Seeley’s Selections – Juventus v Real Madrid

The Champions League is back on Tuesday and we start with a semi-final clash between two European giants when Juventus entertain Real Madrid in Turin.

This year’s competition has seen four of the continent’s giants making into the semi-finals with a staggering 25 European Cups between the remaining quartet.

Despite this star-studded line-up, it doesn’t necessarily mean we will start with a classic in this one; this is going to be tight and all my serious betting attention is on the goal markets, or the lack of them.

Last year, at this stage of the tournament, we only saw one goal scored in both semi-final first legs and with so much at stake, and not much between these two, I fully expect a similar story again on Tuesday.

Under 2.5 goals is 6/10 with BoyleSports’ for this one, which may appear to be a short, but trust me it’s not short enough.

Also whilst we are looking at the goal markets under 1.5 goal at 9/5 with BoyleSports looks another decent play at a price that we can all enjoy.

Five of Juve’s last six home games have all featured less than 2.5 goals and the only one that didn’t was when the Serie A title was secured.

Now, in their biggest game of the season so far, I can see them being very hard to break down.

In their quarter-final home clash with Monaco only one goal was scored in a 1-0 home success and against Real’s city rival Atletico they played out a goalless draw – I expect more of the same in this one.

“The Old Lady” are unbeaten in their last 12 home European matches and with only one defeat in their last 54 home matches her sister “The Fat Lady” won’t be singing just yet.

With that fantastic home record many might be interested in the 2/1 on the home side to win and it did make me have a second glance, but I really like the draw at a massive 23/10 with BoyleSports.

If you backed the draws in the last 10 Champions League semi-finals first legs you would have made a nice profit and I expect that winning run to continue.

Madrid are the 31/20 favourites for a vital away win with BoyleSports which looks very, very short to me.

Carlo Ancelotti will be very happy to get them back to the Bernabeu with honours even next week and I think that will be the game-plan.

Ancelotti’s side is still involved in a big domestic title battle and the pressure is on him to win that or the Champions League if he’s still to be in charge in the Spanish capital next season.

The Italian has an awful managerial record against the Bianconeri only winning five of his previous 23 games against them in all competitions and I think that will continue.

I just can’t see this Madrid side been able to break down the Juventus rearguard and this really could fizzle out into a pretty poor event. No goalscorer at a massive 15/2 with BoyleSports in a game which looks impossible to separate the two looks a fantastic wager.

Seeley’s Selections:
Under 1.5 Goals @ 6/10
Under 2.5 Goals @ 9/5
Draw @ 23/10
No Goalscorer @ 15/2

B Lucky
Nigel