Barcelona and FC Copenhagen will qualify
Everything is still to play for in Group D but Barcelona and FC Copenhagen ([1.1]) are the clear favourites to progress - and we expect both to secure their spots in the last 16 with a game to spare this evening.
Both matches are live on Sky Sports 4 and the early kick-off (5.30pm) sees the dominant Danish league leaders visit recently dethroned Russian champions Rubin Kazan.
A 1-0 victory over Rubin on the opening day set the stage for future Norway boss Stale Solbakken side's unexpected charge and a draw will send them through provided Barcelona don't lose to Panathinaikos.
FC Copenhagen may adopt an ambitious approach and decide that rather than settling for a point, they want to win and push to finish above Barcelona in first place - an [11.5] shot - but Rubin have lost once in over a year at home and have drawn eight of their last ten, so the [3.55] on the spoils being shared looks very tempting.
As Rubin are yet to score from open play in the competition, punts on both under 2.5 goals at [1.66] and 0-0 at [9.2] also hold appeal.
The 7.45pm kick-off pits Panathinaikos against a Barcelona team that scored eight goals without reply away to Almeria on Saturday. The Greek club were the first to net in Group D when they went 1-0 up at the Camp Nou, however they lost that encounter 5-1 and haven't scored in Europe since.
A bet on the Barcelona clean sheet at [2.04] is therefore far more appetising than the [1.35] on them winning. Another flutter to consider is Lionel Messi to be the first goalscorer for the third Champions League game in a row at [3.7].
The Argentine is the [3.15] frontrunner to be the tournament's top goal-getter for the third successive season yet currently trails Samuel Eto'o and Mario Gomez. He's notched in his last nine appearances for club and country - firing 15 in total in those fixtures - and is [1.71] to grab another tonight.
Got any betting advice for either of these televised ties? Share it below...
Published: 24 Nov 2010
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