Champions League winner odds: 2024/25 predictions and betting tips (Updated) ...0

After a bumpy start to the newly revamped UEFA Champions League, bookies have regained confidence in holders Real Madrid to retain their crown.

The Spanish giants were in trouble of not even making the top 24 of the inaugural league phase, having lost three of their opening five fixtures. Kylian Mbappé, Vini Jr and co rallied however, winning their remaining three games and scoring 11 goals in the process.

This wasn’t enough to avoid the playoff round, however, where they once again met Manchester City. They made short work of the struggling English champions though and once again have their sights set on what would be a 16th title.

Liverpool, Barcelona and Arsenal have been able to sit out the playoff round thanks to finishing in the top eight, while Bayern Munich were made to sweat by Celtic – eventually overcoming the Glasgow club 3-2 on aggregate.

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Latest Champions League winner odds

*odds provided by bet365 and are subject to change (Updated on February 21)

2024/25 Champions League favourites to pick up the trophy 

Real Madrid may have only finished 11th of the 36 teams competing in the brand new ‘league phase’ of UEFA’s top competition this season, but they are by far the most successful team of all time in Europe.

They’ve won 15 European Cups/Champions Leagues – more than double what anyone else has managed. Six of these have come in the last 11 years and they’re also the current holders.

In eliminating Man City, one of the preseason favourites to win the competition are gone. After Real, the bookies are backing those who topped the giant 36-team league table – Liverpool, Barcelona and Arsenal.

Liverpool are by far the most successful English club in European football and enter the knockout rounds having won seven of their eight games in this year’s competition. They’re also several points clear in the Premier League in what has been a near-faultless first campaign in charge for Arne Slot.

Below we look at the favourites in more detail.

1. Real Madrid

Real will have been disappointed with their initial eight games in this year’s competition, losing at Lille and Liverpool, and at home to AC Milan. As they so often do, however, when the latter stages come around, they begin playing to their potential and that’s usually pretty ominous for the rest of Europe.

Kylian Mbappé looks to be in the groove now too. Opposition teams face the unenviable task of stopping him, Vinicius Júnior, Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham and all their other stars.

City neighbours Atlético await in the last 16 and, if recent La Liga clashes are anything to go by, it will be a closely fought tie. Each of their last three league meetings have finished 1-1.

Back Real Madrid to win a 16th CL trophy at 9/2 with SpreadEX

2. Liverpool

Most neutral observers expected Liverpool to have a hangover period after the departure of the legendary Jürgen Klopp. 

Not a bit of it. New manager Arne Slot has hit the ground running and has the Reds well on course for a second Premier League title, as well as securing them safe passage through the league phase of this competition with seven straight wins. 

The Dutchman has arguably improved the Reds, succeeding in shoring up previously a leaky defence, while not taking away from the side’s attacking threat.   

A convincing 2-0 win over Real Madrid on Matchday 5 bodes well should they face Los Blancos again later in the competition. 

Bet on Liverpool to lift the trophy at 11/2 with Betfair

3. Arsenal

Arsenal may have struggled to keep up with Liverpool’s relentless pace in the Premier League but they’ve remained consistent in Europe, winning six of their eight league phase matches and conceding just three times.

Arguably, The Gunners’ toughest tests came in the first couple of matchdays – where they defeated PSG 2-0 at the Emirates and held Europa League winners Atalanta to a goalless draw in Bergamo. They then swept aside the likes Sporting CP and AS Monaco to finish third in the standings.

The Gunners had been absent from the Champions League for seven years but the side Mikel Arteta has built over the last few seasons looks well-rounded and defensively resilient. It’ll be tough for anyone to knock them out.

Back Arsenal to win the Champions League at 6/1 with Sky Bet

4. Barcelona

They may have gone under the radar slightly with Mbappé’s arrival in Madrid, but Barcelona are having a stellar season both domestically and in Europe.

Aside from an opening day defeat at Monaco, they’ve been the most thrilling side to watch in the Champions League so far, scoring 28 goals in their eight games – by far and away the competition’s most potent attack.

Four of these came in a dominant display against Bayern Munich in matchday 3 and five in an epic 5-4 win at Benfica in matchday 7.

In Hansi Flick, they have an experienced manager who knows his way around the Champions League. He led Bayern to the title in 2020. And with Robert Lewandowski in exceptional form this season, the Catalans will be a match for anybody in the latter stages of the competition.

Bet on Barcelona to win at 9/2 with William Hill

5. Bayern Munich

New Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has adapted to life in the Bundesliga with ease, and has Die Rekordmeister on course to regain their title from Bayer Leverkusen. In Europe, however, it has been a different story.

Bayern began their campaign smashing nine past Dinamo Zagreb, but they then suffered back-to-back defeats to Aston Villa and Barcelona. They appeared to have gotten themselves back on track for a top eight finish, until their trip to Feyenoord – where they were beaten 3-0.

They also made hard work of getting past Celtic in their two-legged tie, needing a last minute goal in the second leg to win 3-2 on aggregate.

Munich last won this competition in 2020, and they will feel for a club of their size size, that they are due another win soon. They will need to improve quickly to get the better of German rivals Leverkusen in the last 16.

Tip Bayern Munich to lift the trophy at 8/1 with Ladbrokes

6. Paris Saint-Germain

After winning just one of their first five Champions League games this season, PSG found themselves in a similar hole to Man City and needed to win all their remaining three just to survive elimination.

The Parisians managed to do it, and with some style, scoring four in that crucial encounter with Pep’s side in the French capital and in their final game in Stuttgart. They then hammered Brest 10-0 on aggregate in their playoff tie.

Mbappé may no longer be around but it has arguably made PSG more balanced and Ousmane Dembélé has started to shine, along with Bradley Barcola. In January, they added exciting Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli, and will feel they have a front three who can unlock anyone.

The discussion surrounding PSG’s Champions League prospects often centres around their dominance in Ligue 1 and whether they’re facing strong enough competition week-to-week in order to prepare for Europe’s elite. They’re well clear of the pack again this year and may even finish the season unbeaten.

Back PSG to win their first ever Champions League at 12/1 with bet365

7. Inter Milan

After a decade without a trophy, Inter have re-emerged in recent years as one of the strongest sides in Italy – if not the strongest.

They’ve won two of the last four Serie A titles, and are locked in a battle with Napoli for the crown this year. They reached the Champions League final in 2023, and pushed Man City all the way but were narrowly beaten 1-0.

The Italians impressively conceded just once in their eight league phase games, shutting out both Man City and Arsenal amongst others. Their 19-point haul was good enough to earn fourth spot in the giant table.

As a result, they were able to sit and watch fierce rivals AC Milan exit at the hands of Feyenoord in the playoff round. Inter will now meet the Dutch club in the last 16 hoping to fare better than the Rossoneri.

Bet on Inter Milan to win the Champions League at 12/1 with Betfred

8. Atlético Madrid

Atlético will always be the bridesmaid, never the bride in their city but during Diego Simeone’s long tenure as manager, they’ve established themselves as one of the best sides in Spain and Europe.

As well as winning La Liga and the Europa League twice each between 2012 and 2021, they also reached the Champions League final twice – being beaten by their local rivals Real on both occasions. They’re always a very tough opponent for anyone and are known for being aggressive and being able to control games without the ball.

Their league phase campaign got off to a slow start with defeats at Benfica and at home to Lille. They then went on the road and snatched a late win in Paris, however, and they carried that momentum the rest of the way – winning all four remaining games.

Atléti aren’t currently among the favourites to lift the trophy, perhaps given the difficult path ahead of them. Their odds could dramatically shorten should they get finally get one over Real in Europe, however.

Back Atlético to win the Champions League at 20/1 with Paddy Power

Champions League predictions

The new format has certainly shaken up the formula, eliminating a lot of dead rubber fixtures from the old group stage and adding a level of peril for the continent’s top sides that never existed before.

In the last couple of rounds of league phase games, plus the playoff round, we have seen most of the usual suspects grow into the competition. PSG have just rattled in 18 goals in their last 4 outings, and Real Madrid have knocked out Man City again.

Liverpool and Barcelona have been the best two sides from when the first ball was kicked back in September, but neither will have it easy in the last 16. Liverpool have drawn French heavyweights PSG, while Barca will face Benfica twice more having been involved in a nine-goal thriller with the Portuguese giants back in January.

Should either make it through, however, they would then be expected to safely progress into the semis. Liverpool would play in an all-English quarter-final with Villa, or against Belgian outsiders Club Brugge. Barca would face either Borussia Dortmund or Lille.

Elsewhere, while Arsenal have been handed a favourable tie against Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven, they would then face one of the Madrid sides in a potential quarter-final. The winner of the all-German tie will face Inter Milan or Feyenoord.

Some potential matchups to come

The entire rest of the knockout stages have now been mapped out, and each team can work out who will likely stand in their way in each round between now and the final.

Liverpool know that they can’t face Real Madrid in another final, which may come as a relief having been beaten by Los Blancos in both the 2018 and 2022 finals. They could meet in the semi-finals, however. Over two legs, the Reds may be better suited to taking them down – they’ve already done so in the league phase back in November, of course.

Real Madrid may well have already knocked out Arsenal by that point, who would be their quarter-final opponent if both teams can win their last 16 ties.

With Aston Villa also on the same side of the draw as the other two English sides, they could set up an all-English quarter final with the Premier League leaders, but there can’t therefore be an all-English final.

One Champions League final matchup most football fans dreamt about years ago, which never came to fruition, was Real Madrid vs Barcelona. That is a possibility this year. It may no longer be a battle between Messi and Ronaldo, but both sides are neck and neck in La Liga and Barca have also lit up the Champions League so far this season.

Of the less-fancied sides who’ve made it this far, French outfit Lille should fancy their chances of a quarter-final berth, having been matched up against Dortmund. The German side reached the final last year, but are having a dismal Bundesliga campaign thus far and Lille beat both Madrid sides en route to securing an unlikely top eight finish in the league phase.

Club Brugge have also proven to be a handful for most sides they’ve faced. The Belgians go up against Villa having already beaten them back in November, and having also given Man City a major scare in matchday 8. They then stunned Atalanta in the playoff round, winning both legs and progressing 5-2 on aggregate.

Champions League new format explained

Now we’ve reached the last 16, the tournament is the same simple knockout that we’ve been used to for many years.

To get to here, however, teams have played either two or four extra games than in previous iterations. The six-game group stage has become an eight-game league phase with all 36 teams (an expansion on the usual 32) being ranked in one giant leaderboard.

The top eight have qualified automatically for the last 16, whereas the other eight have had to win a two-legged playoff round tie in early February – those were contested by the teams which finished 9th to 24th. Teams ranked 25th and below were eliminated.

Unlike in the past, the consolation prize of dropping into the Europa League (and likewise from Europa League to Conference League) has been scrapped.

There was, naturally, plenty of opposition to the changes initially – particularly concerning the extra games in what is already a very tight yearly football schedule.

With several big clubs threatening to break away in recent years and form their own Super League, however, UEFA felt a shakeup was necessary. And the extra games certainly help bring in more revenue.

Matchday 8, with 18 games running concurrently across Europe, may have done a lot to win people over. Very few teams, out of the 36, had nothing to play for. Virtually every goal scored changed the picture, with teams entering and dropping out of the top eight, middle batch of 16, and the elimination zone.

2023/24 Champions League winner

Real Madrid won the 2023/24 Champions League final. Los Blancos defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the final at Wembley, winning the trophy for a record 15th time.

Madrid are arguably a stronger team this season after adding Kylian Mbappé to their array of world class attacking talent.

A lot will argue that Real were very lucky to get past Manchester City in the quarter-finals after soaking up a lot from pressure from Guardiola’s side to ultimately triumph on penalties. City enjoyed 68% possession and had 33 attempts on goal. Madrid had just eight shots.

Dortmund created the better chances in the final too, but didn’t take them. Real then scored from a set piece, a header from Dani Carvajal, before Jude Bellingham pounced on a mistake to play in Vini Jr for the clincher.

Teams with the most Championship League trophies

The most successful team in the history of the Champions League is Real Madrid. 

The Spanish club has won the competition an extraordinary 15 times, including six of the last eleven finals. 

AC Milan of Italy has won the trophy seven times. Three of their wins came in the late 1980s and early 1990s when the Milanese were arguably the best side in Europe. Two more wins came in the 2000s.

Bayern Munich and Liverpool both have six wins. The two giants of Europe both look better equipped than Milan to add to their tally in the coming years.

FAQ about the 2024/25 Champions League

We’ve tried to cover as much as possible in our Champions League 2024/25 article. However, we have also added a helpful FAQ section which will be regularly updated with more information as the season progresses. 

1. How much money will be distributed to participants of the 2024/25 Champions League?

The 36 teams taking part in the 2024/25 Champions League group stage will earn a minimum of £17.4 million. Furthermore, for every win in the league phase, a team have received a bonus of £1.8 million, and for every draw the reward is £600,000. No cash bonus is awarded for defeats. 

2. What does UEFA expect to accomplish with new formats for Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League? 

UEFA’s aim looks to be to appease Europe’s biggest clubs who are continually threatening to break away and create their own Super League competition. In changing the format, all the big clubs now have two extra games every season. UEFA hope this will keep Europe’s elite clubs happy.

3. How many teams are going to play in the Champions League? 

The Champions League, from this season onwards, will have 36 teams playing in it. If you include all the sides that are involved in the preliminary rounds, a total of 81 teams will be taking part in the 2024/25 Champions League.

Read more about the 2024/25 football season

About the author

Dean Etheridge

Dean Etheridge is an experienced freelance sports betting writer who specialises in football, cricket, and darts, with a keen focus on the Premier League and Champions League, as well as in-depth coverage of Premier League Darts and major tournaments. He can turn his hand to all aspects of the beautiful game and beyond, delivering expert analysis across a range of sports. He predominantly covers the Premier League and Champions League but can turn his hand to all aspects of the beautiful game. You can follow Dean on LinkedIn (@deanetheridge)

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