Barcelona to win Champions League? Not according to Desailly

LONDON, October 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Check out Betclic’s super survey with six former football greats

If you were asked about which team will win Champions League this season, you would probably answer Barcelona. But think again - check out an exclusive Betclic survey, which includes European Cup winners Marcel Desailly, Ruud Gullit and Arrigo Sacchi and you will know exactly why.

     (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20111031/491060 )

Online bookmaker Betclic https://en.betclic.com gathered six of their top ambassadors in London recently and each had their own view on who would win this season's competition.

In total they have 382 caps as players between them, plus six Champions League/European Cup trophies. So when asked to predict the winner of Champions League 2012, surely they know exactly what they are talking about?

Barcelona are the firm favourite with the bookie, but only three of the six ambassadors predict a win for the Catalan giants on May 19 next year.

"I think it could be time for something new and surprising happening in the knockout-stage this season and I am going for AC Milan," said Marcel Desailly, who won Champions League with Marseille in 1993 and with AC Milan a year later.

Portuguese golden generation star Joao Pinto has picked Bayern München, while Swedish World Cup 1994 bronze winner Pontus Kåmark, has backed José Mourinho's Real Madrid.

But Italian master tactician Arrigo Sacchi, who led AC Milan to back-to-back European Cups in 1989 and 1990, picks Barcelona, while German World Champion Thomas Berthold and Dutch legend Ruud Gullit, twice a European champion with AC Milan, have both backed Pep Guardiola's men for victory.

"At the end of the day I think that Barcelona will be too strong again this season," Gullit told Betclic.com Betclic https://en.betclic.com.

Here are the tips from the six Betclic ambassadors:

Winner Champions League 2012

Marcel Desailly: AC Milan
Odds Betclic: 25.00   https://en.betclic.com/sport/eventdetail.aspx?id=8&t=Ftb_Win

Ruud Gullit: Barcelona
Odds Betclic: 2.75   https://en.betclic.com/sport/eventdetail.aspx?id=8&t=Ftb_Win

Arrigo Sacchi: Barcelona
Odds Betclic: 2.75   https://en.betclic.com/sport/eventdetail.aspx?id=8&t=Ftb_Win

Joao Pinto: Bayern München
Odds Betclic: 8.00   https://en.betclic.com/sport/eventdetail.aspx?id=8&t=Ftb_Win

Thomas Berthold: Barcelona
Odds Betclic: 2.75   https://en.betclic.com/sport/eventdetail.aspx?id=8&t=Ftb_Win

Pontus Kåmark: Real Madrid Odds Betclic: 5.50   https://en.betclic.com/sport/eventdetail.aspx?id=8&t=Ftb_Win

Also,  don't miss the "Ambassador Champions Duel" at Betclic. Betclic ambassadors Gullit and Desailly pick two matches in each round of matches during the Champions League group phase. Check out which teams they are backing this week!
https://en.betclic.com/content.aspx?pagecode=spo_ambtip 

Contact: Dan Vikman - +44(0)791-7735-995.