Champions League

50% here from Tom, as Marseille best Besiktas 2-0, but Lazio found a late equaliser against Olympiacos to nix the second bet.

The unrivalled Champions League returns on Tuesday and for the very first time six British representatives foray into the group stages. UEFA’s grand spectacle really is the daddy of world football and further to boot, it’s always a good way to make some cash.

Chelsea, despite their sluggish form, should whip Rosenborg at Stamford Bridge and it is Liverpool and Celtic that are also in action on the opening night from the British Isles. The 2005 Champions start with a trip to Porto while the SPL leaders travel to Donetsk to play Shakhtar.

None of the aforementioned trio make much appeal but if we are looking to take sides on this Tuesday then what better place to start than the South of France.

Marseille’s European glory days are very much a thing of the past and having watched them a couple of times recently it’s pretty astonishing they are mixing it with the elite. Poor would be kind and they have registered just one victory in eight matches so far this term.

They take on Besiktas and were it not for the Turks less than impressive away record across the continent in recent times then we really would be looking at a maximum lay. At 2.00, the home side are still plenty short enough however.

A trio of South American’s in Bobo, Delgado and Ricardinho are likely to spearhead the visitors attack and i reckon they have goals in them. Get against the French.

Greek and Turkish sides traditionally struggle on their travels but it as difficult a place as anywhere in Europe to go and get a result and Olympiacos have a more than decent record in recent season’s. They won each group match three campaigns back, including victory over eventual champions Liverpool, and then followed that up with victory over the mighty Real Madrid in 2005. They play Lazio.

A disappointing time of it last term, when they failed to register a single win, Olympiacos will be keen to make it through the group stage for the first time and prove they can make the step up. They have landed the Greek Super league on ten occasions in the last eleven seasons.

Lazio, now a second rate Italian side, certainly don’t boast star players like they have in the past and a squad with little European experience will hold no fear for the Greeks.