Champions League Group E betting preview

The group stages of the Champions League have nearly arrived and Chelsea will be delighted they are in a group that doesn’t offer them much of a threat to qualify. Chelsea go into this competition as former champions league winners and will intend to retain their title. To get through this group they will be competing against last years Danish champions FC Nordsjaelland, who are in the Champions League for the first time in their history. Italian giants, Juventus who will firmly intend to qualify into the last 16 and will definitely pose the main threat to Chelsea’s chance of finishing top of the group. The fourth club to grace group E is Shakhtar Donetsk, who go into this group as unbeaten leaders in the Ukrainian Premier League and will intend to cause an upset against the English and Italian giants. Check out all the free bets available for this Group.

Chelsea

Roberto Di Matteo has transformed a once beleaguered Chelsea team into what are now the premier league front runners and current holders of the Champions League and FA Cup. The Chelsea manager has acquired six players over the summer for a combined total fee of £75 million. Hazard and Oscar are the largest of the six signings and have already proved their worth during the opening of the Premier League season and will be hoping to continue their form into Europe. Chelsea will be expecting to at least qualify through this group with the best price coming from sporting bets at 21/20, with Sky Bet offering 5/4 on Chelsea to win this group.

Juventus

Juventus are back in the Champions League for the first time since 2009 following their embarrassing cheat scandal that has unfortunately been the headline of Italy’s third oldest club over recent years. Juventus are currently unbeaten and top of the league in Serie A, current holders of the Super Cup and have just won the Berlusconi trophy. Juventus are best priced at 13/8 from Coral to win this group and 9/2 to qualify by Bet385, 888sport and Coral. If Juventus can continue their domestic form into Europe they should qualify through group E with no real problems and it will be a welcome return to see one of Europe’s best clubs return to footballs biggest stage.

Shakhtar Donetsk

Shakhtar are managed by Mircea Lucescu, one of the most experienced managers in the world and he will be hoping he can inspire his team to qualify through to the last 16, after a disappointing campaign in 2011. Shakhtar have been blessed with some quality players. One player in particular is Darijo Srna who is the captain of Shakhtar, a Croatian international and voted into the UEFA champions league team of the year 2010-2011. Srna’s quality will be needed if Shakhtar are to qualify and there is no doubt he will need to be at the top of his game. They are currently unbeaten and top of the league in Ukraine, as are Chelsea and Juventus in their respective leagues and there is no doubt they will intend to continue their form into Europe. Nonetheless, the odds are not favouring them to qualify with Boyles Sports offering the best price at 2/1.

FC Nordsjaelland

FC Nordsjaelland, managed by Kasper Hjulman, are the Danish champions and current Danish cup holders. They go into this group as clear outsiders and are best priced by 888sport and Stan James with odds at 20/1 to qualify and 100/1 to win the group with Blue Square. Nordsjaelland will not be expected to win many in this group but to get anything they will be strongly relying on their 23 year old striker Joshua John who is currently on loan from FC Twente and has already scored 6 in 4 games. They do have the benefit that every team will have a very long trip to the outskirts of Copenhagen and the difference of playing at Stamford Bridge and the Juventus stadium compared to the 10,000-seater Farum Park will be vast. The question is can they make this count to their advantage – only time will tell.

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