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This is our Champions League news section where we provide any news items that might have a significant effect on the matches being played - or sports betting in general.

Champions League News :: Champions League : Betfair say losing 1-2 away in Europe is not so bad

Posted on 2010-01-19 by Betfair

It's often argued that if you're going to lose the away leg of a Champions League tie, a 2-1 defeat is the least damaging way to do it.

Arsenal and Fiorentina both suffered the best worst case scenario last night, with reverses at Porto and Bayern Munich respectively, so we've checked to see whether history supports the belief that they should still be confident of reaching the quarter-finals.

Over the past ten years, the first legs of 11 Champions League knockout round matches have finished 2-1 to the hosts but on eight of those occasions, it's been the team with home advantage in the second leg who have progressed - a whopping 73 per cent advantage for the initial loser.

The Gunners have been on the wrong end of the trend before, beating Valencia 2-1 at Highbury in the 2000-01 quarter-finals, only to lose 1-0 at the Mestalla a fortnight later and go out on away goals. The last three times an English team lost an opener by that margin, they recovered to qualify.

Therefore, you won't be surprised to hear that Arsenal are 1.66 to progress despite the deficit, though Fiorentina, despite being in an identical position, can be backed at 3.35 to fight back against Bayern Munich, who went out the last time they found themselves in this situation.

(Both prices are taken from the Betfair Exchange)

One stat should alarm Arsenal fans however, and may even leave them praying that Manuel Almunia, who hasn't had a great season, makes a speedy recovery. Following his horror show last night, Lukasz Fabianski has now lost four of his last five games, and hasn't kept a clean sheet this season.

Will both Arsenal and Fiorentina battle back to seal quarter-final spots or are Bayern Munich, having won 13 straight matches, prove too strong for the Italians?

We shall see.

Sourced From : Betfair

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