Man City and Bayern Munich 3-1 Favorites to Win Champions League When Tournament Resumes in August

• Powerhouses Bayern Munich and Man City have emerged as co-favorites to win the UEFA Champions League when play resumes in August
• Bayern has maintained its torrid pace while clinching an eighth-straight Bundesliga title while City will use the remaining EPL schedule to prepare for tournament play
• Read on to get all the odds and insight into who holds the edge in the 2020 Champions League odds

A winner in this year’s UEFA Champions League will be crowned after all. Idle since mid-March due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, UEFA has announced the UCL will resume in August as a single-game elimination tournament. The response at the sportsbooks has been swift, with Bayern Munich and Manchester City emerging as +300 co-favorites to raise this year’s trophy.

Odds to Win 2020 UEFA Champions League

Odds taken June 17

Champions League Set to Return to Play on Lisbon

Lisbon, Portugal will be the scene when the Champions League returns to action. The quarter-finals are set to begin on August 12, leading up to the crowning of this year’s champion on August 23.

The Champions League has a new look in 2020 ✈️ pic.twitter.com/pvUy8EExoG

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 17, 2020

However, just four clubs have clinched a berth in the final eight before play was suspended, and both City and Bayern remain among the eight clubs still vying for one of the four remaining spots. While the reigning champions from the Premier League and Bundesliga still have work to do to advance, that has done little to dampen their position atop the odds board.

Bayern Returns to Play in Championship Form

One of two Bundesliga squads remaining in UCL contention, along with RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich has made outstanding use of their head start in their return to play. The FCB have marched to seven straight victories, capped by Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Werder Bremen that clinches their eighth-straight Bundesliga title.

EIGHT. 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Bayern Munich move level with Juventus for the longest title streak in Europe's Top 5 leagues. pic.twitter.com/c7RFt7MAt1

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 16, 2020

Overall, the Bavarians are undefeated in 19 matches played across all competitions since early January. Success in the Champions League has eluded them since their emergence as the dominant club in German football, with Bayern failing to advance past the semi-finals in six appearances since their last UCL title win in 2013. In addition, Bayern must also successfully close out their Round of 16 matchup with Chelsea FC when play resumes, but are well-positioned to advance after knocking off the Blues 3-0 in their first-leg clash in London on February 25.

City Focus on European Glory

Manchester City will have ample opportunity to round into tournament form as they get set to resume Premier League play with a visit from Arsenal FC on Wednesday afternoon. Well out of contention to repeat as EPL champions, the Citizens’ focus will be placed squarely on European glory as they resume play.

Real Madrid's Champions League Round of 16 second-leg fixture against Manchester City will be played on 7/8 August. Pending a decision on whether the game will take place at the Etihad Stadium or in Portugal, UEFA have confirmed. pic.twitter.com/OKALbZtoSj

— 𝗥𝗠𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 (@ReaIMadridOnly) June 17, 2020

However, like Bayern, City have been a regular disappointment in Champions League action, advancing past the quarter-finals just once in eight straight appearances, capped by last year’s stunning quarter-final loss to Tottenham Hotspur. The Citizens are also far from assured of a spot in the final eight. The club edged out Real Madrid by a 2-1 score in the first leg of their Round of 16 matchup but has been forced to settle for draws in two previous dates with the Blancos on home turf.

Real Remains a Threat

Indeed, after getting past City in their two previous UCL matchups, Real offers intriguing upside as a lengthy +3300 bet. The club has risen to the occasion to claim the Champions League title in three of the past four years, and have shown signs of overcoming a midseason 1-1-3 win-draw-loss run with a 2-0 victory over Barcelona prior to the pause, and a decisive 3-1 win over Eibar in their La Liga return this past weekend.

https://youtu.be/lxc5iZWjoV8

While both Real and Barca will benefit from the resumption of play in La Liga, it is Paris-Saint-Germain that most closely follows Bayern and Man City as a +450 bet in the Champions League odds. PSG has made a quantum leap in the 2020 Champions League odds from their past position at +1750 odds in February despite the likelihood of the club seeing no competitive action until the UCL resumes in August.

PSG, Atletico Making Gains

The club saw its last league action way back on February 29, and with the Ligue 1 season now officially over, the Parisians could struggle to reach tournament form with no meaningful matches on the schedule. Atletico Madrid have also made substantial gains, rocketing to +1200 after lagging at a distant +3133 in early February.

https://twitter.com/baketerana/status/1255813372223852544?s=20

The Rojiblancos’ rise has been fueled by their stunning upset of Liverpool FC in the Round of 16, but with just four wins in their past 13 matches across all competitions, Atletico will need to rediscover a consistent touch down the stretch in La Liga action if they are to contend for their first-ever Champions League crown.

Pick: Bayern Munich +300