The UEFA Champions League returns for a new season in a brand new format for the 2024-25 season, with reigning champions Real Madrid looking to defend the crown they claimed at Wembley in June 2024.
The group stages are no longer part of the competition for the 70th season of the UEFA Champions League. With the early 36-club League Phase behind us, the Knockout Phase, which includes 24 teams, is upon us. The next phase, the Round of 16 begins in early March. The Final for the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League takes place on May 31, 2025 at the Munich Football Arena in Munich, Germany.
We’ll take a look at the new format and break down which teams are most likely to find success in the tournament, and provide you with our best free soccer betting picks in the process.
| To Win UEFA Champions League 24/25 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Real Madrid | +500 | +700 | +500 |
| Arsenal | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| FC Barcelona | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Bayern Munich | +700 | +800 | +700 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | +1200 | +1400 | +1200 |
| Inter Milan | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Atlético Madrid | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
| Manchester City | +2100 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Aston Villa | +3300 | +3300 | +3300 |
| Atalanta | +4000 | +3300 | +4000 |
| Borussia Dortmund | +4000 | +6600 | +4000 |
| AC Milan | +5000 | +4000 | +5000 |
| Juventus | +5000 | +6600 | +5000 |
| Lille | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Benfica | +6600 | +8000 | +6600 |
| Feyenoord | +10000 | +15000 | +10000 |
| Monaco | +15000 | +10000 | +15000 |
| PSV Eindhoven | +15000 | +10000 | +15000 |
| Celtic | +20000 | +20000 | +20000 |
| Club Brugge | +25000 | +35000 | +25000 |
| Brest | +50000 | +20000 | +50000 |
| Sporting CP | +50000 | +50000 | +50000 |
Before the start of league play, Liverpool were listed at +1200 to win their first UEFA Champions League title since they defeated Tottenham Hotspur in 2018-19. Liverpool made it to the 2021-22 final but fell to Real Madrid that year. The Liverpool club is tied for third for the most titles in UEFA Champions League history with six. They have finished as the runner-up four times.
Liverpool were the first team to secure their berth in the Round of 16 this year. The team went 7-0-1 in league play, scoring 17 goals while surrendering five. Their 21 points put them at the top of the League Phase. The team’s only loss in league play came against PSV Eindhoven in a game where Arne Slot rested most of his starters. The team is a force this year, losing twice in 33 outings.
If Liverpool continues to dominate, look for their current betting line of +400 to turn into minus money.
One of the pre-season betting favorites to win the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League title, Real Madrid, was listed at +325 before the League Phase began in September. After putting together a 5-0-3 record, Real Madrid did not secure a berth in the Round of 16. With that, the club was matched up against Man City in the Knockout Round. Last year’s UEFA Champions League winners, Real Madrid defeated Man City 3-2 in the first leg of the Knockout Round. They play the second leg on February 19.
Real Madrid had 20 goals for and 12 against in the League Phase of play.
No team has won as many UEFA Champions League titles as Real Madrid with 15. They are the last club to win back-to-back championships, putting together a run of three straight titles between 2015-16 and 2017-18.
Arsenal is looking for its first-ever UEFA Champions League title. The celebrated club’s best finish came in 2005-06 when it placed second to Barcelona. Last year, Arsenal made it to the quarter-finals before losing to Bayern Munich.
Arsenal played well enough in the League Phase to earn a berth in the Round of 16. The club went 6-1-1 while scoring 16 goals and giving up the second-fewest goals during league play, with three goals against.
Arsenal’s betting odds have improved a bit since before the season started. The club has moved from +800 to +600 ahead of the Round of 16.
Liverpool have been fantastic in Arne Slot’s first season at the helm. With how well the club has been playing so far this year, they are hard to bet against. The betting pick is that Liverpool wins the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League
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About the Author
Trent's your man when it comes to all things sports. He covers a wide range of sports for Sports Betting Sites, and has been published in some pretty reputable outlets, such as USA Today Sports, Vice, Bloody Elbow, Fight! Magazine, UFC 360, and Narratively. Trent's got the inside track on all the happenings in the world of sports.
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