The Uefa Champions League Round of 16 continues on Wednesday when Porto host Arsenal and Napoli have home advantage first leg of their match up with Barcelona
Porto 4/1 Draw 28/10 Arsenal 7/10
Porto ran neck and neck with Barcelona in qualifying from their group. Both sides won 4 matches and lost 2, Shakhtar were third and Antwerp were the also rans. They lost twice to Barca, 1-0 at home and 2-1 away but were otherwise foot perfect including home wins over Antwerp (2-0) and Shakhtar (5-3).
Porto are third in the Portuguese top flight, all of 7 points behind Sporting and Benfica
Arsenal were comfortable topping their group ahead of PSV with 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat, Lens were third and Sevilla a distant fourth. The Gunners tripped up away from home at Lens, losing 2-1 but they were 2-1 winners at Sevilla and a 1-1 draw at PSV sealed top spot. Home form was perfect, 3 straight wins and no goals conceded.
Arsenal have been in splendid form in the EPL and they are in the thick of the title race with Liverpool and Man City. They have just reeled off 5 straight wins including 2 recent away fixtures, at West Ham (6-0) and Burnley (5-0)
The Verdict:
I think Arsenal are in the sort of form that can see them take early control of this tie. Odegaard was sensational at Burnley last weekend and came through for me in the anytime goalscorer market and I'm sticking with him here.
Bets: Anytime goalscorer Odegaard at 4/1 with BetXchange
Napoli 18/10 Draw 5/2 Barcelona 31/20
Napoli won 3, drew 1 and lost 2 of their group matches to finish as runners up to Real Madrid with Braga third and Union Berlin fourth. Their 2 defeats came against Real, 3-2 at home and 4-2 away, they were held to a 1-1 draw by Union in a home game but did beat Braga 2-0 in their final match in front of their own supporters.
Napoli are currently just ninth in Serie A, a title they won last season by all of 16 points. At the weekend they sacked coach Walter Mazzarri who had been in charge for just 3 months and a former assistant at Naples Francesco Calzona has been named as his replacement.
Barca's 2 wins over Porto in the group stage so them edge top spot in the group. They won their first 3 matches and defeats came away from home, 1-0 at Shakhtar and then 3-2 at Antwerp on Matchday 6.
In La Liga Barca are third, 2 points behind Girona and 8 shy of Real Madrid. Coach Xavi has announced he will be leaving at the end of the season and although they have taken 10 points from their last 4 league games it hasn't been overly convincing. On the plus side Barca are unbeaten away from home in La Liga with 7 wins and 5 draws.
The Verdict:
There has to be question marks against both sides and given Barca have been no strangers to drawing away from home, albeit in La Liga, I'm with the draw here.
Bets: Match Result Draw at 5/2 with BetXchange
Note, prices quoted are subject to change
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