Champions League: Odds and picks for Wednesday's matches

Lumi

LOKI
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Champions League: Odds and picks for Wednesday's matches


The other half of the Champions League knockout rounds will take place on Wednesday with the gem of knockout round taking center stage. Chelsea travel to Italy to take on Internazionale (Inter Milan) while CSKA Moscow will have an earlier kickoff against Spanish side, Sevilla.

Inter Milan vs. Chelsea (Pick, over/under-2.5)

For Chelsea, it?s a chance to reacquaint with old boss Jose Mourinho.

The 47-year-old Portuguese meets his former employers for the first time since he left the team after a less than impressive beginning to the 2007-08 campaign.

He is convinced they are not as tough as they were during his trophy-laden three-year spell at Stamford Bridge, even if they are two years removed from a Champions League finals appearance.

?He knows Chelsea very well, I know Inter very well and in this game there are no surprises,? said Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti in an attempt to not be outdone. His knowledge of the opponent stems from his eight seasons as the coach at AC Milan---Inter?s chief rival.

These two sides have never met before in the competition but that does not mean that either set of supporters will be short on confidence.

Chelsea fans will take assurance to the San Siro because they know well that the Nerazzurri have been knocked out at this stage of the competition in the last three seasons and that Inter have won only twice in their last 11 games in the Champions League.

Inter fans will also be brimming with similar optimism knowing Chelsea, since Mourinho?s departure from west London, have won only three of their last 12 away matches in the Champions League.

Still, Inter have netted only once in their last three outings against Serie A foes while Chelsea, albeit against weaker competition, have scored seven.

The game seems as if it will be a draw with Mourinho?s precise defensive tactics (Inter have surrendered one goal in their last five league matches) coupled with how ragged Chelsea looked in their away win at Wolves last Saturday.

Under is the best bet especially if you can find it at 2 ? goals.

Prediction: Inter 0, Chelsea 0

CSKA Moscow v Sevilla (Pick, over/under-2.5)

CSKA hosting Sevilla will offer many bettors a chance to watch football at its ugliest form.

CSKA haven?t played since December (with the Russian league having a different time frame for obvious, weather-induced reasons) while Sevilla players will have to travel on an eight-hour flight to play in 10 or 11 degree weather on CSKA?s artificial turf.

The game seems as if it has draw written all over it but what we can safely assume is that CSKA won?t be nearly as crisp with their passing or shooting as they would be during the year while Sevilla?s players will be playing in such a different environment.
I love the under at 2 ? here as well which can be found at most shops.

Prediction: CSKA 0, Seville 1
 

Lumi

LOKI
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Aug 30, 2002
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Internazionale v Chelsea

Internazionale v Chelsea

Internazionale v Chelsea

Mourinho plays down advantage





Last Five Matches in Competition
Internazionale Chelsea
FK Rubin Kazan 2-0 Apoel Nicosia 2-2
@Barcelona 2-0 @FC Porto 0-1
@Dynamo Kiev 1-2 @Atl?tico Madrid 2-2
Dynamo Kiev 2-2 Atl?tico Madrid 4-0
@FK Rubin Kazan 1-1 @Apoel Nicosia 0-1
? Club Results: Internazionale | Chelsea

Next Five Matches in Competition
Internazionale Chelsea
2/24 Chelsea 2/24 @Internazionale
3/16 @Chelsea 3/16 Internazionale
? Club Schedule: Internazionale | Chelsea
Updated: February 23, 2010, 2:14 PM ET

Jose Mourinho stressed his intricate knowledge of Chelsea does not mean his Inter Milan side have an advantage ahead of Wednesday night's Champions League clash.
Mourinho faces the Blues for the first time since leaving Stamford Bridge in September 2007 after three years in charge.

But although most of the players remain the same, that does not necessarily mean Mourinho knows how to beat the Blues.

"I know Chelsea well but that doesn't mean that it's any easier,'' he said.

"Sometimes it's more difficult because when you know so much about the team, if you don't decide what is the right information to give to the your new players about your old players, you can get into trouble.

"I played against Porto with Chelsea the year after I left, so in the 2004/05 season.

"It was my team, my players and I knew everything about them, but it was not easy. We won one game and lost the other one.''

Likewise, Mourinho does not see any advantage in the current Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti returning to the city where he spent most of his managerial career, as boss of AC Milan.

"It's not easy,'' added Mourinho.

"I don't think it is for Carlo Ancelotti, who knows Inter very well, and has worked all his life in Italian football and played against Inter a dozen times and is a local man, a man from Milan, from the same city.

"I think he knows everything about us, everything about our players, but I don't think it's an advantage at all.''

Mourinho is not expecting Chelsea to come and build the barricades - and nor will Inter - but predicts the tie will be decided at Stamford Bridge next month, rather than Wednesday night.

"I don't remember seeing a game involving Chelsea and them going on the field to defend, or not to win, or to play for a 0-0,'' he said.

"Inter are the same. It's a game which could be 180 minutes, but it may even be 30 minutes more.

"The first game is important, but I think the second is even more important because that's the one which decides the tie.''

As for his own team, Mourinho is still sweating over the fitness of goalkeeper Julio Cesar, who was involved in a car accident on Sunday.

Although the Brazilian was able to train on Tuesday, Mourinho will assess him again prior to kick-off having called veteran goalkeeper Francesco Toldo up as cover.

Ancelotti insists that events outside of Chelsea's dressing room will have little effect on their preparation.

Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole is to separate from his wife Cheryl following a string of allegations about affairs with other women.

But Ancelotti, keen to play down a war of words with Mourinho, insisted his squad would not be distracted by any off-the-field issues.

"I think we are focused will be on this important game,'' said Ancelotti.

"We will not change our motivation for this game, whatever happens outside our dressing room.''

Ancelotti has found himself facing a major selection headache over the left-back position.

Cole's broken ankle and a calf injury to Yury Zhirkov has left the Italian having to call upon Juliano Belletti.

Belletti has not played for over a month because of a knee injury and Chelsea's problems have been further compounded by the fact that Paulo Ferreira, who can play in that position, has not been included in the club's Champions League squad.

Mourinho has found himself unpopular among other Serie A coaches and Italian football's authorities because of his outspoken behaviour and Ancelotti had allegedly claimed that every neutral in Italy will be hoping his Chelsea side can beat Mourinho's Inter.

But Ancelotti added: "I never said this. I respect Inter Milan fully. I understand how much Inter want to win this cup but we also want to win it.

"To be honest I am not interested in Inter Milan and their dressing room.

"I think the game will be very even with two strong teams and it will be a great battle.''
 
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