...These Are the Champions

up to date prices, celtic have been pushed out which is great news if you were going to back them anyway and don’t think that barcelona’s win over zaragoza really changes their situation. Lyon have also been pushed out after losing at Le Mans, and United are shorter after the result against Arsenal. Same story with Inter - they’re shorter and Liverpool are longer. the draw in the liverpool game is also a shade longer than it was at the weekend which seems an over-reaction of sorts

best prices from oddschecker

19:45 Schalke (2.2) Draw (3.25) Porto (3.75)
19:45 Olmpiakos (4.2) Draw (3.3) Chelsea (2)
19:45 Liverpool (2.63) Draw (3.2) Inter (3)
19:45 Roma (2.65) Draw (3.3) Real Madrid (2.9)
19:45 Celtic (4.8) Draw (3.3) Barcelona (1.91)
19:45 Lyon (3.3) Draw (3.25) Manchester United (2.4)
19:45 Fenerbahce (2.75) Draw (3.2) Sevilla (2.7)
19:45 Arsenal (2.2) Draw (3.25) AC Milan (3.8)

Liverpool might be worth a flutter. They’ve reacted positively to really poor domestic form in 2 of the last 3 CL campaigns and I think beating Inter at home is achievable despite Inter running away with Serie A. I didn’t see Barca’s game on Saturday night but I heard they weren’t particularly impressive and Zaragoza could have won the game on another night. Other than that I’m not sure yet what combinations of the rest of the fixtures I’ll be having an interest in.

Aye Zaragoza missed a pen while 1 down, eventually equalised, and then Barcelona got a pen for a non-existent handball in the 83rd minute. The win will probably give them a certain amount of momentum/confidence, and no doubt some people will see Ronaldinho scoring a pen as some kind of omen, but none of that should shake Celtic.

Madrid and Roma the outright value, you could back both of them knowing whoever qualifies will give anyone a good run for their money in the QF

Barcelona 5.8 (366) 5.9 (402)
Man Utd 6.6 (4,243) 6.8 (5,157)
Chelsea 7.8 (526) 8.0 (3,353)
Inter Milan 8.6 (4,196) 9.0 (5,584)
Real Madrid 10.5 (3,887) 11.0 (2,840)
Arsenal 13.0 (2,224) 13.5 (1,189)
AC Milan 14.5 (3,372) 15.0 (543)
Sevilla 18.5 (48) 19.5 (260)
Liverpool 19.0 (1,410) 19.5 (729)
Lyon 42.0 (854) 44.0 (195)
Roma 38.0 (1,480) 40.0 (70)
Porto 46.0 (1,837) 48.0 (135)
Olympiacos 130.0 (401) 140.0 (4)
Schalke 90.0 (80) 95.0 (149)
Fenerbahce 150.0 (33) 160.0 (71)
Celtic 170.0 (6) 210.0 (54)

Lots of good value on offer today in the cahampions league.

Schalke are outstanding value to beat Porto today at 5-4 at home.
Schalke are good at home and Porto are usually slightly brittle when they travel, I think.

Roma are also good value to beat Real tonight @6-4. Though not brilliant of late, they are good at home, Real have a few injured and 6-4 is a good price for a team who’ve won 8 of 11 at home this year. The only worry is that there may be a gulf in class between top of the Spanish and anyone who aren’t Inter in Italy.

Which leads me to the 6-4 about Liverpool beating Inter. I think I might have a nip. Liverpool thrive on these type of games and should be super fired up. The masters of a dull game against a superior side, it’s against teams they should easily beat that they struggle. It’ll be tight and not a great spectacle but I think there’s value in the chance of Liverpool nicking a goal and shutting up shop.
I also think the 5-4 Paddy are offering on the first booking is nice. I imagine a fired up scouser(Stevie G, maybe) with a tough challenge to mark the evening leading to an overreaction from an Inter player that leads to an early booking and a reaction from the kop.

Liverpool v Inter Milan
19th of February 2008 7:45pm
Win-Draw-Win
Liverpool @ 6 - 4
Schalke 04 v Porto
19th of February 2008 7:45pm
Win-Draw-Win
Schalke 04 @ 5 - 4
Hereford v Wrexham
19th of February 2008 7:45pm
Win-Draw-Win
Hereford @ 8 - 13

This bet comes in at 8-1. Liverpool is my only real worry, but I think there’s value there. Anyone else with plans?

I don’t see any tremendous value in the Champions League. A mate was making the case for 7/4 Liverpool to me at lunchtime but I’m just not convinced. I’d be thinking the opposite on Roma. They are clearly a decent side, but I think Madrid will qualify here, and will get a score draw tonight, so I might lay Roma.

Can anyone tell me the odds on:

a) Celtic v Barcelona (10/3 I think)
:frowning: Celtic to progress to last 8 (not sure of this one but heard it’s only 3/1)

Schalke are supervalue sledge. I know what you mean about Roma, I didn’t get on them. Celtic are defo 10-3 with paddy to win the morrow. They don’t have to qualify odds that I can see.

I don’t think Schalke will win.

Any particulars on why?

Celtic are 6.6 to qualify on betfair, bigger than 11/2, which I think is massive value. Barcelona have the better squad and should qualify, but the prices look ludicrous to me, there’s no way Barcelona should be a 1/6 shot.

Celtic are 5.0 (4/1) to win the match tomorrow night. Again, it’s huge value about a team who are virtually unbeatable at home in Europe.

[quote=“Sledgehammer”]Celtic are 6.6 to qualify on betfair, bigger than 11/2, which I think is massive value. Barcelona have the better squad and should qualify, but the prices look ludicrous to me, there’s no way Barcelona should be a 1/6 shot.

Celtic are 5.0 (4/1) to win the match tomorrow night. Again, it’s huge value about a team who are virtually unbeatable at home in Europe.[/quote]

celtic -1 for the DonkeyTail.

Celtic -1 are an unbelievable 10-1. Celtic with the draw no bet are 9-4, now there’s a price.

Have had a sneaky tenner on Liverpool, Chelsea and Roma at a combined 11/1.

Twas nothing other than a hunch. Schalke are notorious bottlers and I watched their match on Friday night against Wolfsburg where they were hugely unimpressive. Haven’t seen Porto really though so it was more just a reflection on the fact that Schalke aren’t up to much at all.

Of course Schalke look like they’ll win it now - just pointing out why I didn’t think they would.

[quote=“Sledgehammer”]Celtic are 6.6 to qualify on betfair, bigger than 11/2, which I think is massive value. Barcelona have the better squad and should qualify, but the prices look ludicrous to me, there’s no way Barcelona should be a 1/6 shot.

Celtic are 5.0 (4/1) to win the match tomorrow night. Again, it’s huge value about a team who are virtually unbeatable at home in Europe.[/quote]

Massive prices and they’re getting bigger. Current betfair markets are:

Celtic to win tomorrow 5.1

Celtic to qualify 7.2

Having had a lovely evening on the predictions front last night, I feel like I should press on with some more selections today. We all feel Celtic are good value at 10-3 to win so I’m taking that and doubling it with the Arse for an 8-1 double.

I also think Fenerbache have a decent chance of overhauling the Sevilians @7-4

[quote=“Juhniallio”]Having had a lovely evening on the predictions front last night, I feel like I should press on with some more selections today. We all feel Celtic are good value at 10-3 to win so I’m taking that and doubling it with the Arse for an 8-1 double.

I also think Fenerbache have a decent chance of overhauling the Sevilians @7-4[/quote]

Fecking Paddy Power is down and like all good gamblers I can’t remember if I put any bets on for tonight yesterday.

I think Celtic are decent value on their own so won’t be doubling them but I’ll do some others anyway in a separate punt.

Backed Celtic on their own at 10/3 and Celtic-1 at 11/1.

Also did an outside chance of:

Arsenal v AC Milan
20th of February 2008 7:45pm
Win-Draw-Win
AC Milan @ 5 - 2

Celtic v Barcelona
20th of February 2008 7:45pm
Win-Draw-Win
Celtic @ 10 - 3

Lyon v Man Utd
20th of February 2008 7:45pm
Win-Draw-Win
Man Utd @ 5 - 4