Champions League | News | Aussie Punter

Arguably Europe’s finest sides meet on Saturday night for the 2011 Champions League final, under the lights at the new Wembley Stadium. Spanish champions Barcelona, meet English champions Manchester Utd, with both looking to sign off the season by adding club football’s biggest prize to their bulging trophy cabinets. Two years ago, it was the Catalans who got the better of Sir Alex Ferguson’s United side as Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi scored the goals that defeated the Red Devils in...

Barcelona vs Real Madrid Petulant, bad-tempered, sterile all of which are not normally words you’d associate with ‘El Clasico’ but that was pretty much the story of the first leg between Barcelona and Real Madrid last week. But in-between the half-time brawl and the sending off a Real’s Pepe, that was some moments of pure genius from Lionel Messi that has pretty much settled this tie in the Catalan’s favour. The world’s best player scored two late goals for Barca at the Bernabeu, giving...

Manchester United vs Chelsea The most interesting tie of the quarter-final second legs comes at Old Trafford, where Man Utd hold a 1-0 advantage over Chelsea in this all English tie. United secured their first win at Stamford Bridge in nine years a week ago and will go into the match as favourites, having secured that vital away goal. Chelsea however, will believe that they can beat United on their own turf and gain revenge for the Champions League Final defeat of 2008. Both teams were successful...

Inter Milan vs Schalke Inter will need to recover from the weekend derby defeat to rivals AC and turn their attentions to their Champions League defence, as Schalke visit the San Siro for the quarter-final first leg. Both teams have struggled for consistent league form this season but both remain a danger in the Champions League. And in Samuel Eto’o and Raul, the two teams have two of the competitions greatest ever marksmen, it’s their goals that could make the difference in this tight looking...

The Champions League is now well into the Round of 16 with the Quarter Finals starting on the 5th of April. The Champions League kicks of with three Qualifying Rounds and a Play-Off Round. In these matches the clubs play two matches against each other on a home-and-away basis. The club which scores the greater aggregate of goals qualifies for the next round, with away goals and then penalties used to determine the winner in the event of a draw. In the Group Stage the clubs are split into eight...

Champions League last 16 2nd Leg Preview Manchester United vs Marseille The pair’s first leg goalless draw a fortnight ago was easily the worst game of the round so a much better performance from both will be needed in Tuesday’s return leg in Manchester. United come into the game after a sticky patch in their league form, that has seen them lose their last two Premier League games. However, their form at Old Trafford has been particularly menacing this season where they’ve only dropped...

FC Copenhagen vs Chelsea Saturday’s cup exit at the hands of Everton means that Chelsea’s best hope of a trophy is now this season’s Champions League. They must first though overcome a Copenhagen side unbeaten in their last five European home games including a draw with Barcelona, and fresh off a winter break. Fernando Torres is set to make his Champions League bow for the Blues, with Carlo Ancelotti hoping the Spaniard will rediscover his best form to help his side come through a potentially...

Champions League Group E: Bayern Munich vs Basle Last year’s beaten finalists Bayern Munich have been impressive in group E this year and have a big enough goal difference to assume qualification to the knockout round as group winners. But this doesn’t mean they will take Basle lightly. Basle can qualify if they win this fixture and Cluj beat Roma in the other fixture in the group. But it will be a tough ask to win in Germany against a confident Bayern side. Prediction: Bayern Munich win Cluj...