sometimes shaky, but generally powerful, United backline

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Champions League Quarter-Finals: Bad news, Arsenal – Zlatan’s found his form again

Ibrahimovic is back on the scoring trail for Barcelona and that’s ominous for Arsenal, says Ben Lyttleton “Much of the focus this week will be on how Arsenal stops Messi, but the danger is that they double up on the Argentine and allow crosses for Zlatan to take advantage.” Teams in Champions League action historically drop points on the weekend before big European games, often because they rest their most important players, and so it proved in the cases of Bayern Munich , Arsenal and Internazionale this week. Bordeaux also lost their French League Cup final to Marseille, after coach Laurent Blanc prioritised the European tie against Lyon

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Jonathan Wilson: Is the Bundesliga Europe’s most unpredictable league?

Given the excitement of recent seasons, it almost feels that the Bundesliga this season is anti-climactic, what with only three teams going for the title. Even the Premier League can manage that occasionally, writes Jonathan Wilson. “Bayern need a win against Stuttgart on Saturday 1.6 to prove that last week’s defeat was a blip, and not a sign of wider decline. They remain 1.55 favourites to lift the title.” Bayern Munich , rejuvenated under Louis van Gaal after their worst ever start, had seemed likely to surge away with the Bundesliga title, as they put together a run of 19 games unbeaten including nine straight wins. Arjen Robben has been outstanding, having finally returned to fitness, cutting in from the flank to score 10 league goals this season. He is another of the inside-out wingers – Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo being only the two highest profile; even somebody like the right-footed Steed Malbranque at Sunderland has benefited since a switch to the left in recent weeks – who seem such a feature of modern football.

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Champions League draw: Arsenal draw the short straw and face Barcelona

The reaction on Betfair to the Champions League and Europa League draws as English sides are handed tough draws. “Arsenal will feel like they drew the short straw in today’s draw when they found out they will face defending champions and 3.0 tournament favourites Barcelona.

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Bundesliga Betting: Robben to keep rocking Bundesliga defences

Kevin Hatchard is full of praise for the fleet-footed Arjen Robben and knows the talented Dutchman will have to keep performing if Bayern are to keep winning, starting with this weekend’s trip to Eintracht Frankfurt. “Robben’s influence is also being felt in the Bundesliga.

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Champions League Results: Marvellous Messi means Barcelona are just 3.0

Barcelona and Bordeaux are through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League after home wins with that man Lionel Messi on fire again… The history books say no-one has successfully defended their Champions League title but on the evidence of tonight’s performance, only the bravest of layers on Betfair are offering odds of 3.0 that Barcelona won’t be doing just that. Pep Guardiola’s side outclassed Stuttgart in all departments during tonight’s second leg and in hindsight the in-running 1.37 about a home win was a case of “buying money” as Barcelona cruised to a 4-0 win.

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Champions League Betting: Barcelona v Stuttgart

Stuttgart had their chances in the first leg to give themselves a real chance in this tie and having drawn 1-1, they have it all to do. Barcelona should go through and will probably win the match but don’t expect them to be up at half-time says Richard Aikman. “As they demonstrated against the European champions and in their match against Werder Bremen, Stuttgart are strong starters, with a general inability to hold on to a lead, while Barcelona have not scored in the first half in three of their last four matches.” Stuttgart gave an excellent performance to hold Barcelona to a 1-1 draw at the Mercedes-Benz Arena but the return in Catalonia promises to be a different proposition entirely for Christian Gross’ side , which is why they are rated 16.0 long shots in the match odds market. The Bundesliga outfit got off to a perfect start in the first leg, taking the lead through the impressive Cacau on 25 minutes, who headed in Timo Glebhart’s cross and threatened again before the break only to be denied by the feet of Victor Valdes. Timo Glebhart, Christian Träsch and Pavel Pogrebnyak also missed chances against a below-par Blaugrana outfit

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La Liga Preview: See the stars? Ignore them

Tobias Gourlay suspects that the stars are not a good form guide and looks beyond the Big Two to find the value in this weekend’s Spanish-football markets. Recommended Bets: Back Barcelona/Barcelona at 2.16 v Valencia; back Real Zaragoza +0&+0.5 at 2.0 v Racing Santander; back Sevilla at 1.72 to beat Deportivo La Coruna A 2-2 draw for Barcelona in Almeria and a 92nd-minute winner for Real Madrid allowed Los Blancos to finally close the gap to the reigning champions.

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Bundesliga Betting: Schalke can win this weekend but can they go all the way?

Wolfsburg won the Bundesliga last season when everyone wrote them off but can Schalke emulate them this year, asks Kevin Hatchard. Plus the best of this weekend’s betting. “If you are going to back Schalke to win the Bundesliga, back them now. If they come through the next few games unscathed, those odds could shorten considerably.

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Bundesliga Betting: Bayer to lose further ground

Bayer Leverkusen were held to a goalless draw last week and lost their spot at the top of the table. They may well struggle again this weekend, says Kevin Hatchett.

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