Barcelona V Inter Milan Betting: UEFA Champions League

 

UEFA Champions League: Semi-Final, Second Leg

 

 

Barcelona V Inter Milan

 

 

Wednesday, 28^th April – 19:45 (GMT)

Nou Camp, Spain

TV Coverage: ITV1

 

 

First Leg: Inter Milan 3-1 Barcelona

 

There were a fearful few who stuck their necks on the line by giving Inter Milan, a team who have massively underachieved down the years, any sort of a chance against the Catalan Giants of Spain, Barcelona but those who did will be reaping the rewards after the Italian champs stormed into a decisive first leg lead, one which, dare we say it, could leave Barcelona with too much to do heading back home.

 

It was plain sailing for Jose Mourinho’s charges but it didn’t look that way in the early stages as Pedro leathered home from just inside the Inter Milan penalty area on the 19 minute mark to hand Barcelona not only the advantage but a vital away goal. You might have been forgiven for thinking a Barcelona storm was brewing but that was far from the case, as Inter Milan began a relentless pursuit of an equaliser and had just 10 minutes to wait when Wesley Sneijder, arguably the player of the tournament thus far for the Nerrazzurri, drilled home a low driven shot to quickly restore parity. The goal sparked the Italian side into life as they went in search for a second and got their just rewards three minutes after the break when some neat footwork from Maicon allowed him to poke him form four yards. We’re sure many Inter fans would have wished for an early final whistle but had they done so they would have missed a third for their side as Diego Miltio, another player who has thrived in the Champions League this season, scored his fourth of the competition and Inter’s third to send the Inter fans home happy. Barcelona did press for their second of the game but created nothing clear cut.

 

Round 1 went the way of the Special One, but will Pep Guardiola stamp his mark on the tie as Barcelona head back home to the Spanish version of the coliseum, the Nou Camp. Well, with Inter holding a two goal advantage and knowing a goal in Spain would leave the hosts needing to score at least three, the bookies have cut Inter Milan’s price to qualify right down and have now made Mourinho’s men the favourites to make the final at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu. A whole host of firms make Inter a 1.67 (SkyBet, Ladbrokes, WilliamHill) shot to make the grand final while Barcelona are a rather unattractive 2.25 with Bet365 and PaddyPower to make the cut instead.

 

 

 

 

Barcelona

 

Outright Odds: 3.15 bWin

 

With the lengthy road trip to Milan in Italy paying little dividends, Barcelona now need to immolate the the win they enjoyed over Inter Milan when the two teams met in the group stages. The Catalan side won that encounter 2-0 and the same scoreline would see Josep Guardiola guide Barcelona to their second successive Champions League final appearance where, as a direct result, they would have the opportunity to successfully defend their crown and become the first team since Inter’s neighbours Milan to win back-to-back titles in Europe’s Premier club competition.

 

Guardiola must first mastermind a victory over a man arguably far superior in the mental department than himself in Jose Mourinho. However, that doesn’t always make up for a lack of quality within a team and while Inter Milan do boast an array of talent, it’s Barcelona’s squad which is far superior and it’s this reason alone why the Barcelona giants haven’t yet been written out of this semi-final tie despite trailing by 2 goals. The task does seemingly appear a mountain though as while Barcelona have the striking prowess to score the minimum requirement of two goals, they must also ensure they don’t concede at the other end, which, considering they failed to keep a clean sheet against Arsenal in the last round, could be easier said than done against an Inter side which has scored in each of their two knock-out away legs.

 

There is one omen currently going in Barcelona’s favour, that being Inter’s failure to win away leg in semi-final. However, loyal Barcelona followers will feel they need little in terms of luck and good fortune and that the class of their squad will shine through on the big stage and in thee biggest occasion. It’s safe to say that this game will be Barcelona’s biggest game of the season thus far, and for all their attractive play, world class players and worldwide following, it’s going to be an uphill struggle still. However, it’s a testament in itself that pundits everywhere, including us, aren’t writing Guardiola’s men off and actually feel Barcelona are more than capable of scoring a sufficient amount of goals to take them through. Ideally, Barcelona would need three goals before the 90 minutes elapses in order to lay down a safety net should Inter score at the other end. Any other game and three goals, in the knowledge that they must get three goals or else, would be a doddle for the reigning European Champions, but against an Inter Milan side which will be well drilled and well organised at the back, that could be tough.

 

The positive factor is Barcelona now exactly what they have to do, they now need to go out on their famous Nou Camp pitch and do the business in front of a packed out stadium thriving some Inter blood. Players such as Xavi Hernandez, Pedro, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and, of course, Lionel Messi, the players which can really make a difference in the final third, need to produce their very best on Wednesday night while hoping their back four remain watertight. We don’t just think it’s possible, we know it’s possible, but for one reason or another we have our doubts. Will Lionel Messi, the greatest player in the world on current form, have the last say once again after his four goal haul in Barcelona’ last knock-out encounter at the Nou Camp put pay to Arsenal’s Champions League dreams in the quarter’s.

 

 

 

 

Inter Milan

 

Outright Odds: 2.70 totesport

 

It’s been nearly forty years since Inter Milan last made the final of the European Champions Club Competition, now known as the Champions League, but their stunning efforts in the first leg have ensured the Milan based club have a better chance than ever to break their thirty-eight year duck. It has been an arduous campaign from the Italian champions, but the hard work isn’t done quite yet as they now need to complete the dethroning procedure by frustrating the reigning European Champions at the Nou Camp.

 

Reaching the final of the Champions League was described as a ‘dream’ by one Jose Mourinho, so it would be fitting should the Special One guide a club, who have underachieved massively in recent European campaigns, to their first final since 1972. Inter’s hard-working, tenacious and surprisingly adventurous attitude in the first leg means the Nerazzurri have one foot in Bernabeu’s show-piece. They must now finish the second instalment in a professional manner by limiting Barcelona’s enjoyment in front of goal. Should Inter concede two on the night without reply, Mourinho’s dream of a second Champions League title, and Inter’s first under the competition’s new name and format, would be over.

 

We’re pretty confident Jose Mourinho will set his side up to defend for the majority of the game in a bid to make the task at hand as hard as possible for Barcelona. Inter proved in the last-sixteen they had what it takes to defend a first leg lead when they frustrated the pants off of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with a 1-0 victory. With Barcelona’s attack unparalleled, another away clean sheet against one of Europe’s elite sides looks very unlikely especially considering Inter haven’t won the away leg of a semi-final encounter in their history. However, Inter have looked more threatening from an attacking point-of-view in their away encounters this season and are aiming to score in their third away knock-out encounter of the competition at the Nou Camp after scoring exactly one goal at both Stamford Bridge (Chelsea) and the Luzhniki Stadium (CSKA Moscow).

 

It’s pretty simple in terms of what Inter Milan have to do on the night; make the next 90 minutes as ugly, unattractive and boring as possible and they’ll qualify. They’ll need to scrap, defend for their lives and, arguably more importantly of all, keep Lionel Messi out of the game like they did in the first leg. As soon as Messi got on the ball there was an Inter Milan player closing him down, giving the silky Argentine no time whatsoever to cast his magic. Mourinho and Inter nullified the threat of Messi magnificently in the first leg, but at the Nou Camp where the pitch is bigger and slicker, taking Messi out of the game could be next to impossible. If so, the Inter back four will need the game of their lives, as well will goalkeeper Julio Cesar, who has yet to concede an away goal in the knock-out stages and has gone 330 minutes without conceding in the Champions League.

 

 

 

 

Injuries, Suspensions and Yellow Card occupants

 

Andres Iniesta will miss the second leg through injury while Carles Puyol is suspended. Daniel Alves and Gerard Pique are one card away from missing the final.

 

Dejan Stankovic is Inter’s only absentee as he serves a one-game European suspension. However, there are a host of players on the verge of missing the final itself should they receive a booking in the Nou Camp, including club captain Javier Zanetti, as well will Walter Samuel, Maicon and former Barcelona star Samuel Eto’o.

 

 

 

Match Verdict: Draw – 5.00 VCBet

 

It’s difficult to look past Barcelona for the win in terms of 90 minutes betting but that doesn’t mean we think their price is of any value and so we’ve had little option but to look elsewhere, and while the DRAW may not have been our desired pick for this encounter, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility.

 

The Barcelona team will take to the Nou Camp, what has been a happy setting for them down the years in Europe, knowing only a win will do, a comfortable one at that. However, what they’ll find directly in front of them is an Inter Milan side well equipped to thwart their forward attempts. This Inter team is far from impenetrable, but Jose Mourinho’s team proved at Stamford Bridge that they could overcome the odds, cling onto a first leg lead and make the second leg a scrappy, dull affair. They will look to do the exact same at the Nou Camp whilst looking for a killer away goal on the break. We reckon they’ll get an away goal, as the likes of Wesley Sneijder, Samuel Eto’o and Diego Milito all have the ability, skills and attributes needed to score within an instance.

 

Inter Milan won’t be over exuberant in their play; defending deep and in large numbers for large periods. However, they won’t be afraid to break forward with a bit of pace and in force, and against a Barcelona defence which will be without Carles Puyol, their defensive leader, and one which has a number of players on a yellow card, Inter could tip-toe around the Barca back line. We can see Inter going behind but we reckon they’ll have the strength of mind to recover, hold their own and grab one of their own later on.

 

 

 

 

Match Odds

 

Barcelona – 1.44 Boylesports

Draw – 5.00 VCbet

Inter Milan – 8.00 BetFred

 

 

Our Vale Punt: Barcelona/Draw (HT/FT Betting) – 23.00 Coral