Tag Archives: Real

Mourinho has Real chances

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It has not taken long for Spain’s big two to be given the opportunity to strike the first psychological blow in the title race as they square off in the first-leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Thursday at the Nou Camp, kick off at 9pm.

This is not as common a fixture as one might think given the two clubs’ dominance of the Spanish league, with the Copa del Rey perhaps not treated with as much respect as the FA Cup for example.

However, these two giants did clash in the Super Cup last season after Jose Mourinho won his first piece of silverware for Real via the Cup route, with Barcelona coming out on top.

The Blaugrana secured a 2-2 draw at the Bernabeu in the first-leg before edging the return encounter 3-2 to land the spoils – although it was not a portent of things to come.

The two arch rivals clashed six times in total last season and although Barcelona only lost one of those matches, it was the crucial league fixture late in the season that effectively ended their hopes of usurping Real at the top.

Pep Guardiola’s men had earlier got the better of Los Merengues 3-1 at the Bernabeu in La Liga and progressed in the Copa del Rey on the back of a 2-1 away win (4-3 on aggregate) but it is the league success that may have given Real the confidence that they can more than compete with the previously perceived ‘best team in football’.

With home advantage, Barcelona have been installed as 5/6 favourites in the match betting following a successful start under Tito Vilanova – a 5-1 home win over Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Real Madrid made a less than convincing beginning to the new campaign as they were held 1-1 at the Bernabeu to last season’s ‘best of the rest’ Valencia, and they are available at 3/1 to get their first win on Thursday, with 11/4 on offer for the draw.

Lionel Messi continued from where he left off last season, bagging a brace at the weekend, and it is no surprise to see him installed as the 5/2 favourite to be the first/last goalscorer on Thursday, 4/7 Anytime.

The price on a home win may well tempt some given Barca’s record at the Nou Camp – it was their road form that let them down in La Liga last season – but the same could be said on Real’s odds of 3/1.

They were not at their best at the weekend but there is no doubt that Mourinho will have his troops ready and motivated for tomorrow’s clash and they rarely put in two disappointing performances on the bounce.

More can certainly be expected of Cristiano Ronaldo, who is priced at 4/1 to open the scoring and 11/10 anytime, with Sunday scorer Gonzalo Higuain next best at 7/1 and 15/8 respectively.

Mourinho’s men have a pretty good record at the Nou Camp of late with a win, two draws and one defeat from their last four visits so it could well pay to oppose the home side.

Regardless of the victor, there has been a strong trend of goals between the two, which is unsurprisingly reflected in the betting – Over 2.5 Goals at 8/13, Under 2.5 Goals at 6/5, while 4 or more goals is on offer at 7/4.

It is of course a two-legged affair so there may not be that sort of desperation from the side that is behind but at odds of 50/1 a 2-2 draw, which occurred twice last season, could reward those searching for the big prices.

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Madrid stand Real chance

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Having come so close to reaching the Champions League final last season, La Liga title holders Real Madrid (7/2 Champions League 2012/2013 outright) have a great chance of claiming the European crown in the prestigious competition next season.

The men from the Santiago Bernabeu were denied a place in the final in the cruellest of circumstances, as they went down in the dreaded penalty shootout to eventual runners-up Bayern Munich. Manager Jose Mourinho has committed his future to Real and with that assurance, the club and the players will be even more determined to win the title for their Portuguese tactician, who has a wealth of experience in the tournament.

Star striker and arguably one of the players of the European Championships, Cristiano Ronaldo, proved on the big stages on Poland and Ukraine that he is a formidable opponent. With the former Manchester United striker playing some of his best football, Madrid will certainly be serious contenders for the biggest prize in club football.

Real’s arch rivals Barcelona (7/2 Champions League 2012/2013 outright) will have something to say about that, after they lost their Champions League title to surprise package Chelsea. Pep Guardiola has left the club and it will be interesting to see how his replacement Tito Vilanova will do as manager of a team that has enjoyed so much success over recent seasons.

Barca were somewhat found out last term, as their impressive passing game was undone by some ardent Chelsea defence in the semi-finals of the competition. The lack of a ‘Plan B’ from the Catalan outfit was a major criticism of the team and that is something they will have to address if they are to snatch back their European crown.

Chelsea (12/1 Champions League 2012/2013 outright) will have a massive challenge ahead of them to keep the Champions League trophy in the cabinets at Stamford Bridge beyond next summer. The final of the lucrative competition this time around is at Wembley Stadium, as it prepares to host the showpiece event for the second time in three years, as a celebration of the 150th year of the Football Association. This will certainly be a massive incentive for the Blues, who have a decent record at the national stadium.

The loss of Didier Drogba, who was a key figure in bringing the European crown to The Bridge, will be a massive blow and the likes of Fernando Torres and Daniel Sturridge must fill the void. Chelsea look like they will have strengthened their squad significantly by the end of the summer but it’s hard to see them pulling off the same heroic victories to win the title this time around.

Premier League champions Manchester City (7/1 Champions League 2012/2013 outright) are obvious favourite to fly the flag for England in the Champions League this coming season, and for good reason. Manager Roberto Mancini and his men are a year older and a year wiser and with their star-studded squad they will certainly be there or thereabouts come this business end of the tournament.

With the likes of David Silva, Yaya Toure in the midfield and Argentine duo Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero up front, you can write off City in the Champions League at your peril.

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Barca ready for Real test

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There are plenty of big derby matches in football but given the stature of the clubs and the animosity between the fans the biggest derby in Europe takes place on Saturday when Real Madrid travel to Barcelona for what could be the a title-deciding El Clasico.

Barcelona v Real Madrid

You don’t need a history lesson to understand that these two clubs aren’t the best of friends and take great joy in getting one over on each other. In recent times it has been the Barcelona fans who have been doing the majority of the celebrating, losing just one of the last 14 encounters with Real.

That sole victory for Los Blancos came in last season’s Copa del Rey final, and even then they needed extra time to dispatch the Catalonians. Given the way the league has shaped up this season you could describe Saturday’s match as a final, with Real looking to protect the four-point lead they enjoy over Barca.

The gap at the top had been 10 points but a run of 11 straight wins for Barcelona has seen them claw back Real, who have won eight and drawn three in that time. With four games to go after Saturday’s Clasico you wonder whether Jose Mourinho’s men will be able to hold their nerve if they do lose at the Nou Camp.

Real haven’t lost in the league since the first meeting between these two clubs in December but come into the match off the back of a disappointing defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League. You might argue Mourinho’s men had one eye on El Clasico, given how important it is, but given recent performances it could well be the tension getting to Real.

They know a win on Saturday will all but hand them their first La Liga crown in four years, ending Barcelona’s domination in Spain. Given the importance of the game, and with the ‘Special One’ in the dug-out, no one would be surprised to see Real employ negative tactics in a bid to get something out of the game.

With that in mind it is no wonder Real are 4/1 for the win, with Barcelona 4/6 and the draw 3/1.

Mourinho’s tactics in previous encounters have been to press Barcelona high up the pitch and chase everything. However, Real looked tired on Tuesday night and to do that at the Nou Camp for 90 minutes will take a super-human effort.

Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola must feel as though he has Mourinho#s number given the way his team has outplayed Real since the Portuguese tactician took over. The 5-0 win for Barca in the league meeting between the two last season must have been a humbling experience for Mourinho as it showed the gulf in class.

Today, that gap has shrunk, but not enough to persuade you to back Real at 4/1. Given how many times this game has taken place recently you can guess what is going to happen: Barca will dominate possession, Real will lose their cool and eventually their discipline before Guardiola’s men strike.

The Barcelona coach will be looking for a reaction from his team after Wednesday’s defeat at Chelsea so expect them to come out all guns blazing, in particular Lionel Messi after his mistake led to the goal at Stamford Bridge.

The Argentine genius has scored the first goal eight times for Barca this season and is 5/2 to do so again. Contrast that with Cristiano Ronaldo – who has the same number of league goals as Messi – at 5/1 and you know which way we think the game is going to go.

Both teams will score, there is no doubt about that given Barcelona’s defending, but the home side will get more on their way to dispatching Real like they do any other team which comes to the Nou Camp.

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Real to dish out reality check

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Real Madrid can get the job done in Cyprus to shatter any hope APEOL have of causing the biggest upset in the club’s history – and travel-sick Chelsea face another awkward test on the road against Benfica as the quarter-finals of the Champions League get underway on Tuesday.

APOEL v Real Madrid

Much has been made of surprise package APOEL’s remarkable run to the last eight of Europe’s marquee club competition but it is difficult to envisage the fairytale continuing at the expense of nine-time European winners Real Madrid.

True, the Cypriot minnows have won five of their seven home games in this season’s competition but Jose Mourinho’s expensively assembled La Liga title-chasers are simply a class apart.

The wily Portuguese coach also has enough senior professionals in his ranks to deal with the much-heralded reception likely to face Spain’s capital club at the intimidating 23,000-capacity GSP Stadium in Nicosia.

It is without question the biggest game in APOEL’s history but one questions whether the Cypriots could get caught up in a bit of shirt swapping and star gazing rather than the job in hand.

“We’ve done something exceptional, something that can never happen again,” said APOEL president Phivos Erotokritou.

Real Madrid have won seven of their eight games in this season’s Champions League and are priced accordingly at 2/7 (APOEL 10/1, draw 9/2 – 90 minutes) but it may pay to avoid any exotic scorelines.

One option would be to split stakes on a 1-0 and 2-0 job done-type outcome given that Real have only conceded one goal in four European away trips this season, while Under 2.5 goals is quoted at a not-too-shabby price of 6/5.

In-form striker Cristiano Ronaldo has registered five goals in his last four European matches and at the weekend smashed the 100-goal personal milestone for the club. The Portuguese superstar can be backed at 9/4 in the first and last goalscorer markets.

Benfica v Chelsea

Benfica have won 11 of their last 12 games at the Stadium of Light and can book a place in the semi-finals for the first time in 22 years to send England’s last representatives packing.

Compare that statistic to Chelsea’s overall away form – the west Londoners have won only one of their last six away games, against Birmingham in the FA Cup – and it is hard to make a case for the Blues at 2/1 (Benfica 11/8, draw 23/10 – 90 minutes).

On the road in Europe and the omens looks even worse given that Chelsea have not triumphed away from Stamford Bridge since a 2-0 win against Copenhagen over a year ago.

Much was made of the manner in which Roberto Di Matteo’s men overturned a first-leg deficit against Napoli to get this far, but everything went for them on the night and, let’s not forget, they still conceded.

A drab goalless draw against Tottenham at the weekend proved a fixture to forget and served as a reminder that their problems remain in attack.

Benfica have kept three clean sheets in six games on home soil in Europe this season and the ‘to win to nil’ option is available at 11/4.

They have been ahead in four out of those six games by half-time and can be backed at 3/1 in the Benfica/Benfica half-time full-time market.

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Another Real struggle at Camp Nou

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Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho believes his side can overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit when they take on Barcelona in the Copa del Rey quarter-final on Wednesday, but we sense more disappointment for the Portuguese coach (Barca 8/13, Real 9/2, draw 14/5 – match prices).

Real raced into a 1-0 lead in the first game when Cristiano Ronaldo scored early on before second-half goals from Carles Puyol and Eric Abidal gave Barca their narrow advantage.

The quarter-final is finely balanced then, so it’s likely to be another closely-fought battle between the old foes at the Nou Camp but, with home advantage and a first-leg lead, Barca should have enough to go through.

As is often the case when these two heavyweights go head-to-head, the first leg was overshadowed by fiery clashes on the pitch, with Real defender Pepe the villain on this occasion as he appeared to stamp on Lionel Messi’s hand.

Pepe has insisted it was purely an accident but he can expect a rough reception from the Barca fans – if he is selected for the second leg.

Mourinho has said he is yet to finalise his starting XI amid reports Pepe will be left out, while Lassana Diarra remains a major injury doubt for the visitors ahead of the game.

Following the controversy at the Bernabeu, a spiky Mourinho was coy at his pre-match press conference as to his plans for the second leg but he insists Real can secure a win and progress through to the last four.

“I will not answer [any question related to what team I will pick]. I’m the coach and I do not have to explain what approach I choose publicly,” he said.

“I think my team has a chance to play the semifinals, so we will try our best. But we know against our opponent we lost 2-1 the first time, so there is also a chance we won’t make it.”

There have also been claims that Barca counterpart Pep Guardiola will make changes for the second leg but he is still likely to field big guns Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi and co as he aims to guide his side through to the semi-final stage.

Real know they will need to strike early to get back into the game and it’s worth backing Ronaldo to open the scoring again at 11/2 but, overall, another Barca win looks on the cards with a 3-1 home win in the correct score market at 10/1 worth a punt.

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Atletico no match for Real

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It is not too long until the first ‘El Clasico‘ of the La Liga season and both Real Madrid and Barcelona are in action on Saturday night with three points separating the two sides at the top of the table.

And, perhaps surprisingly, that difference is in the favour of the capital side despite them suffering a defeat earlier on this season, although Barcelona remain marginal favourites at 5/6 to win a fourth league title on the bounce, with Real priced at 10/11.

On the face of it, Jose Mourinho’s men would have the trickier of the two matches as they take on city rivals Atletico Madrid at 19:00 GMT, although they do have home advantage at the Santiago Bernabeu – and a rather impressive recent record.

It has been a huge 12 years since Atletico managed to overturn their illustrious city rivals, coming away from the Bernabeu with all three points following a 3-1 win in October 1999, which at the time made it back-to-back wins after victory by the same scoreline at the Vicente Calderon at the end of the previous season.

Two successive draws followed but Real have been dominant in the head-to-head record, winning 15 of the 21 games since their last defeat – and it is hard to see anything changing on Saturday.

Not withstanding the fact that there is a vast difference in the wealth of the two clubs, Real have scored 24 goals in five games at the Bernabeu in La Liga this season with their only blemishes coming on the road, drawing at Racing Santander and losing at Levante.

Their Champions League form has been equally impressive, winning five out of five, and they will go into the match on the back of a 6-2 drubbing of Dinamo Zagreb last Tuesday.

It is hard to see Real being overturned by Atletico at the best of times, particularly with the visitors enduring something of a transition having lost Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan last summer – so it is no surprise to see Real installed as 1/5 favourites, with Atletico on offer at 12/1 and the draw at 11/2.

That may seem like a massive price on the visitors getting something from a derby game where ‘form goes out of the window’ but Atletico have been awful on the road this year, with just one draw and four defeats from five games.

Los Colchoneros also find it nigh on impossible to find the back of the net with just two goals from those five games, with both coming in the same match, so Real winning to nil has to be considered – last year’s 2-0 home win in this fixture is priced up at 11/2.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been prolific again this season and needs to be considered in the goalscoring betting, having notched 14 in 12 in the Primera Liga this season – although that is reflected in the betting as he is the 9/4 favourite to score first.

It looks as though the pressure will be on Barcelona when they take to the field at 21:00 GMT to keep within three points of the leaders when they take on Getafe – but they are not expected to run in to trouble, priced at 1/5 in the match betting, with the hosts available at 12/1 and the draw at 11/2.

There is not much to say about Barcelona and how good they are and can be, particularly with the world’s best footballer in Lionel Messi (7/4 to open the scoring) in their ranks, but this season they have run into one or two problems on the road.

The Catalan giants remain unbeaten this season but are behind Real in the table because they have suffered four draws, three of which have come on their travels.

Scoring on the road has not been as easy either with eight away goals dwarfed by a huge unanswered 30 at the Nou Camp, with opposing teams’ game plans proving hard to break down.

It is worth noting that although Getafe are lying in 15th place in the table, they have only lost one at home this season – also picking up two wins and three draws – and have proved no easy beats at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez this term.

Messi on his own could make a mockery of the form if he has one of those days, and he is by no means the only talent in the side, but Getafe might be able to do their near-neighbours Real a favour this weekend by replicating their 2007 success.

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Real ready to draw first blood

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Arguably the two best sides in world football go head-to-head on Wednesday night in the first leg of a mouth-watering Champions League semi-final clash and Barcelona are strong 4/9 favourites to qualify for the Wembley final on May 28.

The Catalan giants have been the outright favourites throughout the competition and are currently Evens to lift the trophy, with Real Madrid available at 10/3 after being handed the toughest of draws.

Despite suffering a 5-0 hammering at the Nou Camp earlier in the season, which meant a run of five straight defeats against Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, Real have turned the corner and will go into the first-leg clash at the Bernabeu in an ideal position – perhaps reflected in the betting as they are slight favourites at 8/5 to Barca’s 13/8, with the draw on offer at 12/5.

Los Merengues managed to salvage a point in La Liga 10 days ago at the Bernabeu, despite being reduced to 10 men, but then won their first trophy under Jose Mourinho and first since 2008 when they beat their arch rivals in the Copa del Rey last Wednesday, winning 1-0 after extra-time.

Cristiano Ronaldo had struggled to find the net against the Blaugrana but appears to have turned the tide after scoring in both those encounters and should be looked at in the goalscoring markets (4/1 First/Last Goalscorer, Evens Anytime) – particularly as he takes free-kicks and penalties.

Mourinho of course managed to steer Inter Milan past Barcelona at this stage last season and has adopted what appears to be similar tactics aimed at stifling the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta in midfield.

Nobody out-Barcelona’s Barcelona but by employing Pepe in midfield alongside Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira, Real playing an aggressive, counter-attacking style certainly made life difficult for Barca – and expect more of the same on Wednesday.

Despite the wealth of attacking talent on both sides, those last two games have been very tight, cagey affairs and with a second-leg to come, the same is expected as Under 2.5 goals is priced at 4/5, with Over at 10/11.

As well as the tonic of Copa del Rey success, Real will certainly be buoyed by the performance of their ’second-string’ who routed third-placed Valencia at the Mestalla 6-3 on Saturday with Kaka and Gonzalo Higuain scoring five goals between them.

Ricardo Carvalho’s absence through suspension from Wednesday’s clash could be a problem as he has been a rock at the back and potential replacement Raul Albiol, who was sent off in the La Liga clash after hauling down David Villa, looks a weak link.

Sami Khedira’s absence through injury looks less of a blow with Lassana Diarra expected to fill in but it is Barcelona who are struggling more on the injury front.

The left-back position looks problematic with Eric Abidal, Maxwell and Adriano all ruled out and that is certainly an area Real can exploit – be it through Ronaldo, Higuain, Mesut Ozil or Angel Di Maria.

Carles Puyol and Gabriel Milito have both been included in the travelling squad but are on the way back from injury and Guardiola may have to employ a midfielder out of position defensively to cover.

Of course, there is no getting away from the fact that Barcelona have the world player of the year, Lionel Messi, in their ranks and have the potential to beat anybody – with Xavi and Iniesta also pulling the strings.

However, with a second-leg at the Nou Camp to come, Guardiola is sure to play it more cautiously given recent results and would be happy to take them back home still in contention.

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Real set to make amends

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Following the internationals and domestic competitions, the focus returns to Champions League activity this week, with the first quarter-finals taking place on Tuesday.

Here is a look at both matches: Real Madrid v Tottenham and Inter Milan v Schalke 04.

Spurs have enjoyed a tremendous first campaign in the competition, surprising many on their route to the last eight. However, they take on the biggest of the big boys in a mouth-watering clash against nine-time winners, Real Madrid.

The Spanish giants are second favourites in the outright betting at 19/5 so it is no surprise to see them installed at 4/11 in the match betting to take a lead to White Hart Lane, with Spurs available at 7/1 to cause yet another surprise. The draw is on offer at 7/2.

Jose Mourinho’s men have been a different class domestically to most of their rivals but have run into the obvious problem of Barcelona, while Los Merengues have put recent European troubles behind them on their march to the quarter-finals.

Mourinho lost his nine-year, 150-match unbeaten home league run (accumulated as coach of Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Madrid) at the weekend with a shock 1-0 defeat to Sporting Gijon at the Bernabeu which may tempt some into taking the 7/1 on Spurs, who did of course triumph 1-0 at the San Siro against AC Milan in the last-16.

However, the Gijon defeat will surely sharpen the focus for the Champions League, not least because Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona potentially await in the semis and as the saying goes, lightning never strikes twice.

Real have won all four games at the Bernabeu in the Champions League without conceding a goal, which included a 3-0 win over bogey-side Lyon in the last-16 clash when the wheat had been sorted from the chaff.

They also finally ended their last-16 hoodoo, reaching the quarters for the first time in seven years, and will be keen to make amends for the weekend loss which has all but ended their hopes of usurping Barca in La Liga.

Harry Redknapp’s men have of course given huge entertainment to anyone who has seen them in Europe this season, with the possible exception of Arsenal supporters, but in the last-16 clash against AC Milan there appeared to be a change of focus, with less emphasis on the all-guns blazing approach.

Spurs sneaked the away goal at the San Siro to win 1-0 but they had struggled in the group stages with defensive frailties undermining their obvious goal threat. They scored eight goals in three away matches but did not win a game.

There has been much talk about Gareth Bale’s heroics in the second-half against Inter but it should not be forgotten they were played off the park in the first half and went in at the break 4-0 down.

The 1-0 win against AC Milan probably says more about the Italians than it does about Spurs, who have recently let in three goals each to Premier League strugglers Blackpool and Wolves, while they have not won in five matches since that San Siro success.

Injuries have also not helped Spurs and although Redknapp believes Bale will be fit for the first leg, perhaps more worryingly for his side is that Cristiano Ronaldo (3/1 to be First/Last Goalscorer) is expected to turn out for Real.

Real certainly have the pedigree to come up with the goods and the best Spurs can hope for is an away-goal to keep them in the tie, with the return-leg at White Hart Lane on April 13.

Defending champions Inter are 1/2 favourites to make home advantage count in the night’s other encounter but they go into the match on the back of a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of arch rivals AC.

The Italian giants did of course lose 1-0 in the home leg of their last-16 clash against Bundesliga opposition Bayern Munich, only to win 3-2 away and go through on away goals.

Schalke are available at 11/2 to cause a shock, with the draw on offer at 11/4, but backers will be hoping that the Germans can keep their European form going because they have been anything but consistent in their domestic campaign.

Ralf Rangnick recently took over the reins at Schalke but it was Felix Magath who steered the side past Valencia in the last-16, with a 1-1 draw at the Mestalla before a 3-1 success at home sealed progression.

It looks a tall order for the German side to follow in Bayern’s footsteps with a win at the San Siro and Inter are fancied to edge a tight contest.

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Real can end Lyon hoodoo

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Lyon hold the Indian sign over Real Madrid going into Wednesday night’s Champions League last-16 second-leg clash at the Bernabeu (Real 3/10, Draw 4/1, Lyon 8/1 – match betting) but now the time is right for Los Galacticos to justify favouritism and earn their first win against the French giants.

Real had been closing in on a first win at the Stade de Gerland three weeks ago after former Lyon striker, Karim Benzema (7/2 to score the first goal on Wednesday), scored what could be a vital away goal in the 65th minute, just 60 seconds after coming on as a substitute.

However, Lyon were able to salvage a draw thanks to Bafetimbi Gomis’s goal seven minutes from time and they do have history on their side going into the return fixture.

Lyon have made three previous trips to the Spanish capital and on each occasion the match has finished all square, although they will know that they need to score at least one goal to stand any chance of progression to the quarter-finals (Real 5/6 to keep a clean sheet).

The clubs were drawn in the same group in both the 2005/06 and 2006/07 seasons with Lyon dominating at home, winning 3-0 and 2-0, with the reverse fixtures finishing 1-1 and 2-2.

And at this stage last year, a 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu ensured Lyon’s progress following a 1-0 home win in France.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored Real’s goal last term and has been in sensational scoring form for the nine-times winners of Europe’s elite competition, but he remains a doubt for tomorrow’s clash after suffering a thigh injury in the 7-0 win over Malaga in La Liga.

However, the Portugal ace’s availability is not the deciding factor in this contest as Real, who have been eliminated at this stage in the last six seasons, have become a different beast under new boss Jose Mourinho.

This time of course Real take the French side back to the Bernabeu on level terms and on their own soil they have a hugely impressive record.

Real have won all 14 games they have played at the Bernabeu in the Spanish top-flight this season, a home record even Barcelona have to envy, while they won all three group games in the Champions League without conceding a goal.

By contrast Lyon, who are not the dominant domestic force they once were, have struggled on the road in Europe this term, losing their last two after a 3-1 victory at Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Benfica edged a seven-goal thriller before Schalke dominated in a 3-0 rout, while Lyon have also failed to progress from six previous European ties when they have drawn the first-leg at home.

Mourinho also has a great record against French opposition with eight previous wins and only one defeat in 11 meetings, including a 4-2 aggregate win over Lyon as Porto boss in 2003/04.

Lyon do have a great historical record against Wednesday’s opposition but given their record this season and the fact they have to score, Real can use their dominant home form to reach the quarter-finals quite comfortably (Over 2.5 goals 4/6).

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Rampaging Real too hot for Atletico

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It might not be the biggest derby for Real Madrid this weekend, particularly with ‘El Clasico’ coming up at the end of the month, but Atletico (17/2 in the match betting) will be looking to upset their more illustrious neighbours to earn the bragging rights in the Spanish capital and reignite their bid for Champions League football next year.

That will be the plan anyway but Real (2/7 favourites) have turned a corner under Jose Mourinho following a slow start to the campaign and are now beginning to look like a team, rather than a collection of individuals.

The goals have started to flow as well of late, certainly domestically, with 19 scored in the last four games as Los Merengues have moved to the top of the table with a minimum of fuss.

They hold a one-point advantage over arch-rivals Barcelona (both 10/11 to win Primera Liga) and will not be wanting to let that advantage slip, with the Catalans given the perceived easier task this weekend of a trip to Getafe.

Of course, Barcelona do kick off earlier on Sunday but that will have no bearing on the Atletico clash as Real will either want to regain the lead or pull further clear ahead of ‘El Casico’ on November 28.

The attacking trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria have started to gel and all have got amongst the goals, with Ronaldo leading the way with 10 goals in the last four games to take his season’s tally so far in the league to 12.

The former Manchester United ace is an obvious candidate in the goalscoring markets as he also takes the penalties, and will no doubt have a number of opportunities to add to his collection and is available at 5/2 to be first or last goalscorer, 4/7 anytime or 11/4 to score 2 or more.

With a dominant home record of four wins from four, scoring 16 goals and conceding just two, it is no surprise to see Real strong 2/7 favourites in the match betting, and it may be worth taking them to do complete the Half-time/Full-time result at 8/11.

Being a derby match, there will be no easing into the game and with Atletico seemingly struggling on their travels, Real will waste little time in setting about their neighbours.

Hercules were not handed the easiest of starts on their return to the top flight in Spain but they wasted little time in making a name for themselves with a 2-0 win over Barcelona at the Nou Camp on the second weekend.

Los Blanquiazules (11/5 in the match betting) can become the first team this season to win at the Reyno de Navarra when they take on Osasuna (21/20 to win, 11/5 the draw) on Sunday as they have proved they certainly can be a match for the big boys in the top flight.

Following the Barca win, Hercules have already held Sevilla and Villarreal this term and although they lost last weekend, two of Real Madrid’s three goals came in the last eight minutes.

Although Osasuna have not been beaten at home, two wins and two draws, Los Rojillos have had a much easier start to the campaign on paper, only facing Real in the opening nine games, while they were hammered 4-1 at Racing Santander last weekend, who moved out of the bottom three with the win.

Meanwhile in Germany, Bayern Munich (7/4 to win the Bundesliga) seemingly have turned things around after a slow start to the campaign and look ready to pick up three points on their travels.

Since a 2-0 defeat at league leaders Borussia Dortmund, the Bavarian giants (4/7 in the match betting) have gone a five-match unbeaten streak, winning four of them, and can claim the win at lowly Borussia Monchengladbach (19/5 to win, 11/4 the draw) on Saturday.

Bayern have banged in 14 goals in those five games and look to have far too much ammunition for the basement side who have yet to win at home and have lost three of their five games, while they have only mustered six goals all season.

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