Last Updated on February 10, 2025 8:20 am by admin
The UEFA Champions League always delivers thrills, heartache, and moments of magic that keep fans on the edge of their seats. With the 2024/25 edition reaching the knockout stages, the competition is truly ramping up a notch, and there are a plethora of must-see contests on the horizon. In the upcoming playoff round, Manchester City and Real Madrid will face off for the third straight year and fourth time in five seasons, while Bayern Munich must navigate a raucous Parkhead when they face Celtic.
Once that round is out of the way, the top eight teams from the initial league phase will then come into play. They all secured their spot in the Round of 16, providing a much clearer path to the Allianz Arena in May. But which teams will come within striking distance of making it to Bavaria? Let’s take a look.
Liverpool
Arne Slot’s Liverpool have been in scintillating form this season. Despite being tipped to struggle in the post-Jurgen Klopp Era, the Reds currently sit a whopping six points clear at the top of the English Premier League – with a game in hand no less – and they also secured the top spot in the Champions League initial phase as well.
As such, websites offering live sports betting on the competition have made the six-time champions the favorites to make it seven at the end of the season. With the action already underway, the latest live sports betting at Bovada currently prices them up at +400, a full two points clear of second favorites Barcelona at +600.
Under their Dutch manager’s guidance, Liverpool’s famed high-pressing game has been slowed down somewhat. Slot prefers his players to press the majority of the time, but crucially not all the time. That should allow his side to have more gas left in the tank at the end of the season, unlike under his predecessor, who saw his team fall off a cliff in the latter weeks of a campaign due to burnout.
The midfield was once the club’s Achilles heel, but this season has found stability. Both Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai are now fully integrated into the side and look much more at home, while Ryan Gravenberch provides plenty of legs. Up front, Mohamed Salah remains the talisman despite being in the final few months of his contract. He has netted 25 goals and 17 assists in 33 games and he shows no signs of slowing down at the age of 32.
Real Madrid
If there’s one team you can never write off in the Champions League, it’s Real Madrid. With an unparalleled 15 titles to their name, Los Blancos thrive when the spotlight shines brightest. They claimed the most recent of those crowns last season with a 2-0 defeat of Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, but they didn’t rest on their laurels, bringing the mercurial Kylian Mbappe to the Bernabeu in a ruthless show of strength.
Unlike Liverpool though, the reigning Spanish and European champions must navigate a tricky contest against Manchester City in the playoff round in a clash that promises to be a riveting affair. This season, the Blues have struggled, barely scraping through to the knockout stage while domestically, they’re a million miles off the pace. That should give Los Blancos the edge, and with a scalp like Pep Guardiola’s side already under their belt, they will certainly be a team to fear.
Jude Bellingham took a while to start firing this season, but in recent weeks he has returned to his best. Vinicius Junior meanwhile is arguably the best attacker on the planet. Add to that the blistering Mbappe and it would take a brave punter to bet against Real going all the way once again.
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have returned as a powerhouse over the last few years. They have finished as runners-up to Manchester City in back-to-back seasons in the Premier League, while their return to the Champions League last season took them to the quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by Bayern Munich. This season, the Gunners look to have finally come of age and look like genuine contenders both domestically and on the continent.
Martin Ødegaard has blossomed into one of the finest playmakers in the game, orchestrating his side’s attack with precision and vision. Although currently injured, Bukayo Saka continues to shine on the wing, and his expected return at the quarterfinal stage may well be enough to power the Gunners on to Munich. Defensively, Declan Rice is perhaps the best combative midfielder in all of Europe, while the defensive quartet of William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Riccardo Calafiori, and Jurrien Timber won’t be easy for any team to get past.
Arsenal’s issues over the last two years have stemmed from a lack of experience. Now though, they have been involved in huge title races and massive matchups. Their recent thumping 5-1 victory against Manchester City at the Emirates proved they are ready for the big time, and now it’s about picking up silverware.
Atletico Madrid
Under Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid has built their identity around grit, determination, and tactical discipline. In recent years, they have ventured away from that solid foundation, but the 2024/25 campaign has seen El Cholo return to what he knows best. And the change has reaped rewards.
Los Rojiblancos have already produced not one but two of the finest backs-to-the-wall displays of the season. They managed to soak up a barrage of pressure away at Paris Saint-Germain to emerge victorious in the French capital, with Angel Correa netting a last-gasp winner. Weeks later, they headed to the Camp Nou for a huge clash against Barcelona at the summit of La Liga, winning that similarly late through much-maligned striker Alexander Sorloth.
Those victories will stand Atleti in good stead as they head into the knockout round, and they will certainly need it. They may well face off against their cross-city rivals Real Madrid in the Round of 16, a team that broke their heart twice in as many years when they defeated them in the final in 2014 and 2016. However, Simeone’s men shouldn’t be scared of their more illustrious city-sharing brother.
If Atletico is drawn into the other side of the draw, then they will have the small matter of a clash against Bayern Munich, a similarly difficult-looking task. However, the Spaniards managed to beat the Bavarians en route to the second of those two finals nine years ago, and they will fancy their chances of doing so again. If they do exactly that, the final four – and who knows where beyond there – are certainly within grasp.