Football: Juventus head the Euro market

By Ian Davies

NEARLYMEN JUVENTUS, unaccountably beaten 3-1 and 1-0 by Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid when odds-on favourites in the last two finals, head the market for this season's European Cup.

The big Turin outfit have lacked a reliable hitman since selling Christian Vieri to Atletico Madrid but the French World Cup hero Zinedine Zidane heads a host of other talent in midfield and the easy winners of Serie A should again go close.

Internazionale, who boast the brilliant Ronaldo and the tremendous Chilean veteran Ivan Zamorano up front, won the Uefa Cup in great style last season and will also be on most short lists, while Barcelona, runaway winners of La Liga last term, should leave last season's disappointing Champions' League behind them this time.

They certainly have more appeal than the European Cup holders, Real Madrid, whose victory looked an uncharacteristic blip after a moderate domestic season.

Manchester United, who face the first leg of a Champions' League qualifier this week, are unaccountably a shorter price than the Premiership winners Arsenal who, particularly after yesterday's facile Charity Shield victory, look fairly priced at 10-1 with Coral.

Ajax, who again won the Dutch League with plenty to spare last season, will have their followers at 14-1 but, on recent form outside the Netherlands, simply can't cut it when it comes down to facing the big boys in Europe.

EUROPEAN CUP

Club C H L S T

Juventus 9-2 7-2 7-2 4-1 9-2

Internazionale 9-2 5-1 4-1 5-1 9-2

Barcelona 6-1 6-1 7-1 7-1 6-1

Man Utd 9-1 7-1 7-1 15-2 8-1

Arsenal 10-1 8-1 7-1 7-1 7-1

Real Madrid 7-1 9-1 6-1 7-1 7-1

Ajax 10-1 10-1 14-1 12-1 11-1

C Coral, H William Hill, L Ladbrokes, S Stanley, T Tote