Who will win the Champions League?

March 20, 2014
By: Deke Hardman

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With arguably the most mouth-watering quarter final line-up in years, this season’s Champions League looks set to be one of the most closely fought contests in a number of years.

Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United were the final two sides to book their places in the last eight of the competition, having knocked out Zenit St Petersburg and Olympiakos respectively.

They join holders Bayern Munich, Ligue One leaders Paris Saint Germain, Premier League leaders Chelsea and La Liga title fighting trio Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the hat for Friday afternoon’s draw in Switzerland.

Bayern are the favourites, having got past Manchester City in the last sixteen, and extended their unbeaten league run to an astounding fifty matches with a 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday afternoon.

Having lifted the European Cup as a player in 1992, manager Pep Guardiola has triumphed in this competition twice as a manager, and can be backed at 2.88 (15/8) with Ladbrokes to emerge victorious this time around.

Guardiola’s former club Barcelona, and their fierce rivals Real Madrid are joint second favourites, and can both be backed at 5.0 (4/1) with Sky Bet to lift the trophy at Benfica’s Estadio Da Luz on May 24th.

Next in the market are 2012 winners Chelsea, who are widely available at 13.0 (12/1) – the same price as PSG, who are one of just two from the final eight to have not yet lifted the trophy while the other – Atletico Madrid are 15.0 (14/1) with Sky Bet.

Atleti’s best showing was in the days of the European Cup, where they reached the final only to lose 4-0 to Bayern.
1997 winners and last season’s beaten finalists Borussia Dortmund are 17.0 (16/1) with a variety of bookmakers, with Manchester United rank outsiders at a best price of 21.0 (20/1).

With thirteen goals so far this season, Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo is unsurprisingly favourite to finish as the tournament’s top scorer and the Ballon d’Or winner can be backed at a best price of 1.22 (2/9) with Coral.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic of PSG, currently three behind Ronaldo, is a 5.5 (9/2) shot with Paddy Power ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, who with eight goals is 11.0 (10/1) with Bet Victor.

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