Having established a 1-0 advantage with a spirited first-leg performance in Portugal, Chelsea will look to hold Benfica at bay in the return tie and book their place in the Champions League semi-finals (Chelsea 4/6, draw 11/4, Benfica 9/2 – 90 minutes).
Chelsea v Benfica
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is priced 7/2 to put daylight between the two sides and grab the first goal of the tie, but faces a race against time to prove his fitness after missing the win over Aston Villa on Saturday with a toe injury.
One man who did play in that game, and indeed score, was Drogba’s strike partner, Fernando Torres, who netted for the first time in the league since September. A goal can do wonders for a player’s confidence and, at 4/1 to score the first goal, the Spaniard may be worth your consideration.
Benfica bounced back from their first leg defeat to Chelsea with a stoppage-time victory over Sporting Braga. The dramatic win over their title rivals should provide Jorge Jesus’ men with a timely morale boost and the 12/1 about them to win Wednesday’s match 1-0 (correct score) and take the tie into extra time seems generous.
The Portguese side’s away form in Europe hasn’t been brilliant, but their two goals at Old Trafford earlier in the campaign knocked Manchester United out of Europe and shows that they’re capable of scoring goals on English soil.
Real Madrid v APOEL
APOEL Nicosia are not fancied to get the goals they need at the Bernabeu and upset a Real Madrid outfit that won the first leg in Cyprus 3-0, and on Saturday put five past Osasuna.
If Real can get the first goal then expect the trail-blazing Cyrpriots to crumble. The Spaniards are at 5/1 to win the tie 3-0, while Karim Benzema, who got Real off the mark on the weekend, is at 2/1 to score the first goal.
If APOEL do manage to sneak a goal then Brazillian striker Ailton is likely to be the man to get it. The striker has struck seven times in the Champions League already this season and, with Spain’s capital club having failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five La Liga matches, at 9/2 to score anytime, he could be worth consideration.
If Ailton scores the game’s first goal but Real go on to win the match then some attractive looking odds are available. Ailton to score first and Real to win 2-1 is available at 225/1, as is the Ailton and 3-1 scorecast selection.
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