BOOKIES FEAR PATRIOTIC PUNT AHEAD OF ROME SHOWDOWN

BOOKIES are struggling to lay a bet on Barcelona as all the money comes for Manchester United ahead of tonight's (Weds) Champions League Final.

Punters who'd backed the Old Trafford outfit to do the quadruple were let down when they lost out to Everton in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

But they have gone back to the bank to draw out their savings to put on Sir Alex Ferguson's men conquering the Catalans in Rome.

United are 13/8 favourites to win the match in 90 minutes with Ladbrokes and 5/6 to lift the trophy at the end of the night - and it has been one way traffic at the bookies.

Spokesman Robin Hutchison said: "United fans have been out in force ahead of the game and it seems that Man City supporters and us are the only ones cheering on Barcelona.

"We are top price about Barcelona who won their league weeks ago but can't lay a penny of them.

"Punters are praying United can paint Rome red and it will be the nation's bookies who are singing the blues."

United star Cristiano Ronaldo is 3/1 to score either the first or last goal of the game and 6/1 to be named man of the match.

Barcelona are 2/1 to have a player booked for a foul on the Portuguese forward and he is 11/4 to score more goals than Argentinian ace Lionel Messi.

The match is 5/1 to go to extra-time or penalties and Sir Alex Ferguson is 10/3 to lift the trophy more times than Liverpool legend Bob Paisley before he retires.

Ladbrokes have 100 pre-match betting markets and a further 35 during the game itself and they are even betting on the weather!

Manchester is 33/1 to be hotter than Rome during the match and the 6/5 favourite to experience rain.

The firm are expecting to take up to 3,000 bets from United fans in and around the Olympic Stadium on their recently re-launched mobile phone betting facility.

Hutchison added: "With booze bans in place and bookies hard to come by in the Eternal City we expect United fans will turn to their phones to win a few quid."

Visit Hyperion for the best jobs in iGaming.