Lyon desperate to get back to Champions League

Soccer Betting Lines

05/07/2010 - Valenciennes, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After reaching the semifinals of the Champions League for the first time in club history, Lyon is eager to return to Europe's premier club competition, but they must first get back into the top three.

Lyon enters the weekend trailing both Lille and Auxerre by two points, but Claude Puel's side has a game in hand and they can ensure themselves of a top- three finish with wins in their last three matches.

They are only in this position because of a vital 2-1 win over Auxerre on Wednesday that saw the club come back from a goal down, and Puel believes that the mental aspect of the game is just as crucial during the final games as the physical.

"What makes the difference now is mental strength and my players are doing a great job even if they're tired," Puel told reporters following Wednesday's contest.

Lyon was no doubt disappointed with their elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich, but they responded well with wins over Montpellier and Auxerre, putting them in position to make a strong final push.

"When you're near the end of the season, you have to be strong in mind because you're not on top condition. You have to show your rivals you want it more than them. We know we'll have to struggle," goalkeeper Hugo Lloris told reporters.

"Munich is out of our mind, we've put that behind us and what we want is to play the Champions League once again. We just need to win our last three games."

The first of those three comes Saturday at mid-table Valenciennes, while a midweek match against Monaco follows before ending the season with already relegated Le Mans.

Lille faces newly-crowned champions Marseille, while Auxerre hosts bottom-half side Lens.

Neither Lille nor Auxerre can afford to slip up, but if they do, it will give fifth-placed Montpellier a bit of hope if they can beat Lorient.

Bordeaux's late-season stumbles have left them with little hope of claiming a European spot but they will be hoping for some help from other teams as well as trying to beat Sochaux, while Monaco hosts Nancy, relegated sides Grenoble and Boulogne meet up, PSG visits Le Mans, Toulouse travels to St Etienne and Nice takes on Rennes.

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Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Odds

Will he or won't he?  Now that the Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Wade Phillips, the big question will be: Does Terrell Owens stay with the team.

Jerry Jones continues to suggest that Terrell Owens will remain with the team.

"I've said that he's back, he's here, he's under contract," Jones said. "In the interviews I've just been through (to hire a new coach), it was very clear to me how highly he's thought of and how much of an impact he had on our offensive success."

Just to be sure though, Terrell Owens cleared out his locker and removed his name plate.

Terrell Owens was among the Cowboys most productive players this past season, catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns.

But T.O. is due a $3 million roster bonus in June, then a $5 million salary this season. Cutting him before then would save a lot of money and headaches.

Aside from the questions surrounding Terrell Owens, the oddsmakers at MySportsbook.com have concerns over starting quarterback Tony Romo's state of mind and whether he will remain a starting quarterback.  It is also not known how players will adjust to new head coach, Wade Phillips.

Here are the football odds as seen at MySportsbook.com and subject to change after February 10, 2007 if not locked in prior to that date.
Arizona Cardinals 60-1


Atlanta Falcons 50-1


Baltimore Ravens 15-1


Buffalo Bills 50-1


Carolina Panthers 18-1


Chicago Bears 10-1


Cincinnati Bengals 15-1


Cleveland Browns 100-1


Dallas Cowboys 15-1


Denver Broncos 15-1


Detroit Lions 100-1


Green Bay Packers 50-1


Houston Texans 100-1


Indianapolis Colts 6-1


Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1


Kansas City Chiefs 30-1


Miami Dolphins 40-1


Minnesota Vikings 75-1


New England Patriots 10-1


New Orleans Saints 18-1


New York Giants 20-1


New York Jets 30-1


Oakland Raiders 100-1


Philadelphia Eagles 18-1


Pittsburgh Steelers 10-1


Saint Louis Rams 60-1


San Diego Chargers 6-1


San Francisco 49ers 75-1


Seattle Seahawks 20-1


Tampa Bay Buccanneers 75-1


Tennessee Titans 40-1


Washington Redskins 50-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook credit cards needs.