Porto to earn advantage

19Feb 2013

Bajnokok Ligája

With the Opta stats as guidance, Christian Crowther picks out bets for Tuesday's titanic Champions League clashes...

Arsenal v Bayern Munich, Tuesday 19:45, ITV

Bayern Munich have lost on each of their last four trips to England in the Champions League. The Bavarians' last win in England dates back to April 2001 at Old Trafford in the Champions League quarter-finals

Last season's beaten finalists Bayern make a daunting prospect for any team in the Champions League, though a closer look at their record on English shores and their away form in Europe should give Arsenal fans renewed hope. While the Bavarians continue to dominate unopposed on the domestic front, their road form in the group stages suggests a possible chink in the armour. Bayern were heavily beaten by BATE Borisov, before scraping past Lille and drawing at Valencia.

Lukas Podolski has scored three goals from three shots on target in the Champions League this season

After exiting the FA Cup so meekly against Blackburn on Saturday, Arsenal simply must react in front of a sell-out crowd at the Emirates. Podolski is a player brought into the club by Arsene Wenger for exactly these sort of occasions and so far the German international has delivered. After an ill-fated spell at Bayern earlier in his career, the forward will need no extra motivation to add to his tally of five goals from his last ten appearances, especially since he was rested against Rovers.

Recommended Bet: Back Lukas Podolski to score @ 4.5

Porto v Malaga, Tuesday 19:45, Sky Sports 2

Porto have only ever lost one of their 11 Champions League games at home in the knockout stages (v Manchester United, April 2009)

Not many teams on the continent can boast such a strong record in front of their fans as the Portuguese champions. Porto are currently on a run of 19 games unbeaten at the Estadio do Dragao, where they conquered fancied Paris St-Germain in the group stages before downing Dinamo Kiev and swiping aside Dynamo Zagreb 3-0. Porto's backline have also proved to be the second stingiest in the competition ahead of the knockout stages.

Recommended Bet: Back Porto to beat Malaga @ 1.84

Jackson Martinez has scored three goals in his last four Champions League games for Porto

While the rest of Europe regularly salivates over the exploits of top strikers such as Lionel Messi and Robin van Persie, Porto's 26-year-old Colombian has largely been operating in the shadows. However, Jackson Martinez has recorded 25 goals from just 28 appearances this season - as well as eight in his last five - the sort of stats which will should soon be seeing him mentioned in the same breath as the continent's finest.

Recommended Bet: Back Jackson Martinez to score @ 2.5