Champions League Preview

Although some months off from the group stages, qualification has already begun for the Champions League so let us take a look at how the bookmakers are priced up.

Barcelona are the 7/2 (general) favourites to claim the Champions League, a result that would givet hem their fourth Champions League trophy in eight seasons. The Spanish side lost to Chelsea last season and will be hungry to bounce back this season. The return of David Villa will boost them and the omens are good as they won the last Champions League final to be played at Wembley (the venue for the 2013 final). With plenty of football between now and then and many giid teams 7/2 looks a little too short.

Real Madrid are 4/1 (general) second favourites to claim a first Champions League since the 2001-02 season, a wait that has been too long for a club of Madrid’s size. Jose Mourinho has assembled a strong side at Madrid and they are the defending Spanish League champions. They lost on penalties to Bayern in the semi-finals last season and will likely go close this season under the guidance of two times Champions League winner Jose Mourinho.

Next in the betting come two English sides with City 15/2 (Bwin) and Utd at 14/1 (Bwin). The victory for Chelsea in the final camouflaged the fact that English clubs had a disappointing time in the Champions League last season, with Arsenal going out in the last 16 and the two Manchester sides failing to get out of the group stages. City though, as Premier League champions, should have a much easier group this time around and it will be shock if they do not at least make the knockout stages. Their lack of experience over two-legged ties means at 15/2 they might need swerving. Utd know what it takes to win but they struggled in Europé last season and look a touch behind their local rivals, never mind the two Spanish sides.

Finalists last year Bayern Munich are 14/1 (general) and Chelsea are 16/1 (BetVictor/stanjames) and both command respect. Both have added players to the mix and with the right draw could again go far. Serie A champions Juventus are 18/1 (paddy Power), but unless they add a world class striker (Robin Van Persie) they lack the firepower to go far.

Two each-way value bets could be PSG and Borussia Dortmund. The French side are 20/1 (general) and have the finances to splash. The club are being linked with a big money swoop for AC Milan duo Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Silva is one of the best defenders in the world, while Ibrahimovic is a born winner and showed in the Euros that he has the game for the big occasion. Throw in recently signed Ezequiel Lavezzi and current stars Javier Pastore and Jeremy Menez and we have a team that can mix it with any of the big boys. In addition boss Carlo Ancelotti is a former Champions League winner and will know how to prepare his teams for the big games. The second each-way selection is Borussia Dortmund, winners of the German League two seasons in a row. Dortmund are 25/1 (general) and this is a big price on a team who finished above Bayern last season and the Germans had a team in the final last season. Dortmund have a number of star players with Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic rocks at the back, the creative talents of Mario Gotze and Marco Reus alongside Polish goal machine Robert Lewandowski.

Once more the Champions League promises to be a feast of Football at its best.

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13/07/2012     © Frixo 2024