Midweek brings us UEFA's premier football competition, the misleadingly named Champion League. I'm pretty sure I saw Man Utd, Arsenal and Sloppy Chops boys in there didn't I? It is indeed a tournament that decides the World's best team, other than Spain and Brazil sometimes there really can't be an argument about that. However comma it is definitely not a tournament of champions. A re-branding to the Champions and Runners-Up with more teams from richer countries with bigger TV deals League might perhaps be more appropriate? Can't see the pricks in marketing going for it, but that's where I'd go with it! Anyhow, I'm sure you'd prefer tips to my ramblings so I'll try and find some value for you...
Inter v Tottenham, Wednesday 1945
I have been looking forward to this match ever since the draw. We will hopefully see where Tottenham and their droopy faced manager really fit in to the grand scheme of things. I think they are a million miles off a seasoned team like Inter with a tactical manager like Rafa Benitez. I criticised his signings at Liverpool, they were dogshit after all, but he has inherited Mourinho's European champions and hasn't had enough time to ruin them yet. Rafa Van Der Vaart has been man of the match in every match he has played for the Yids so far, but he's suspended tomorrow night and this will see Inter win comfortably. Samuel Eto'o has been absolutely on fire so far this campaign and he'll teach Tottenham's centre backs Billy 'Tiny Tears' Gallas and Sebastian Bassong a lesson. I'm so confident I'll even give the Spuds a headstart, Victor Chandler go 2.3 with a -1.0 handicap on Inter and that's where I'll be investing.
Arsenal v Shakhtar, Tuesday 1945
Arsenal have not been impressive of late, losing to WBA and narrowly beating Brum. If they were to travel to the Ukranian teams home ground I'd definitely be against them. They are good at home though, so I can't oppose them in this fixture. They do seem to be playing pretty poorly at the moment, with Alex Song now thinking he's the second coming of Maradona and trying to dictate play and Marouane Chamakh going down easier than that Jodie Marsh tart. In saying this though, the dirty diving foreign swine is a regular scorer and penalty taker and I fancy him to net tonight as he'll be up top on his own again. Betfair go 2.37 on such a thing to happen and that seems more than fair.
Lyon v Benfica, Wednesday 1945
I think this has got the makings of the most boring game of the tournament so far. Lyon have been dog shit, or merde de chien in the local dialect, and are finding scoring harder than that fella out of the basement in the Goonies. Benfica were somewhat pillaged last summer having built a successful team, with Di Maria to Madrid the biggest loss. They will not want to lose this match and I think they would very happily settle for a draw, with Lyon unable to all-out attack either due to their poorly performing players. The manager is under immense pressure and I can't see anything but a low scoring affair here with little for the neutral to enjoy. I also see a very slow, cagey start and for that reason I'll be backing the half time draw at 2.1 with Coral.
Real Madrid v AC Milan, Tuesday 1945
Jose Mourinho's men have really found their shooting boots now, racking up 10 goals in their last 2 matches. AC Milan are performing admirably in Italy, but it is a league on the decline and other than Alex Pato I fail to see any players that would make the Real Madrid starting line-up. Whilst Malaga are by no means a great team, similarly to Milan they are set up to attack and Madrid showed they can pick teams off if they play that way. Mourinho might, scratch that, is an almightily smug prat, but he knows tactics and I think he'll have his forwards swarming all over Milan's creaky backline. There is literally not a good full back in Italian football and Angel Di Maria and the cheating, poncy Ronaldo should tear them a new one. I'm again going to go to the handicap market for this one, Paddy Power go 2.05 with a -1.0 asian handicap and that's the one for me.
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