06-09-2007 Champions League Betting - Countdown to Group Phase

With the three qualifying rounds of the Champions League now completed, and the draw for the eight group stages made, the countdown has begun to match day one of European football’s biggest club competition. Starting on September 18th, thirty-two teams will be battling for a place in the final at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow on May 21. With most of the world’s best players on display, the competition is a fantastic spectacle for football fans, and a great betting medium. For the internet’s most competitive Champions League betting, visit PinnacleSports.com, offering up to 60% better odds.

Ancelotti Seeking to Guide Milan to Hat-trick of Titles

Champions League holders, AC Milan, begin the defence of their title at home to Benfica, in a section that also contains, Shakhtar Donetsk and Scottish league winners Celtic, who they faced in last season’s group stages. This time around the Rossoneri can call on the services of Brazilian, Ronaldo, (cup tied last season) who has been rejuvenated under Carlo Ancelotti. The Milan coach is seeking to go one better in the dugout than on the pitch, having lifted the European Cup in 1989 and 1990 as a player, and 2003 and 2007 as manager.

Benfica lay claim to being the best supported club in the world, and the Estadio da Luz (Stadium of Light) is certainly an intimidating venue. Two seasons ago the Eagles knocked Manchester United out of this competition, en route to the quarter-finals. They were, however, pushed close by FC Copenhagen in this season’s third qualifying round, so will have to show considerable improvement opening their campaign at the San Siro.

Barca Face Difficult Opener Against French Champions

The pick of the opening round of fixtures is surely the game at the Nou Camp where La Liga runners-up, Barcelona, host French champions, Olympique Lyonnais. The pair have only met once previously, at the same stage in 2001 when Barca won both legs with a 5-2 aggregate. Having won every Ligue 1 championship since however, Lyon have since gained considerable experience in this competition, and have appeared on the verge of a serious assault on the latter stages, reaching three consecutive quarter-finals.

The club’s burden for their consistent success in finding new talent, is the inevitable poaching of their talent by the clubs they aspire to surpass. This season OL are under the management of Alain Perrin, succeeding Gerard Houllier in May. Perrin’s managerial history is chequered having spent a disappointing spell at Portsmouth in 2005. He managed Marseille the year they reached the Champions League final but was sacked after the group stages.

Sevilla Ready to Take on Challenge of Champions League

Having won consecutive UEFA Cups, Sevilla have earned their first crack at the Champions League, having defeated AEK Athens in the 3rd round of preliminary qualification. Juande Ramos has kept together the side that has been successful in Europe over the previous seasons, fending off Chelsea’s attempts to sign defender, Daniel Alves, and poach his prolific strikeforce, the two K’s - Freddie Kanoute and Aleksandr Kerzhakov. The club did however suffer the sad loss of defender, Antonio Puerta, who died in their opening La Liga fixture, muting the excitement of their first foray into the Champions League.

Arsene Wenger and Arsenal head into the Champions League without their talismanic striker, Thierry Henry. However, the club are looking to the future with a young, ambitious squad, that is capable of holding their own with the best in Europe. The young Gunners cruised through their two third round qualifying games with a 5-0 aggregate win over Sparta Prague, and should feel more at home, after a year at the new Emirates Stadium.

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