Man Utd backed to make quarter-final exit
Three-time Champions League winners Manchester United are rather surprisingly [2.12] outsiders to qualify from their quarter-final collision with Chelsea in this year's competition despite being expected to get the better of the Blues in the Premier League title race.
The main explanation for Chelsea's standing as [1.88] favourites to advance from the tie has to be that Carlo Ancelotti is considered to be Sir Alex Ferguson's bogey manager, having won all three of their Premier League encounters and twice knocked him out of Europe as AC Milan boss.
Carletto led the Rossoneri to home and away victories over the Red Devils in the 2004-05 round-of-16 then recovered a 3-2 deficit at the San Siro in the semi-finals two years later, which is presumably why his side are fancied despite the disadvantage of travelling to Old Trafford for the second leg.
The team rated the least likely to make it into the final four are predictably enough Shakhtar Donetsk, who are [8.0] to find a way past [2.34] tournament favourites Barcelona. Given the extent to which the Catalan club are trusted in the winners' market, it's no shock that they are [1.14] to progress.
The other two quarter-finals also have clear frontrunners, with Real Madrid [1.32] to end Tottenham's ([4.0]) fairytale first campaign and Inter Milan [1.33] to sustain their bid to become the first champions in 21 years to retain the trophy by getting the better of Bundesliga underperformers Schalke ([3.8]).
That means that the majority of Betfair punters are anticipating a semi-final line up of Chelsea versus Inter Milan and Real Madrid versus Barcelona, with the Premier League title holders viewed as the most vulnerable of the four favourites.
Will there be any upsets in the next round? Offer your predictions below...
Published: 23 Mar 2011
Anonymous (March 23, 2011 3:21 PM) said:
Never write off the reds,because they have won it against the blues and they also have the record of being in semi finals more than any other team in england.so that is the advantage they got to beat chelsea.then even if carlo has done it before,not with the blues so that is the difference.up united 4 real....
kaka (March 23, 2011 4:25 PM) said:
yeah the same chelsea defeated manchester united two weeks ago and to top it all chelsea has regained full strength while manchester united has started losing players and they would have only got one point against bolton if not for the ugly foul by evans.(man u)do not run crying when chelsea go through to the semifinals.
Alan Maile (March 24, 2011 11:12 AM) said:
kaka please explain to me how the foul by evans got man Utd 2 points unless you are suggesting that it is easier playing with 10 players against 11. I do not think so.
marty (March 24, 2011 11:46 AM) said:
Chelsea only beat Utd recently because of some awful referring decisions, Utd have nothing to fear, Utd to beat Real in the final!!!
Abba (March 24, 2011 7:26 PM) said:
I think so chelsea will thrash man united and progress to the semi fanal