Man Utd boost hopes of an English winner
As expected, Arsenal failed to overcome Barcelona at the Camp Nou last week but Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Marseille on Tuesday night leaves it looking like the Premier League will have three representatives in Friday's Champions League quarter-final.
Despite Javier Hernandez twice firing in from close range to put the Red Devils in the ascendancy against the French champions, a late Wes Brown own goal prompted a nervy finale, however with Chelsea expected to seal their last-eight spot tonight, odds of [3.35] are offered on an English winner.
Spain remains the most likely destination for the trophy at [1.69] because Barcelona ([2.4]) and Real Madrid ([6.2]) are the two favourites, with Chelsea rated England's best hope at [7.6], followed by Manchester United at [9.4] and Tottenham at [17.5]. It's [6.8] that there will be an all-Premier League showdown at Wembley.
The story of last night though was Inter Milan keeping their chances of becoming the first team to retain since their neighbours AC Milan 21 years ago alive with a 3-2 triumph away to last season's runners-up Bayern Munich in what was surely the game of the tournament so far.
That result ensures that Inter have already made one piece of history in this campaign, becoming only the second side ever to progress in a Champions League knockout tie having lost the first leg on tie.
Bayern had so many opportunities to kill off the holders at 2-1 yet spurned them, allowing Wesley Sneijder and Goran Pandev to seal an implausible comeback. Samuel Eto'o was the star though with a goal and two assists as he once again showed that he is perhaps the ultimate big-match performer.
He's now level with Lionel Messi and the eliminated Mario Gomez at the top of the scoring charts on eight goals but can interestingly be backed at [4.8]. His club meanwhile are in to [12.5] to go all the way once more, having been double that before even suffering defeat in the first leg.
Can the Nerazzurri do it or is their defence too shaky? Have your say below...
Published: 16 Mar 2011
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