It’s not always the case but, this year, we seem to have been blessed with the best four teams in Europe in the last four of the Champions League and the Europa League has also come up trumps.
Spain and Germany dominate the latter stages of the continent’s premier club competition and bookmakers are almost united in making La Liga leaders Barcelona favourites. BetVictor are as short as 7/4 against Lionel Messi and company, even though they were just 20 minutes away from going out against PSG before being rescued by their Argentinian maestro and the away goals rule. Barca have the recent pedigree, of course, but it may be written in the stars that Jose Mourinho gives Real Madrid the European crown before he moves on and several firms can’t split the great rivals at 2/1.
But you just can’t rule out the two Bundesliga teams, who also have quality in abundance. Bayern Munich (3/1 with BetVictor, Ladbrokes and Paddy Power) have twice reached the final in recent years and have vast experience. They’ve not quite been able to get over the line but nobody would begrudge Jupp Heynkes‘ side a change of luck and they’ve already wrapped up their domestic title. Borussia Dortmund were undoubtedly lucky to beat Malaga in the quarter-finals and it’s no surprise that they are the outsiders of the four remaining teams (13/2 in several places). But they showed what they could do in the group stages and a return to that kind of form would make them a threat to all.
The Europa League is a two-horse race according to bookmakers, who expect Chelsea and Benfica to contest next month’s final. The Blues’ terrific record at Stamford Bridge has kept them afloat so far but they’ve not been as effective on the road and, though they are bidding to be the first Champions League winners to win the following year’s Europa League, I wouldn’t be rushing to back Rafa Benitez‘ men at the 13/10 with bwin and Ladbrokes. Benfica, 15/8 with Ladbrokes, BetVictor and Paddy Power look a bit more resilient and may be more motivated but are no certainties to get past Fenerbache (a general 6/1). But the fact that Basel needed penalties to beat an under-strength Spurs, who played extra time in the second leg with only 10 men, suggests they might have reached the limit of expectations. The Swiss team are 8/1 with bet365 and 888sport to win the final.
