Home and Away: Back Dortmund to Borussh their hosts aside

3Apr 2013

Betfair

Jonno Turner scours the continent for more value picks in his Home and Away column...

We're off to Spain for our first pick of the day - in the Champions League Quarter Final first leg tie between Malaga and Borussia Dortmund - as the hosts aim to secure themselves an advantage ahead of the reverse fixture in Germany.

Manuel Pellegrini's side have won just one of their last five domestically, and that will have knocked confidence in the home camp - leaving the Boquerones sitting sixth in La Liga, with the campaign end in sight.

The home side will be keen to edge ahead in this tie, having won just one of their last five in this competition, but will be well aware of the attacking threat that their opponents pose - with Dortmund having already beaten Manchester City, Real Madrid, Ajax, and, most recently, Shakhtar Donetsk this campaign.

And with Malaga having kept just one clean sheet in their last four games, that suggests that we could be in for an end to end encounter down at La Rosaleda tonight.

Visitors Dortmund travel to Spain full of confidence following four wins from their last five outings - and Jurgen Klopp will be desperate for his side to grab an all-important away goal or two in order to relieve the pressure on them as they line up for their return fixture.

Fourteen goals scored in that time suggests that the Schwarzgelben are more than capable or making their mark on the scoresheet - with their front three of Reus, Lewandowski and Gotze having caused countless problems for sides on the continent this season.

Having already carved out shock results against some of the major sides in this competition, Dortmund will be rightly eyeing the trophy. Klopp's side are unbeaten on their travels in the Champions League this season, and will be looking to maintain that record, having secured arguably one of the easier draws of the round.

An nine goals smashed in their last four away UC games away from th Westfalenstadion suggests that they are comfortable taking the game to their hosts - which I think makes them excellent value ahead of this tie.

Bet 1: Borussia Dortmund (AWAY) @ 2.26

Back to more familiar climes now - and we're heading north of the border, as Kilmarnock host St Mirren in the SPL.

The home side can all but clinch a top six place with a win here - and five unbeaten from their last seven at Rugby Park suggests that they are well placed to do so, especially against a visiting side which has won just one of nine on the road.

Kenny Shiels' Killy charges will be full of confidence following that positive run of form - and they have not failed to score on their own patch since August, which suggests that they are likely to trouble their opponents rearguard this evening.

And they welcome new signing, Nigerian international midfielder Reuben Gabriel, who is expected to go straight into the squad for this clash.

St Mirren go into this one sitting 10th in the top tier following a largely underwhelming campaign, but are already safe due to a disastrous season by bottom side Dundee.

Danny Lennon's side have hit the headlines this week following forward Esmael Goncalves' warning by the SFA for diving in their 1-1 stalemate with Celtic - and will be desperate to make the news for the right reasons here.

But a 2-1 loss to struggling Dundee in their last trip away from St Mirren Park suggests that the Paisley side have been off the boil on their travels, and that will boost Killy here.

Bet 2: Kilmarnock (HOME) @ 2.44