The Premier League has its full contingent competing in the group stages of this season’s Champions League but some have fared better than others in the draw.
While the likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona will always be expected to top their sections, no matter which teams they are paired with, for others it’s a question of survival with just the outside chance of progressing.
One would imagine that it’s a make-or-break season for Manchester City. They got through the group stages last season by the skin of their teeth but found eventual champions Barcelona much too strong in the last 16. Their mega-rich owners need to see their team up there challenging the best and have laid out the cash again this summer. Raheem Sterling, Nicolas Otamendi, Fabian Delph and, latterly, Kevin De Bruyne have been among the big-money signings and Manuel Pellegrini says he won’t make excuses if his team fail again.
However, the early Premier League leaders could hardly have had a tougher draw in Group D. They’ve got Serie A champions Juventus, Europa League holders Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach. City have been made general 11/10 favourites because of the signings they’ve made but Monchengladbach are always tough to beat and, though Juve have lost Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez, they’ll still be competitive. Sevilla have brought in Yevhen Konoplyanka, Ciro Immobile and Fernando Llorente, from Juventus, and could the danger to City topping Group D at 11/2 with Ladbrokes. Sevilla are a general 80/1 to win the 2016 Champions League while City are a best 14/1 with Boylesports, Stan James, sportingbet and 10bet.
City’s cross-town rivals Manchester United are 20/1 with Skybet having made it safely through qualifying. They look to have an easier draw in the group stages against Wolfsburg, PSV Eindhoven and CSKA Moscow and are 10/11 with bet365, Skybet and Coral to top their section.
Chelsea appear to have fared even better in Group G. The Blues may have started the Premier League in unconvincing fashion but it would be a shock of epic proportions if Jose Mourinho can’t guide his side safely through against former club Porto, Dynamo Kiev and Maccabi Tel Aviv. The Londoners are a best 6/17 with Unibet and 888sport and 10/1 with Skybet, Paddy Power and betfair to win the Champions League.
But Arsenal are out to 25/1 with BetVictor and 10bet having drawn Bayern Munich in Group F. The Gunners are a general 11/4 to pip the Bundesliga champions to top spot in the group with Bayern at 2/5 with Boylesports, Paddy Power and sportingbet. Olympiakos are 25/1 with Betfred while Dinamo Zagreb are 100/1 with BetVictor.
The Germans are a best 19/4 with sportingbet to win Champions League with reigning champions Barca at a general 3/1. Real Madrid are 11/2 with most bookmakers.
