Ucl Uefa Champions League : Draw, Preview and Odds – Groups D-f

For groups A-C, click here.

For groups G-H, click here.

Group D

Chelsea (6/1) – Chelsea begin the 2009/10 Champions League campaign as third favourites – the highest ranked English side in betting, despite having qualified for this years competition via a third placed finish in their domestic league. New manager Carlo Ancelotti has been tasked with bringing the Champions League trophy to Stamford Bridge – something which has eluded his predecessors, much to the chagrin of owner Roman Abramovich. The team itself has changed surprisingly little in recent years, despite the riches of their Russian sugar-daddy, and still contains many of the players who reached Chelsea’s only Champions League Final in 2008 – a match which they lost on penalties to domestic rivals Manchester United.

FC Porto (80/1)-  Portugese champions Porto have tasted Champions League success twice – most recently under Jose Mourinho, a feat which led to him taking the helm at Chelsea. Porto have not finished outside of the top three in their home league since 1976, winning nineteen titles in that time, but lie eighteenth in betting for this seasons Champions League.

Atletico Madrid (40/1)- Atletico finished fourth in La Liga last season, and sit behind all of their fellow countrymen in betting. Odds of 40/1 puts them in twelfth place to win a European title that has so far eluded them. Former Manchester United flop Diego Forlan, despite finishing La Liga as top scorer with thirty-two goals, is seventeenth in betting to be this seasons Champions League Golden Boot winner – a statistic which gives more insight into Athleticos perceived chances.

APOEL Nicosia (2000/1)- Rank outsiders APOEL are a massive 2000/1 to triumph in this seasons Champions League. The Cypriot Champions have already embarked on the new campaign, entering the competition in the second qualifying round. Success in the qualifiers resulted in a play-off match against FC Copenhagen, and a surprise 3-2 aggregate win over the Danish Superliga winners.

Group E

Liverpool (12/1) – Joint sixth favourites with Inter Milan,Liverpool are the bookies least fancied English side, despite being runners up in last seasons Premier League. The Reds also hold the English record for Champions League titles, as well as having Fernando Torres up front – the joint favourite top scorer for this years competition. Liverpool have arguably been England’s most successful team in the competition in recent years too, winning the trophy in 2005 after a stunning 3-3 draw against AC Milan – a game which they trailed 3-0 at half time.

Lyon (40/1)- With a third placed finish in the French league, Lyon needed an 8-2 aggregate win over Anderlecht to reach the group stages of this years competition. Despite their poor domestic finish, they still begin this years Champions League competition as the bookies joint twelfth favourites – above French Champions Bordeaux and runners-up Marseille.

Fiorentina (50/1)- The Italians finished fourth in their home league last season, and needed an away goals victory over Portugal’s Sporting to qualify for the group stages. They lie fifteenth in betting, well behind the rest of the Italian teams. Fiorentina have not won Seria A since 1969, and have never won the Champions League, a statistic which is unlikely to change in the near future.

Debrecen (2000/1) – Rank outsiders Debrecen are one of three teams with odds of 2000/1 to lift the trophy. The Hungarian Champions are the first time from Hungary to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League in fourteen years, after successfully navigating the qualifying rounds – a point where they were eliminated in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Group F

FC Barcelona (9/2)- Barcelona, the current holders, begin the campaign as the bookies favourites. Should the Spanish Champions lift the trophy, it would be the fourth time in their history. Barcelona’s victory last year capped a fine season for the club from the Nou Camp, with a treble trophy haul after victory in the league and the Copa del Rey. Despite having one of the most feared first team squads in Europe, manager Josep Guardiola has still managed to strengthen further with the purchase of Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Inter Milan.

Inter Milan (12/1)- The Italians start this seasons Champins league as joint sixth favourites with English runners-up Liverpool. Winners of their own domestic league under former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, Inter have had no success in this competition since back to back wins in 1964/5. The draw has thrown up a tantalising match, with the prospect of former San Siro favourite Ibrahimovic playing against his former teammates. That transfer saw Samuel Eto’o move in the opposite direction, meaning that the Cameroon striker will find himself in a similar position when Inter visit the Nou Camp.

Dinamo Kiev (150/1)- A lowly twenty-fifth in betting, Kiev are the current Ukrainian Champions. The team consists of a number of Ukrainian internationals, although many of the nations best talents ply their trade in Serie A and La Liga. Kiev’s most successful foray into European football was in 1999,  where they were knocked out of the Champions League semi finals in Munich by a single goal.

FC Rubin Kazan (150/1) - Joint in betting with Kiev, Rubin Kazan are the current Russian Premier League holders – their first ever title. That domestic success ensured entry to the Champions League group stages – another first for the relatively unknown club.