Confederations Cup: Germany and Portugal favourites ahead of Chile

If you thought the football season was over, think again. The 2017 Confederations Cup kicks off this Saturday, and it features a number of key players.

Eight teams – including Germany and Portugal – will contest the two-week long tournament, which takes place in Russia, hosts of next year’s World Cup.

It’s the 10^th running of the event, so let’s crack on with how the odds are looking…

Group A:

Portugal/Russia/Mexico/New Zealand

Group A’s kingpins are Portugal, who qualified after winning last summer’s European Championships in France.

They’ve quality in abundance – and a certain Mr Ronaldo – so it’s no surprise they’re 10/11 favourites to top the quartet.

Behind them though, it should be a tight scrap between Russia and Mexico.

The hosts are 12/5 to win the group, but this is Mexico’s seventh appearance at this event – they won it in 1999 – and the 5/2 shots boast plenty of attacking talent in Javier Hernandez, Carlos Vela and Giovanni dos Santos.

New Zealand are the 40/1 outsiders to win Group A, and they’ll need Leeds United’s Chris Wood to make an impact.

Group B:

Germany/Chile/Cameroon/Australia

As World Cup champions, Germany are understandably favourites to top Group B.

But it says everything about the threat posed by Chile that Joachim Low’s men are odds-against at 11/10.

The South Americans are right in there at 7/5, and all eyes will be on Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez.

There isn’t much hope for Cameroon (11/2) or Australia (12/1) although the Socceroos do have 37-year-old veteran Tim Cahill to call upon.

Outright:

The top two go through to the semi-finals, with the showpiece event taking place on July 2 in St Petersburg.

Our traders have Germany at the top of the betting at 2/1, and given their pedigree in major tournaments, it’s hard to go against the reigning world champions.

But Portugal are close behind at 5/2.

Chile are the real curveball however at 3/1, and are arguably the value pick.

Mexico shouldn’t be discounted at 7/1, especially as they really should be progressing through their group.

Russia are 8s to win on home soil, with Cameroon (20/1), Australia (40/1) and New Zealand (250/1) rounding out the betting.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing