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The UEFA Champions League, the greatest sports tournament in the world (don’t argue with me, NCAA Tourney Fans), heads to the Round of 16 in 2022. The contenders have been separated from the pretenders and there is a stacked group of teams left in the tournament.
English teams lead the way with four clubs from the Premier League represented in the final 16, as they look to repeat as champions (Chelsea in 2020-21). But before we dig into the best bets & futures, there is one HUGE rule change we must break down:
AWAY GOALS NO LONGER HOLD VALUE.
Yes, that’s correct. Teams that are tied on aggregate can no longer be eliminated from the tournament because the opponent scored more away goals. This time around, if the two teams are tied on aggregate goals after the second leg, the match will go into extra time and then a penalty shootout.
For example, if PSG wins at home 4-1 but loses on the road 0-3 at Real Madrid, then they will head to extra time. In previous years, this would’ve resulted in a Real Madrid victory because of their one away goal.
Champions League Winner Odds 2021-2022
UCL Champion Odds are current as of Monday, February 14 at 10 a.m. at Caesars Sportsbook.
- Manchester City (+275)
- Bayern Munich (+350)
- Liverpool (+500)
- Chelsea (+750)
- Paris Saint-Germain (+800)
- Ajax (+1400)
- Real Madrid (+1600)
- Manchester United (+1800)
- Juventus (+2500)
- Atlético Madrid (+4000)
- Inter Milan (+5000)
- Villareal (+15000)
- Benfica (+20000)
- Lille (+20000)
- Salzburg (+25000)
- Sporting Lisbon (+25000)
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Check out Chris Wassel’s Caesars Sportsbook review for more information on this betting site, or continue reading for our UCL predictions.
UCL Sleeper Picks To Win
Ajax (+1400) at Caesars
The winners of Group C pose a serious threat to the European heavyweights in this year’s Champions League.
Ajax ran through their group, going 6-0 while scoring a whopping 20 goals and only conceding five. It wasn’t the easiest group, either, as they beat German powerhouse Borussia Dortmund twice on their way to an undefeated record.
The attacking prowess Ajax brings to the table will allow them to compete with the best of the best. They will easily defeat Benfica in the Round of 16 and no one will want to play them in the Quarterfinals.
Their attack is led by the Group Stage leading goal scorer Sébastien Haller (10 goals), and two dynamic wings in the Croatian veteran Dušan Tadić and Brazilian youngster Antony. Both players can create space individually and deliver the perfect ball to the middle.
After the Round of 16, Ajax will most likely be the underdog to advance in every round. Just don’t be surprised if they make a run.
Liverpool (+500) at Caesars
Disclaimer: As a Chelsea fan, I found it tough not to put them at +750 as a sleeper to win, but that’s why you never bet with your heart! Chelsea and Liverpool are currently trending in opposite directions.
Yes, the Reds have the third-best odds, but at +500 I still consider them a sleeper to win the tournament. The 2018-19 Champions League winners are playing like they have a chip on their shoulder this time out. After losing out to Real Madrid in last year’s quarterfinals, Jürgen Klopp has this squad primed for another title run.
While some called it “The Group of Death," Liverpool called it “Cake Walk." They went an undefeated 6-0-0 against the likes of Atlético Madrid, A.C. Milan & Porto. They draw a tougher-than-expected, but beatable opponent in Inter Milan in the Round of 16, and should advance.
Mohamed Salah is arguably the best player in the world right now and is clicking on all cylinders in this Liverpool offense. The one key component of the team to monitor is the health of the midfield, as they are intricate in playing the connecting balls to their dynamic forwards Salah and Sadio Mané.
Depending on the draw for the Quarterfinals, I would not be surprised to find Liverpool as the favorites to win the title in just a couple of months.
Champions League Winner Prediction 2021-2022
Bayern Munich (+350) at Caesars
Bayern has Robert Lewandowski. That should be reason enough for why Bayern will win this year, but let’s dive in a little deeper.
The Ballon d’Or snub leads the Bayern Munich squad into the Round of 16 with his nine goals from the group stage. They also went an undefeated 6-0-0 while scoring 22 goals and only conceding 3!
Bayern does have some injury concerns as No. 1 goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will miss at least the first leg against RB Salzberg with a knee injury and left back Alphonso Davies is also on the mend from myocarditis, a heart condition, after a battle with COVID-19.
Bayern is still the most complete team in the world and will look to repeat what they accomplished two seasons ago. They are not only dominating the UCL, but they also have a six-point lead in the Bundesliga as well.
This could prove crucial if they start to pull away in their domestic league, which would allow them to rest players for their Champions League fixtures in the spring.
Champions League Best Bets 2021-2022
Paris Saint-Germain Moneyline First Leg (+100) at Caesars
The new-look PSG team has not lived up to expectations but rather limped into the Round of 16.
It is still taking time for Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Neymar to find the chemistry up front, but in the brief moments they do, the trio looks unstoppable. PSG finished second to Manchester City in the group stage and faces an inferior Real Madrid team in the Round of 16.
PSG will look to take a big lead into the second leg and maximize this opener at home.
Ajax Moneyline First Leg (+103) at Caesars
I was shocked to see that Ajax was plus-money to beat Benfica on the road. Did the oddsmakers not see what Ajax did in the group stages?
Benfica is overvalued in this spot as their “best" win from the group stage came against a newly-managed Barcelona team that was teetering and weak. Their defense will hold no match for the prolific attack of Ajax, and could go down in this contest early.
Benfica is not a team that excels playing from behind as it leaves them exposed in the back, which Ajax will not hesitate to expose.
Atlético Madrid to Qualify (+120) at Caesars
Once again, Diego Simeone finds a way to win. In a game where it looked like they were outplayed by Porto, they found a way to beat them on the road and advance to the knockout stage.
Manchester United will not be an easy opponent, but definitely one they can beat. With Atlético playing at home first, it gives them an advantage to grab the win, and then play their defensive/counter-attacking style in the second leg.
This will cause Manchester United problems as Atlético has always been one of the tougher teams to break down. They are also no stranger to Cristiano Ronaldo, who broke their hearts many times during his days at Real Madrid. They’ll be looking for revenge.
We will see how Manchester United performs under new manager Ralf Rangnick, but at the moment, the edge belongs to Atlético Madrid.
Champions League Parlay Bet 2022
Liverpool, Chelsea, & Ajax to Advance (-115) at Caesars
This parlay of Liverpool, Chelsea, and Ajax to qualify for the UCL Quarterfinals should take some risk out of the equation, as each team is favored in their upcoming two-legged ties.
Liverpool is a -450 favorite to eliminate 2020-21 Serie A champion Inter Milan. The Reds are unbeaten in their last nine matches across all competitions and are on another level than the Italian side, which is once again in the mix to win the Scudetto.
Chelsea has the same odds to eliminate 2020-21 Ligue 1 champion Lille. Unlike Inter, the French side has failed to replicate its title-winning form and is currently sitting 10th in the standings.
Ajax is the smallest favorite of the three at -400, however, they also have one of the easier matchups against Benfica. Ajax rolled into the Round of 16 and advanced to the UCL Semifinals in 2018-19, so they’re certainly capable of a knockout win or two.
