Soccer betting tips and predictions

Barcelona – Real Madrid 3 May 2011

*matches in all competitions

Barcelona last 5 matches:

Barcelona last 3 away matches:

Real Madrid last 5 matches:

Real Madrid last 3 away matches:

Decisive leg in this Champions League semi-final as Barcelona grabbed a 2-0 aggregate lead in the first clash over rivals Real Madrid.

Barcelona clear favorite to qualify in the Champions League final along with Manchester United after the first matches results last week.

The Catalans lost their weekend game away to Real Sociedad but with a total of 88 points they are already champions of the Primera division.

Real Madrid starts off with a major handicap especially as they travel to the most hostile of places with a very poor morale.

They lost as well in the weekend match, this time on home pitch 2-3 against Real Zaragoza and will have to satisfy for the second spot in the domestic league and the Copa Del Rey trophy.

My pick:  Barcelona to win ( under 2.5 goals )

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Both Man Utd and Barcelona won the away legs of their Champions League Semi Finals by two goals and as a result a Man Utd v Barcelona Champions League Final at Wembley seems almost certain, the bookies are laying just 1/20 that they are the two sides to meet in the final.

Barcelona are still the hot favourites to win the Champions League, they have been all season, and they can now be backed at just 1/2 to win the competition this season. They still have the second leg of their tie against Real Madrid to come and they could be looking at another big victory, the league game between the two sides this season at Nou Camp ended 5-0 and with both Pepe and Sergio Ramos suspended for the second leg Barcelona are expected to win the game comfortably. Barcelona are around 4/6 to win the game which looks more than fair whilst it is unlikely that Barcelona will take their foot off the gas if they go a couple of goals up, they will want to make a point against their rivals and the best bets in the game could be 4-0 at 28/1 and 5-0 at 70/1.

Man Utd should have little trouble in overcoming Schalke in the other Semi Final second leg, they won 2-0 in Germany but in truth it could have been at least 6-0. Man Utd can be backed at 15/8 to win the Champions League this season at Wembley and are just 1/2 to win the return leg against Schalke. Those odds seem pretty fair although Sir Alex Ferguson will o doubt take the opportunity to rest a few players, that means that the most likely scorelines are much smaller than in the other semi final, 1-0 to Man Utd and 2-0 to Man Utd look the best bets at 6/1.

Presuming the Champions League Final at Wembley is between Barcelona and Man Utd the game is unlikely to be as one sided as many would suggest. Sir Alex Ferguson will have learnt from their meeting in the final two years ago. The game could well end up in a draw, 1-1 would make plenty of appeal, whilst if Barcelona are going to win the match then 2-1 would seem a good bet. You can be sure that it will be a great final though.

Valuechecker.co.uk’s Champions League page lists the latest odds for the upcoming matches.

Schalke – Manchester United 26 April 2011

*matches in all competitions

Schalke last 5 matches:

Schalke last 3 away matches:

Manchester last 5 matches:

Manchester last 3 away matches:

Semi-Finals in the Champions League with the first one to begin on Tuesday as the surprising Schalke 04 will welcome Manchester United.

Although they have had a very though season in the Bundesliga, Schalke’s run in the Champions League is to be admired as the German side managed to eliminate Valencia and especially last year’s champions Inter in the Knock out stages.

They will have a though match on their hand against one of the teams favorite to win the trophy but Schalke has been showing a different side in this competition when compared to the domestic league and with a home match it’s a great opportunity for them to prove that their run was more than luck.

Manchester United apparently with the easiest opponent that they could have gotten in this stage as in the other semi-final Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona go head to head.

They top the Premier League with another champions title to their name this season but with some problems lately, especially in away matches.

My pick:  Draw ( under 2.5 goals )

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The Champions League Odds have Barcelona and Man Utd favourites to win their respective Semi Finals and to meet at Wembley in May, that would be a repeat of the 2009 Champions League Final which Barcelona won 2-0 thanks to goals from Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi.

Anyone looking to back this final to take place can only get odds on for a repeat of two years ago, a Barcelona v Man Utd Final is 20/21 with most bookmakers at the moment. If there is a slight upset in the Semi Finals it is likely to lead to a final between Man Utd and Real Madrid, that final is rated at 11/4 whilst Schalke v Barcelona is 9/2 and the least likely Champions League Final of all is Real Madrid v Schalke at 10/1 at the moment.

Barcelona are hot favourites for their third Champions League win in six years, in the last five years they have won it twice, been eliminated by the winners twice and been eliminated by the runners up once which shows just how good their recent record is, those looking to back them to regain the Champions League this season will get pretty short odds of 11/10 but it has to be said those odds are pretty fair and if anything a little on the generous side.

Man Utd are next best in the Champions League outright odds and they have the more favourable Semi Final draw against Schalke. They are strongly expected to reach the final and in a one off game at Wembley they may have a pretty decent chance of beating Barcelona and winning their second Champions League in four years, Man Utd are 5/2 to win the Champions League this season.

The only other side with a realistic chance of winning the Champions League this season is Real Madrid, who can be backed at 10/3 with most bookies ahead of the Semi Final First Legs. The problem for Real Madrid backers is that they not only have to overcome Barcelona over two legs but then have to beat Man Utd at Wembley. With even less of a chance than Real Madrid is Schalke, who have been the surprise package in the Champions League this season but they look to finally be on their way out, you can get 14/1 that Schalke win the Champions League this season.

Click here for the Latest Champions League Odds.

Schalke – Inter 13 April 2011

*matches in all competitions

Schalke last 5 matches:

Schalke last 3 away matches:

Inter last 5 matches:

Inter last 3 away matches:

After their surprising victory in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final, Schalke is favorite for qualifying against the trophy holders Inter.

Having got a 3 goal advantage in the superb 2-5 victory on Giuseppe Meazza, Schalke 04 is clearly favorite in getting trough to the next round of the UCL.

Great results lately for the team that not long ago was threaten by relegation, no less than 5 victories in the last 6 matches played in all competition making Schalke rise to the 9th spot of the Bundesliga and ready to produce yet another surprise in Europe.

Inter with little or no chances for this qualification as Schalke could close the game from the first minute and defend their advantage.

They managed to get a victory over Chievo last week in the Serie A but their game was far from good with both of their goals in the last part of the match.

My pick:  Draw ( under 2.5 goals )

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