Champions League Outright Tips And Predictions Ahead Of The Quarter-Finals (2025)

The new Champions League format has been controversial, yet it has left the competition fascinatingly poised ahead of the quarter-finals.

Standout performers Liverpool have been eliminated, leaving Arsenal and Aston Villa as the Premier League’s two representatives. Powerhouses remain, though, with Barcelona, PSG, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich as the four football betting favourites.

Despite a miserable domestic campaign, Borussia Dortmund have made it to the last eight. Arsenal, left behind by Liverpool in the Premier League, are still in with a shot at their first European trophy. Set to win another Scudetto, Inter are into the quarter-finals for just the second time since 2010/11.

Real Madrid to win the Champions League – 7/2

Real Madrid have won five of the last nine Champions Leagues. Carlo Ancelotti boasts a squad featuring several Ballon d’Or contenders in Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Jr.

It is bizarre Los Blancos have only the third-shortest odds in this season’s Champions League after knocking out Atletico Madrid and Manchester City. Yes, they struggled in the league phase, but Real have a knack for performing when the stakes are at their highest.

Since Dec. 4, Real have won 19 of 26 matches across all competitions. Mbappé, after taking a few months to settle into life as a Galactico, has found his best form.

Facing Arsenal then PSG or Aston Villa, Real have a much more favourable route to the final than any team on the other side of the draw. With their immense experience of knockout football, we think this is an excellent price.

Inter to Reach the Final – 4/1

Inter have lost three of their last 20 matches across all competitions. Arsenal are the only team to have conceded fewer expected goals so far in the Champions League.

It’s harsh that Inter are underdogs in the last eight against a Bayern team which has failed to beat Celtic, Bayer Leverkusen, Bochum, and Union Berlin since the middle of February.

A tie with in-form Barcelona is likely the reward if the Nerazzurri see of Bayern. Inter will again be underdogs, but this Barcelona team is hardly unbeatable.

Hansi Flick’s team remain porous defensively, which gives Inter’s attack a real chance to do some damage. If they can limit Barca’s chances, Inter will have a great chance of making a second Champions League final in three seasons.

Ousmane Dembélé to Finish as Top Scorer – 14/1

Leading the Champions League with 5.1 shots per match and sixth in expected goals per 90 minutes (of players to play 300 or more minutes), Ousmane Dembélé is having a long overdue breakout season.

The Frenchman has 26 goals in his last 22 matches for club and country. With arguably the easiest quarter-final matchup, Dembélé could add multiple goals to his tally in the next round. He’s an excellent live betting option to find the net.

The four-goal deficit seems like a lot to make up, but that can vanish quickly. Of the players ahead of him, Erling Haaland has already been eliminated, Serhou Guirassy is likely to be knocked out in the quarters, and we fancy Inter to see off Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich.

Odds to win Champions League:

• Barcelona – 3/1
• PSG – 10/3
• Real Madrid – 7/2
• Bayern Munich – 5/1
• Arsenal – 13/2
• Inter – 10/1
• Aston Villa – 25/1
• Dortmund – 40/1

2024/25 Champions League Top Scorers

• Raphinha – 11 goals
• Harry Kane – 10 goals
• Serhou Guirassy – 10 goals
• Robert Lewandowski – 9 goals
• Erling Haaland – 8 goals
• Jonathan David – 7 goals
• Julian Alvarez – 7 goals
• Kylian Mbappe – 7 goals
• Ousmane Dembele – 7 goals
• Vangelis Pavlidis – 7 goals
• Vinicius Jr. – 7 goals

Recent Champions League Winners

• 2023/24 – Real Madrid
• 2022/23 – Manchester City
• 2021/22 – Real Madrid
• 2020/21 – Chelsea
• 2019/20 – Bayern Munich
• 2018/19 – Liverpool
• 2017/18 – Real Madrid
• 2016/17 – Real Madrid
• 2015/16 – Real Madrid
• 2014/15 – Barcelona

Most Successful Champions League Teams

• Real Madrid – 15 titles
• Milan – 7 titles
• Bayern Munich – 6 titles
• Liverpool – 6 titles
• Barcelona – 5 titles
• Ajax – 4 titles
• Inter – 3 titles
• Manchester United – 3 titles
• Juventus – 2 titles
• Benfica – 2 titles
• Chelsea – 2 titles
• Nottingham Forest – 2 titles
• Porto – 2 titles

Most Champions League Final Appearances by Nation

• Spain – 31
• Italy – 29
• England – 26
• Germany – 19
• Portugal – 9
• Netherlands – 8
• France – 7
• Romania – 2
• Scotland – 2
• Yugoslavia – 2

*Odds subject to change – prices correct at the time of writing*