Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd

[Aidymac]

[TABLE=class: couponTable, width: 617]

[TR=class: row1] [TD=align: center][/TD] [TD=class: firstColumn]Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund (19:45 GMT)[/TD] [TD=class: selectionBestOdd, align: center]1.44[/TD] [TD=class: selectionBestOdd, align: center]5.8[/TD] [TD=class: selectionBestOdd, align: center]9.8[/TD] [TD=class: bppWidth bpp, align: center]96.68 %[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

[kevin.]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd As Lewandowski is out Reus will have to take care about Borussia goals and as the price is too juicy I will take Reus anytime scorer @ 4.75 with Triobet.

[HastGill1]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd I'm not convinced by Dortmund I have to be honest, I love the ideals of the club and they are constantly battling against financially wealthier clubs (can you believe QPR have a higher wage bill than Dortmund!?) they are also now battling a crippling injury crisis and the suspension of Lewandowski - which is a massive miss for Dortmund. Lewandowski has scored or assisted 50% of Dortmund's 40 CL goals since the beginning of last season and has scored 5 in his last 4 games against Real Madrid, there is certainly no way they would have beaten them last season were it not for him. What of the games last season? Do they carry significance coming into this? Obviously they do carry some significance, they were knockout games over two legs but you only have to look at Dortmund now to see how weakened they are in comparison. Of the XI that took to the pitch in the second leg they will be missing at least 7 of them, Ilkay Gundogan, defenders Marcel Schmelzer and Neven Subotic, Blaszcykowski, Sven Bender, Lewandowski and Gotze. Reus hasn't returned that well from injury this season but obviously it is different coming into a struggling team, he scored a hat trick at the weekend though so perhaps that will give him confidence going forward as he was one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe last season. Reus and Aubameyang could certainly cause Madrid problems in wide areas as they often struggle down the flanks but you only have to look at Dortmund's results this season to see how many goals they are shipping, and like Man City it doesn't matter how strong you are going forward if you don't have a strong spine you won't win the CL. I'm still not convinced Madrid can win the CL, I have a feeling they will fall just short but this is certainly a very good side. Bale has become a crucial part of the side and weighs in with a lot of goals and assists, Modric is their player of the year and has shown fantastic ability on the ball, Ronaldo scores plenty and even passes the ball on occasion, Benzema can look fantastic at times as can Di Maria. I am a big fan of Alonso but he has looked a bit tired of late, I'm sure he will play though. I'm sure Klopp will work to a well thought out game plan here, but I would question if they now have the players to pull it off, they will work hard in forward areas to close down the space as they always do, but Madrid are certainly stronger this season and Dortmund are significantly weaker. With Madrid being so consistent at home they will want to make this first game count and my major concern for Dortmund would be the defensive midfield/central defensive area with Dortmund missing 3 starters in these positions. I appreciate this has been the situation for most of the season but it hasn't been solved and Madrid have the players to take advantage in these areas, even if we look at their most impressive CL performance this season - which was probably against Arsenal away - they had 3 of the 4 regulars playing in Bender, Hummels and Subotic and it makes such a difference. I think Madrid will win by at least 2 goals. Real Madrid -1.0AH - 1.588 - pinnacle - 10 Points Real Madrid -1.5AH - 2.050 - pinnacle - 3 Points

[senk]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd Not much to add though, you said it all. Dortmund is nowhere near their form from last year when they knocked out Real. Not suprisingly when you miss so many important players through out the season. Klopp is constantly changing his starting 11 due injuries and that can't be good in any way.. Reus scored a nice hattrick at the weekend but that was against stuttgart with all due respect. I do think that Dortmund is able to produce a goal in Bernabeu though. Still enough fire power to maybe hit Real once on the break. But it will be extremely hard for them to qualify under these conditions. Real will probably close the tie at home with a solid win. But Germans are always tough and not easy to beat (except for Schalke lol) so Real surely won't take it too lightly here. But what I also think is that the timing couldn't be worse for Dortmund to face the great whites. They slipped twice last week in la liga and now their top priority will probably be winning the CL. Chasing barcelona and atletico is probably too hard! Anyways, I have no doubt Real will be fired up here, even more than they usually would be ofcourse in a quarter final. Huge pressure cause they really can't fail here due their current status. Odds are low for a home win but it is very likely to happen. Almost the same odds for Real to score 2 or more goals 1.34 and that is a real banker for me. Can't see this one fail! Also the BTS option and real to win looks decent but I'm not convinced yet. I already stakes big on Real and bayern to win and qualify in a combo so no need to go nuts here. We will likely see atleast 3 or 4 goals in this game and Real as winners ofcourse. I'll just take some bonus bets for now! Real over 2.5 goals with medium stakes and Real to win and over 3.5 goals with small/medium stakes odds around 2.70! Dortmund scored in all of their last 4 cl away games and I'm pretty confident Real can score 3 times so that makes this bet tasty for me. Goodluck guys

[MPLouis]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd

I'm still not convinced Madrid can win the CL' date=' I have a feeling they will fall just short[/quote'] Who do your reckon will win it then HG?

[kevshat]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd 4pts Real Madrid (-1) to beat Dortmund Evs Ladbrokes This will be a tough assignment for Dortmund. On their night they have goals in them but we saw in the last round that they can ship them too and this Madrid side attack as well as any side in the game at the minute. Dortmund’s primary aim will be to keep the tie alive for next week and if they can get an away goal so much the better but I expect the home side to be too good here. Full preview here: http://www.punterslounge.com/real-madrid-vs-borussia-dortmund-betting-spanish-side-can-open-up-healthy-lead

[HastGill1]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd

Who do your reckon will win it then HG?

I think Bayern will retain it, I wrote this before the first leg of the Arsenal v Bayern game in the last round, still stands..

I fully expect Bayern to become the first side to retain the CL trophy. Why? Not a factor of money, plenty of sides can compete with them on that front, it is there evolution as a side that makes them so dangerous, most sides - when they win the CL - struggle to retain it because the top teams can usually formulate a plan to neutralise their most important weapons, sides that win the CL won't generally make many changes to the side (if it ain't broke why fix it?), Barca have dominated for years but as we saw last year against Bayern, their failure to evolve to changing styles of play have meant they have been left behind against the strongest sides. Bayern have altered their style, they are now less direct in that they don't mind playing the ball sideways rather than always looking forward, less reliant on Robben and Ribery to create, not reliant on the central striker (Gomez, now Mandzukic) to score a majority of their goals and their strength in depth in midfield is the best in the world by miles, no-one else comes close.

[HastGill1]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd Marcelo has suffered a grade one tear to his hamstring and will miss the game.

[TotoSchillaci]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd HastGill I think you have summed this one up tremendously :ok What I fear for BVB is that their DNA only allows them to play their high energy, direct, counter attacking, up-tempo football. They just don't have the players to try and play possession and keep it away from Real. Barca however do, but still conceded 3 here... I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see Dortmund score twice here as they really know how to launch a counter attack. But if this happens then Real might get 5 or 6 and we may see a Schalke repeat especially as you said 3 out of 4 centre halves and defensive mids are out. Absences of Gundogen, Bender & Subotic should really show on the scoreboard.

[Aidymac]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd Real Madrid will be looking to get rid of their demons from last years Champions League as Borussia Dortmund knocked them out in the semi-finals 4-3 on aggregate. The Germans have been nowhere near as impressive this season though and Madrid look a tougher outfit than they did last year so for me I think the Spanish side are about to gain sweet revenge. The German side are 2nd in the Bundesliga but the league is already over and Bayern have already won the title. They are 23 points behind Bayern Munich which shows the gulf in class between the two sides this season. Dortmund have been leaking a lot of goals too this campaign and the last thing they need now is Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo running at them. The real big news for this game is that Dortmund will be without their main talisman Robert Lewandowski who has been incredible for them over the past couple of seasons. This is a huge blow for the away side and I am not sure how they are going to threaten Real Madrid without him in the team. They also have other injury worries which are Jakub Blaszczykowski, Marcel Schmelzer, Neven Subotic and Sven Bender. Luka Modric is set to return for Real Madrid but they will be without Khedira, Arbeloa and Rodriguez. The clear bet for me here is Real Madrid -1 Goal on the European Handicap, Dortmund look very vulnerable at the back this season and with their main player suspended the Evens with Boylesports is a nice price. Real Madrid have scored 29 goals in 8 Champions League games this season which means they average between 3 - 4 goals per game. Madrid had a tough group to overcome when they had to play Juventus, Galatasaray and Kobenhavn. They beat Galatasaray 6-1 away from home and got 4 points from their two games against Juventus who were knocked out by Galatasaray. They blitzed Schalke in the last round beating them 9-2 on aggregate so although they have flopped a bit in the league, they look very strong coming into this tie. Dortmund have lost three games in this years competition yet still find themselves in the quarter finals but that is as far as they are going to go in my opinion. Real Madrid -1 Goal EH @ Evens Boylesports - Also Get a Free £50 Bet when you register with Boylesports!

[discipline]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd There are not even a handful of teams I would rate better than Dortmund's 1st team. Problem is their 2nd team is much worse. Hummels and Subotic are an amazing defensive pair and Bender and Gundogan are 2 machines in defensive midfield. Don't need to say much about Lewandowski's striker abilites. Can remember the last match between these two when Real completely ran over Dortmund's 1st team (!!) but could somehow only manage to score 2 and were knocked out 4-3 on aggregate. Klopp is a great coach, but like the odds say, anything other than a Real Madrid win would be sensational. Also there is the revenge angle which should not be underestimated.

[MPLouis]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd

What I fear for BVB is that their DNA only allows them to play their high energy' date=' direct, counter attacking, up-tempo football. They just don't have the players to try and play possession and keep it away from Real[/quote'] I think that's about right. I saw most of their recent derby game at home to Schalke, having placed a small bet on Schalke as it was a derby game and I thought they might be some value at long odds. It finished 0-0, but Dortmund were way superior to Schalke, and probably should have won about 3-0. Highlights here ... http://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga-tv/inc/video_flv/highlights/0000289431.inc.php Dortmund out-classed Schalke that day, and this looks like a possible mis-match in Real's favour.

[MPLouis]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd

I think Bayern will retain it' date=' I wrote this before the first leg of the Arsenal v Bayern game in the last round, still stands..[/quote'] After seeing Bayern draw at Old Trafford last night, I've just got a feeling that the winner of PSG v Chelsea will win it - I just think both those sides have enough strength in defence and a cutting edge. I could well be wrong though :p

[Aidymac]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd

After seeing Bayern draw at Old Trafford last night' date=' I've just got a feeling that the winner of PSG v Chelsea will win it - I just think both those sides have enough strength in defence and a cutting edge. I could well be wrong though :p[/quote'] I think it is easy to get fooled by PSG's defence because they are in a weaker league than the likes of La Liga, Premier League and the Bundesliga. The fact is when it comes to the Champions League they ship goals. Anderlecht, Olympiakos and Leverkusen all scored in Paris and they shipped 2 at Benfica and also conceded in Greece. They have a good defence, I fancy them to win tonight but they would have no chance against the likes of Bayern, Madrid or Barca in my opinion. Chelsea on the other hand always have a chance under Mourinho.

[senk]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd I will definitely back under 2.5 goals and under 1.5 goals also with smaller stakes. Psg home win too and psg to win by one goal. Game will be extremely tight, Chelsea always plays the away leg with a defensive tactic. PSG is a lot better than the teams Chelsea faced earlier in this tournament. Chelsea also had troubles lately away from home and PSG is definitely capable of scoring a goal maybe two. With zlatan they have one of the best players in the world for sure and this guy lives for games like this. Fancy him to score and deliver PSG another victory tonight. Don't know what will happen in londen but for this game Chelsea is weakened without Eto'o. Torres rarely convinced me at Chelsea and he will have a hard time against Silva and Alex. Only hazzard is dangerous on the left but he can't do it alone. Looks like another tie that both teams fancy their home chances. PSG unbeaten run of 26 games now and this streak will continue!

[rathbone]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd 1. Real with AH -1.5 @2.0 2. Real wins and BTTS @2.40

[Aidymac]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd

1. Real with AH -1.5 @2.0 2. Real wins and BTTS @2.40

You need to provide reasoning and quote bookmakers with your selections, or they are useless.

[cambroia]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd Agree with all of what you guys said before...Dortmund doesn´t convince me either this year! Real Madrid should be to strong for them. Madrid -1.5 2.05 -1.25 for a safer bet 1.794 @ Pinnacle GL

[HastGill1]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd

I'm not convinced by Dortmund I have to be honest, I love the ideals of the club and they are constantly battling against financially wealthier clubs (can you believe QPR have a higher wage bill than Dortmund!?) they are also now battling a crippling injury crisis and the suspension of Lewandowski - which is a massive miss for Dortmund. Lewandowski has scored or assisted 50% of Dortmund's 40 CL goals since the beginning of last season and has scored 5 in his last 4 games against Real Madrid, there is certainly no way they would have beaten them last season were it not for him. What of the games last season? Do they carry significance coming into this? Obviously they do carry some significance, they were knockout games over two legs but you only have to look at Dortmund now to see how weakened they are in comparison. Of the XI that took to the pitch in the second leg they will be missing at least 7 of them, Ilkay Gundogan, defenders Marcel Schmelzer and Neven Subotic, Blaszcykowski, Sven Bender, Lewandowski and Gotze. Reus hasn't returned that well from injury this season but obviously it is different coming into a struggling team, he scored a hat trick at the weekend though so perhaps that will give him confidence going forward as he was one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe last season. Reus and Aubameyang could certainly cause Madrid problems in wide areas as they often struggle down the flanks but you only have to look at Dortmund's results this season to see how many goals they are shipping, and like Man City it doesn't matter how strong you are going forward if you don't have a strong spine you won't win the CL. I'm still not convinced Madrid can win the CL, I have a feeling they will fall just short but this is certainly a very good side. Bale has become a crucial part of the side and weighs in with a lot of goals and assists, Modric is their player of the year and has shown fantastic ability on the ball, Ronaldo scores plenty and even passes the ball on occasion, Benzema can look fantastic at times as can Di Maria. I am a big fan of Alonso but he has looked a bit tired of late, I'm sure he will play though. I'm sure Klopp will work to a well thought out game plan here, but I would question if they now have the players to pull it off, they will work hard in forward areas to close down the space as they always do, but Madrid are certainly stronger this season and Dortmund are significantly weaker. With Madrid being so consistent at home they will want to make this first game count and my major concern for Dortmund would be the defensive midfield/central defensive area with Dortmund missing 3 starters in these positions. I appreciate this has been the situation for most of the season but it hasn't been solved and Madrid have the players to take advantage in these areas, even if we look at their most impressive CL performance this season - which was probably against Arsenal away - they had 3 of the 4 regulars playing in Bender, Hummels and Subotic and it makes such a difference. I think Madrid will win by at least 2 goals. Real Madrid -1.0AH - 1.588 - pinnacle - 10 Points WIN Real Madrid -1.5AH - 2.050 - pinnacle - 3 Points WIN

Better than last night, Madrid showed how to make use of possession rather than just have it and move sideways like Bayern last night. Madrid were clinical when they needed to be and although Dortmund had a few openings Madrid were always fairly comfortable.

[Aidymac]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd Well done Hastgill, nice write up as always. :clap

[RedOrBlack]

Re: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund > Wednesday April 2nd Real v Munich final it seems (bar meeting each other in the semis), what a final that'll be!