The UEFA Champions League is back, and if you’re a lover of all things soccer, you’ll understand it’s an exciting time of year. The competition gathers the champions and best teams from across the continent as they battle across a round-robin group phase and various knockout rounds to decide a winner. The Champions League is the most sought-after trophy in club soccer, but which team wins in 2023/24?
The top soccer gambling apps allow followers to predict the champion and place an online bet. Anyone can visit the best sportsbook apps, but only registered members can wager, claim bonuses, get the best odds, and target a profit. Soccer bettors love to predict the Champions League winner months before the final, but many gamble on individual games and specials. There’s something for everyone.
Which team will win the Champions League? Professional pundits have made recommendations, while traders have created an outright market. All the best-loved clubs from European soccer’s most famous divisions play as the challenge begins to relieve Premier League side and current Champions League winners Man City of their prize.
Will the Cityzens make it two titles on the bounce, or will the trophy change hands? Keep reading to find out.
Preparation is key
How do you predict which team will win a final played at Wembley Stadium, London, next spring? There’s a lot of soccer between the opening of the groups and the deciding match. Throw in the January transfer window, and things become even more complicated. But there are tips and tricks to help clear the waters and improve your chances of calling the winner well in advance.
The more you know and understand how the Champions League works, the greater your chance of picking the best team. You must study the form, familiarize yourself with the groups, and know the fixtures and the predictions of the most trusted pundits. You make predictions only when you have all the information at your fingertips. Choose sides and wager, or post your pick on social media to showcase your soccer knowledge.
Studying the stats, listening to interviews, and knowing the form will help place you on the right path, but that takes time and effort. Many soccer fans love the Champions League but need more time and patience to read the form. That’s where our team of soccer writers comes into play. We have done the groundwork so you don’t have to, bringing readers up to speed with the latest news and form. Keep reading for all your Champions League information.
Groups
The Champions League group stages draw is confirmed, and we have some exciting pools this year. As you’ll see from the groups listed below, some are more competitive than others, and the team with the more straightforward route into the knockout stages could be the team to feature in your predictions.
Group A: Bayern Munich, Man Utd, Copenhagen, Galatasaray.
Group B: Seville, Arsenal, PSV, Lens.
Group C: Napoli, Real Madrid, Braga, Union Berlin.
Group D: Benfica, Inter Milan, Salzburg, Sociedad.
Group E: Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, Celtic.
Group F: PSG, Dortmund, AC Milan, Newcastle.
Group G: Man City, RB Leipzig, Belgrade, Young Boys.
Group H: Barcelona, Porto, Shakhtar, Antwerp.
Favorites
One of the 32 teams mentioned in the previous section will win the Champions League, but which one? After five group games, the teams finish first and second progress to the knockout stages. The third-placed team drops into the Europa League, and the fourth is eliminated from European soccer for another season.
After beating Milan in last season’s final, Manchester City is the defending champions. Pep Guardiola’s men finished with a flurry the previous season, winning the Premier League ahead of Arsenal and the FA Cup by beating Man Utd. They capped a treble when they finally beat Milan to be kings of the continent. City has been the most popular team in pre-season predictions, with backers expecting the British club to dominate, tightening its grip on the sport.
If Man City doesn’t win the Champions League, which side will? Judging by the popularity of teams and the predictions made, German club Bayern Munich is the main danger to City’s crown. They have dominated German soccer over the last decade but must improve in Europe. Real Madrid will feature as the competition’s most successful club aims to return to the top. Premier League team Arsenal also returns following a prolonged absence, and fans want to see the Gunners firing.
Dark horses
Now that we know which teams soccer fans expect to challenge for the title let’s look at some dark horses. The teams shared in this section are underdogs with a vicious bite.
Some fans may have thought they’d seen the back of Barcelona after the club released star player Lionel Messi to help balance the books. But you can’t keep a good team down, and the Spaniards bounced back to win the La Liga title last term. If they surpass the expectations of most soccer experts and win the Champions League, it’ll be Netflix documentary-worthy.
Like last season’s champions, Man City, PSG has thrown millions of dollars at trying to win this trophy, bringing in the best players and even fending off interest from the cash-rich clubs in Saudi Arabia. It’s been unsuccessful so far, but could 2023/24 be the season that changes? The Parisians have the players, coaches, fanbase, and cash to rule Europe, but will they deliver?
Players to follow
We know which teams are worth following in the Champions League campaign, but what about the players? Erling Haaland has been a success since swapping Germany for Man City, scoring goals for fun. He helped fire his team to glory over Milan in the final and will influence any success City enjoys this term.
Another big-name player with an interesting Champions League backstory is Harry Kane. The England striker swapped Tottenham for Bayern Munich, and that transfer banked him a rare appearance in this tournament. Will Kane enjoy his time in Germany, or will he wish he’d given Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou a season?