The first set of the Champions League Round of 16 games is in the books and it’s time for us to analyze who has the best chance to go all the way and lift the UCL trophy. You can live bet on the UCL action by using our sportsbook.
Real Madrid: The Real Deal
It’s pretty clear that even allowing two goals early in the game does nothing to affect Real Madrid’s winning mentality. Karim Benzema’s killer instinct, Vinicius Jr.’s pace, and Luka Modric’s cleverness are just a few of Carlo Ancelotti’s weapons.
Real Madrid claimed the 2021-22 Champions League and is by far the most successful club in European Cup history, having taken home the prestigious trophy 14 times. Los Blancos’ closest rival in terms of titles is AC Milan, who has won the Champions League seven times, most recently in 2007 against Liverpool.
The latest Champions League odds list Los Blancos at +600 to lift the trophy, and they look more than ready to achieve this objective. Some clubs have proven their UCL quality over the years; others have stuttered when it matters most. The Spanish giants look better and better with every week and we have high expectations for them this season.
Man City: Champions League Favorite
Is this finally the year for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola to win the trophy? They’re already out of quadruple contention, so that’s one narrative thread out of the way. There remains a distinct possibility that they won’t win the Premier League either. Nevertheless, they are the favorites at +200, but we don’t see any reason behind this.
Man City looked poor in the first leg against RB Leipzig. At the same time, the club is fighting to defend its Premier League title, and it looks like the fight against Arsenal is taking a lot of energy from it. Things are not clicking as how Pep Guardiola might have imagined. His attitude suggests he is well aware of that fact, so we won’t include the Citizens in our soccer picks and parlays.
Bayern Munich: Ups and Downs
It may have disjointed in the final minutes at the Parc des Princes, but a 1-0 lead from an away leg is about as good a result as Bayern could have expected. The club is now priced at +350 to win the trophy but if it manages to knock out PSG on March 8 you will certainly find it at +200. Its defense is not always the most reliable but Bayern always rise to the moment.
With Sadio Mane back in full training, a strong attack could get deadlier. But, let’s not forget that at this stage, its domestic competition is usually over, thanks to a large gap between it and its followers. This season, Bayern is equal on points with Dortmund with just 12 rounds to go, with a difficult schedule ahead. Yes, it will probably qualify further in the competition, but if you’re betting online, you should avoid backing this club.
Napoli: Hot, Hot, Hot
The impressive winner of Liverpool’s group always looked likely to make it this far. Napoli is tied for third-favorite to win the competition at +600. It will definitely knock out Eintracht Frankfurt on March 15 after beating it 2-0 in the first leg, but it will be very important for Napoli to have a favorable draw in the quarter-finals.
Luciano Spalletti’s side went to a tough ground for visiting sides, but it bossed its way to nearly 70% possession and took 17 shots while limiting opponents to five, with just one on target. This is the sort of performance you get from potential winners at this stage of the competition, and on top of that, Napoli will prioritize this competition after already solving the Serie A, sitting 18 points clear at the top of the table with 14 rounds to go till the end of the season.
