Breaking Bets: Chelsea stopper 25/1 for MOTM-winning debut

After 10 years of sterling service during which Petr Cech has held firm in Chelsea’s goal, helping the Blues to 11 major trophies, the 32-year-old looks set to be put out to pasture at Stamford Bridge in favour of Thibaut Courtois.

The Belgium number one, who’s a decade Cech’s junior, is back after three fantastic seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid, where he earned La Liga’s Zamora trophy twice for lowest goals-to-games ratio, a goalkeeper of year award and a league champions’ medal with Diego Simeone’s side.

The 22-year-old was only a last-minute Sergio Ramos equaliser away from adding a Champions League bauble to that haul, with Real Madrid downing their neighbours during extra-time in Lisbon’s final.

Ladbrokes.com’s crack odds-compiling team have cooked up a tasty bet regarding Courtois’ next potential success.

Ahead of the Blues’ Premier League opener away to Burnley, new signing Diego Costa – the Brazil-born Spain striker who also left the Vicente Calderon this summer – is 5/1 favourite to be named man of the match, with any goalkeeper priced up at 16s.

However, you can back Courtois on his own at 25/1 through Ladbrokes’ ‘Breaking Bets’ section, and with the former Genk youth likely to be on a probation of sorts during the next few fixtures, that looks a big price.

Squawka.com awarded Courtois said honours twice in La Liga last term, and while eschewing likely Clarets starter Tom Heaton in this market may seem risky, considering Burnley will need a worldy from the former Manchester United man to keep an 11/2 clean-sheet, that doesn’t look a good bet with Costa around.

The burly 25-year-old notched 27 times in 35 La Liga appearances last term and has been boosted from 7/2 favourite out to 9/2 to open proceedings at Turf Moor.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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