Betting Special: The men likely to score when Spain meet Italy in the Euro 2012 final
With so many goal-scoring threats on the pitch, Phil Kitromilides picks out a few players worthy of investing in to find the net this evening, including two enhanced prices
Scoring a goal in the final of a major tournament is potentially the pinnacle of many players' career - particularly if they go on to win the trophy - and the 20 outfield players in tonight's Euro 2012 final will all be aiming to reach that zenith.Fernando Torres will, if given a starting berth by Vicente del Bosque, aim to become the first player in history to score in successive European Championship finals and the Chelsea striker, who netted the goal which won Spain the title four years ago, is priced at 7/4 (2.75) with William Hill to net at anytime.
Yet despite scoring two well-taken goals in the group stages, Torres is far from guaranteed to start and that could deter some punters from investing.
Man of the moment Andrea Pirlo should definitely start for Italy, and the majestic midfielder's luxuriant passing and silky smooth touches see him lead the betting to be named as player of the tournament. A goal or two in the final would seal that award for the Juventus man, and he is priced at 6/1 (7.00) to find the back of the net tonight, a price which could tempt many given his proficiency from set pieces.
The best value seems to come from Hill's enhanced scorecast specials, though, which see odds of 7/1 (8.00) offered on Andres Iniesta to score at anytime and Spain to win, or the same price on Mario Balotelli to score at anytime and Italy to win. Iniesta knows all about scoring in big finals, having netted the winner that won Spain the 2010 World Cup, and his performances at Euro 2012 have warranted a goal.
Balotelli meantime enjoyed "the most beautiful day of his life" in the semi-final against Germany, scoring two fabulous goals to show the world the genuine talent that lies beneath the puerile and pugnacious exterior.
For a value bet either of these two look extremely tempting, yet Iniesta/Spain arguably holds more appeal, given that the price you would normally find on him scoring and Spain winning would be considerably smaller.
For serious investment, though, consider backing a player who may not even start the match. Barcelona wide-man Pedro has a habit of scoring important goals in major finals. For his club he has netted in the respective finals of the Champions League, Club World Cup and most recently the Copa Del Rey, as well as the Spanish and European Super Cups.
Having looked extremely dangerous when he came on as a substitute in the semi-final against Portugal, the man from Tenerife may have done enough to earn a place in the starting line-up, but even if he does not start the match, his pace and trickery, not to mention his coolness in front of goal will offer a real threat.
The price of 10/3 (4.33) on him to score at any time looks well worth investing in, and if he does not feature in the match, your stake is returned.
| BET |
OF THE |
DAY |
| BEST BET |
VALUE BET |
| Pedro to score at any time at 10/3 (4.33) with William Hill |
Iniesta to score at any time and Spain to win at 7/1 (8.00) with William Hill |
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Phil Kitromilides is a sports broadcaster working on radio and TV in London and Madrid, you can also follow Phil on Twitter
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