Congratulations Barcaaaaaaa
Barca win`s 1-0
Barcelona vs. Shakhtar Donetsk: UEFA Champions League
Shakhtar Donetsk drew the shortest straw when they got Barcelona in the Champions’ League Quarter Finals; no-one really expects them to beat them, but… actually there is no “but”. Shakhtar face a huge challenge away to the tournament favourites in Spain.
It’s the top dogs versus the underdogs when Barcelona entertain Shakhtar Donetsk, and while the Ukrainians will provide an enthusiastic test to the 2009 champions, there really should be only one winner. Barcelona are Evens to win this competition and Shakhtar are the real outside bets at 40/1 (odds with Bodog). Bet365 have Shakhtar at +1400 to win the match if you feel like getting rich and Barcelona at -500 if you already ARE rich and can afford to invest heavily on the short odds.
Barcelona are favourites for a reason, actually several reasons
Barcelona’s form this season will be recalled as the stuff of boyhood dreams and has seen records shattered. If the team as a whole doesn’t frighten you, Lionel Messi should. The Argentine has scored 45 goals in all competitions, including eight in this tournament, and seems to excel when he plays in the Champions League.
The soccer odds on a Barcelona win and Messi scoring offer no thrill to any serious gambler. Don’t forget Lionel Messi has scored 25 goals in his last 30 Champions League games and has fired in 20 shots on target, more than any other player in the Champions League this season. Messi is also odds on favourite to be the tournament’s top scorer; he’s at 4/5 with bet365 while the best Shakhtar can muster is Eduardo at 66/1.
What might provide a bit of fun is a bet on Shakhtar getting an early shock goal and cause short lived rumours of an upset. But normal service is likely to be re-established before any real harm can be done. For this match check out the soccer odds on a big score as with the difference in talent and experience so apparent between these two sides a goal-fest might just be on the cards. Besides it’s not just Messi; Barcelona have Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Sergio Busquets to cause teams problems and the Spaniards don’t like to let their keeper have to work too hard, Barcelona have permitted their opponents the least number of shots on target in the Champions League. There’s a glimmer of hope at the back for Shakhtar as Barcelona are set to be missing two key defensive stars; Eric Abidal and club captain Carles Puyol.
Barcelona themselves maybe the only people in the world who haven’t chalked this up as a foregone conclusion as they might be a little wary of the second leg against Shakhtar on their home soil as the trip to the Donbass Arena in the second leg presents a tougher test. The Ukrainians are defending an unbeaten home record nearly two years long (in this competition). Still over the two legs Barcelona are -800 to progress and Shakhtar are +500 (with bet365). The Catalans will be hoping to have got the job done at Camp Nou so expect a “gnats chuff” defence holding Shakhtar at bay and a shooting gallery attack up the front.
Reading runes, tea leaves and old bones
Despite all the talk about Barcelona, Shakhtar are a decent side, they topped Group H with 15 points ahead of Braga and Arsenal. The side has only lost two domestic matches all season and are an imposing 12 points ahead of their nearest competition in the Ukrainian Premier League, if that’s enough to tempt you to back a long shot. For those of you out there who believe in omens and magical pixies, as opposed to cold hard football logic, a wild fact is that for the last seven seasons, whoever knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League, lost their next knockout match. There’s more straws to clutch at as the Ukrainians have won nine of their last 10 Champions league matches and scored 26 goals along the way and Shakhtar have scored the most goals from outside the box in this season's Champions League. The record books paint an interesting picture as Shakhtar have won two and lost three of their six European meetings against Barcelona, but most recently they won 3-2 on their last trip to the Nou Camp. Try as I might I can’t find enough evidence to back the underdogs on this one, it’s going to be Barcelona’s night.
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