The 2018-19 Champions League is now into the quarter-final stage after the contenders were whittled down to just eight.
There have been some spectacular ties thus far, with some astonishing upsets and sensational turnarounds occurring.
Holders Real Madrid have been knocked out, while their city rivals Atletico Madrid were dumped out after a stunning comeback by a Cristiano Ronaldo-led Juventus. Paris Saint-Germain will have to wait to get their hands on the trophy as they suffered at the hands of a resurgent Manchester United side.
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Goal brings you all the details of the favourites, underdogs and outsiders for the Champions League.
Favourites to win the 2018-19 Champions League
Manchester City emerged as strong favourites to win the Champions League this season, but their odds took a blow after defeat to Tottenham in the first leg of the quarter-final. Prior to the last eight, the Premier League champions were placed at odds of winning 9/4 according to bet365, but that has since changed to 10/3.
Pep Guardiola’s side are yet to lift the European Cup but have a strong squad who have a formidable chance of winning the competition. Guardiola has experience winning the trophy with Barcelona and will be eager to repeat the success with the Citizens – as the European Cup is the one major trophy that has eluded the affluent Manchester side.
Barcelona have overtaken City as outright favourites to win the tournament after beating Manchester United in the quarter-final first leg. They are now 5/2 to win the Champions League this season. Star man Lionel Messi has taken on the captain’s armband this season following the departure of Andres Iniesta and the Argentine has continued to shine.
The Catalan giants topped a group that consisted of Tottenham and Inter, and were the first team to secure their spot in the round of 16 phase. They defeated Lyon with minimal fuss in their first knockout tie and are marginally ahead of Manchester United in the last eight.
The arrival of Portuguese megastar Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus this summer in a sensational €100m transfer has, unsurprisingly, thrust the Italian side into the conversation about favourites to win the tournament.
Interestingly, the former Real Madrid hero took time to get into his stride in the competition this season, but he came up with the goods for the Bianconeri when they needed him most as he scored a hat-trick in the last 16 against Atletico Madrid to ensure Juve’s place in the quarter-final.
They’ve now been paired with Ajax – who shocked the world by deposing reigning champions Real Madrid – and they are rated 4/1 bets to lift the trophy.
2018-19 Champions League outsiders
Liverpool finished runners-up in the competition last year and are priced 7/2 to win outright after knocking out Bayern Munich – who were considered among the favourites – in the last 16. Jurgen Klopp’s men were handed a quarter-final tie against Porto and they’ve already put one foot in the semi-final with a convincing first-leg triumph.
Manchester United were initially considered long-shots to lift the trophy, with a significant shortening of odds occurring after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over from Jose Mourinho. They overcame the odds to knock PSG out in the last 16, but their odds have lengthened once again after they were paired with Barcelona in the quarter-finals.
Indeed, a narrow loss in the first leg against the Catalan side has seen their odds stretch even more, from 20/1 to 40/1, suggesting that Champions League success on the 20th anniversary of the 1999 final, in which Solskjaer scored the winner, is a triumph that is unlikely to transpire.
2018-19 Champions League underdogs
Tottenham have been considered underdogs throughout the Champions League this season, but their odds lengthened considerably after they were drawn alongside Man City in the quarter-final. They continue to defy the odds, however, and they have gone down to 16/1 from 25/1.
Ajax, meanwhile, are on somewhat of a roll, having held Bayern Munich to two draws in the group stage and dumping Real Madrid out in spectacular fashion by beating them 4-1 at the Bernabeu.
The Dutch outfit’s chances of winning the trophy have shortened from 100/1 at the outset, but they have stretched somewhat after they were drawn against Ronaldo’s Juve. Interestingly, though, they managed to hold the Italians to a draw and they are now ranked 25/1 to win.
Finally, Portuguese giants Porto are deemed least likely to win the competition at 250/1 and those odds have been seriously impacted following their heavy defeat to last season’s finalists Liverpool in the quarter-final first leg.