The UEFA Champions League springs back into life in February and after a three-month break, the 16 remaining teams are set to begin the knockout phase of Europe’s elite football competition.
Online betting sites have odds listed for each tie, as well as outright prices for the competition winner, top goalscorer, and other special markets.
Having won their sixth European Cup in 2020, it comes as no surprise that Bayern Munich are the favourites to retain their crown. Unibet, and other betting sites with Kambi as their odds provider, have the German outfit priced at 3/1 for back-to-back success, which they managed in 1975.
Bayern’s last 16 opponents, Lazio, have won their last five league games and could be coming into form at just the right time, but they are as big as 7/1 to shock Hans-Dieter Flick’s men.
Next in the betting come Manchester City, who despite never winning the Champions League, are always towards the top of the market. You can get a best price of 4/1 about the Premier League leaders.
City have a favourable draw for the next phase of the competition in the form of Borussia Mönchengladbach, who find themselves in seventh place in the Bundesliga after 19 games.
Liverpool have struggled this term in comparison to previous campaigns, but they can never be ruled out in this tournament. Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, the Reds’ first-choice centre-back pairing, have long-term injuries but Jurgen Klopp’s side are still respected in the market at 7/1.
The Merseysiders’ clash with RB Leipzig is one of the most intriguing matchups among the upcoming fixtures, but at 1/3 to advance, the bookies make the 2019 winners the clear frontrunners.
As far as the odds are concerned, the closest last 16 encounter is Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea. The English side are marginal favourites at 20/23, and this is perhaps surprising given that the Spaniards are 10 points clear at the top of La Liga and have taken maximum points from their last eight games.
Interestingly, Atletico (17/1) are priced shorter in the outright market than Chelsea (22/1) despite being considered the underdogs in the tie.
Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain is also a tough one to call, but last year’s finalists, PSG, are 4/5 to move forward and they are fourth in the outright betting market at 12/1.
Ronald Koeman’s Barca are 20/1 to lift the trophy, and given their recent upturn in form, there could be some value there.
Real Madrid have a knack of going deep in Europe and so the 18/1 quote for them may also be tempting. They are priced at 2/5 to see off last year’s quarter-finalists, Atalanta.
The best you can get on Juventus is 14/1, but it could be difficult for them this season, especially with an uphill climb ahead of them in the Serie A title race.
