Barcelona vs Chelsea
FreeWe have a fine spectacle ahead of us tonight at the Nou Camp! One of the highest scoring teams in Europe, Barcelona, entertains the rejuvenated Chelsea. The hosts have been playing some frankly sensational football, sweeping aside virtually any side in their path. Their goal ratio is frightening – it’s something like an average of 3-4 goals per game! However, that said, they face a familiar side in Chelsea tonight. These two sides have met twice in the knockout stages of the Champions League, each side having triumphed once. However, something to take note of is that both sides have scored each meeting between these two sides in this particular stage of the Champions League. The visitors are shaping up well for this encounter, unbeaten in seven games of all competitions. They’ve got arguably their best player back from injury – Michael Essien – and their lethal striker Didier Drogba is back amongst the goals, which is naturally a key factor.
However, there’s one other factor I wish to present and that is the gulf that is rapidly opening between the English Premier League and the Spanish Primera Liga. Before Chelsea overcame Liverpool in the Champions League Quarter Finals, an out-of-form Liverpool absolutely annihlated a Real Madrid side that had won nine games on the bounce. It was 1-0 to the visitors at the Santiago Bernabeu, and it was 4-0 at Anfield. I don’t mean to disrespect Liverpool, but they’re not good enough to merit those results and they were in poor form. Still, they’ve destroyed a very good side. In my personal opinion, this is solely due to the massive gulf between English and Spanish football that currently exists. What’s the relevance, you say? Well, Barcelona are another massive side in terrific form with terrific players but they’re playing a very well-organised Chelsea side with an exceptionally experienced manager. I seem to recall Barcelona facing Manchester United in the Champions League Semi-Final last season with all of these great players whilst in good form and failing to score against the English champions in either leg because English sides know how to stop Barcelona playing their football – men behind the ball, double-up on the wingers. Barcelona generally have a lot of the ball in each game but English sides prevent them from using it in the final third because they only have one style of playing football. That is the way I expect the game at Nou Camp tonight to go. In my head, it will be 1-1, perhaps even an away win. It’s important not to get overawed by the magnificent domestic form that Barcelona have displayed this season because they’re facing much better opposition defensively. The only person that can win this game for Barcelona is Lionel Messi, and I suspect Hiddink will have 2-3 men on him at all times – it tends to work most of the time, although even one of the world’s most gifted footballers can squirm through that trap on varying occasions. So yes, I’m going to call 1-1. I don’t view this as a fiery encounter with bookings, although you may see a dodgy penalty here or there. One thing I do expect to see is a Frank Lampard goal, as he almost always seems to score in Chelsea’s big games. In fact, I’ll put another bet toward you all; to lay Barcelona in this game.
Tuesday’s Picks
My tips:
One bet stands out for me today and that’s a 4-team accumulator containing Debrecen, Budapest Honved, Zalaegerszegi TE and IFK Goteborg – you should get 6/1 on this.
UEFA Champions League:
Barcelona vs Chelsea (6) 1-1, Lampard first goal
English League One:
Scunthorpe United vs Cheltenham Town (7)
Northampton Town vs Milton Keynes Dons (6)
Hungarian Soproni Liga:
Vasas Budapest vs Kecskemeti TE (6) 2-1
Zalaegerszegi TE vs Gyori ETO FC (7) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
Rakospalotai EAC vs Debrecen (9) 1-3
Kaposvari Rakoczi vs Szombathelyi Haladas (7) 1-0
Budapest Honved vs BFC Siofok (8) 2-0
Paksi SE vs Fehervar (6) 1-2
Norwegian Adeccoligaen:
Alta IF vs Kongsvinger IL (7)
Swedish Allsvenskan:
IFK Goteborg vs Orebro (8) 2-0
Enjoy your free betting tips!