Home side are slight favourites for tomorrow night’s clash in the UEFA Champions League at the Estadio Do Dragao.
Tuesday 16th February 2010
Wednesday evening sees Arsenal travel to Portugal to compete against FC Porto in the knockout stages of this season’s UEFA Champions League with the home side listed as marginal favourites to win.
FC Porto last won the Champions League in 2004 under coach Jose Mourinho and are listed at odds of 11/8 to defeat Arsenal tomorrow night by Ladbrokes.com. Slightly longer, WilliamHill.com is offering 7/5 while Coral.co.uk, ToteSport.com, SkyBet.com, BetFred.com and SportingBet.com show 6/4.
Undefeated in their last five domestic games, Porto currently sit third in the Portuguese Liga nine points behind rivals Benfica and are being offered at odds of 17/11 to defeat Arsenal by Bwin.com while StanJames.com and BoyleSports.com show 8/5.
Arsene Wenger's men were defeated last season at the Estadio Do Dragao in the group stages of the Champions League by two goals to nil with VictorChandler.com, BlueSq.com, 888Sport.com, WBX.com and Bet365.com offering odds of 13/8 on a similar result this time out.
Although Porto have a lot of work to do in order to win their fifth consecutive league title at home, success in Europe could see current coach Jesualdo Ferreira save his job. Expekt.com and Betfair.com show the home side at odds of 28/17 to triumph while BetDaq.com has 83/50 followed by PaddyPower.com with 17/10.
The last few weeks have not been a good time for Arsenal after the side could only manage to take one point from a possible twelve in the English Premier League. Defeats against Manchester United and Chelsea combined with a draw away to Aston Villa have seen the London-based club drop to third in the table, six points off the top.
Last season, Arsenal defeated Roma at this stage of the competition before going on to progress against Villareal and then falling in the semi-finals to Manchester United. A good showing tomorrow away from the Emirates Stadium could be essential if the side is to repeat last season’s success with ToteSport.com offering the visitors at odds of 6/4 to triumph in Portugal while Ladbrokes.com and WilliamHill.com show 8/5.
Key Arsenal players Andrei Arshavin and Alex Song are expected to be missing through injury, something that has seen 888Sport.com, BlueSq.com and SportingBet.com lengthen their odds to 13/8. Even longer, Bwin.com and Expekt.com currently show 28/17 while PaddyPower.com and StanJames.com are going with 17/10.
Porto went eleven matches without defeat at home to English opposition before losing to Manchester United in last year's quarter-finals. However, they were also beaten at home by Chelsea in this season’s group stage with BoyleSports.com and Bet365.com offering odds of 7/4 that Arsenal can win tomorrow. This is being followed by Betfair.com with 179/100 while Coral.co.uk, BetFred.com, WBX.com and BetDaq.com show 9/5. At the extreme end, VictorChandler.com and SkyBet.com show 15/8 on the visitors triumphing.
A draw would not necessarily be bad for either team with SportingBet.com, WilliamHill.com and PaddyPower.com offering odds of 21/10 on this eventuality. ToteSport.com, SkyBet.com, VictorChandler.com, BlueSq.com, 888Sport.com, Bwin.com and Coral.co.uk show 11/5 on a tie while Bet365.com, BetFred.com and StanJames.com list 9/4.
