For once, Fergie got it wrong at the weekend. He showed that his priority lies in landing his elusive 2nd Champions League and not yet another Premier League title. How else can you explain his team selection without the frankly irreplaceable Ronaldo? Tomorrow night he has the chance to redeem himself and show that he could indeed afford to sacrifice 3 points at Stamford Bridge in favour of a place in the Champions League final.
Out-of-form Barcelona visit Old Trafford off the back of another defeat in La Liga away to Deportivo La Coruna. They too will also claim that their focus is on winning the Champions League rather than chasing domestic glory. But the recent run of form must be a huge worry for Frank Rijkaard. Barca look like a team that cannot buy a win at the moment as their big name players continually fail to deliver. Fortunately tomorrow they do not need to win. Any kind of score draw would be enough for the Catalans to progress and this might just be the best they can hope for.
If Nemanja Vidic fails to make the United line-up then Barca might feel they can exploit the perceived weakness in the Red Devil’s defence. There is no doubting the attacking prowess of Messrs. Henry, E’oto and Messi but whether they will ‘turn up’ is a different matter.
For their part, United aren’t short of attacking options either and the biggest surprise from the first leg was that both teams failed to find the net. I can’t see this one finishing 0-0 again and so that rules out penalties - although the 25/1 (PP) on each of the teams to win from spot kicks looks very tempting.
Barcelona are 18/5 (VCBet) to win - remember they don’t need to - but tellingly they are much shorter at just 5/4 (Boylesports, Centrebet, Ladbrokes) to qualify for the final. United are 8/11 (Paddy Power) to qualify and Evens (Bet365, Boylesports, Canbet, PartyBets) to win the game in the 90 minutes.
The last 4 ties between these two have finished level and Barcelona have done well on their European travels this season, winning 3 and drawing the other two. In Thierry Henry they also have a man who has a point to prove. It’s fair to say that his dream move hasn’t worked out well this season but he has a chance to really make an impact at the home of his old foes. There’s no doubt Barca will create chances tomorrow and it might come down to who is most clinical in front of goal.
I can barely split the two. All logic tells me that it’s United who will qualify. They’re at home. They’re in better form. They look like their name is on the cup. But. Something is niggling me that this Barcelona team shouldn’t be written of either. This is their season tomorrow. Their cup final. And that is a dangerous proposition.
When I started writing this I was clear on backing United, then half way through changed it to Barcelona, now I’m back at United again. Before I change my mind once more… I’m going to go with Man Utd. At 1/1 (Bet365, Boylesports, Canbet, PartyBets) it’ll be a small wager though and I’ll be keeping my eye open on the in-running betting in case I change my mind again!
it really is too close to call is this , on the one hand I'll always back United at home at anything over evens against any team in the world. On the other hand 3/1 for Barca is eye catching.
United more than any team have the know how , they can handle huge games in sequence and although they lost at The Bridge I dont think it bears much on tommorows tie.
I also think that Barca resting players will help them much either, all that possesion they had 1st leg and not a goal to show is very worrying indeed for them.
If they play Henry then I think they have a better chance to score as he's well used to playing the reds.
I think I'll just take Utd at evens but it's minimum for me
If I was backing Man U in the tie id back Utd to win the match @ Evens. I really really dont see a 0-0 so Man U must win to qualify. As a result I feel the Evens represents greater value than the 8/11 on them to qualify (cos that basically means Man U to win or 0-0 then end up qualifying).
If I was wanting to bet Barca in the tie id go for the and 1-1 and 2-2 scorelines. I really dont fancy them to go to Old Trafford and win, so for me a score draw is the way theyd go through (and as said I dont think 0-0 whatsoever). Im not saying they cant win, I just think its very unlikely. Id much rather back those 2 scorelines than bet Barca at 5/4 to qualify through whatever means.
Barca is very tempting especially if Rooney's not fit which he hasent looked for a couple of games now as he really does make Utd tick and even Ronaldo doesnt look the same player when he's not around and Fergie has a bad habit of making a balls of things when we get to this stage.
Away goal could also prove crucial here and Barcelona certainly have the manpower to get one if they are pushed so if i were gonna have a dabble on Barca then i would definately go for the 'to qualify'
Overs may also prove to be a good bet as I can't see this having no goals in it like the first leg and as soon as one goes in then the flodgates might open as a goal for the other team becomes vital and then it goes on.
Talk to Manchester United fans and a fair number are fearing the worst in Tuesday night's Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona.
Talk to Barca fans and they too are braced for bitter disappointment.
So who is right ahead of the crunch showdown at Old Trafford?
Well, concerns from both camps are justified.
United are stuttering after taking just one point out of six in the Premier League and proved a big disappointment to those punters who backed them in the Nou Camp with Barcelona apparently there for the taking.
That failure to score an away goal is a big worry and fitness doubts over Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic, who both sat out training on Monday morning, means they could be without two hugely important players.
Barca, meanwhile, haven't scored in their last three games and suffered a 2-0 reverse at Deportivo at the weekend.
However, it's the Catalans' lack of involvement in their own title race which could just prove significant here.
Time and time again we've seen that going for the double of domestic title and Champions League has scuppered the very top teams and Liverpool and AC Milan have shown the benefits of being able to concentrate on Europe when winning their own league was no longer on the agenda.
Barca are a team of big players who have understandably taken their eye off La Liga after Real Madrid pulled away.
But when the adrenalin returns in Europe, they are hugely dangerous.
Looking at their away results in the Champions League this season doesn't make pleasant viewing for United fans.
Barca won 1-0 away to Schalke in the previous round, 3-2 at Celtic (the first team to win there in Europe since they themselves defeated the Hoops in 2004) , 2-0 in Stuttgart and also drew 2-2 in Lyon and 0-0 at Ibrox.
That's five games, three clean sheets and not a single defeat.
There are other concerns for Sir Alex Ferguson.
Firstly, Barcelona have won five of their last eight ties on English soil, including a 1-0 win at Anfield in the second round last year.
And, secondly, the ref in charge of the game - German Herbert Fandel - isn't afraid to punish United players having sent off Roy Keane and Paul Scholes in previous European games.
Ferguson, as expected was less than pleased by his appointment for the game.
It's hard to argue with Fergie's achievements at United but despite that famous win in 1999 this competition has often tied him in knots.
Too often he's tried to second guess or adapt his line-ups to the opposition when surely United are at their best when 'going for it'.
You'd imagine his cautious side will come out again here, especially as an away goal for Barca could be so damaging, and that could play into the visitors' hands.
Despite their recent goal drought, Barca have the players to produce something special when it's needed most and we'll take them at 5/4 to qualify for the final.
If Thierry Henry gets the nod, the 7/2 about him scoring at any time is certainly of interest.
He found the net at Celtic on his last start on British soil and will be even more fired up to put one over his former foes.
Henry is desperate to prove his worth after a frustrating season and it would make plenty of sense for Frank Rijkaard to unleash him at Old Trafford.
In the belief that he will, we'll take the ex-Gunner to help fire Barca through.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA WE'RE GOING TO FUCKING MOSCOW!!!!!!! GO ON THE WEE RED DEVILS--- FUCKING YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...... .... WE HAD ARE CHANCES THEYR HAD THEIRS,,, WEE SCHOLES BOUT TIME WE SEEN HIM THIS SEASON IM AWAY TO GET FUCKED UP!
Sit down. Make yourself comfortable. It could be a long night.
There’s never usually much to separate these two teams and I don’t think tonight’s game will be any different.
John Arne Riise’s injury-time own goal put a completely different complexion on this leg when he headed a Chelsea equaliser at Anfield last week. Instead of having to defend a one goal advantage, Liverpool now have to score their first goal at Stamford Bridge under Rafa Benitez’s tenure just to stay in the tie.
Chelsea’s confidence will be sky-high after a deserved 2-1 win over champions Manchester United to keep the title race alive but how much will Saturday’s game have taken out of the Blues squad. Avram Grant didn’t have the luxury of resting any of his regulars, whilst several first team players sat out Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Birmingham. And a rest at this stage of the season can be crucial.
Bookies have Chelsea as clear favourites to qualify - the best odds are from Skybet at 4/7. If you fancy Liverpool it’s 17/10 at Sportingbet.
Last week I highlighted that you would be best advised to back Under 2.5 goals in the game. And that 1-1 draw now makes it 8 games in a row that have finished under the 2.5 goals marker. In fact those 8 games have provided just 11 goals - that’s less than 1.5 per game. Unsurprisingly, unders is very short at 1/2 (BetDirect, Blue Sq, Stan James) but it does look the way to go.
Whilst I don’t think there’ll be too many goals in this one I do think it could be an epic. Tactically I think Benitez has the measure of Grant but I suspect that both managers will be keen to keep things tight early doors. A goal for either side would swing the tie either way but if it happens to be level going into the last 15-20 minutes I can see both bosses being content to go for extra time.
Whoever scores the first goal will no doubt sit in and try to defend their lead, this will lead to an onslaught from the other side and if they can level things up it’s easy to envisage a 1-1 scoreline being played out in the 90 mins. If, like me, you fancy the teams to be tied it’s available at 11/5 at Paddy Power. The 1-1 draw to take it to extra-time is best priced at 11/2 (bet365, Boylesports) and I’ll be having some of that.
So what of extra-time? For me it would be a cagey 30 minutes. I think that the managers will feel there is no shame in going out on penalties and with Cech and Reina between the sticks they will both fancy their chances.
At 18/1 (Paddy Power) for each side to win on penalties (so effectively 17/1 for the game to go that far - by putting a £1 on each team) I think it’s got to be worth a punt. And if pressed I’d go for Liverpool who just seem to have an affinity with this trophy to take it on spot kicks.
A Liverpool v Man Utd final would be something else.
29-30th April Champs League Semi's 2nd Leg
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