Let’s look at the top Liverpool v Barcelona Champions League semi finals betting tips. We are at the business end of the Champions League and there is now just one match standing between the four remaining sides and a place in the 2019 final. Having had the opportunity to analyse the chances of the contenders following the first-leg ties, bookmakers believe they have a strong idea which two will contest the final, as well as the club that will go on to add their name to the famous old trophy with a win on 1 June at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.
The money men have Barcelona marked up as odds-on favourites for the crown and although the La Liga champions are no more than a tight looking 12/25 (Unibet) it has become almost impossible to argue against that stance, the Spaniards sparkling from their first kick of the competition.
Fancy one at a bigger price? How could we back against a sublime Ajax side who have oozed class, cutting opponents open with total football. The Dutch cracks are 10/3 with Bet365 and that’s sure to pop up on a few bet slips for interest stakes.
Big price for all-England Final
Those prices would suggest there’s little, if indeed any, chance of an English side winning the title this year, despite having two in the semi-finals. In fact, traders across the board believe the Premier League challenge will come crashing down on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Those who believe Liverpool and Tottenham won’t go down without a fight can back the Londoners at 10/1 – top price at Bet365 – or the Merseysiders at 20/1 with Ladbrokes. What about an all Premier League final? It looks like we can forget about it, Bet365 happy to offer out a chunky 40/1.
Let’s take a closer look at the betting for the second-leg of the Champions League semi-finals as our football betting experts run through the aggregate scores, the match prices being offered by bookmakers and any value that still exists in the specials…
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday 8.00pm, live on BT Sport
Liverpool went to the Camp Nou looking to keep things tight and return to Anfield with their chances of reaching the final and seeing off the favourite in the process still very much alive. They did, for most of the first-leg in Spain, manage to keep the scores low and there were times they looked like getting an away goal of their own but, in the end, Liverpool were reminded of the importance of having a game-changer.
The scores locked at 1-0 following an opening goal from Suarez on 26 minutes, The Reds fluffed a couple of decent goal scoring chances that fell their way before star of the show Lionel Messi turned the game on its head. The wizard of football smashed home a second on 75 minutes and put one foot in the final with a sublime free-kick on 82. If you haven’t already seen a replay of that goal you really must go and have a look. It sums up just why Messi is, beyond all reasonable doubt, the best player in the game today, and one of the most gifted to ever grace football.
There could be no arguments from Liverpool who threw their hands up and admitted they were beaten by the better side. The funny thing about that loss was it came despite The Reds holding their own for the majority of the match in Spain. They finished with 53% of the possession, had 15 shots at goal and five corners. If offered those kind of stats before kick-off we’re sure Klopp would’ve jumped at the chance, he just didn’t reckon on his strikers having an off-day when it mattered most.
They’re on Their Way
Barcelona now look well on their way to the final and, if they can get over the line, the advantage will be on their side in the last two with the game being played in Spain. Barcelona fans have watched on as their side have dominated La Liga in recent years, while rivals Real Madrid have been making history in this competition. Having flexed their muscles domestically again, those loyal to the cause thought it was about time their team returned to their rightful place at the top of European football and many believed Barca were the best side to halt the Blancos dominance.
They didn’t get the chance to deal with Real Madrid in this tournament – Ajax responsible for knocking the holders out – but they are within one game of the final and the fact bookies have them picked suggests there will be no stopping the might of Barcelona this year. Before hurting Liverpool at the Camp Nou they had already knocked out Manchester United and Lyon. Will Liverpool be the latest scalp to be added to that list? Judging by the first-leg it would be a brave punter who went against them and backed Liverpool to progress.
The match prices and to qualify odds would suggest this tie is already over and Barcelona are through, but we saw in Spain Liverpool are more than good enough to create chances. If they had been a little more clinical in the final third that night, they could very well be the side holding all the aces here. Ifs and buts count for nothing in this game, of course, but there’s no reason why Liverpool can’t score a couple of goals at home and apply pressure here, seeing how their opponents react.
Home Win is Favourite
One thing is for sure here, if Barcelona come to Anfield thinking the job is already done, or they take their eye off the ball and field a weakened side, they could be battered black and blue by the hosts and turfed out on their ear. Jurgen Klopp’s boys are no mugs and have shown many times in the past they are capable of springing a surprise in this very competition. Champions League history is littered with jaw-dropping upsets. Should we prepare for another?
Despite last week’s loss, bookies have Liverpool as favourites and the home win is available at no better than the even money served up by Unibet. We expected them to dominate the betting as they are keen on revenge, but that price is lower than we imagined. Fancy more of the same? Another Barcelona win, just to prove their point, is 11/4 – best price at Bet365 – while the draw is yours at 3/1 with William Hill.
Both teams to score is a punt available to those who would prefer to avoid picking a winner, yours at 1/2 (William Hill). The stats show us these sides have met nine times before with the head-to-head divided equally across the board, 3-3-3. It’s worth noting, however, at least one team has failed to find the net in three of the last four. No both teams to score again is 6/4 (Bet365).