Man City +220 Favorites to Win Champions League Ahead of Quarterfinals

• Heading into the Champions League Quarterfinals in Lisbon, Manchester City are the favorites to lift this year’s trophy with +220 odds
• Bayern and PSG follow at +325 and +500, respectively
• Read below for our best bet to win it all in Portugal

After an intriguing group of round of 16 ties concluded this week, the final eight of Europe’s most prized competition is now set. Manchester City will face Lyon after they upset Juventus, meanwhile, a heavyweight clash between two of the continent’s best will happen when Bayern Munich clash with Barcelona.

In the other two Quarterfinals, Atalanta will look to continue their heroic run against PSG, and lastly, RB Leipzig will meet Atletico Madrid. Fixtures will begin on Wednesday and run through Saturday, with one game each day.

😎 The quarter-finals are set!

Who will win the 🏆 this year?#UCL

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 8, 2020

2020 Champions League Odds

Odds taken August 9th

The latest Champions League Odds favor City at +220, followed by Bayern Munich at +325.

Man City Looking For First-Ever Champions League Title

After failing to repeat as Premier League champions this term thanks to Liverpool’s sheer dominance, Pep Guardiola’s side still has a chance to grab some prolific hardware this year. Along with Bayern, City has looked extremely impressive in Europe, knocking out Real Madrid in the round of 16 after beating them 4-2 across two legs. The English giants marched into Madrid in late February and came back from a 1-0 deficit to beat the Spaniards 2-1, then replicated the exact same scoreline this week at the Etihad. Raphael Varane’s two mistakes at the back proved costly for Los Blancos, with Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus pouncing on the mishaps and punishing their opponents.

Sterling has been outstanding in Europe, bagging six goals and tallying two assists in eight UCL appearances, taking his total to 30 goals on the season across all competitions. Jesus scored three of his team’s four goals in the round of 16, proving to be a difference-maker for City. The Citizens have had their issues defensively this season, but mostly in England.

On the European stage, they have looked practically flawless and with Lyon as their next opponent, City shouldn’t have any issue cruising to the last four. A daunting task will be ahead though, with the winner of Bayern/Barcelona set to face the English giants in the Semifinals. But considering their current form, anything is possible for Guardiola’s men.

Bayern Continue to Impress

The German giants grabbed their eighth consecutive Bundesliga title this season and then also won the DFB-Pokal, beating Bayer Leverkusen in the final.

Now, they will look for European glory when they take on Barcelona in the Quarterfinals. Hansi Flick’s squad looked unstoppable in the round of 16, burying Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge earlier in the year then beating them 4-1 in the second leg in Munich on Saturday. It’s no secret the Blues have been vulnerable at the back, but there’s also no way you can look past Bayern’s clinical abilities in the final third. Robert Lewandowski was involved in all four goals, netting two and assisting the others. The Polish international has now surpassed 50 goals this season.

The Bavarians have yet to lose a match in Europe in 2019/20, going 6-0-0 in the group stage then cruising through the knockout rounds so far. Barcelona will definitely pose a threat to Bayern, but it will most definitely be an enticing matchup that could go either way. Given their current form though, I do expect to see them advance to the Semifinals, where they would face the winner of Man City/Lyon.

Atalanta/PSG Should be Exciting

Atalanta has taken Europe by storm this term, finishing third in Serie A after scoring a mind-boggling 98 goals in just 38 matches. They find themselves in the last eight of UCL as well, facing Ligue 1 powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain. Atalanta’s electric trio of Josip Ilicic, Duvan Zapata, and Luis Muriel scored 51 goals between them in Italy this year, but have been relatively quiet on the European stage. Ilicic will miss this clash against PSG though, after traveling back to Slovenia to deal with a personal matter. Midfielder Alejandro Gomez is the heartbeat of Atalanta’s attack, having tallied 18 assists this term across all competitions while also scoring eight times.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s squad should put up a solid fight against the French giants, especially considering they will be missing numerous key players. Kylian Mbappe could make a surprise comeback for Wednesday’s clash after suffering an ankle injury, but it’s not yet confirmed. Marco Verratti and Layvin Kurzawa will miss this fixture due to injuries. Edinson Cavani has already left the club after his contract expired and Angel Di Maria is suspended. Lastly, Thomas Meunier was removed from the UEFA list after his injury.

Even with Atalanta missing a key attacker in Ilicic, their chances of advancing look promising considering the number of players that PSG will be missing on Wednesday.

Best Bet

Manchester City is the current favorites and rightfully so. This could very well be their year to win their first-ever Champions League title. Real Madrid was one of their toughest tasks yet and they won in fine fashion. Lyon shouldn’t be a problem, but the Semifinals could be very difficult. Whether it’s Barcelona or Bayern, City will have their hands full. Bayern has also been dominant in all competitions, but I just believe this is City’s time to shine. They’re the best bet to win it all in Lisbon.

Pick: Manchester City +220