Champions League 2024/25: Latest Betting, Format & Preview

The Champions League has been revamped ahead of the 2024/25 season, with the number of matches increasing from 125 to 189.

The tournament will feature 36 teams for the first time. They will participate in a single league phase rather than the previous group stage set-up.

Every club will play eight league-stage games against eight different opponents (4H, 4A), with the top four sides qualifying automatically for the knockout phase.

The teams finishing in ninth to 24th place will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure a place in the last-16 of the competition.

Read on as we look at the latest betting and format for the Champions League, before assessing which teams will be in contention to lift the prestigious trophy.

Champions League 2024/25 – Latest Betting

The latest outright betting for the 2024/25 Champions League is as follows:

• Manchester City – 3.25
• Real Madrid – 4.00
• Arsenal – 10.00
• Bayern Munich – 12.00
• Barcelona – 13.00
• Liverpool – 13.00
• Inter Milan – 17.00
• Paris Saint-Germain – 17.00
• Bayer Leverkusen – 26.00
• Atletico Madrid – 34.00
• Borussia Dortmund – 34.00
• AC Milan – 41.00
• Juventus – 41.00
• Aston Villa – 51.00
• Atalanta – 51.00
• RB Leipzig – 67.00
• Sporting Lisbon – 81.00
• AS Monaco – 101.00
• Benfica – 101.00
• PSV Eindhoven – 101.00
• Bar – 105.00

Champions League 2024/25 – Format

The new format for the 2024/25 Champions League is as follows:

• Matchday 1: September 17-19, 2024
• Matchday 2: October 1/2, 2024
• Matchday 3: October 22/23, 2024
• Matchday 4: November 5/6, 2024
• Matchday 5: November 26/27, 2024
• Matchday 6: December 10/11, 2024
• Matchday 7: January 21/22, 2025
• Matchday 8: January 29, 2025
• Knockout round play-offs: February 11/12 and February 18/19, 2025
• Round of 16: March 4/5 and March 11/12, 2025
• Quarter-finals: April 8/9 and April 15/16, 2025
• Semi-finals: April 29/30 and May 6/7, 2025
• Final: May 31, 2025

The final of the 2024/25 Champions League will take place at the Allianz Arena in Munich on May 31, 2025.

The stadium last hosted the final in 2011/12, when Chelsea defeated Bayern Munich after a penalty shoot-out to win the tournament for the first time.

The Allianz Arena is one of the finest venues in European football and will offer a fitting stage for what promises to be a thrilling climax to the competition.

Champions League 2024/25 – Preview

Manchester City are the bookmakers’ favourites to win the Champions League for the second time and they will fancy their chances of achieving the feat.

Pep Guardiola’s side lifted the trophy in 2022/23, but came up short in their quest to retain the title at the quarter-final stage last season.

Eventual winners Real Madrid prevailed after a thrilling penalty shoot-out to scupper Man City’s hopes of going back-to-back in the tournament.

The Premier League champions will be on a mission to set the record straight and it would be no surprise if they progressed to the final in Munich.

Madrid will also be tough to beat as they strive to be crowned European champions for a record-equalling 16th time.

The La Liga giants defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the 2023/24 final and should make another bold bid to win the tournament.

The addition of former Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe has boosted their already formidable squad and they could be the value bet to emerge victorious.

Arsenal are rated as the third favourites to win the Champions League, but it is difficult to see why they have been handed that lofty status.

The Gunners have reached the final of the competition just once (2005/06) and have failed to claim the Premier League title since 2003/04.

Mikel Arteta’s side were knocked out by Bayern in the quarter-finals last season and make zero appeal as a betting proposition this time around.

The same cannot be said for Bundesliga giants Bayern, who will be desperate to secure a spot in the final at their home stadium.

They have already made several shrewd additions to their squad this summer and are expected to make more signings before the transfer window closes.

Liverpool will likely attract plenty of interest from punters as they embark on a new era under former Feyenoord manager Arne Slot.

The Reds have looked impressive during pre-season and Slot will be eager to make his mark after replacing Jurgen Klopp in the hot-seat.

Slot guided Feyenoord to the final of the Europa Conference League in 2021/22, before leading them to the Eredivisie title the following season.

The Dutchman has quickly imposed his ideas on Liverpool’s squad and they could be one of the dark horses in the Champions League this season.

Looking a little further down the betting, Aston Villa could be worth checking in the ‘reach the quarter-finals’ market.

Manager Unai Emery has an excellent track record in European competitions and will be confident he can guide Villa to the latter stages of the Champions League.

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