UEFA Champions League: 2024/25 Best Bets, Picks and Predictions

The UEFA Champions League returns with a new format that will take a bit of time to get used to, although some familiar names and faces are likely to be vying for glory at the business end of the competition.

The expanded tournament now features 36 teams and an eight-game League stage that runs through to the New Year.

It will be a gruelling campaign for some with those clubs that can operate with the biggest squads best equipped to handle the prospect of playing 17 matches if they reach the final.

UEFA Champions League: 2024/25 Best Bets, Picks and Predictions

Best Bet: Borussia Dortmund - Top 8 Finish in League Stage (+200)

Last season's runners-up parted company with coach Edin Terzic and promoted his former assistant Nuri Sahin to the top job.

Experienced defender Mats Hummels and Germany international striker Niclas Fullkrug also moved on, but Dortmund recruited well with the acquisitions of Waldemar Anton and Serhou Guirassy from Stuttgart plus the exciting former Hoffenheim hitman Maximilian Beier.

Pascal Gross arrived from Brighton and they still look well-stocked in the attacking wide areas with Jamie Bynoe-Gittens ready to emulate the success of Jadon Sancho and compete for minutes alongside Karim Adeyemi and Donyell Malen.

They have made a great start to the Bundesliga campaign, taking seven points from their first three matches.

And the fixture computer appears to have been quite kind to them with their UEFA Champions League schedule looking easier than the task awaiting many others.

Dortmund will fully expect to beat Celtic, Sturm Graz and Shakhtar at home and another six points from their away trips to Club Brugge, GNK Dinamo and Bologna should see them finish in the Top 8 without them really needing to get anything from a trip to Real Madrid or a home date with Barcelona.

Top Goalscorer - Robert Lewandowski E/W (+1600)

The market for Top Goalscorer in this season’s competition is dominated by three players - Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane. 

That is hardly surprising given Mbappe and Kane were the joining-leading scorers in last season’s competition while Haaland led the way in both the 2020/21 and 2022/23 editions.

All three play for teams who are among the favorites to go all the way this year and each will surely be there or thereabouts on the goalscorers list if they remain fit throughout a long season.

Haaland has begun the Premier League campaign in awesome form with nine goals in his first four games and Kane is not far behind him with four in his first three for Bayern Munich.

But there is better value in backing Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski at longer odds with the each-way terms guaranteeing a payout at +400 if the Pole is among the four highest scorers come May.

Only Haaland has a better goals-per-game ratio in the UEFA Champions League with Lewandowski’s 94 strikes from 116 starts coming at a rate of 0.83 per 90 minutes.

The 36-year-old is already up and running with four goals in Barca’s first four La Liga matches and his team have a more solid, seasoned look about them this year after going out to Paris Saint-Germain in last season’s quarterfinals.

Most Assists - Kylian Mbappe E/W (+2000)

Mbappe’s goalscoring prowess is well known, but the Frenchman’s goal-making ability is an under-appreciated side of his game.

The Real Madrid star has assisted 22 goals in the UEFA Champions League from 73 appearances in the competition.

That gives him a better assists-per-game ratio than greats like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs.

Moving to Madrid could help Mbappe chalk up more assists than he did at Paris Saint-Germain because of the greater calibre of finisher he will be playing alongside.

Last season, he created the most big chances of any individual in the UEFA Champions League - nine in total.

That was two more than Jude Bellingham in second place, yet the Englishman assisted five goals and Mbappe none.

Nationality of Winner - Spain (+187)

European club and international football has been dominated by Spanish sides in the last two decades and that is particularly true in finals.

Taking into account World Cups, European Championships, UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Cup/Europa League, of the last 27 men’s finals involving Spanish teams, all 27 have had Spanish winners.

Four La Liga teams will attempt to get their hands on the trophy this year and while Girona’s chances may be fanciful, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid both look strong enough to mount a challenge to Real Madrid.

Read more betting picks and predictions for soccer on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.