With the group stage of the Champions League starting tonight, now’s a good time to take a look at who the bookmakers are favouring to win this year’s competition.
English clubs are top of the betting on the eve of the 2008-2009 competition starting, after last year’s dramatic penalty shoot-out final between Manchester Utd and Chelsea which saw the Manchester outfit win Europe’s premier competition for the second time.
William Hill are offering odds of 11/2* on Chelsea capturing the Champions League trophy for the first time under the guidance of experienced coach Luis Felipe Scolari. As well as managing Brazil to win 2002 World Cup, Scolari has won the South American version of the Champions League – the Copa Libertadores with two different South American club sides.
Chelsea have made a good start in the Premiership and are also current favourites to win this as well. They have been helped by Scolari signing Portuguese international Deco who has some great experience in the Champions League winning the trophy on two occasions with Porto and Barcelona. He is fired up for winning the Champion League again with a third different club.
If Manchester Utd retain their Champions League trophy they will be the first team since AC Milan in 1990 to win the competition two years in a row.
The Red Devils have had a slow start to the Premiership and although it’s only the start of the season and teams have won the Champions League without replicating their European form in their domestic league, it would be some achievement for Manchester Utd to retain their European title.
Even so, Dimitar Berbatov is likely to greatly strengthen an already impressive attack and Ferguson’s men are second favourites with the bookmakers. Betfair and Betdaq give United odds of 34/5* to win the Champions League.
Inter Milan are given an 8/1* shot by Totesport and William Hill. They are Serie A champions for the past three seasons and are favoured as the best shot to take the Champions League trophy out of England.
Barcelona are then fourth favourites at 43/5* with Betdaq and Betfair. Their arch rivals Real Madrid are fifth favourites currently priced at 23/2* with Betfair.
The other two English hopefuls Arsenal and Liverpool then find themselves as the next fancied teams by the bookmakers. If you fancy a gamble on Arsenal then they are 14/1* with VCBet, Skybet and Coral.
Liverpool should never be written off in the Champions League and they are good value also at 14/1* this time with a host of bookmakers including Betdirect.
Celtic fans and others who fancy a real outside bet can bet on the Scottish champions with odds of 250/1* with William Hill.
Ladbrokes reckon the chances of there being another all-English final are 4/1*. Most bookmakers seem to favour Fernando Torres being the competition’s top goalscorer. You will currently get a price of 12/1* with Coral and Betfair for Liverpool’s Spanish striker to be top goalscorer throughout the Champions League season.
*Odds are correct as of time of writing.
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