The quarterfinals are over and now these are the favorites to win the Champions League heading into the semifinals
Just four teams are left in the Champions League after a thrilling round of quarterfinal matches. Now we head into to the semis with one team as favorite.
And then there were four. After a thrilling quarterfinal round in the Champions League, we set our sights on the semifinals as Europe’s four best sides fight for a spot at the Puskas Arena come May 30.
Bayern hang on, now tabbed to win
There is one slight favorite to hoist the title coming out of the quarterfinals, and that is the team that had the toughest time getting past their opponent over the last two weeks. Bayern Munich are the odds makers favorites to win the title, while Atletico Madrid are seen as the biggest long shots after knocking out Barcelona.
Arsenal got past Sporting Lisbon, but just barely. An away goal in a match that they were outplayed was enough to take the advantage in the first leg, and a 0-0 draw at the Emirates secured the Gunners spot in the next round of the tournament, although it wasn’t the prettiest of ties from the Premier League leaders. After getting past Sporting, they are considered the second favorites to win their first Champions League title in club history.
They will take on an Atletico Madrid side who are coming off of an incredible quarterfinal win over Barcelona. After a 2-0 win at the Camp Nou, they had a nervy start to the second leg at the Metropolitano. They allowed two goals before the 25 minute mark, but were able to rebound, taking the aggregate lead with a goal from Ademola Lookman. Barcelona were left to play with 10 men after Eric Garcia was shown a red card in the 79th minute, and the Colchoneros held on to advance to their first semifinal in nine years, but they are the least likely to win hoist the trophy according to the oddsmakers.
PSG-Bayern: a battle of heavyweights
On paper, defending champions had the most lopsided of quarterfinals ties with their 4-0 aggregate win over Liverpool. They took care of business from the Parc des Princes, winning 2-0 and then went to Anfield and were able to hold off the Reds storm before Ousmane Dembele settled the tie with a second half brace. Now they head into the semis as the third favorites to lift the Champions League trophy.
Odds according to Bet365
- Bayern +175
- Arsenal +200
- PSG +250
- Atletico Madrid +7.50
Bayern Munich’s tie with Real Madrid was in the balance until the the final five minutes of the second leg. After taking a 2-1 result at the Bernabeu, they had to fight tooth and nail against a resilient Real side who took them all 12 rounds. It looked as though extra time was in the cards, but a red card shown to Eduardo Camavinga gave the Germans a man advantage for the final few minutes and they buried Los Blancos. Now they are the slight favorites to win the title, but will have to get past the defending champions in the semifinal.
It is going to be a heavyweight battle on one side of the semifinal bracket as PSG and Bayern Munich are widely regarded as the top teams in Europe at the moment. According to the odds makes, Arsenal are going to have the easier road to the final, but Atletico Madrid showed that they are more than capable of surprising one of the tournament favorites, and that’s what they will be looking to do against the Gunners.
Related stories
Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.
Complete your personal details to comment