The “Old Lady” has a very special relationship with the UEFA Champions League. It is full of drama, epic battles, and tragedies. The club had lost its last five finals in UCL. And despite being the most decorated club in Serie A, Juve’s success in the most prestigious European competition looks modest compared to AC Milan or even Inter.
Many fans and pundits were really excited about Juve’s 2024/2025 UCL campaign. And many still are, despite not having great results in the league phase. Some fans are even putting their money on the Juve on betting websites while playing PayID pokies in Australia with no deposit bonus.
Big expectations from comeback season
Juve missed the Champions League season 2023/24 due to the club’s point penalty in the Serie A campaign 2022/23. The team managed to finish inside the top-4 last season in the Calcio, meaning the comeback to the UCL, which was a relief for many fans.
Many supporters felt even more significant relief when one of the most promising managers in the world, Thiago Motta, replaced Max Allegri. The latter was heavily criticized for his conservative style of play and limited success with main rivals in the last few years.
Motta’s appointment and signing of a few new players looked like the start of a new chapter in the club’s history. And it’s impossible to imagine any vital chapter in Juve’s story without memorable runs in the Champions League. Even the lack of experience didn’t feel like a problem before the start of the season, especially given the new format of UCL.
How Juve’s odds on winning UCL 24/25 developed
It’s been 15 years since the Serie A side last won the UCL. The clubs from Italy are usually rated below the best EPL and La Liga teams by sportsbooks. This season is no different, with only Inter being regarded as one of the contenders for the good run. On the other hand, Juventus was rated as a dark horse at best.
Pre-season odds
Before the UCL campaign 2024/25, most bookies offered odds on Juventus’s outright title between 30/1 and 40/1. The Turin side was far behind La Liga giants Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Bayern, and Inter. Even odds on PSG or Bayern were significantly lower.
The bookies were sure Juve would make it to the playoffs and gave the team decent chances for the top-8 finish. Well, the team, indeed, made it to the playoffs. However, Juventus couldn’t keep the form until the end of the league phase after a promising start and finished outside the top -16.
Odds after the league phase
An unconvincing showing in the league phase impacted Juventus’ chances in this Champions League. Firstly, the quality of football and the confidence level of Motta’s guys are questionable right now. Not just neutrals, but even many Juve fans no longer believe in the successful campaign.
Secondly, finishing outside the top 8 and even the top 16 means that Juventus will have a tough draw in the playoffs. There is a big chance the team won’t even make it past the first knockout phase. At least, Juve avoided Real Madrid and PSG at the start of the playoffs. What is funny is that the team can meet two Milan clubs back-to-back. That will be very interesting.
Given the not-that-great performance in the league phase and possible hard draw in the playoffs, the bookies have adjusted the odds on Juventus. Here are the current prices:
Juventus winning UCL 2024/25: 66/1 – 100/1.
Juventus making it to the final of UCL: 40/1.
A deep playoff run is highly unlikely, according to the bookies.
Can Juve repeat the magic run of 2015?
Juventus has this ability to perform well in the UCL playoffs after an unconvincing start to the tournament. Ten years ago, the team made it to the last 16, struggling throughout the group stage. Juve secured their spot in the playoffs in the very last game with a nervous 0-0 draw against Atlético. The Juve would have been eliminated if the Spanish side scored just one goal. The final group stage results were the following: Atlético – 13, Juventus – 10, Olympiacos – 9, Malmö – 3.
After a challenging group stage, Juventus was the underdog against Dortmund in the last 16. But the “Old Lady” easily beat the German side (5-1 on aggregate), then outmanoeuvred Monaco in the quarter-finals with a tremendous defensive performance. Finally, thanks to a fantastic performance from Tevez and Morata, Juventus eliminated defending champions Madrid. It took an outstanding performance from a marvellous MSN trio from Barça to stop Juve in the final match in Berlin.
There are some similarities between the current season and the 2014/15 campaign. Juve got the new coach at the start of the season, barely made it to the playoffs, and they aren’t rated that high by the bookies. Maybe we’ll see another great run against all the odds.
Where to bet on Juve in UCL
You can make comfortable payments via PayID and bet on Juventus’ performance in UCL. Various sportsbooks support this payment option, for example, you can deposit money via PayID. You can place bets on overall success in the tournament or predict specific matches of Juventus. Just use the comfortable payment method and enjoy the game.
