Five rounds of qualifying and one painstakingly long draw later, the 2019-20 Champions League groups have been mapped out.
We will dive deeper into the draw with our group-by-group betting previews over the next couple of weeks, but with paths to the knockout stage now clearly defined, let's look at the clubs that oddsmakers fancy to raise the trophy on May 30 in Istanbul (includes teams with lines shorter than 100-1):
| Club | Oddds |
|---|---|
| Manchester City | 7-2 |
| Barcelona | 5-1 |
| Liverpool | 13-2 |
| Real Madrid | 9-1 |
| PSG | 10-1 |
| Juventus | 11-1 |
| Bayern Munich | 12-1 |
| Atletico Madrid | 20-1 |
| Tottenham | 25-1 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 33-1 |
| Chelsea | 35-1 |
| Napoli | 35-1 |
| Inter Milan | 50-1 |
| Ajax | 66-1 |
Barcelona (5-1)
Manchester City might be the best club in the world, but Barcelona are right there with them and possess the Champions League pedigree that the Citizens lack. The signing of Antoine Griezmann gives Barca the undisputed best attack on the planet, while their midfield may also be tops in the world following the arrival of maestro Frenkie de Jong. There's also the fact that Lionel Messi feels due. It's been four years since Barcelona's last appearance in the final - their longest drought in the Messi era.
Also, for your completely obscure but interesting stat of the day, six of the 16 clubs (38%) to win the Champions League since the introduction of the new format in 2003 have been drawn into Group F.
Juventus (11-1)
If you can't beat 'em, buy 'em. Juventus went and did just that over the summer, bringing in prized defender Matthijs de Ligt after he eliminated them from the Champions League last season. Before the stunning upset, this looked a side destined for, at worst, an appearance in the final.
With a full year in Turin under his belt, Cristiano Ronaldo's Champions League expertise should really start to show for the Old Lady. They also have one of the deepest midfield units in the world after introducing Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot. This is a good price for a club that can beat anyone in the world over two legs, especially considering some of the sides priced ahead of them.
Atletico Madrid (20-1)
Last season, Ronaldo packed Atletico's bags, booked their ticket, and walked them onto their flight out of the Champions League. His masterclass stopped the club from reaching a quarter-final date with Ajax, which can happen to anyone.
At 20-1, it's almost like Atletico's excellent European track record is being forgotten. Joao Felix is already living up to his hefty price tag and should help the club forget all about Griezmann, while some shrewd buys have replenished the depth in defense. Let's not forget this team was a finalist in 2014 and '16.
Borussia Dortmund (33-1)
The draw did Dortmund no favors, placing them with Barcelona, Inter Milan, and an underappreciated Slavia Prague side in Group F. The difficulty of that group saw them experience the biggest jump in odds among the clubs listed above, from 25-1 to 33-1. However, they've advanced to the knockout stage on three of the four occasions that they've played an Italian team in their group.
Meanwhile, summer signings Nico Schulz, Thorgan Hazard, and Julian Brandt have really flown under the radar and should flourish while playing Lucien Favre's exciting brand of football. Signal Iduna Park is also one of the more intimidating venues in Europe to visit. Dortmund looked poised to make a deep run last season - having beat out Atletico to claim the top spot in their group - before stumbling against Spurs. Still, this team knows how to win in Europe and there's good value in backing it at this price.
Napoli (40-1)
Napoli were punished by a brutal draw last season, but their opponents should be a lot more negotiable this time around. Genk and newcomers Salzburg will be far from pushovers, but there's too much quality in a Napoli side that drastically improved its squad this summer by signing electrifying winger Hirving Lozano and experienced center-back Konstantinos Manolas. This is a club that's fully capable of making a legitimate run.
Remember, Napoli nearly knocked out defending champions Liverpool from the group stage last season - denied only by a world-class save from Alisson in the final minutes of their Group C decider.
Alex is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.