CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Wednesday, October 24th

MarkieMark+ · Oct 23, 2007

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Wednesday, October 24th

LIVERPOOL (-0.75) -102 over Besiktas (5.10* to Win 5.00*) Pinnacle
Liverpool are in dire straits with only 1 point from 2 matches in the Group stage. A shock loss to Marseille at Anfield means that Liverpool must win this game or their hopes for progression will be very dim. Liverpool have not lost in the Premier League this season and will be very motivated against Besiktas who have not scored yet and are the worst team in this Group.

PORTO (+0.25) -130 over Marseilles (3.90* to Win 3.00*) Pinnacle
Despite the fact that Marseille sit atop of this Group and that they recorded a shocking win at Anfield in their last CL match, I don't think they are a better team than Porto. Marseille have had some good fortune in Champions League but are only just out of the relegation zone in Ligue 1. Porto have played well so far in Champions League and are undefeated in domestic play. Porto can surely take at least a point from this match and maybe even 3.

WERDER BREMEN (-0.5) -122 over Lazio (3.66* to Win 3.00*) Pinnacle
Werder Bremen have turned things around after a slow start and now sit 2nd in the Bundesliga after a 3-2 win over Hertha Berlin on the weekend. The same can't be said for Bremen's Champions League campaign. They have lost both of their matches in the Group Stage but should be stronger with Frings and Borowski in much better game shape. Lazio have a few important injury concerns with Ledesma, Cribari, Mauri and Siviglia all likely to miss out. Pandev, Mutarelli and Behrami are also slightly injured but should play.

REAL MADRID (-1.5) -110 over Olympiakos (3.30* to Win 3.00*) Pinnacle
Olympiakos registered their first ever Champions League away victory last time out but will be facing a very tough task when they travel to Madrid. Especially since they 0-2-9 in 11 visits to Spain. Both sides have injury concerns but the depth of Real Madrid will allow them to handle these kind of problems much better than Olympiakos.

VALENCIA (-1) +104 over Rosenborg (2.00* to Win 2.08*) Pinnacle
Rosenborg are having a very disappointing season as they currently sit 6th in the Norwegian domestic league and are coming off of a 4-1 loss to Lillestrom on the weekend. Valencia are coming off of a nice 4-2 victory at Deportivo and currently sit 3rd in La Liga. Valencia have shown they can win on the road in Champions League having already beat Schalke 0-2 on Matchday 1. David Villa may not be available for this match but Valencia still have plenty of depth and should come away with the win.

BENFICA (-0.5) -104 over Celtic (2.08* to Win 2.00*) Pinnacle
Celtic come into this match off of a demoralizing 3-0 defeat at the hands of their Old Firm rival, Rangers. Celtic did beat AC Milan in their last Champions League match but that doesn't seem like such a huge feat this year with the poor play Milan has shown in Serie A and CL this season. Benfica are undefeated in the Portuguese domestic league but have not won in the CL Group Stage. Celtic are notoriously poor travellers in Europe and Benfica should tally their first Group Stage win.

Good Luck
MM

MarkieMark+ · Oct 24, 2007

ADDING.....

2 Team Moneyline Parlay (5.00* to Win 5.04*) Pinnacle
LIVERPOOL -155 over Besiktas
REAL MADRID -372 over Olympiakos

Good Luck
MM

HPark1 · Oct 24, 2007

Liverpool have been very mediocre in their past 4-5 games. They shouldn't even have a single point in this competition (1-1 at Porto was undeserved). Unless I knew Besiktas was awful (which I doubt) I have trouble laying more then a half ball here. Plus the home support for Besiktas is tremendous.

Mobdeeper7239 · Oct 24, 2007

Madrid covers the -1.5 easily today...4-0, 4-1...my prediction
Robinho gets on the board with his first 2 of the season

i like chelsea as well

MarkieMark+ · Oct 24, 2007

HPark1 said:
Liverpool have been very mediocre in their past 4-5 games. They shouldn't even have a single point in this competition (1-1 at Porto was undeserved). Unless I knew Besiktas was awful (which I doubt) I have trouble laying more then a half ball here. Plus the home support for Besiktas is tremendous.

Besiktas have great support but they are a 2nd rate team from a 2nd rate domestic league. Liverpool are a team of great resiliance. They have faced many tough situations over the last few years and have come out on top.

I wouldn't say Liverpool got an undeserved 1-1 draw at Porto. Porto are a very good team, especially at home. Liverpool conceded on a Penalty and then equalized and held on for the draw with only 10 men on the pitch.

MarkieMark+ · Oct 24, 2007

Influential player, Burak Yılmaz, will miss today's game for Besiktas due to injury.

HPark1 · Oct 24, 2007

Markie Mark said:
Besiktas have great support but they are a 2nd rate team from a 2nd rate domestic league. Liverpool are a team of great resiliance. They have faced many tough situations over the last few years and have come out on top.

I wouldn't say Liverpool got an undeserved 1-1 draw at Porto. Porto are a very good team, especially at home. Liverpool conceded on a Penalty and then equalized and held on for the draw with only 10 men on the pitch.

True Liverpool are a tested European side but I just don't believe they are 60%+ favorites to take all three points. Liverpool are overvalued due to their past success in this competition. Going deep in this competition takes good play but also good luck. Liverpool have had good luck and I personally feel they won't escape the group stages this year.

And against Porto I disagree it wasn't undeserved. Liverpool had two shots total in the match, enough said.

averick · Oct 24, 2007

Something i found on the net:

BESIKTAS V LIVERPOOL

Head-to-head record - no matches

* Besiktas have failed to score in five of their last six Champions League official home matches, four of which they have lost, including a 2-0 defeat by Chelsea played on neutral ground in Gelsenkirchen four seasons ago.

* Besiktas have failed to win any of their five previous home games against English teams and lost the last one 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in last season's UEFA Cup.

* Liverpool have won three of their last five European away games and have lost only three of the last 19.

* Liverpool have failed to win on three previous away matches against Turkish clubs and lost 3-2 to Galatasaray on their last visit to Istanbul in last season's Champions League. It was an unhappy return to the city of their amazing Champions League final victory over AC Milan in 2005.