The UEFA Champions League group stage has concluded, and 16 teams have qualified for the knockout round. Now, the teams will play a two match series until two clubs reach the final.
Just 16 teams remain, and the odds for each to win the Champions League trophy have changed. A new odds favourite has been selected by top sportsbooks around the world. Who is it and does the club really have a chance to win it all?
Champions League knockout round
Manchester City and Basel will clash in the next round. Manchester City are currently the leaders of the English Premier League and the side has been virtually unstoppable this term. The English team has been so good that sportsbooks have instilled it as favorites to win the Champions League. One top sportsbook has listed Manchester City at +275 while Basel now has the longest odds which are +50000.
Italian side Juventus (+2000), last season’s runners-up, has been drawn against England’s Tottenham (2500). Although Tottenham has an exciting attack featuring striker Harry Kane and midfielders Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, Juventus is a step above the London club. Juventus has played in two of the last three finals. Although the team lost both, Juventus is a highly capable side and could get back to the final this term.
Porto (+10000) will have a difficult task of overcoming Liverpool (+1400) in the round of 16. The Portuguese side doesn’t have the exciting attacking players that Liverpool possess. The Reds’ Mohamed Salah has been brilliant this term. He has scored 18 goals for Liverpool in 22 games in all competitions.
Spain’s Sevilla (+15000) is pitted against Manchester United (+1200) and could pull off an upset. Sevilla is regularly exciting in European competition, but the side does have the ability play below standard in fixtures. Manchester United can be an exciting attacking side, but the Red Devils can be extremely dull and boring, too. Manager Jose Mourinho has come under fire for his tactics in big games, but he has history on his side in the Champions League. Mourinho won the 2004 tournament as coach of Porto and the 2010 edition with Inter Milan. He did both playing negative tactics.
The tie of the round will see cup holders Real Madrid (+750) play new money aristocrats Paris Saint-Germain (+400). Madrid has had a poor first half of the season by the club’s typically high standards. Currently fourth in its domestic league, PSG could knockout the holders in the last 16. PSG boasts world record transfer signing Neymar, and many feel he has been the missing link between the Parisians and the Champions League trophy.
Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk (+20000) qualified on the last matchday of the group stage. Its reward is a knockout round match against Italy’s Roma (+4000). This tie could be difficult to call as Shakhtar can claim to be the only team this season to beat Manchester City. Roma has world-class players, however, including Eden Dzeko and Radja Nainggolan in the side.
England’s final representative, Chelsea, has the unenviable task of playing Spain’s Barcelona. Despite not being the bookies’ favorite, many insiders and prediction specialists have projected Barcelona as the team to lift the trophy this year. Of course, Barcelona has the great Lionel Messi to score goals and set them up. This season, the Argentine has 17 goals in 21 games in all competitions. In comparison, Chelsea doesn’t have a player near Messi’s quality; and the Blues have been struggling of late. The team better hope it has an answer for senor Messi in February.
The final tie of the last 16 pits Germany’s Bayern Munich (+500) against Turkey’s Besiktas (+15000). Not many are giving Besiktas much of a chance in this one. Bayern has playing brilliantly in its domestic league, and the side may have the best chance it has had in years to win the Champions League. No disrespect to Besiktas, but the Turkish team should just be a temporary roadblock for Bayern to reach the quarterfinals.
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