Champions League-holders Barcelona are expected to run riot in Stuttgart
PICTURE: GETTY IMAGESChamps Barca expected to run riot in Stuttgart
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE favourites Barcelona are expected to run riot against Stuttgart in Tuesday's last-16 first-leg tie in Germany.
Barca, 3-1 to retain their European crown, are 4-6 shots to take a first-leg advantage back to Camp Nou and Bet365 rate the Catalans 9-4 to outscore this week's seven other Champions League teams.
Pep Guardiola's team are 11-4 with Hills to have score the quickest goal of Tuesday's two Champions League matches and Victor Chandler are 7-5 that Barcelona's match features more goals than three other ties in midweek.
History is certainly on Barcelona's side. They beat Stuttgart home andaway in 2007 and are unbeaten in their last nine road matches in Europe's premier club competition.
Barca have also triumphed in 11 of their last 13 matches against German opposition, while Stuttgart have been defeated in four of their last seven home Champions League contests.
Lionel Messi has scored 12 goals in his last 13 appearances for the European champions and deserves his tag of first goalscorer favourite at 9-2 with Ladbrokes, while Andres Iniesta may interest value-seekers at a juicy 12-1 with the same firm
Xavi and Dani Alves have travelled to Germany, but are unlikely to figure for the visitors and Seydou Keita and Eric Abidal are sidelined, although Zlatan Ibrahimovic is expected to recover from injury to line in attack alongside Messi and Thierry Henry.
Stuttgart, who thrashed Cologne 5-1 on Saturday, can be backed at 5-1 with Victor Chandler to win the first leg and the four-goal hero from that thumping success, Cacau is 9-1 with Blue Square to break the deadlock.
However, all the other money is for Barca. Blue Square were best at 7-10, but they have fallen in line with the majority of firms in offering the classy Catalans at 4-6.
Tuesday's Champions League undercard sees Olympiakos host Bordeaux with the Greeks 2-1 with Hills and Victor Chandler to gain a first-leg advantage on home soil.
Olympiakos have a brilliant home European record – they have won nine of their last ten and kept clean sheets in ten of their last 13. A Greek shutout is 21-10 on Tuesday.
Bordeaux, top of the French league and triumphant in four of their last seven away days in the Champions League, are 8-5 withTotesport to win at Olympiakos' fortress.
Bet365 – team to score most goals this week: 9-4 Barcelona, 6 Seville, 7 Bordeaux, Inter, 8 Chelsea, CSKA Moscow, Olympiakos, 11 Stuttgart. Each-way 1/5 odds 1,2,3; highest-scoring game: 7-4 Stuttgart v Barcelona, 3 CSKA Moscow v Seville, 16-5 Inter v Chelsea, Olympiakos v Bordeaux; total goals (four games): 5-4 eight or fewer, 13-8 9-11, 3 12 or more.
Hills – Champions League game to have quickest goal: 6-5 Stuttgart v Barcelona, 11-4 CSKA Moscow v Seville, 3 Inter v Chelsea, 4 Olympiakos; team to score quickest goal: 11-4 Barcelona, 9-2 Seville, Bordeaux, 5 Inter, 6 CSKA Moscow, Chelsea, 7 Olympiakos, 9 Stuttgart.
Victor Chandler – Champions League day to have most week: 4-5 Tuesday, 6-4 Wednesday, 6 tie; total goals: 11-4 seven or fewer, 17-20 eight-eleven, 12-5 12 or more; Tuesday's goals: 9-5 three or fewer, 6-4 four or five, 9-5 six or more; game with most goals: 7-5 Stuttgart v Barcelona, 19-5 Olympiakos v Bordeaux, 27-10 CSKA Moscow v Seville, 17-5 Inter v Chelsea
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