We are now in the business end of the 2024-25 Champions League.
There are eight teams remaining in the field, and if the odds are to be believed, this thing is wide open.
Barcelona (+320), Paris Saint-Germain (+333) and defending champion Real Madrid (+350) are essentially priced as co-favorites, with Bayern Munich (+500) right behind them.
Arsenal (+700) and Inter Milan (+800) are also in the single-digits, while Aston Villa (+2,000) and Borussia Dortmund (+2,500) are the two long shots remaining in the competition.
There’s already been plenty of chaos in the Champions League this season, and more should be expected before the final on May 31 at Allianz Arena in Munich.
Let’s size up the market ahead of this week’s quarterfinals.
All odds are provided by BetMGM Sportsbook.
2025 Champions League preview and predictions
Best value: Arsenal +700
The Gunners had their sights set on a massive season in 2024-25, but things have not gone according to plan domestically.
Arsenal have spent most of the season in second place, but they are miles behind Liverpool and have virtually no chance of catching the Reds at this point. That means Arsenal will be solely focused on the Champions League, their only hope of winning a trophy this season.
As disappointing as it’s been to play second fiddle to Liverpool in the Premier League, the Gunners still boast one of the best statistical profiles in the world.
Arsenal rank third among all teams in Europe’s big five leagues in
expected goals against, and they are second in the Premier League in expected goal difference.
The red flag with Arsenal, apart from some wonky results in the Premier League this season, is their path. They are underdogs against Real Madrid in the quarterfinals and will likely face Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals.
Though that is a daunting path, it’s also the reason why Arsenal are still being offered at a generous price. Had the Gunners drawn Dortmund, Villa or Inter in this round, this number would be slashed in half.
Arsenal was one of the favorites to win this competition before a ball was kicked, and they’re still being priced around the same number even though they’re into the quarterfinals.
This is a good buying opportunity on one of the best defensive clubs in the world.
Get the lowdown on the Best USA Sports Betting Sites and Apps
Golden Boot: Ousmane Dembélé, PSG (+1,800)
The race for the Golden Boot, which is given to the competition’s top goal scorer, is pretty tight. Barcelona’s Raphinha is the current pacesetter with 11 goals, but he’s got plenty of company with Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy and Bayern’s Harry Kane each at 10 goals, and Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona sitting on nine.
The best value in this market is just behind that pack with Ousmane Dembélé of Paris Saint-Germain. Dembélé has seven goals in the Champions League, but he’ll have a good chance of boosting that total against an Aston Villa side that tends to play high-event matches.
Dembélé has been prolific this season, with 28 goals in 35 matches in Ligue 1 and the Champions League, so he could easily close this gap if PSG stick around in this competition for another couple of rounds.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.