Predict the Champions League future: PSG best bet to go out
Published:When Paris Saint-Germain’s Javier Pastore drifted into the box to beat Petr Cech at his near-post and secure a 3-1 victory for the French side it looked as if Chelsea’s Champions League dream this season was over.
But as history has shown the one team to never back against is the Blues. Just ask fans of these three clubs.
The Londoner’s humbling Champions League quarter-final first leg loss at the Parc des Princes may have signalled the end of an era for some.
But we’re not convinced. Given Chelsea’s past pedigree for achieving the impossible a remarkable comeback is far from a remote possibility with PSG 5/2 to be knocked out in the last-eight.
Napoli travelled to Stamford Bridge holding a two-goal advantage from their Champions League quarter-final first leg two seasons ago, a match that famously cost Andre Villas-Boas his job in the Blues hot-seat.
Roberto Di Matteo subsequently took charge for the return fixture with Chelsea romping to a 4-1 victory to seal their passage in the next round before going on to lift the trophy in Munich.
The Pensioners are available at 20/1 with Ladbrokes to win this year’s competition but better value lies in weighting up the bookmaker’s ‘stage of elimination’ markets.
Cup holders Bayern Munich are 4/1 to bow out against Manchester United following their 1-1 draw in their first encounter at Old Trafford.
The Bavarians have lost two of their previous three matches against English sides at home with no win in their last five on their own turf against a team from the Premier League (if you include 2012’s ‘neutral’ match against Chelsea in the Champions League final).
Meanwhile, Barcelona face a difficult trip to face Atletico Madird at the Vincente Calderon with their tie also level at 1-1.
Gerardo Martino’s Catalans are 6/5 to go out at the quarter-final stage with odds of 5/2 on the four-time champions being knocked out in the semi-finals for the third successive season.
Bitter rivals Real Madrid won’t be expecting too many problems against Borussia Dortmund following their 3-0 first leg success.
Carlo Ancelotti’s outfit are 5/2 to reach their first Champions League final since last landing the trophy in 2002.
However, given that Los Merengues have narrowly missed out on the showpiece event in three of the last four seasons, the 6/5 on offer for another semi-final exit is tempting.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
Fancy a flutter? Sign up today to claim up to £50 in free bets.
