Sports betting: United can supplant Juve as favourites
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.JUVENTUS, WHO struggled to qualify for the knock-out stages, are only mid-table in Serie A and have lost Alessandro Del Piero, their brilliant playmaker-striker for the season, are favourites for the European Cup by virtue of having drawn Olympiakos, the outsiders, in the quarter-finals.
With a training regime designed to bring their squad to peak fitness only in the new year and, free to dip into the transfer market at that point, the side that won the 1996 European Cup and should have accounted for the inferior Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid in 1997 and this year, should make the semi-finals.
However, unless Juventus have found their stride both domestically and in Europe by that point, the favourites by the semi-final stage will be the winners of the Manchester United v Internazionale tie which, worryingly for Red Devils fans, may pitch Ronaldo against Jaap Stam.
Bayern Munich will be fancied to beat Kaiserslautern, their Bundesliga compatriots but Real Madrid, the holders, are no certainties to overcome Dynamo Kiev, although the Ukrainian outfit may be handicapped by playing the tie during their close season.
EUROPEAN CUP
C H L S T
Juventus 10-3 5-2 7-2 10-3 11-4
Internazionale 4-1 5-1 9-2 9-2 4-1
Man United 9-2 4-1 5-1 4-1 4-1
Bayern Munich 5-1 4-1 4-1 9-2 11-2
Real Madrid 4-1 6-1 4-1 5-1 5-1
Dynamo Kiev 9-1 8-1 9-1 8-1 8-1
Kaiserslautern 12-1 20-1 12-1 14-1 14-1
Olympiakos 28-1 40-1 25-1 28-1 33-1
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments