UEFA Champions League 2024/2025 Favourites, Prediction, and Odds: Mbappé and Vinícius Jr’s Real Madrid Set to Battle Favourite Manchester City

Different bookmakers across the world have released the Champions League 2024/2025 winner odds. However, what is expected and general to them all is Manchester City are still listed as the favourite again for the ninth season in a row. Meanwhile, the UEFA Champions League 2024/2025 will look new for the first time in the competition's history. As announced, the old group phase is gone, and the new league phase of the competition will start on 17th September 2024, and the final game will be played at the Munich's Fußball Arena München on Saturday, 31 May 2025.

The Champions League has gone through various stages, from a knockout-only version to a 32-team play round and now a 36-team format. The new edition will add four more clubs to the previous 32 to introduce another modern football era in how the Champions League is played. The 36 teams will play eight matches each in the league phase, formally regarded as the ‘group stage.’ The new format will comprise a single league table, in which each team will play eight matches against different home and away opponents. This format is based on the seedling system and the use of a draw to avoid playing every team.

The first eight teams will make the round of 16, and the teams that make the ninth up to the twenty-fourth position will play a two-leg knockout to add another eight teams to the round of 16. Teams making 25th and below are eliminated from the competition and will not join the UEFA Europa League. The round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals will follow the same format as it was. This new format allows each team to prove themselves on a more worthy challenge.

Manchester City won the English Premier League for a record 5th time in a row in the 2023/2024 season, with almost the same squad pumped again for the coming season. Man City has been a team that has been challenging for major trophies under Pep Guardiola, winning numerous titles and trophies across different competitions. In recent years, they have started as the favourites to win the Champions League. During the last five seasons, Manchester City got to the semi-final five times and advanced two times, of which they won the Champions League in one of these. However, the Citizens will still manage to get to the semis this season, but I doubt they can lift the trophy.

Last season, Real Madrid played their 18th final, winning their 15th Champions League Trophy at Wembley. Don Carlo won his fifth Champions League trophy and his third as a coach for Madrid with what could have been said to be an incomplete team. Aurélien Tchouaméni was deployed to the defence due to injuries to other defenders.

Although numerous players are back from injuries, Real Madrid have made some incredible signings during the transfer window to avoid the same issue as last season. Kylian Mbappé and Endrick joined their dream club with enough confidence to win more Champions League titles for Madrid. With the presence of Kylian Mbappé, fans have been rooting for Madrid to win their 16th Champions League Title, which will be the first for Mbappé.

Real Madrid's legacy in the UEFA Champions League is exceptional, with the club securing 15 titles, more than any other club in history. Their dominance began with winning the primary versions from 1955 to 1960. In recent instances, Real Madrid's cutting-edge technology of achievement was highlighted through their La Décima win in 2014, wherein they triumphed over Atlético Madrid, with the team winning consecutive titles from 2016 to 2018. They overcame Atlético Madrid again, defeated Juventus 4-1, and bested Liverpool 3-1.

In 2022, they added their 14th name by defeating Liverpool 1-0. In the 2022-2023 season, they reached the semi-finals but were eliminated by Manchester City. As of 2024, Real Madrid won their 15th Champions League trophy, defeating Dortmund 2-0. Below are the Champions League titles that Madrid won year by year.

• 1955-1956
• 1956-1957
• 1957-1958
• 1958-1959
• 1959-1960
• 1965-1966
• 1997-1998
• 1999-2000
• 2001-2002
• 2013-2014
• 2015-2016
• 2016-2017
• 2017-2018
• 2021-2022
• 2023-2024

Real Madrid's present team is star-struck with the likes of Vinicius Jnr, Rodrygo, Luka Modrić, Antonio Rüdiger, Eder Militao, Thibaut Courtois, Dani Carvajal, Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouameni are making Madrid having a good season winning the Spanish Super Cup, La Liga and the Champions League. Madrid added Felipe Endrick and Kylian Mbappé to their club during the summer transfer window.

Mbappé has won numerous awards and is primarily recognised as one of the best footballers in the world who has won the French league titles six times in a row, 4x Coupe de France wins, 3x Trophée des Champions, 1x FIFA World Cup, FIFA Golden boot winner 2022, 1x UEFA nations league winner, FIFA World Cup Best Young Player 2018, 5x Ligue 1 Player of the Year, 6x Ligue 1 Top Scorer 2018-2023, Golden Boy: 2017, French Player of the Year, Kopa Trophy: 2018.

With this current squad and the presence of Mbappé, I expect Los Blancos to pull another stunt like they did in 2016 - 2018, winning three Champions League in a row.

Bet: Real Madrid to win the Champions League 4.00 odds