Barca Edge Inter for Champs League Favorites

Reigning European champions Barcelona hold a firm lead in the odds to win the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League, one week out from the first leg of the semi-finals.

Barca, an 8/11 Ladbrokes favorite, are followed by Italian rivals Inter Milan, 7/2, despite the two clubs being drawn to play each other in the semi-finals. Bayern Munich are 9/2 and their semi-final opponents Lyon are the clear outsider at 6/1.

Unsurprisingly, Barcelona are even stronger favorites to defeat Inter and go through to the final. William Hill Online is quoting 1/3 on the Catalonians to win the semi-final, with Inter starting at 9/4. However, Inter are considered a chance of an upset in the first home leg. They are 17/10, just behind Barca's 13/1, to be ahead after 90 minutes. A draw is paying 21/10.

In the other semi-final, Bayern are 8/13 and Lyon 6/5. But Bayern are expected to get off to a strong start in the first home leg, paying 4/5 against Lyon's 11/4. The draw is paying 23/4.

Lionel Messi is an almost unbackable favorite to claim the tournament's golden boot. The Barcelona and Argentina star currently leads the goalscoring tally with eight goals, four ahead of any other player appearing in the semi-finals.

The first legs of the semi-finals take place on April 20 and 21 in Milan and Munich, with return legs in Lyon and Barcelona on April 27 and 28.