[The Special One]

The Champions League is right around the corner - returning next week with the ROUND OF 16!!!

Every year, this competition provides with fascinating games that are remembered forever, and this year is no different. This is the time of the season that all futball fans and bettors have been waiting for as it is arguably the greatest futball competition in the world.

With that aside, this will not only be a great time to watch futball but also the time to make some serious cash. Many great betting opportunities will arise from every single match-up and so I make this thread in order to capitalize on them.

This will be a thread to collect all relevant data and discuss about every match-up. I believe that if we work collectively as a group, then we can make stronger betting decisions and potentially earn the highest possible profit. I encourage everyone to participate but note that this is NOT a thread to debate your opinions (please do not be biased and do not argue). Instead, everyone should work to provide their own critical research in order for all of us to make better decisions with our hard-earned cash.

I truly hope that this thread (and others) can help us all to profit throughout the next few months - but do not forget that this competition is not only about the money, as it is there for all of us to enjoy and appreciate many futball games that will prove to be unmissable.

[The Special One]

To begin, I will list out the match-ups for future reference...

1) AC MILAN vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

2) VALENCIA vs SCHALKE 04

3) ARSENAL vs BARCELONA

4) AS ROMA vs SHAKHTAR DONETSK

5) FC COPENHAGEN vs CHELSEA

6) LYON vs REAL MADRID

7) INTERNAZIONALE vs BAYERN MUNICH

8) MARSEILLE vs MANCHESTER UNITED



To everyone participating: GOOD LUCK AND LETS KILL THE BOOKS!!!!!!

[The Special One]

Please feel free to share your opinions (data) and if you post, please reference the game in order to avoid confusion.

Ex.

LYON vs REAL MADRID

Injury (Madrid): .............

Formation change (Lyon): ..............

[zlate22]

can adebayor play for real in cl?

[The Special One]

can adebayor play for real in cl?

yes

[decado]

pretty sure arsenal will be out against barca if almunia or fabianski aren't playing.
i don't see them winning with their 3rd goalkeeper.
you'll still need a damn good keeper when barca breaks your defense.

[latinrus]

can adebayor play for real in cl?

yes he can play! They were looking for a player that can be in CL for them!

[latinrus]

this is what I kind of like so far

Ac MIlan Tottenham over 2.5

Lyon - Real Madrid. Real ML or the draw! I think this year Madrid should do it the right way!
But still have to watch their next couple of games to see how they will be playing.

I like also Roma - Shaktar over 2 and 2.5

[Soon2BRich]

ye i believe arsenal will lose home and away to barca. Barca are playing great n arsenals defence will let them down. Thier goalkeeper schezny in young, vermaelen will still be out and know it looks like their best current defender djouruo will be out as well meaning kosceilny n squilacci will play together. IMPORTANT STAT - Squilacci n kosceilny have played together 14 time, won 7 lost 5 and drew 3. They also have only kept TWO2 clean sheets in those games and conceding 24 goals in the others. The front 3 for barca wil have a field day if these two start!!

[Mr.Kitty]

Team news: Not only good news came from this past weekends win over Roma for FC Internazionale, Diego "il Principe" Milito got injured for the fifth time this season. The injury will keep him off the pitch for 45 days which means that he will miss the first encounter with Bayern Munich and probably the second too.
Pazzini can not be used in CL which means Pandev is the only striker available to fill the gap. Pandev is a big step down in quality, he was very good at the start of his time in Inter but since Mourinho left hes been out of form. I pray that Leonardo can get him to perform.

[The Special One]

Thanks for the update mr. kitty, this will be very important... I just can't see inter advancing against a dedicated bayern team...

[RubberKettle]

UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 (Extra time and shootouts included)
Tue 2/15 101 Tottenham Advances +110
2:45PM 102 AC Milan Advances -130
UEFA Champions League
Tue 2/15 101 Tottenham (UCL) +340
2:45PM 102 AC Milan (UCL) -112
103 Draw +279

UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 (Extra time and shootouts included)
Tue 2/15 104 FC Schalke 04 Advances +119
2:45PM 105 CF Valencia Advances -139
UEFA Champions League
Tue 2/15 104 FC Schalke (UCL) +398
2:45PM 105 Valencia (UCL) -119
106 Draw +264

UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 (Extra time and shootouts included)
Wed 2/16 107 FC Barcelona Advances -405
2:45PM 108 Arsenal FC Advances +328
UEFA Champions League
Wed 2/16 107 Barcelona (UCL) -133
2:45PM 108 Arsenal (UCL) +298
109 Draw +260

UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 (Extra time and shootouts included)
Wed 2/16 110 Shakhtar Donetsk Advances +106
2:45PM 111 AS Roma Advances -126
UEFA Champions League
Wed 2/16 110 Shakhtar Donetsk (UCL) +280
2:45PM 111 AS Roma (UCL) -116
112 Draw +232

UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 (Extra time and shootouts included)
Tue 2/22 113 Chelsea FC Advances -895
2:45PM 114 FC Kopenhagen Advances +598

UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 (Extra time and shootouts included)
Tue 2/22 116 Real Madrid Advances -466
2:45PM 117 Olympique Lyonnais Advances +371

UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 (Extra time and shootouts included)
Wed 2/23 119 FC Bayern Munchen Advances -107
2:45PM 120 Inter Milano Advances -113

UEFA Champions League - Round of 16 (Extra time and shootouts included)
Wed 2/23 122 Manchester United Advances -311
2:45PM 123 Olympique Marseille Advances +256


Going to post these same lines on Monday so we can see changes following this weekends games.

[The Special One]

I say we look into Copenhagen advancing at 7!!! I think this has good chance for upset as Chelsea looks to move higher in EPL and could potentially underestimate the focused Danish team...

[beeps220]

I say we look into Copenhagen advancing at 7!!! I think this has good chance for upset as Chelsea looks to move higher in EPL and could potentially underestimate the focused Danish team...

As much as I'd love to see this happen, I think Chelsea will advance easily here.

[The Special One]

As much as I'd love to see this happen, I think Chelsea will advance easily here.

thats true, from another viewpoint - this will be Chelsea's chance to redeem themselves from the EPL... regardless though of what people say, I will put a good amount of cash on Copenhagen DC in this game...

[rfr3sh]

for the man u game ill take marsaille on the AH and the under due to man u's terrible road form
fergie will probably look to sit back and get away with as close of a game as possible, since they are almost unbeatable at home

[The Special One]

for the man u game ill take marsaille on the AH and the under due to man u's terrible road form fergie will probably look to sit back and get away with as close of a game as possible, since they are almost unbeatable at home

i wouldnt call it terrible - 8 draws are better than 2-3 losses... and Marseille isnt really good... I would look towards a possible 0-0 or 1-1 game.

they are a DRAW machine away from home - why would this change now?

[rfr3sh]

but they have also yet to play Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool on the road

[The Special One]

but they have also yet to play Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool on the road

its ok IMO, I think they will DRAW with Arsenal or Chelsea (and lose the other) while easily beating Liverpool on the road... but regardless, they are a DRAW machine...

[rfr3sh]

yes I agree..maybe draw could be a good bet but I might bet marseille +0.5 its only -125 right now

[RedDevil11]

yes I agree..maybe draw could be a good bet but I might bet marseille +0.5 its only -125 right now

United have actually been pretty good on their travels in CL play. They have won 9 of their last 10 away including the 3 this year. But a draw might be a good bet with the first leg in Marseille. Our record on French soil is decent but nothing extraordinary (3W, 6D, 2L) and Ferdinand will likely be unavailable. The team should be well rested though as I suspect Ferguson will rest a few of the starters in the FA Cup match against Crawley Town a few days ahead of this. Though Marseille are not having quite the season they had last year, they look like they've hit a bit of good form at home, though the quality of competition is Ligue 1 is debatable. In CL play, Marseille hasn't been all too convincing at home with a loss to Spartak, a narrow victory over Zilina and barely beating a Chelsea side fielding a weakened lineup. Marseille will be playing St. Etienne in league play (the same day United play in the FA) and I doubt they rest many of their 1st teamers as they are 4th and 5th respectively in the table with only a point separating them so this may be something to think about.

[The Special One]

good point

but I think that Marseille will suffer then against St. Etienne and NOT vs MNU...

[hitman09]

bookmark this, I will be back to give more idea, thank Special One.

[Daveyboy]

We got a competition on the forum to see who can correctly the select the most qualifiers from the round of 16??? Here's my entry:

1) AC MILAN vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Spurs

2) VALENCIA vs SCHALKE 04: Valencia

3) ARSENAL vs BARCELONA: Barca4) AS ROMA vs SHAKHTAR DONETSK: Roma5) FC COPENHAGEN vs CHELSEA: Chelski

6) LYON vs REAL MADRID: Madrid

7) INTERNAZIONALE vs BAYERN MUNICH: Bayern

8) MARSEILLE vs MANCHESTER UNITED: United

[ArminMD]

We got a competition on the forum to see who can correctly the select the most qualifiers from the round of 16??? Here's my entry:

1) AC MILAN vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Spurs

2) VALENCIA vs SCHALKE 04: Valencia

3) ARSENAL vs BARCELONA: Barca4) AS ROMA vs SHAKHTAR DONETSK: Roma5) FC COPENHAGEN vs CHELSEA: Chelski

6) LYON vs REAL MADRID: Madrid

7) INTERNAZIONALE vs BAYERN MUNICH: Bayern

8) MARSEILLE vs MANCHESTER UNITED: United

Only Valencia - Schalke... i think schalke pwn them...

[RbN]

shakthar will own roma

[latinrus]

1) AC MILAN vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Spurs

2) VALENCIA vs SCHALKE 04: Schalke

3) ARSENAL vs BARCELONA: Barca

4) AS ROMA vs SHAKHTAR DONETSK: Shakhtar

5) FC COPENHAGEN vs CHELSEA: Chelskea

6) LYON vs REAL MADRID: Real Madrid

7) INTERNAZIONALE vs BAYERN MUNICH: Inter

8) MARSEILLE vs MANCHESTER UNITED: Man U!

[JOHON8]

Good thread guys...

IMO the best 2 underdog picks for the first round of play are Copenhagen and Marseille. In general taking every home team on the handicap should be the plays IMO. But you have to be careful because some teams like Milan might screw up at home and then try and make up for it in the 2nd leg.

Copenhagen - Chelsea
Copenhagen tied Barca 1-1 at home in the group stages and are extremely tough to beat in Denmark. Chelsea have a crappy form at the moment so any odds on them will be overrated. Should we wait till the last second to take the +1? Copenhagen had a historic qualifier and their only chance to go further is to draw/win at home, they shouldn't lose by more than 1.

Marseille - Man United
Marseille had a goal fest in the group stages, keep an eye on their form before this match.

Lyon - Madrid
Mourinho the best coach to follow in the CL. He knows Madrid want revenge from Lyon after what happened last year, so if you can get a descent price on the ML or PK I think it's worth it.

[decado]

Only Valencia - Schalke... i think schalke pwn them...

very good value here on schalke to advance.
i will take schalkeneuer to advance.

[The Special One]

good points Johon - I agree 100%...

I will be on Copenhagen (DC) regardless of the form at gametime... they will give 100% for this game and will most likely earn a DRAW if not a small win (1-0) - I am betting here mostly to ENJOY seeing Chelsea crumble, I hope Copenhagen wins that game...

pointing out facts... if Copenhagen get a first goal, they can easily hold out for the 1-0 win... as we witnessed in the Chel-Liver game, if every player gives 100% and plays solid defense, then Chelsea will not score... I dont know much about the Danish league, but I think Copenhagen will concentrate all of their effort for this game - if they actually advance, that will be astonishing...

but keep in mind - Chelsea knows EPL is out of their reach and so they will put forth most effort for CL... this is the only problem...

[Wiesnak]

why does everyone like shaktar over roma?

[jordigs]

Valencia have better team than shalke.

[latinrus]

why does everyone like shaktar over roma?

Cause Italians sucks and Shakhtar is IMO underrated!

[latinrus]

Valencia have better team than shalke.

and?

Didn't Barca seems unbeatable with their team last year against Inter?

2 games one at home one on the road!

There should be other arguments more that just to have a better team!

Does Barca has better team that Hercules?
Real better team that Almeria, Osasuna?
Villareal than Levante?
Valencia better than Santander or Mallorca?

just some examples!

Of course on paper Valencia seems better but u never know!

[The Special One]

keep in mind that Shakhtar has a fairly new stadium which had cost them quite a lot... the atmosphere is good in the stadium and they will hard NOT to screw up in front of their fans... I think Roma might win at home barely while losing HARD away (2-0 or 3-0)...

will update this closer to gametime...