Having wrapped up La Liga crown this past weekend, Barcelona now look for a way past Liverpool in Europe
Two of Europe’s biggest clubs go head to head this coming Wednesday evening (1 May) as Spanish league champions Barcelona welcome Liverpool to the Camp Nou. This is the first leg of the semi-final between the pair of giants – who have both won the UEFA Champions League five times – and both teams could still pull off a double of domestic league and continental crown.
First things first
Before you go any further, head on over to the Oddsshark website, find your favourite betting site and get your own account up and running using your credit card. As a new customer and with the Champions League now down to the final four, there should be a wide range of promotions and special offers available to you.
Where should I be investing my money?
Barcelona are on a roll following their collection of the La Liga trophy at the weekend, and they could well still be on for a trebly this term. However, there is no doubt that their focus will be on the Champions League and reaching their first final since they last lifted the title, back in 2015 at the expense of Juventus.
And it is indeed Barcelona who are the favourites to lift the continental crown this season. The Catalan club is priced at just 2.50 to do so, while Liverpool are out at 3.50 to win their first Champions League since 2005.
And Liverpool will be no walkover for the Spanish club. The Reds currently sit second in the Premier League, just a point behind defending champions Manchester City with two matches left to play, and they are at 4.50 to win their first ever Premier League crown.
Back to this match however and it is Barcelona who come into this first leg tie as the clear favourites to take an advantage into the return encounter at Anfield next week. You can back the home club to win at just 1.90 while Liverpool are out at 4.20 to do the same – a draw is priced in the middle at 3.80, according to Oddsshark.
Can Liverpool hold firm?
However, Liverpool are not only an attacking force to be reckoned with, they also boast the best defensive record in the FA Premier League, having leaked just 20 goals across 36 matches. We firmly believe they are more than capable of holding their own at Camp Nou, and a 1-1 draw is priced at 7.00, meaning that a US$5 bet would lead to a USS$35 pay out.
That result would also allow you to more than double your money at 2.20, although both teams to score is at the shorter price of 1.61. However, if you are looking to boost any potential winnings from this key clash then you may wish to employ a method known as combo betting, which allows you to select multiple outcomes at higher odds.
For example, you could more than quadruple your money by backing both teams to score and a draw (i.e. a scoring draw at 4.50), while a draw and under 2.5 goals in the game is higher still, at 5.00. Under 2.5 goals and both teams to score comes in highest of all at 7.00, the same price you can get for backing that 1-1 draw.
Could Barcelona make a fast start?
Given the fact they have the advantage in this first leg and they will want to make it count, we also believe that there is a strong chance Barcelona will come racing out of the blocks as they go in search of an early goal which would give them a key advantage. It may therefore be an idea to back over 0.5 goals in the first 10 minutes at 4.00, while Barça are at just 7.50 to be ahead by the end of that time period.
Barcelona will certainly be looking to dominate this match on home soil, making sure they have something in the bank for Anfield. You can more than double your money by backing the Catalans to score in both halves at a price of 2.62.
In terms of goal scorers, Luis Suarez will surely be eager to score against his former club. You can more than double your money by backing the Uruguayan to score at any time at 2.10, while he is at 5.00 to score either the first or last goal of the game.
UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg ties:
Tuesday, 30 April
(2.40) Tottenham x Ajax (3.20); draw (3.40)
Wednesday, 1 April
(1.90) Barcelona x Liverpool (4.20); draw (3.80)
