Bayern Munich’s odds have spiralled out of control tonight, shortening all the time, and I am happy to have Barcelona and the draw on my side at the prices.
There is no doubt Tuesday’s semi-final would have been a fitting finale to grace Wembley next month but the giants meet in the last four and it is really tough to call which of the pair will advance.
Bayern and Barcelona will be crowned champions of the Bundesliga and La Liga respectively this term, yet again, but it is European glory that both desperately crave and each, quite clearly, is good enough to go all the way.
Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund await the winners in London and Bayern will be eager to take advantage of hosting in the first leg on Tuesday.
The priority will be denying Barcelona an away goal but Lionel Messi is expected to return following injury and that will be no easy task.
Bayern have been Europe’s form team this season and it was hard not to be massively impressed with the way they dispatched Juventus in the quarter-finals without conceding a goal over 180 minutes.
It is just nine dropped points all term in Germany, winning each of their last two fixtures 6-1, and the treble is very much on for Juup Heynckes’ team.
The most recent of those thrashings came at Hannover on Saturday but now Barcelona are in town and perhaps Messi and his mates have been written off a little too quickly.
The Argentine was required to haul the Catalans out of trouble in the last eight against PSG, coming off the bench to help set-up Pedro’s equalising strike, and Barcelona have tightened up defensively since.
It is now three clean sheets in a row in Spain, winning on each occasion, and the visitors have enough experience, not to mention talent, to keep Bayern somewhat at arm’s length in the Allianz Arena.
I just cant be taking 2.10 or thereabouts about any side getting the better of Barcelona and especially in such an important fixture.
I have massive respect for the hosts but each match needs to be treated on its merit and the odds are slightly too skewed in Bayern’s favour.
2pts Lay Bayern Munich (vs. Barcelona) @ 2.10 (Betfair)