Champions League draw: Real Madrid new favs for European glory
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The tantalising prospect of an El Clasico final remains in tact after Friday’s Champions League semi-final draw, though Barcelona have the more difficult side of the bargain to fulfil having been pitted against Bayern Munich.
Barcelona started the day as the 7/4 favourites to lift the most prestigious prize in club football before pulling Bayern out the hat.
As a result, Luis Enrique’s Catalan giants have slipped marginally behind Real Madrid at the apex of the winners’ market, where they’re now given a 21/10 chance.
Carlo Ancelotti’s charges, who squeezed past local rivals Atletico to book their place in the last four, drew outsiders Juventus whose 8/1 odds haven’t flinched.
Travelling to Juventus for the initial tie, who are making their first semi-final appearance since 2003, the cookie has certainly crumbled favourably for Los Blancos who’ve shortened into 2/1 favoritism from 3/1 to break the holders’ curse.
Juve are at least given a healthy 15/8 chance of forging a winning position to take to the Spanish capital for the return leg.
No strangers to the business end of the competition in recent times, Bayern were set at 9/5 for glory prior to the draw and their odds have shuffled inwards by a whisker to 9/4.
The reason they haven’t drifted after being pitted against the pre-draw favourites, must be down to the fact they house Barcelona at the Allianz Arena for the second instalment.
Former Barca maestro Pep Guardiola returns to his spiritual home at the Camp Nou first off and having turned around a 3-1 first-leg deficit to pulverise Porto 6-1 in the quarters, the Spaniard will be confident of his team’s chances.
Barca are still odds on at 19/20 to carve themselves out a lead however, with Bayern 11/4 shots and the draw at 13/5.
For holders Real Madrid, they’ll be delighted to have swerved either of the main tournament fancies.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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