The Champions League is the biggest club competition in soccer. Launched in 1955 as the European Cup, it has been held on an annual basis ever since.
Until 1992, the European Cup was a straight knockout tournament that featured only the champions of domestic leagues. It underwent a rebrand in 1992, becoming known as the Champions League. A year earlier, a group stage had been introduced for the first time, although it was originally used as the last phase before the final.
The Champions League is the pinnacle of the European club game. The World Cup might still have more prestige, but the Champions League is widely considered to be home to the highest-quality soccer on the planet.
The odds shown below for the Champions League 2022/23 winner are taken from Caesars sportsbook. Make sure you check if sports betting is legal in your state, here.
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Manchester City are the favorites to win the Champions League in 2022/23. City have won four of the last five Premier League titles, but they have continually been unable to get over the line in Europe. A semi-final defeat last term was particularly painful, but it is surely only a matter of time before they get their hands on the biggest trophy in European soccer.
Paris Saint-Germain are the second-favorites. Like City, they have never won the Champions League before. Despite a star-studded front three of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, there are question marks over the balance of the team.
Liverpool, three-time finalists under Jurgen Klopp, will be there or thereabouts. The holders are Real Madrid, whose blend of quality and experience means they can never be discounted, while Bayern Munich were the winners in 2020.
Chelsea, Barcelona and Juventus are dark horses for now, but we can expect the odds to shift as the competition goes on.
If you would like to learn more about how to bet on soccer, including the Champions League and other competitions like the Premier League, check out our guide.
Real Madrid won the Champions League in 2021/22, beating Liverpool 1-0 in the final thanks to a goal from Vinicius Junior.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side reached the showpiece event in Paris by coming through a group containing Inter, Sheriff Tiraspol and Shakhtar Donetsk. They then beat Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16, before overcoming Chelsea and Manchester City in the quarter-finals and the semi-finals respectively.
Club | Number of Victories |
Real Madrid | 14 |
AC Milan | 7 |
Liverpool | 6 |
Bayern Munich | 6 |
Barcelona | 5 |
Ajax | 4 |
Inter | 3 |
Manchester United | 3 |
Juventus | 2 |
Chelsea | 2 |
Porto | 2 |
Nottingham Forest | 2 |
Benfica | 2 |
Real Madrid are the most successful team in the history of the European Cup/Champions League. The Spanish giants dominated the early years of the competition, triumphing five years on the bounce between 1956 and 1960. AC Milan are second on the list with seven successes, followed by Bayern Munich and Liverpool on six apiece.
A total of 22 clubs from 10 countries have won the European Cup/Champions League. England has provided the largest number of individual winners, with five clubs having triumphed, but the might of Real Madrid means Spain has supplied the most victors with 18.
Juventus have finished as runners-up more often than any other team, with seven defeats in the final. Atletico Madrid have reached three finals without ever lifting the trophy.
Nottingham Forest and Porto are the only clubs to have a 100 percent record in the final after competing in more than one of them.
Club | Season |
Real Madrid | 2021/22 |
Chelsea | 2020/21 |
Bayern Munich | 2019/20 |
Liverpool | 2018/19 |
Real Madrid | 2017/18 |
Real Madrid | 2016/17 |
Real Madrid | 2015/16 |
Barcelona | 2014/15 |
Real Madrid | 2013/14 |
Bayern Munich | 2012/13 |
Round | Draw Date | Match Date |
Group Stage, Matchday One | 25 August 2022 | 6-7 September 2022 |
Group Stage, Matchday Two | 25 August 2022 | 13-14 September 2022 |
Group Stage, Matchday Three | 25 August 2022 | 4-5 October 2022 |
Group Stage, Matchday Four | 25 August 2022 | 6-7 September 2022 |
Group Stage, Matchday Five | 25 August 2022 | 6-7 September 2022 |
Group Stage, Matchday Six | 25 August 2022 | 6-7 September 2022 |
Round of 16 | 7 November 2022 | 14-15 & 21-22 February 2023 and 7-8 & 14-15 March 2023 |
Quarter-Finals | 17 March 2023 | 11-12 April 2023 and 18-19 April 2023 |
Semi-Finals | 17 March 2023 | 9-10 May 2023 and 16-17 May 2023 |
Final | 17 March 2023 | 10 June 2023 |
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A total of 26 teams have qualified for the group stage so far. The remaining six spots will be filled by sides that come through the qualification play-offs.Most of the usual suspects will be present, including Bayern Munich from the Bundesliga, Real Madrid and Barcelona from La Liga, Paris Saint-Germain from Ligue 1, Juventus from Serie A, and Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City from the Premier League.
Lionel Messi has won the Champions League four times. He first lifted the trophy in 2006, but the Argentine was only a bit-part player at Barcelona back then. He was much more prominent when the club went on to win the tournament in 2009, 2011 and 2015. Messi is now striving to taste continental success with Paris Saint-Germain.His great rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, has won the Champions League five times – four with Real Madrid and one with Manchester United. Paco Gento is the most successful player in the history of the competition. He won six European Cups with Real Madrid between 1956 and 1966.
Soccer fans based in the United States can watch the Champions League on Paramount+. Kick-off times are usually 3.00 PM (EDT).
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Greg Lea is a freelance soccer journalist from London. He is the former editor of The Set Pieces, and has contributed to the Guardian, FourFourTwo, and ESPN. A Crystal Palace fan, he is a long-time subscriber to the belief that it's the taking part that counts. Email: [email protected]
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