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The Champions League resumes on Tuesday with each of the quarter-finalists just four games away from the final in Athens. With five previous European Champions among the remaining teams, the cream has risen to the top, providing football purists with some mouth-watering clashes. The margins of victory are likely to be slim so punters are presented with some tough selections, other than where to place their bet. PinnacleSports.com offers up to 60% better odds than traditional sportsbooks for Asian Handicaps and three-ways.
United Still On Course for Historic Treble
On Saturday Manchester United took another giant stride toward their first Premiership title since 2003. Despite trailing 1-0 at the break, United showed their resilience, scoring four second-half goals against Blackburn Rovers and keeping alive their hopes of an historic treble. The Champions League represents the biggest obstacle to that achievement, though the Red Devils are favourites with PinnacleSports.com to progress to the next round 1.510, at the expense of Roma 2.800. It wasn't all good news for Ferguson, as he saw Serbian defender, Nemanja Vidic, stretchered off with an injured collar bone, providing something of a defensive crisis, as he joins international defenders, Gary Neville and Mikael Silvestre on the sidelines. United will face an almost full strength Roma side, apart from the suspension of midfielder, David Pizarro and absence of left-back Max Tonetto. The Italians maintained their excellent home form drawing at home to AC Milan on Saturday. Luca Spalletti's side have now lost just once in 32 home games in all competitions, and on the strength of that sequence PinnacleSports.com price them as marginal favourites off a level Asian Handicap, 1.935 (0/scratch) with United 2.03 (0/scratch). United's recent away record in this competition is poor, winning just two of their 12 on the road. Louis Saha, their top scorer in this season's competition is injured, while Wayne Rooney hasn't scored since his debut in 2004. Reds Looking To Repeat the Dose Against Injury Hit Eindhoven
Liverpool put themselves in an excellent frame of mind for their trip to the Philips Stadion, by thrashing Arsenal 4-1 at Anfield. Rafa Benitez motivated his side by putting up posters of recent defeats by the Gunners, but for this game the master of mind-games will have to guard against complacency, as the Reds beat PSV 2-0 on aggregate during the Group stages of this competition. Benitez has a near fully fit squad to choose from, while in comparison Ronald Koeman's side are weakened by injuries to two of their most influential players, Brazilian defender, Alex, and Ivorian striker, Arouna Kone, PSV's joint top-scorers in the competition. PinnacleSports.com sees the 2005 winners as favourites pricing Liverpool 2.08 (0/scratch & -0.5) with PSV 1.877 (0/scratch & +0.5). European Giants Meet at San Siro
Bayern Munich improved their chance of retaining their Bundesliga crown by defeating current leaders, Schalke 04, 2-0 at the Allianz Arena on the weekend. Coach, Ottmar Hitzfeld, now turns his attention to Tuesday's visit to the San Siro, for a titanic clash with another of Europe's biggest clubs, AC Milan. Though the injury to Dutch midfielder, Mark Van Bommel, is a blow, the biggest problem for Hitzfeld is the suspension of goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn, who is replaced by the inexperienced Michael Rensing, making his Champions League debut, in one of Europe's most intimidating venues. The recent purchase of Ronaldo has helped AC's poor scoring record in Serie A, but the Brazilian is ineligible for this competition. This leaves an unhealthy burden of scoring responsibility on his compatriot, Kaka's shoulders, who has scored six of the Italian's nine goals scored in the competition. PinnacleSports.com have Milan 1.806 (0/scratch & -0.5) with Munich 2.15 (0/scratch & +0.5). Chelsea Aiming to Extinguish Spanish Hopes & Fulfil European Destiny
Chelsea clung on to the coat-tails of Manchester United in the Premiership title race, thanks to a dramatic injury time goal against the bottom club. The laboured win will have concerned coach, Jose Mourinho, ahead of the Blues home game against Valencia. The La Liga side warmed up with an exciting 3-2 victory at home to Espanyol, showing that they still have a serious goal threat despite the absence of Fernando Morientes, the Che's top goal-scorer in the competition. Valencia's manager, Queque Flores, will probably be looking for a damage limitation job at Stamford Bridge where the Londoners are unbeaten since losing 2-1 in the last sixteen of last season's Champions League, to eventual winners, Barcelona. Though their opponents actually have the better pedigree, reaching the final in both 1999 and 2000, Chelsea are current favourites with PinnacleSports.com to win Europe's biggest domestic competition, and for this match they rate Chelsea favourites 2.02 (-0.5 & -1.0) with Valencia 1.935 (+0.5 & +1.0).
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