Real Madrid turned back the clock on an aging squad and blitzed their way to the Champions League crown in 2021/22. Here at the Sporting News, we saw it coming.
The top European club tournament begins anew for 2022/23, and as usual there will be a host of contenders and pretenders over the coming months. The Thursday, August 25 group-stage draw will also play a factor depending on the pairings.
Favorites Man City and PSG are both searching for their club’s first-ever European crown, and Real Madrid could add to their record 14 continental titles if they can manage to repeat. Liverpool and Bayern Munich are poised for another deep run, while AC Milan and Barcelona hope this is the season they can regain some of the luster from their glory years.
The Sporting News brings you an early look at the odds as they stand today, potential betting opportunities, and which teams could surprise or disappoint in this season’s European competition.
MORE: Which teams are in the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League?
Who will win the 2023 Champions League? Latest odds
Premier League teams Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham are all among the betting favorites, while La Liga giants Barcelona join defending champions Real Madrid as the Spanish contenders. Italian clubs crop up further down the list, as an Italian side hasn’t won the competition since 2010.
The lone German club appearing among the top sides is Bayern Munich, who last won in 2020, when they topped PSG. Bayern have won three titles since the turn of the millennium, the only German club to do so in that span.
Odds & picks as of Aug. 16, 2022
| Team | Country | Odds to Win USA (DraftKings) |
Odds to Win UK (SkyBet) |
Odds to Win Canada (Sports Interaction) |
Odds to Win Australia (TAB) | Titles (Last) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Man City | England | +275 | 11/4 | 2.82 | 3.75 | — |
| Liverpool | England | +550 | 9/2 | 4.69 | 6.00 | 6 (2019) |
| PSG | France | +550 | 11/2 | 4.80 | 6.50 | — |
| Bayern Munich | Germany | +650 | 7/1 | 5.64 | 8.00 | 6 (2020) |
| Real Madrid | Spain | +1000 | 12/1 | 8.05 | 13.00 | 14 (2022) |
| Barcelona | Spain | +1200 | 14/1 | 10.02 | 13.00 | 5 (2015) |
| Chelsea | England | +1200 | 14/1 | 10.53 | 13.00 | 2 (2021) |
| Tottenham | England | +2000 | 20/1 | 13.92 | 21.00 | — |
| Juventus | Italy | +2800 | 25/1 | 20.98 | 29.00 | 2 (1996) |
| Inter Milan | Italy | +2800 | 33/1 | 22.90 | 34.00 | 3 (2010) |
| Atletico Madrid | Spain | +3500 | 40/1 | 27.36 | 34.00 | — |
Best bets to win the 2023 Champions League
All odds via Sports Interaction
Favorite: Man City (+185)
It’s hard to look away from Manchester City as the favorite to win the title. The Citizens have dominated the Premier League, winning four of the last five league titles, but they’ve fallen short in European play. This might be the season that changes.
Still searching for their first Champions League title, Pep Guardiola added forward Erling Haaland (below), who could become the difference-maker Man City need to push them over the hump. City have reached at least the semifinals in each of the last two seasons, but will need more of a cutting edge to top the podium.
The biggest knock on past Man City teams is that it is built for a long domestic season instead of a tournament setting where the margins are thin. With Haaland and a few other new pieces, that may no longer be the case. It’s only a matter of time before Man City finally get their hands on the trophy.
Sleepers: Barcelona (+893), Tottenham (+1310)
Barcelona seemed to fall off a cliff through the first half of last season, dumped out of the Champions League group stage before Xavi arrived to steady the ship. This summer, the Blaugrana have shuffled the deck, bringing in top talent across the starting lineup in a hope of returning to be a contender for a trophy they last one in 2015.
It starts with Robert Lewandowski up front supported by Raphinha on the wing and former Chelsea center-back Andreas Christensen anchoring the defense. Ex-AC Milan star Franck Kessie could win a starting spot over time. Meanwhile, Ousmane Dembele, who is fresh off a new contract, looks eager to show why he can be a leader of this new-look Barcelona.
Tottenham, meanwhile, also have one of Europe’s best front lines. Harry Kane and Son Heung-min are on of the continent’s best one-two punches, while Dejan Kulusevski looks like the signing of the 2022 winter transfer window. New arrival Richarlison adds to the mix in a devastating four-headed monster.
Spurs are back in the Champions League after a brief two-year hiatus, and they are a threat to teams across Europe as they push into the upper echelon of teams both domestically and abroad under Antonio Conte.
MORE: Barcelona squad, transfers and shirt numbers for 2022/23 season
Overhyped: Chelsea (+916)
The Blues are in a challenging situation, teetering on a potential dip out of the Premier League’s top tier clubs. A poor pre-season performance was punctuated by a host of departures and a slower-moving transfer window when it comes to incoming players.
The losses of Antonio Rudiger, Romelu Lukaku, Andreas Christensen, Malang Sarr, and Timo Werner have not all been adequately replaced. Raheem Sterling is a positive addition, while big money was splashed for Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella, but it’s yet to all come together.
Up front especially, there are still significant deficiencies. Manager Thomas Tuchel (below) seems insistent on playing his style of football despite the squad barely fitting the tactical needs of his 3-4-2-1 setup. Christian Pulisic is underutilized and apparently in the manager’s doghouse, and the chemistry between Mason Mount and Kai Havertz still seems to lack punch.
Until they put it together and execute a significant summer overhaul, Chelsea cannot be considered contenders at the moment. It could get worse before it gets better, especially if Tuchel continues to publicly complain about the state of affairs.
Lots to prove: Paris Saint-Germain (+383)
PSG once again look like one of the top clubs in Europe on paper. So far, that’s all they’ve been in the Champions League — good on paper. Over the last few years, at the slightest sign of adversity, PSG have capitulated.
There have been rumors of front office in-fighting for years at PSG, and it took other-worldly money to get Kylian Mbappe to delay his Real Madrid dreams. Last season, injuries and poor form saw the likes of Neymar and Lionel Messi struggle to match expectations, and manager Mauricio Pochettino watched his side crumble against Real Madrid.
PSG may have a great squad, but until they can operate as a true team, from the players to the manager to the executive leadership, there’s no sensible way to back the Parisian side. We’ll believe it when we see it.
MORE: When leagues are stopping for the 2022 World Cup
Champions League fixture schedule 2022/23
The Champions League campaign will essentially consist of two parts. The group stage before the World Cup, and the knockout rounds when the tournament resumes in February.
The Champions League final takes place on June 10 in Istanbul, Turkey.
Group Stage (32 teams, played in 2022):
- Matchday 1: Sept. 6-7
- Matchday 2: Sept. 13-14
- Matchday 3: Oct. 4-5
- Matchday 4: Oct. 11-12
- Matchday 5: Oct. 25-26
- Matchday 6: Nov. 1-2
Knockout Stage (played in 2023):
- Rd. of 16: Feb. 14/15 & 21/22 (Leg 1) & Mar. 7/8 & 14/15 (Leg 2)
- Quarterfinals: April 11-12 (Leg 1) & April 18-19 (Leg 2)
- Semifinals: May 9-10 (Leg 1), & May 16-17 (Leg 2)
- Final: June 10
MORE: When and where is the 2023 Champions League final?
Champions League draw dates in 2022/23
The draw to set all eight groups will take place on Aug. 25. All six matchdays in the group stage will be completed before the break for the 2022 World Cup, as will the knockout round draw which is scheduled for Nov. 7.
Champions League 2022-23 draws
- Group stage: Aug. 25, 2022
- Round of 16: Nov. 7, 2022
- Quarterfinals & semifinals: Mar. 17, 2023
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