Champions League draw: Who are the favourites for glory in Lisbon?
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The latest odds ahead of Friday’s draw
The draw for the Champions League’s final eight mini-tournament takes place at 11:00 tomorrow, with the sides that have qualified for the quarter-finals now just three wins away from European glory.
This season’s shortened Champions League will do away with two-legged ties from the quarter-finals, with the outcome to be settled over 90 minutes, with extra-time and penalties if needed.
The World Cup-style tournament will take place in Lisbon, which means neither side can count on home advantage.
Ahead of the draw, we’ve looked at the leading contenders to lift the trophy in August…
Having wrapped up an eighth consecutive Bundesliga title, Bayern head the Champions League betting.
Having looked stodgy and short of ideas under Niko Kovac, they’ve been totally transformed since Hansi Flick took the reigns in November.
The Bavarian giants are on a 17-game winning run in all competitions and Robert Lewandowski has scored 51 goals in all competitions – the highest tally of his career.
The main concern with Bayern is that they’ll have gone a month without competitive action when they face Chelsea in the second leg of their last-16 tie. Their 3-0 lead means they shouldn’t have much trouble against the Blues, but they may be rusty for bigger tests in the latter stages.
Is it now or never for Manchester City? With a potential two-year ban from the Champions League coming up, they may not have a better chance to win the competition for some time.
They’re 2-1 up against Real Madrid in the last 16, with the second leg still to be played.
Pep Guardiola’s side may be without Sergio Aguero, but they can still call on the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus. This will also be David Silva’s City swansong – going all the way would be the perfect goodbye for the midfield maestro.
The Cityzens have been as impressive as ever going forward this term, but they’ve had real problems at the back. They’ve lost nine league games this term – the most of Guardiola’s career. If they don’t tighten up, it’s likely to cost them against the continent’s best sides.
There have been serious question marks about Barcelona’s transfer business and decisions off the pitch lately. Things haven’t been much better on the pitch, as they’ve lost their lead at the top of La Liga to Real Madrid – they’re now out at 6/1 to defend their title.
But for all of their problems, they still have Lionel Messi in their ranks. The team around him may not be as good as it once was, but Messi still has the quality to decide any game – he’s got 22 goals and 20 assists in 30 league appearances this season.
Luis Suarez’s return to fitness is a boost for Barcelona, while Antoine Griezmann still has the chance to turn around a disappointing first year at Camp Nou.
PSG are a level above their rivals in France. It’s European glory that they really want. And their attacking trio of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Mauro Icardi gives them incredible firepower.
But after the Ligue 1 season was ended season early, what sort of shape will Thomas Tuchel’s side be in? Their last game was the 2-0 win to knock Borussia Dortmund out way back in March.
During the time since that game, Edinson Cavani, Thomas Meunier and Thiago Silva have all left the club on free transfers. With so little time in between the knockout stages, and the squad not necessarily fully fit, losing three experienced players could give Tuchel a real headache.
These teams are the four frontrunners, according to our odds, who do you think will win the Champions League?
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
