• Champions League, 2010-11

Barcelona look unstoppable

Simon Cambers February 14, 2011

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The Champions League returns this week with the round of 16 ties, the time when the competition really begins to hot up with no room for any mistakes whatsoever. But though 16 teams remain, the big question is: can anyone stop Barcelona?.

If they continue to play the way they have been this season then the answer has to be no. It is rare that a team's top players all play well for a sustained period but this seems to be the case with Pep Guardiola's side, with Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Carlos Puyol all firing on every one of their numerable cyclinders.

Bet365 make Barcelona the big favourites at 15/8 to repeat their 2009 triumph and prove beyond doubt that they are the best team of their generation. Inter Milan's victory last summer was a triumph for opportunism, organisation and execution of a perfect game-plan but Barcelona tower over the rest when it comes to talent right now.

Moreover, their work-rate is phenomenal and they work harder than anyone to get the ball back, which just makes the opposition exhaust themselves even more. Real Madrid, who have been almost as good this season thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo but still outshone, are 4/1, with Chelsea the first of the four British sides at 9/2, a price mainly down to the fact they play FC Copenhagen in the last 16 and should make it to the last eight.

Then there is a big gap to Manchester United (who play Marseille) at 8/1, an even bigger gap to AC Milan, Inter Milan and Arsenal at 20/1, with Bayern Munich and Tottenham at 22/1. Valencia and Roma are 40/1, Shakhtar Donetsk and Schalke 66/, Lyon and Marseille 125/1 and Copenhagen the rank outsiders at 200/1.

It's pretty hard to make it this far without being a good side no even Copenhagen should not be entirely written off but the fact is, the winner will come from one of the top few in the betting and the outsiders really don't have a chance. To even reach the final, a side like Copenhagen would have to beat Chelsea and then, say, Milan and Real Madrid, and it just isn't going to happen.

Frankly, I think Barcelona are actually a good price at 15/8 to win it. Over two legs, it's hard to see anyone having the skill or nous to beat them. I would not dissuade anyone from backing them - Inter Milan are not the side of last season and Barcelona have improved again. Arsenal, their opponents in the last 16, are capable of going much further, but just unlucky to run into them so soon.

Each-way value?

So if we take it that Barcelona are at least likely to make the final, the skill is in picking a side worth backing each-way. Real Madrid are the obvious ones but at 9/2 you are playing with fire - they could easily draw Barcelona along the way and they won't win that. Of the British sides, Arsenal can be discounted because they play Barcelona on Wednesday and Tottenham, without Gareth Bale, will do well to get past a seasoned and disciplined AC Milan side in the last 16.

That leaves Chelsea and wouldn't it be funny if the one season Chelsea don't really compete for the league title in England is the one where they succeed in Europe for the first time. For most of their players, especially the likes of Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres, Frank Lampard and John Terry, winning the Champions League would be a crowning achievement for their career and they have a good draw against Copenhagen.

However, again, at 9/2, they are desperately short, even if bet365 are paying half the odds for reaching the final. Manchester United are battling for the league title at home and while they have done the double before, it is asking a lot for them to do it again, especially and crucially as I don't think they are as good this time.

Of the rest, I would have to believe that AC Milan are the best placed to make some sort of run, depending how the draw goes from here on. They have the experience of winning the title so many times, but unlike say Bayern Munich, are also in form, sitting atop Serie A after a surprisingly good season.

In Zlatan Ibramovich, they have one of the signings of the season, while Robinho is revelling in his role there and Antonio Cassano has boosted their striking ranks after coming into the side in January. It will depend on them getting past Tottenham and then having a good draw but over two legs they will fancy their chances and at 20/1 they represent decent each-way value.

Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.

Simon Cambers is ESPN.co.uk's betting correspondent

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