Champions League QF 1st Leg Wednesday Predictions: Excitement at Anfield

Liverpool vs Chelsea

Yep, these two again. Ever since Luis Garcia’s was it/wasn’t it goal in the 2005 semi-final they’ve been unable to avoid each other. And let’s not pretend that those games have produced anything but zzzz. According to this article on that tedium “No side has scored more than once during the first 90 minutes in those eight meetings.”

Prediction: But I’m an optimist, so maybe this is the game that will catch fire. Chelsea are under new management and Liverpool are about as confident it’s possible to be. So I’m going to laugh in the face of history and predict thrills, spills and bellyaches at Anfield with an exciting 2-2 draw. Steven Gerrard will get on the scoresheet, but you didn’t need me to tell you that.

Odds:
For this game: Liverpool 13-10, Draw 2-1, Chelsea 12-5
2-2 draw: 16-1
Gerrard to score last: 6-1
To go through: Liverpool 4-5, Chelsea evens
More odds at PaddyPower

Bonus Prediction: My 2-2 prediction is likely very foolish. I just don’t want to live in a world of endless 0-0. I’ll probably be disappointed.

Barcelona vs Bayern

All is not well at Bayern. The 5-1 defeat to Wolfsburg this weekend leaves them 4th in the Bundesliga (one shy of 2009/10 Champions League qualification) and they go to the Camp Nou without Lucio, without Miroslave Klose and without Lukas Podolksi’s enthusiam (which has already been sent ahead to FC Köln for next season).

Meanwhile Barcelona managed to rest the trio of Messi, Henry and Dani Alves this weekend and still beat Real Valladolid 1-0 away from home. Pep Guardiola says the recent defeat makes Bayern dangerous, but I suspect he’s just being polite.

Prediction: Messi will wreak havoc on Bayern’s Lucio-less defence. I see a 2-0 win for Barcelona, with Thierry Henry getting at least one goal.

Odds:
For this game: Barcelona 4-9, Draw 16-5, Bayern Munich 13-2
2-0 to Barca: 6-1
Henry to score first: 9-2
To go through: Barcelona 2-7, Bayern 5-2
More odds at PaddyPower

Bonus Prediction: Jurgen Klinsmann to accelerate his DeLorean to 88 miles per hour and head for July 2006.

OK, now your turn. What do you predict for today? Give me a scoreline and a goalscorer for these two games:

Liverpool vs Chelsea
Barcelona vs Bayern

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Category: World Football