Tuesday Night's Champions League Matches
By Betting Zone March 4 2008
Emmanuel Adebayor's injury-time howler at The Emirates could come back to haunt Arsenal when they travel to the San Siro on Tuesday night. Had the striker kept his close-range header down - the simplest of tasks it seemed - the Gunners would be heading to Milan with a precious 1-0 lead.
Emmanuel Adebayor's injury-time howler at The Emirates could come back to haunt Arsenal when they travel to the San Siro on Tuesday night. Had the striker kept his close-range header down - the simplest of tasks it seemed - the Gunners would be heading to Milan with a precious 1-0 lead.
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But although the clean sheet is still useful to have in the bank, it may prove inadequate against a side which boasts an absolutely fantastic record in this competition. AC Milan are the holders, should also have beaten Liverpool in the 2005 final and have reached the last eight for the last four seasons. They seem to take particular delight in feasting on English opposition and when they ruthlessly brushed aside Manchester United in last season's semi-final second leg following a 3-2 loss at Old Trafford it extended their record against English sides in the San Siro to seven wins, four draws and not a single defeat. Much like Liverpool, the current Milan side have become also-rans in their domestic league but put them on the European stage and they come alive. They're currently dawdling along in fifth place in Serie A - a massive 18pts behind Inter - but they topped their Champions League group by four points and reminded us at The Emirates why they're such formidable opponents in this competition even though not firing on all cylinders. While Arsenal have a number of get-out clauses - a scoring draw, a 0-0 followed by shootout success - the equation for Milan is simple. They need a win. The bookies price it up as an 11/10 shot and that to me looks good business. Arsenal won one, drew one and lost one in their three away games in the group phase and while Adebayor runs amok against Premier League sides, incredibly he's yet to score a Champions League goal in the tournament proper. The Gunners are without a win in four games so aren't at their best right now and with several key men absent they have an uphill task. Take the hosts to send the Gunners packing. Carlos Tevez's late equaliser in Lyon makes Manchester United hot favourites to progress against the French side. But I'd be very wary about backing Sir Alex Ferguson's men at 2/5. Lyon won 3-0 at Rangers and 2-0 at Stuttgart in the group phase and no-one can better their tally of away wins and away goals in the French top flight. Fergie can't hide his admiration for Karim Benzema and it's not hard to see why. The striker scored the opener in the first leg and also scored a brace at Ibrox and the clincher in Stuttgart. Despite the comparisons with Zinedine Zidane - both are Algerian-born French internationals - it's Brazil striker Ronaldo who Benzema regards as his true hero. And as a dedicated student of the game - his teammates rib him about all the matches he studies on video - Benzema will be more than aware that Ronaldo once scored a Champions League hat-trick at Old Trafford and had the United fans on their feet applauding. Big players produce big performances at the 'Theatre of Dreams' (think Kaka last season) so Benzema will really want to turn on the style. It's asking a lot for Lyon to win the tie and progress but they do have goals in them and the 4/1 about Benzema finding the net is worth a play. When asked if Celtic could still go through having lost the first leg 3-2 at Parkhead, Gordon Strachan said he wouldn't put his mortgage on it. A strange answer given that wagering mortgages is only usually mentioned when there's an extremely strong chance of something happening. That certainly can't be applied to Celtic who are rated 20/1 to qualify for the last eight. It looks a hopeless task and, in all truth, probably is one but Bhoys backers may have something to cheer in the Nou Camp. Barca conceded twice in the first leg and also shipped four goals against Atletico Madrid at the weekend and defensively they look very iffy at the moment. Celtic have to score at least twice to progress so will commit men forward but that, of course, could prove suicidal against a team blessed with such attacking prowess. Barca have both scored and conceded in each of their last six games so the odds-against about both teams finding the net looks worth a go. The twinkling toes of Lionel Messi left Celtic dazzled in the first meeting and I can't stop myself backing him at 6/5 to add to his first leg double.
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