The 2021/22 Champions League has just kicked off and we’re constantly bombarded with all sorts of betting options. Outrights, as always, are topping the popularity charts. People love Champions League outright betting, and who could blame them, really… predicting outrights of major events is pure fun!
Oh yes 😍😍😍
Who will be the best of the best?#UCL pic.twitter.com/SYNl3yqK1H
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 13, 2021
Today, we’ll be going through the most notable participants! We’ll be assessing their chances to lift the trophy and exploring the value of their Champions League outright betting odds. In fact, let’s start off with the latter!
Champions League Outright Betting Odds
The favorites are, of course, PSG! The French team made a ton of moves this summer, with many questioning the integrity of the financial fair play rules. It seems like nothing can stop PSG from acquiring the world’s biggest talents, and other teams are understandably pissed off.
Another team with big spending power:
Manchester City, is on the second spot. The Champions League evades City year in and year out, but they’re still the second-best team according to all major soccer bookmakers.
In fact, here’s a look at the top-ranking teams as far as Champions League outright betting options go:
PSG
+333
Manchester City
+450
Bayern Munich
+750
Chelsea
+750
Liverpool
+900
Manchester United
+1000
Real Madrid
+1000
Atletico Madrid
+2200
Barcelona
+2500
Juventus
+2800
Borussia Dortmund
+3300
Champions League Outright Betting Prediction
Here are eleven European teams with the best chances (and odds) of winning this season of UEFA Champions League:
PSG
PSG have a dream team, no doubt about it! Not only have they acquired Leo Messi, but a handful of other superstars that round off their seemingly unstoppable roster. Wijnaldum, Donnarumma, Serio Ramos – three additional superstars that ought to be a perfect fit for Pochettino’s team. Don’t even get me started on the top-tier players they already had before this transfer window.
All signs point to PSG winning everything this year. But, they failed to win the Ligue 1 last season. Lille took them down in an unearthly battle for the top spot. Could such surprises happen this year too? Well, I wouldn’t be surprised, really.
Despite PSG having a roster packed with superstars, soccer is often more about teamwork than the sum of individual players. Plus, history has shown us that superstar rosters aren’t necessarily the end all be all of every competition they play in. Nuances are what differentiates soccer matches, and I for one think they won’t favor PSG, especially in the playoffs.
Manchester City
Pep failed to win the Champions League last season in what was his best attempt thus far. Can City improve their performances this season and finally go all the way? Well, they did sign Jack Grealish for $139 million, but failed to find a proper replacement for Sergio Aguero who departed for Barcelona. Pep’s team went back and forth with Spurs’ Daniel Levy for Harry Kane, but no deal was made in the end.
Still, City has a formidable roster, one that can definitely chase the Champions League trophy this season. Despite losing to Spurs in the season opener, Pep’s men are above them in the standings, having won three from three with 11:1 goal difference. They look strong on the pitch, and will be hoping to finally lift their CL curse this year.
At +450, I value City more than PSG. But, they failed to get a striker and as the season goes on, injuries and wear & tear might get the better of them. We know Pep won’t disregard the Premiership over Champions League, meaning we might not see City at their best in the playoffs.
Bayern Munich
Does Bayern Munich have claim on this year’s Champions League title? Even though the Bavarians didn’t do crazy transfers this summer (Upamecano and Sabitzer are the biggest arrivals), they should never be taken for granted.
Robert Lewandowski is the man to watch, as you’d expect! The prolific Pole has started the year off with more than a few bangers. He has six goals already and is posing as the primary goalscoring force, once again. Despite Bayern’s group being the group of death, I have no doubts in their ability to go through to the playoffs and make a statement. At +750, Bayern to win looks sweet, but wear and tear could be an issue for them. Their roster isn’t that deep and Lewa is not getting any younger.
Seasonal wear and tear could be an issue for the Bavarians, just like it could be for Pep’s city. That said, Bayern to win their group is a fair bet… but I wouldn’t invest my money in their Champions League outright betting option.
Chelsea
Chelsea are the reigning CL Champions. As you probably know, they defeated Pep’s City in the finals last season, crowning Tuchel’s amazing season and writing their names down in soccer history books. Havertz’s goal cemented the Blues’ title and made them the primary prey for this season.
Lukaku’s arrival is definitely the step in the right direction as far as winning back-to-back CL titles. The crowned Belgian striker is in excellent form and has scored three goals in three matches for the London Blues.
Can Chelsea repeat what only Real Madrid managed to do six years ago and win the Champions League back-to-back? Well, they’re going to be fine contenders, that’s for sure… and at +750, I definitely fancy their chances more than Bayern’s. In fact, Chelsea Champions League outright betting line is the best one thus far… though that’s bound to change as we move down the line and into the dark horse territory.
Liverpool
What about Liverpool’s chances of winning Champions League this season? They do have VVD back, which is a gigantic plus. Their poor defensive record was the biggest issue last season, with injuries plaguing the backline throughout the season. With Virgil van Dijk in the mix, backed up by Robertson and Trent Alexander Arnold on the sides, and several healthy options in the center, Liverpool will be worry-free.
But, they lost their midfield magician Gini Wijnaldum. First, he was supposed to go to Barcelona but as the transfer talks dragged on, he changed his mind and went to PSG instead. This is a big loss for Klopp’s men, no doubt about that!
However, their four Premier League clashes paint a picture of excellent across the pitch. Ten points in four matches; things are looking good for the Merseyside team! Liverpool will, of course, have to battle on several battlegrounds this season. It will be a long and hard one, but Klopp’s men are bound to reach far into the playoffs and cause headaches to the very best European teams out there!
Manchester United
Who brought in better players this transfer window? Was it Manchester United or PSG? It’s a level contest, no point denying that. One side got Messi, Wijnaldum, and Donnarumma (among others), while the other side got Ronaldo, Varane, and Sancho. The two GOATs have already played for their new teams, and it’s safe to say Ronaldo is having a much better start to this season. Ronaldo scored two goals against Newcastle in his second Manchester United debut, as well as a goal in their loss to Young Boys in Bern.
Ole’s squad has just one weak spot – the defensive midfielder position. We’ve seen Matić do well; we’ve seen Fred’s glimpses of brilliance, but neither of them can provide enough consistency to be selected week in and week out. On a brighter note, everything else is superb for the Red Devils. They’ve boosted their defense and wings this summer, not to mention their goalscoring potential. They have good depth too, plenty of youngsters waiting for their moment to shine.
All in all, Manchester United’s chances of winning this year’s Champions League are much higher than what most people think. The puzzle was already pieced together last year, and now that they’ve brought in Cristiano Ronaldo along with two world-class players, only sky is the limit! At +1000, United might just be the most valuable of all Champions League outright betting options.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid failed to sign Kylian Mbappe. The French wonder-boy was keen on finalizing the deal this summer, but the PSG machinery managed to keep him at bay. That’s unfortunate for Real Madrid who, with an aging squad featuring the likes of Kroos, Modrić, and Benzema, could definitely use more young blood.
Benzema’s 2021 season started off superb! Five goals and four assists for him already – life is good for the 33-year-old Frenchmen! Modrić isn’t showing any signs of stopping down either, meaning Real Madrid still have a formidable core.
Vinicius jr., Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga ought to have a bright future with Real Madrid. Three youngsters who promise great things, no doubt about it… but can they create that magical spark this season? While the odds (+1000) do give a hefty return, I fancy United’s value much more.
Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid signed exceptional players this summer. Best of all, they got them at such a bargain! Antoine Griezmann returned to Atletico for just €10 million (on loan), and is bound to get the show running in no time! Rodrigo de Paul came from Udinese for €35 million, and Matheus Cunha from Hertha for €30 million. All three players will surely fit well into Diego Simeone’s Atletico!
Form-wise, pre-international-break matches saw Angel Correa rise up to the occasion three times. He’s their best scorer with three goals, but also packs an assist and a generally great chance-creation potential. At the moment, Atletico is in third place, right behind Real Madrid and Valencia, but with the same number of points. What might be alarming, though, is the fact that Atletico already conceded four goals. That’s one goal per game, thus far. It might not seem that bad, but it surely is for a team conceded just 25 goals over the entirety of 2020/21 La Liga season. That’s roughly 0.65 goals per game – Atletico’s defense will have to regroup and reconsolidate!
As far as their potential to win the Champions League this season, I just can’t see it. Sure, the return of Antoine Griezmann, coupled with in-form Suarez looks promising on paper, but I just don’t see that magical spark that can push them to the grandest of all stages.
Barcelona
Barcelona just went through a terrible start to their 2021/22 Champions League campaign. This means their Champions League outright betting odds ought to increase even more in the coming days. But, no matter how much they increase for, I wouldn’t touch them wit ha 10-foot pole. Why? Allow me to elaborate!
#Wijnaldum (#PSG): “Now I understand why De Jong always praises #Messi and talks about him. He’s the best ever.” pic.twitter.com/eBdlDZj99r
— Football World (@FW_Footbalworld) September 11, 2021
Barcelona got Aguero and Depay over the summer. Yes, both are great individuals and will add a lot to Barcelona’s attacking and ball-controlling efforts. But, we have to address the elephant in the room here – they don’t have Messi anymore.
In situations when everything seemed bleak:
Messi was the bright spark that, with the help of his football magic, somehow kept finding ways to keep Barcelona in the game. Now that he’s gone, that magic is gone too. Barcelona will have to find it somewhere else.
Sure, Barca has several talented youngsters ready to take Messi’s role! The ones we have to emphasize here are Pedri and Ansu Fati. Combined, they’re worth almost €150 million. Add to that equation the likes of Frenkie de Jon and Ousmane Dembele and you’ll realize Barcelona’s future might not be that bleak.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about their presence.
Barcelona might do fine in La Liga, though I doubt they’ll win it. But, as far as the Champions League goes, they won’t be able to rely on youngsters to do their bidding in the playoffs.
Borussia Dortmund
Last but not least – Borussia Dortmund! At +3300, I actually believe there’s great value here! Borussia Dortmund are the team with the highest potential this season. Everyone keeps underestimating them, and I’m sure that’ll just add more water to their mill.
Let’s start from the beginning – Erling Haaland! This is most likely his final year at the club; his final chance to win the Champions League with BVB. He’s going to be on fire this season, that I can already tell! Bundesliga-wise, the Norwegian starboy already has five goals to his tally. Five goals and four assists in just four matches – he’s already on fire in Germany!
Chances are he can transition those numbers to the Champions League too. He’s fast, incredibly strong, and can push the ball into the net in every way imaginable. I know it’s a cliché but I just have to say it – he’s built different! Because of Erling Haaland, I’m going with a low stake on BVB at +3300.
Leicester vs. Man City Betting Pick:
Odds are courtesy of the great sportsbook BetWay. Check out our BetWay review here.
Well, that leads us to the end of our Champions League outright betting predictions. Fingers crossed some of the tips we gave here work towards some of your CL wins! Until next time and may the odds be in your favor!
