Last Wednesday’s first-leg clash promised lots and delivered little in terms of football between two giants of the game, but Barcelona took a stranglehold of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid thanks to the brilliance of Lionel Messi and they are strong 8/15 favourites to go all the way.
Most of the talking points generated from the ill-tempered clash have been about everything but football, with disciplinary action to be taken against both clubs and accusations flying about from all quarters – which if nothing else will stoke up the fires even further ahead of the return clash at the Nou Camp.
Staying with matters on the pitch, Messi, who had opened the scoring, demonstrated exactly why he is the best player in the world with a scintillating second goal to secure an away-goal cushion, and is an obvious candidate in the goalscoring markets (10/3 First/Last, 8/11 Anytime and 9/2 to score 2 or more).
There have been three recent ‘Clasicos’, with honours even in those encounters, but this final derby of the season for the pair could see an entirely different game.
Ten-man Real managed to snatch a point in La Liga at the Bernabeu before securing their first trophy under Jose Mourinho with a 1-0 win in the Copa del Rey final after extra-time in the Mestalla.
Real had managed to stifle the Catalans for much of the game last week back in Madrid but the controversial sending off of Pepe – Mourinho was sent to the stands over the same incident – opened the door for Barca, who took full advantage.
Pep Guardiola’s men only know how to play one way and the playmakers should be given more room to manoeuvre, with the onus on Real to attack, and are understandable 8/13 favourites in the match betting, with 21/5 on offer for an away win and the draw available at 3/1.
The capital club need to win and will have to be more adventurous in Catalonia to stand any chance of booking their appearance at Wembley, which can leave a defence without Sergio Ramos and Pepe exposed to the skills of Messi, Xavi and David Villa.
Andres Iniesta, who missed the first leg through injury, is back in training with Barca and can add his undoubted talent to an already impressive line-up – and there should be goals in this one with Over 2.5 Goals priced at 8/13.
Barca routed their great rivals 5-0 in the Nou Camp clash earlier in the season, prompting a change of tactics from Mourinho in subsequent clashes, but for once Real might not be able to afford to have so many men behind the ball.
Any team that includes Cristiano Ronaldo amongst a galaxy of other stars has got to be capable of scoring, even at the Nou Camp, hence the 4/6 on Both Teams To Score, but no team has ever overturned a 2-0 home defeat in the latter stages of the competition.
No-one ‘out Barcelona’s’ Barcelona either and the home side, with the three best players on the planet (in the World Player of the Year voting) can land the 6/4 odds in the handicap betting (-1).
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