As we approach the business end of the season, the Irish bookmakers are beginning to set out their stall for the winners of football’s biggest trophies. That includes, of course, the UEFA Champions League. Who has the capability of winning the biggest trophy in European, if not world, club football?
We’re down to the last four, so who are the bookies putting their faith in to go all the way?
The Favourites: FC Bayern Munich
Having utterly dominated the German league and then cleaned Real Madrid out in some style, it should come as no surprise that Germany’s premier sports club sits atop the standings.
- Ladbrokes rates the chances of a Bayern win at 15/8.
- BoyleSports, meanwhile, offers odds of 7/4 for a Bayern win.
It’s easy to see why, too. Bayern recently broke the all-time record for goals in a Bundesliga season with several games to spare. They’ve mostly dispatched teams in Europe, too, with their sole defeat being a 3-1 loss in London to Arsenal back in November. Since then, Bayern have gone to an even higher level – they’ve also won in Paris earlier in the competition, whilst dismantling all at home.
With their title-winning pedigree ripping through the whole squad, and their ability to play some of the most effective and fun football in the world, it would be a brave person who bets against FCB now.
The Holders: Paris Saint-Germain
Of course, it would be mad to rule out a PSG repeat. They finally cracked the code last year with their first-ever UCL victory, and look in fair form to go ahead and do the damage once again.
- Ladbrokes gives PSG odds of 13/5 to win the UCL for the second time in a row.
- BoyleSports is offering odds of 5/2 if you fancy backing PSG for the title.
These odds are pretty fair given how well PSG are playing. They’ve essentially run away with the French Ligue 1 title without really getting into too much of a sweat. While they are ‘only’ four points clear of RC Lens, they boast a game in hand and have shown that, when they need to, they can step it up big time. Players are coming back into fitness and form as the business end of the season arrives, too.
PSG play some of the most effective football in the field, too; they are a hard one to bet against. With a squad of hungry winners and arguably the world’s best coach in Luis Enrique, they would be hard to dismiss as a title challenger.
The Outsiders: Arsenal & Atletico Madrid
The other two semi-finalists are a little different and harder to get a grip on. It would be fair to say that if you had to choose between watching Bayern & PSG or Arsenal & Atletico Madrid, you would pick the former. They simply play more exciting, enjoyable football. Both the Gunners and Los Colchoneros are teams with a style that could really put a cat amongst the pigeons in a final, though.
- Ladbrokes is offering odds of 9/4 for an Arsenal win and 7/1 for Atletico Madrid.
- BoyleSports provides odds of 9/4 for Arsenal and 7/1 for Atletico Madrid also.
Despite the odds for Arsenal being slightly more in favour than PSG, it’s hard to see the Gunners as favourites. They have the strength, height and set-piece nous, but PSG and Bayern are hardy teams who defend well in big moments and have a far more exciting cadre of attacking talent to pick from.
Given Arsenal are beginning to flounder in a tight title race whilst Bayern and PSG canter to yet more title success, though, and Atletico are not really in contention for a league title this year, it’s likely that Arsenal are the ones who will be using the most energy weekend to weekend domestically.
However, the draw has fallen in a way where it means Arsenal or Atletico will make the Final; the hope will be that PSG and Bayern tear strips off one another and arrive in the final itself exhausted. Right now, though, the bookies favouring an FCB win seems about right – they are a truly special team.