Champions League Final 2013 – Betting Preview
Bayern Munich will be bidding to become the first ever German side to win the treble on Saturday, but Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund stand in their way.
Sportingly Better picks out the best football predictions and football betting tips for the 2013 Champions League final at Wembley.
Champions League Final Predictions
Borussia Dortmund (4.75) v Bayern Munich (1.75); Draw (4.10)
Wembley plays host to an all-German final this weekend, but it is Jupp Heynckes’ impressive Bavarians who are the overwhelming favourites to lift Europe’s most prestigious club prize.
Favourites Bayern Munich have enjoyed a near faultless campaign with a 2-0 defeat against Arsenal in the last 16, the only blip on an otherwise impressive run in this year’s competition.
Outgoing coach Jupp Heynckes has had just three campaigns as coach in the Champions League and the German manager has reached the final in every season. In 1998 he won the trophy with Real Madrid, whilst last year Heynckes took the Bavarians all the way to the final.
Bayern became only the fifth team in Champions League history to not concede a goal in either the quarter final or semi final stage and despite Dortmund’s attacking threat, a Bayern Munich clean sheet does offer some value.
Bayern Munich have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four matches in the Champions League. Back Bayern Munich to keep a clean sheet at 2.62.
Javi Martinez’s arrival at the Allianz Arena this season has been a key part of that exceptional defensive record, with the Spain international having made more interceptions (39) than any other player in the Champions League this year.
Bayern Munich Probable XI
Neuer, Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Alaba, Schweinsteiger, Martinez, Robben, Muller, Ribery, Mandzukic
Midfielder Toni Kroos remains Bayern Munich’s only absentee, so Thomas Muller will play behind Mario Mandzukic in attack. Muller has scored seven goals in his last eight appearances in the Champions League and the Germany international is well priced at 2.50 to score anytime at Wembley.
The Bavarians midfield partnership of Javi Martinez and Bastian Schweinsteiger is arguably the finest midfield pairing in Europe, but it is the wide play of Franck Ribery on the left and Arjen Robben on the right that will most likely cause their opponents problems, especially if Klopp chooses to pack the midfield.
Opponents Borussia Dortmund have emerged as potential winners in this season’s competition, after producing a series of fine performances typified by pressing football and counter attacking displays.
Dortmund’s defeat at the Bernabeu last time out was Klopp’s only defeat in the competition this season and BVB will be quietly confident of springing a surprise on their rivals on Saturday.
The loss to injury of Mario Gotze will have been a blow to Dortmund coming into the this match, with the Bayern Munich-bound player having provided a good attacking outlet on the break this season with Marco Reus.
Borussia Dortmund Probable XI
Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Hummels, Subotic, Schmelzer, Gundogan, Bender, Blaszczykowski, Reus, Großkreutz, Lewandowski
BVB have again been spearheaded by Polish striker Robert Lewandowski in attack and the highly-rated forward goes into Saturday’s match in impressive form having scored 22 goals in his last 24 games in all competitions.
Lewandowski hit four goals against Real Madrid in the first leg of the semi-finals and only Cristiano Ronaldo (12) has scored more goals than Lewandowski (10) in the Champions League this season.
BVB have only kept three clean sheets in their last 12 European matches and Bayern Munich will be well favoured to score at least one goal on Saturday, after scoring two or more goals in six of their last seven matches in the Champions League.
The Bavarians have lost three of their last four Champions League finals, but despite the value lying with their opponents, Bayern Munich should have the upper hand in the all-German final on Saturday.
Recommended Bets
Bayern Munich -0.5, -1.0 Asian Handicap @1.975
Bayern Munich -2.5 Asian Handicap corners @1.90
Bayern Munich to score over 1.5 goals at 1.66
Author Credit: Jonathan Day
Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rayand/
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