The new year brings excitement for the return of the Champions League. The knockout stage of the tournament will kick off on 18 February when the final 16 teams resume their journeys toward the finals.
Football fans can get the latest promo codes and bet on the Champions League when it returns in February.
The group stage’s results and domestic form have changed the odds produced by the world’s leading sportsbooks.
Although sports bookies are not always 100% correct when selecting a favorite to win the Champions League, the odds are quite telling when it comes to which team will lift the European Cup.
Manchester City – 4/1
Manchester City are trailing Liverpool in the English Premier League and have had a very uncharacteristic season under manager Pep Guardiola.
With many pundits claiming the Premier League title is out of reach, Manchester City will turn their attention to a trophy they have never won. Guardiola has won two European Cups but those came nearly a decade ago when he managed Barcelona.
The manager may be hailed as a great, but he hasn’t led a team to the final of the tournament since lifting the Champions League trophy in 2011. Manchester City will have a tricky round-of-16 match versus Real Madrid.
Liverpool – 9/2
The reigning Champions League winners Liverpool may have their sights set on winning a first-ever Premier League trophy, however, that won’t stop Jurgen Klopp from putting his efforts into winning a European Cup once again.
Liverpool has reached the last two Champions League Finals but reaching this year’s cup final may depend on the mounting injuries at Anfield. Liverpool will face Spain’s Atletico Madrid, who are struggling to score goals in La Liga.
Barcelona – 5/1
Barcelona are in a fight with Real Madrid for the La Liga title. The Lionel Messi-led team is still overcoming their last two Champions League debacles which came at the hands of Roma and Liverpool.
The club is in desperate need of a rebuild but with their focus on Messi, it is difficult to re-structure the team. Barcelona will unsurprisingly have one of the easier rounds of 16 ties versus Napoli.
Paris Saint-Germain – 7/1
Paris Saint-Germain is once again running away with the Ligue 1 title, but they will be judged on their performances in the Champions League.
Despite the spending over the years, the team has never made the final and despite receiving favorable odds, they are still an underachiever in the competition. PSG will face Germany’s Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16, a team they should get past on paper.
Bayern Munich – 7/1
Germany’s Bayern Munich will face a tricky tie with Chelsea in the knockout round. Bayern Munich is third in the German top flight and is not hitting on all cylinders like in years past. Much like Barcelona, they are paying for players getting older and poor transfer purchases.
Chelsea are hot and cold in the Premier League and we will have to wait and see which squad turns up for the two games.