Champions League Betting: Fiorentina v Bayern Munich

Champions League / Tobias Gourlay / 08 March 2010 / Leave a Comment

Riccardo Montolivo has been practising hard for the game of his life.

Recommended Bets: Back Over 2.5 Goals at [1.95]; back Fiorentina at [3.55] To Qualify

Tobias Gourlay saw enough in Bavaria a fortnight ago to think there might be a Florentine renaissance on Tuesday evening.

Ahead of the first leg of Fiorentina's Last 16 tie with Bayern Munich, the Italians were in no sort of form. In the end they got no sort of result, but that's not to tell the full story. With just over a quarter of an hour left, Massimo Gobbi was sent off, when he might easily not have been. It was 1-1 at that point, but if anyone deserved to be ahead it was the visitors. With a minute left, Bayern's Miroslav Klose scored from an offside position. The goal was allowed to stand and the Germans had a 2-1 win to take to the Artemio Franchi this week.

Just a fortnight after he played 'the biggest game for us in five years,' La Viola's captain, Riccardo Montolivo, is preparing for 'truly the game of our lives.' This time, however, coach Prandelli must chase a goal (at some point). He prefers to counterattack, but injury problems in Bayern's defence might embolden him to attack straight away and, on the strength of what it saw in the first leg, this column will be taking Fiorentina at [3.55] To Qualify.

His opposite number, Louis van Gaal, has lost his winning streak - Bayern have drawn both of their Bundesliga away games since the first leg - and comes to Italy without Martin Demichelis and Diego Contento, among others. He might have to play a 17-year-old, David Alaba, out of position at left-back. Van Gaal's best forwards, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, are both fit and available, so at least he can pose a counterattacking threat to a defence that hasn't kept a clean sheet in any competition since the beginning of December (17 games). At [1.95], Over 2.5 Goals looks the right side of the line to be on.

You could raise excitement levels in your front room even further with a punt on Over 3.5 Goals ([3.4]), which has paid out in all six of the knockout-tie away legs Bayern have played in the last five years.