The Champions League is the most prestigious prize in European soccer. Most teams will be thrilled to win this trophy, yet not just a few have a real shot at it. Over the last few seasons, only a handful of teams can be considered serious contenders.
For soccer betting fans, knowing this is an advantage. But the juice is not the same. The UEFA Champions League doesn’t have many upsets anymore. It’s sad for the fans but perfect for the sports bettors. As long as you know where the favorites are, it will be easier to collect cash.
The pay per head sportsbook usually update betting line with each fixture played, but the idea is to stay with the ones who will win on every game.
The 2016-17 UEFA Champions League final will be on June 3, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Three teams jump as the big favorites; yes the last three winners. Another one has spent plenty of money to rewrite the history.
Before a sports betting agent change the lines take a look at the current Odds to win the trophy:
FC Barcelona +300:
Since 2006, FC Barcelona has won the UEFA Champions League title four times, compared to just once previous to that date. The team changed the way they approach the tournament and have focused on winning the European Championship over and over.
The Sports bookies made FC Barcelona the favorites. It’s not a surprise. They have been Champions in 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015 with basically the same style. Different coaches, yes. But with the same style.
Barcelona won’t change the way they understand soccer. They won’t change the way they get their success. It’s about ball possession and plenty of movement.
The worst case scenario is meeting an ultra-defensive team that could complicate stuff. However, most of the opponents surrender to their unbelievable passing game.
It helps three of the best five strikers in the world are on the same team. Lionel Messi leads the way, but Luis Suarez and Neymar are hard to stop as well. Messi is arguably the best player in the world. He remains unstoppable despite their recent failures with the Argentina national team.
Suarez could be the most difficult striker to stop in the world. He moves into spaces like no other and can score goals from all angles. Neymar is a threat from any place on the field as well. He can play as an attacking midfielder. He can also go as a pure striker. His versatility makes him a nightmare to deal with.
The pay per head sportsbook reviews have cleat that the best books available are the ones with the best odds. Most of them have Barcelona as the top team in the world.
Bayern Munich +350:
Like Barcelona, Bayern Munich will to try to win the UEFA Champions League title once again. The Bavarians don’t get much of a challenge in the German Bundesliga. They evaluate their season on how far they can get in the European competition.
Over the last three seasons, they missed the final. They aimed for the title under head coach Pep Guardiola, but they failed each time. The first two seasons they were obliterated by Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Last season they were upset by Atletico Madrid.
Guardiola changed the way they play the game. But he didn’t deliver the title they wanted. The Catalan moved to England to coach Man City. The Bavarians hired a proven winner. The Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti will attempt to win his fourth Champions League title.
Ancelotti won twice with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007. He did it again in 2014 with Real Madrid. He’s one of the few coaches who have been in the final four times, losing once in 2005.
By hiring Ancelotti, Bayern Munich sent a huge message. It’s about winning the European title again. It’s championship or bust for them, and many action bets are going their way.
The team will remain as an attacking power under Ancelotti. However, they will improve in their direct attack. With Guardiola, they passed the ball too many times. With the Italian coach, they will seek the goal with more intensity.
Real Madrid +550:
Real Madrid has won this title a total of 11 times. They are the current Champions and will look for a 12th championship, which is a crazy number. The Merengues had an easy schedule last season, and they took advantage of it. They didn’t face a good team until the final. It took them penalty kicks, but they eventually won the trophy.
As long as Cristiano Ronaldo is on the team, Real Madrid will have a shot at this title. Sports betting fans can’t discard Madrid, even if they are not playing well. Ronaldo can become into a one-man show and help his team get far in this competition. Last year he scored 16 goals and helped Real Madrid win the 11th. He also helped Portugal in the Euro 2016. He’s that type of player.
Nevertheless, Real Madrid is a better team when everybody does their job. Coach Zinedine Zidane knows they need everybody in that locker room if they want to have a shot at repeating. No team has won back-to-back European title since AC Milan did it in 1989-1990. Plenty of teams had tried it.
All of them have failed. The bookie business will try to take advantage of Madrid popularity, knowing many fans will back them, but history says it’s not a good idea.
Manchester City +900:
Manchester City got to the semifinals last season. They didn’t give Real Madrid a challenge and went home without a giving a fight. Despite getting to the semifinals was an achievement, the way they played was unacceptable. It ended with coach Manuel Pellegrini fired and with Pep Guardiola as the new coach.
Guardiola will have a long way to go to make this team into a European winner. But his career has shown he knows how to make dramatic turnarounds. Manchester City won’t become an instant favorite, but by the time the playoffs are around Guardiola’s idea should be solidified.
It’s not only about their winning habits but their playing style. In England, ball possession is not a big deal. It is for Guardiola and his staff. As long as Pep find a team discipline on defense and with plenty of movement on offense; he will be satisfied.
Manchester City fans can dream about a team with a European title. The chance is not around the corner, but they have the right coach to get it done.
The Field:
- Atletico Madrid +1200
- Juventus +1200
- Borussia Dortmund +1800
- PSG +2200
- Arsenal +2500
- Napoli +3300
- Leicester City +4000
- Tottenham +5000
- Sevilla +8000
- Bayern Leverkusen +10000
- Benfica +15000
- Monaco +15000
- Porto +15000
- Sporting Lisbon +20000
- Borussia Monchengladbach +25000
- Lyon +20000
- Besiktas +50000