Champions League Semi-finals

01/05/2008 Betting Update-At last!!!  Some winning bets.  The tips to back Chelsea & Man Utd to reach the final paid off(with a little bit of luck).  After two weeks of losers in the Premiership it’s good to get some winning tips in.  With Chelsea to qualify at 1.88 and United to qualify at odds of 1.6 on Betfair, it wasn’t fantastic value, but hopefully it has landed some of you some profit.  Betting on the two in a double at 3.15 to be the finalists was the more value bet and another winner!!

Liverpool v Chelsea

Liverpool play Chelsea for the fourth successive season in the Champions League tonight and with Torres describing tonight’s match as a potential ‘bore’, it may not be a coincidence that the BBC are showing ‘Waking the Dead’ at 9pm tonight.  So who will win?   Well it’s a very tight one to call, with both teams familiar with each other’s style of play and both managers under some sort of pressure.  Benitez seems to have the edge over Grant tactically and the records show that the Champions League is becoming his specialist subject.  Alot has been said about Grant not winning the ‘big games’ but he proved alot of critics wrong by beating Arsenal in the league.

Betting tip: Liverpool had that little bit of extra luck against Arsenal in the quarter finals and are always a different class in Europe, but something tells me that over two legs Chelsea can make it through to the final.  No doubt a ’special’ effort will be made after Roman reminds everyone that the final is in Russia.  Back Chelsea to go through to the final: 1.88 on Betfair.

Barcelona v Man Utd

Many neutrals have said this is the game that draws their attention, both teams unbeaten in the Champions League and a delight to watch when firing on all cylinders.   Although I’m not too sure whether Ferguson will allow for such an open game as expected.  I will be surprised if Hargreaves doesn’t start the match (if fit), he’ll be important to cut out and break up any Barca attacks.  Ferguson for me is more tactically astute than Rijkaard and this gives the edge to Man Utd, Barca have been pretty poor this season in the league but they have put in some good performances in the Champions League.

Betting tip: Go for Man Utd to get to the finals(1.6 on Betfair).  Also put a bet to nominate the finalists: Chelsea and Man Utd at 3.15.