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The 2021-22 UEFA Champions League is down to its last sixteen teams after the conclusion of the group stage.
Most of the top teams, with a few notable exceptions, have safely negotiated their way to the knockout phase of the tournament. Three teams - Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Ajax - won all six games. That marked the first instance of multiple teams winning all six group matches in a Champions League campaign.
The likes of holders Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus and Inter Milan are also through to the Round of 16. However, four former winners - Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and Porto - fell by the wayside.
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The draw for the Round of 16 will be made on Monday, December 13. Ahead of the same, here's a look at the ten teams with the best odds (as per Draftkings) to win the UEFA Champions League this season:
#10 Atletico Madrid (two-time Champions League finalists): +3500
Perched in the Group of Death with three former winners, Atletico Madrid looked set to miss the bus after a Matchday 5 home defeat to AC Milan.
Despite group winners Liverpool winning their first five games, there was everything to play for in the group on the final day. Porto and Milan needed wins at home to stand a chance of going through. However, Liverpool thwarted Milan at the San Siro, while Atletico won at Porto to take second place.
Nevertheless, Diego Simeone's men have had a rather underwhelming campaign, and were rather fortuitous to go through. They lost three of their six games, with none of their two wins coming at home. The Rojiblancos scored seven goals and conceded eight.
The reigning La Liga winners will need to massively improve to make a deep run in the Champions League this season. Possible Round of 16 opponents include Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
#9 Juventus (1996 Champions League winners): +3000
Juventus were expected to struggle after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo this summer.
They have struggled - in the league - where they sit sixth after 17 games, 11 points adrift of league leaders AC Milan. However, despite their domestic travails, Massimiliano Allegri's men have pleasantly surprised in the Champions League.
The Bianconeri started their campaign with four consecutive wins - including one against holders Chelsea - to book their place in the Round of 16. Although they suffered a heavy defeat (4-0) at Stamford Bridge, they made the most of Chelsea's slip at Zenit St. Petersburg to win the group.
Both teams were level on points (12) going into Matchday 6. However, Chelsea conceded a late equalizer in a six-goal thriller in St. Petersburg, while Juventus prevailed by a solitary goal at home to Malmo.
The Bianconeri could face PSG or Atletico Madrid, among other teams, in the Round of 16. However, to win the competition, Juventus will have to improve at both ends of the pitch. They haven't won the Champions League since their lone triumph in 1996, coming up short in five title matches since then.
#8 Ajax (four-time Champions League winners): +1600
Ajax are one of nine former winners through to this season's Champions League knockout stage. The four-time winners had a memorable group-stage campaign, winning all six games.
That made Eric ten Haag's side the first Dutch, seventh overall and second non top-five league team to achieve the feat. They scored 20 goals and conceded only five to complete their group engagements. Competition debutant Sebastien Haller has scored half of these goals, including strikes in all six games.
The Eredivisie leaders will hope to continue in the same vein when the competition resumes after Christmas. However, things are going to get tough, as Ajax could meet one of Inter Milan, Chelsea and PSG for a place in the quarter-finals.
#7 Real Madrid (13-time Champions League winners): +1400
Real Madrid overcame a stutter - a home defeat to competition debutants Sheriff - to qualify for the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 as group winners.
Except for that 2-1 reverse, Carlo Ancelotti's men have looked impressive this campaign. They have won their five other games, scoring 13 goals and conceding just once. The 13-time winners beat ten-man Inter Milan 2-0 at home on Matchday 6 to win their group ahead of the Nerazzurri.
Star striker Karim Benzema is in the form of his life, scoring five times in the CL this season; he has netted 17 times across competitions. His first goal in the Champions League this campaign made him one of only two players to score in 17 consecutive editions of the competition.
Possible Round of 16 opponents for Real Madrid include Chelsea and PSG, among others.
#6 Manchester United (three-time Champions League winners): +1400
Three-time Champions League winners Manchester United have had an inconsistent campaign thus far.
However, despite their struggles in the Premier League, they sealed their passage to the Champions League Round of 16 with a game to spare. The returning Cristiano Ronaldo has had a huge role in that, scoring in all five games he played. Three of his strikes were either game winners or equalizers.
Nevertheless, the Premier League giants haven't played like title contenders this season, winning only three of their games. Their overreliance on Ronaldo also doesn't augur well for their title hopes.
United could meet one of Inter Milan, PSG or Atletico Madrid for a place in the quarter-finals.
#5 Chelsea (two-time Champions League winners): +850
Chelsea looked impressive earlier this season, but haven't been at their imperious best in the Champions League.
The holders fell to a defeat at group winners Juventus on matchday two, but recovered to qualify for the Round of 16 with a game to spare.
Needing a win at Zenit to win the group on the last day, Chelsea twice led through Timo Werner strikers. However, a 94th-minute equalizer by Zenit helped Juventus pip the holders to top place in the group.
Thomas Tuchel's men have also been knocked off their perch in the Premier League. The erstwhile league leaders have conceded too many goals of late, something they'll need to stop doing come the Champions League knockouts.
Chelsea could meet one of Bayern Munich or Real Madrid for a place in the quarter-finals.
#4 PSG (2020 Champions League finalists): +700
PSG had one of the best transfer windows of any club this summer. The Ligue 1 giants brought Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Georginio Wijnaldum on free transfers.
The star-studded team have a comfortable 11-point lead atop the Ligue 1 standings. However, they have only impressed in spurts in the Champions League. Maurico Pochettino's men lost 2-1 at group winners Manchester City, and were held to draws at Club Brugge and RB Leipzig.
Despite Messi's Ligue 1 travails - one goal in nine games - the Argentine has been at his imperious best in the Champions League. Five of his six PSG goals have come in the competition.
After joining Benzema as the only players to score in 17 consecutive editions of the competition, Messi created more history on matchday six. His first of two goals in PSG's 4-1 home win over Brugge made him the only player after Ronaldo to score against 38 different teams in the Champions League.
With Neymar expected to be back next year and Mbappe hitting his stride, PSG are primed for a deep run in the Champions League. However, they will face one of seven previous champions for a place in the last eight as they look to become the newest Champions League winners.
#3 Liverpool (six-time Champions League winners): +500
Liverpool have been on a roll in the Champions League this season. The Reds won all six group games to comfortably finish atop a 'Group of Death' comprising Atletico Madrid, AC Milan and Porto.
In the process, Jurgen Klopp's team became the first English team to have a perfect group-stage campaign. The Reds won five-goal thrillers at home to Milan and away at Atletico to top their group. Mohamed Salah starred with seven strikes across six games.
For a place in the quarter-finals, Liverpool could face either PSG or Inter Milan in the Round of 16. Considering their form across competitions, they could beat either team and possibly go all the way in the Champions League this season.
#2 Bayern Munich (six-time Champions League winners): +400
Bayern Munich have been one of the teams to beat this season, especially in the Champions League.
The six-time winners embarked on their second perfect group-stage campaign in three years. In the process, they emulated Real Madrid as the only team to do so in the competition's history.
Julian Nagelsman's team have rode on Robert Lewandowski's heroics (nine goals) to steamroll every opposition that came their way. They have scored a competition-leading 22 goals and conceded a competition-low of three (also Liverpool).
Bayern beat Barcelona 3-0 home and away to hand the five-time winners their first group-stage exit in the Champions League in 21 years.
The Bavarian giants could draw one of PSG, holders Chelsea or Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16. On current form, though, Bayern would need some stopping, especially with Lewandowski firing on all cylinders.
#1 Manchester City (2021 Champions League finalists): +300
Manchester City stumbled to a 2-1 reverse at Leipzig on matchday six. However, that had no bearing on the group standings, as Pep Guardiola's men won their group with a game to spare.
City have won four games in the Champions League this season, with their other defeat (2-0) coming at PSG. They have scored 18 times, but have conceded more goals (ten) than they would have liked to. The Cityzens scored at least four goals in three games, including six in their 6-3 home win against Leipzig.
The reigning Premier League champions and league leaders will need to improve at the defensive end if they are to break their Champions League duck, though. City could face one of two former winners - Benfica and Inter Milan - for a place in the last eight.
Last season's finalists would love to go all the way as they strive to become the newest Champions League winners.
