The Champions League is the biggest annual stage in the sport, where all the top teams from Europe compete in an engaging tournament that provides non-stop thrills. The winner isn’t always the team that people expect it to be, although it tends to be one of Europe’s powerhouse clubs, as they have the budget and the elite players to produce the best results.
This year’s Champions League hasn’t been fully set, although many teams have qualified thanks to their performance in their domestic leagues. The odds and gambling favorites have already been set, but some teams look primed for better results than they’ve been given credit for. Let’s look at some underrated teams that could surpass the odds laid out for them.
1. Real Madrid (+900)
Source: tembah.net
Real Madrid is a powerhouse in the Champions League, and while sports betting sites have given them some of the best odds to win of any team, they may be underselling it. Real Madrid is seemingly always one of the best-performing teams in the Champions League, and their squad has a ton of talent this year.
They brought in one of the biggest summer transfers in Jude Bellingham, have young superstars like Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr., and could potentially add Kylian Mbappe before the summer is over.
2. Barcelona (+1200)
Source: fcbarcelona.com
Barcelona is another club that has the pedigree in the Champions League and should be expected to perform at a high level. Barcelona is one of the proudest clubs in the sport, and they showed last year that they are improving dramatically.
Fresh off of winning La Liga, Barcelona will return one of the most dangerous squads to the Champions League, and they will have a chip on their shoulder after last year’s debacle. They have talents like Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele, Pedri, and Gavi that make them nearly unstoppable.
3. Arsenal (+1400)
Source: skysports.com
Arsenal had a resurgent year after being irrelevant for several years in a row. Now, they will be playing in the Champions League for what feels like the first time in a long time. They will be bringing in an elite, hungry young team that has improved over the summer.
Arsenal has the depth and talent to make it a triumphant return to the Champions League. Arsenal lacks a major European trophy, but this could be the year they get one. Stars like Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, and Declan Rice make this team a solid bet with the current odds they have.
4. Newcastle (+2000)
Source: nufc.co.uk
Newcastle is another club that hasn’t been around in the Champions League conversation for quite some time. In fact, it was 2003-04 the last time Newcastle F.C. qualified for the tournament. Now that they’re in, though, this team has the potential and style of play to go on a deep run.
Newcastle’s new owners have invested heavily in the squad, and they now have the talented players fans have been hoping the team would acquire for years. Kieran Trippier, Alexander Isak, and Miguel Almiron pitch in, but the whole team is deep and talented. They could far exceed oddsmakers’ expectations.
5. AC Milan (+4000)
It is almost disrespectful to see AC Milan listed with such low odds after they very nearly made it into the finals of last year’s Champions League. While expecting them to repeat their magic may not be realistic, AC Milan has incredibly low odds.
The team has added some exciting players during the summer to augment what was already a good team. Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao, Olivier Giroud, and Theo Hernandez are all top-end talents, and Milan will enter the tournament with momentum from last year’s performance. It would be surprising, but they could go all the way.
6. Bayern Munich (+700)
Source: goal.com
Bayern Munich has been given the second-best chance to win the Champions League, behind only Manchester City. But while Manchester City has a rosy outlook at +200, Bayern sits at +700. This might be underselling the team that has consistently made a ton of noise in the Champions League.
Bayern Munich recently made a massive move by acquiring Harry Kane to lead their attack, and the rest of their roster is ready to contend. They have elite players like Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala, and Kane will only serve to complement the world-class pieces that are already in place. They should have a long run through the tournament.
7. Napoli (+1600)
Source: napolike.com
It seems like some of the hype has died off of Napoli after the summer. Napoli has never been one of the wealthier clubs, and they sold many quality players this offseason. But what is left standing is enough talent to bring the team to European glory.
Napoli is fresh off one of the great seasons in the history of Serie A, and they have players like Victor Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Piotr Zielinski. They are a team that has already tasted success but now will want to push it to a new level. And while there were many departures, they are still a top squad.
8. Atletico Madrid (+3300)
Source: sportsnet.ca
Atletico Madrid is always an underrated team because they play in the shadow of two of the wealthiest clubs in soccer. But they are a competitive, disciplined squad that can beat any team on any given day.
They play a controlled style but also have world-class talent that can lead to high-quality opportunities on any possession. Antoine Griezmann, Joao Felix, and Koke are all incredible players who have performed on the biggest stages. While Atletico’s performance in the Champions League hasn’t been as strong over the past few years, they are still a world-class team.
9. Inter Milan (+3300)
There are a lot of people who will be overlooking Inter Milan already, even though they made the Champions League Final last season and came within inches of outdueling Manchester City. Every year is a fresh start and Inter Milan will have to overcome a lot of obstacles, but clearly, the squad has faith they can do it.
They have a team with several renowned players, including Lautaro Martinez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. While going on another run to the Finals may seem like a big ask of this squad, they clearly have the belief needed to shock fans once again with a repeat performance.
