Champions League 2025: Which Teams Will Make the Finals?
source : fcbayern.com
After its inaugural season with the 36-team league phase and an extra round in the knockout phase, the UEFA Champions League is finally down to the final 16 teams. In fact, the entire bracket has been drawn, so all remaining participants know the path they’ll need to take to reach the finals in Munich on May 31.
Naturally, there is no shortage of powerhouse clubs that will fancy themselves as contenders to win it all. It’s even hard to pick out a favorite in the group, giving many of the top clubs favorable odds to get to Munich. With plenty of matches left to play, this could be an ideal time to find a free sports bet from an online sportsbook and find a team to back in this year’s Champions League. After looking closely at the teams left in the field, here are our two picks to play each other in the 2025 UEFA Champions League Final.
First Finalist: Bayern Munich
After being a little fortunate to escape the playoff round with Celtic, things are set up nicely for Bayern to play a home game in the Champions League final. Granted, they’ll face a test in the Round of 16 when they face Bayer Leverkusen, who is currently second in the Bundesliga. Despite Leverkusen playing Munich to a scoreless draw recently, Bayern’s Champions League experience should pay dividends over the course of two legs.
To be fair, the current Bundesliga leaders could also face current Serie A leaders Inter Milan and current La Liga leaders Barcelona on their way to the final. But the collection of talent the German giants have at all positions should be enough to make them favorites against both Inter and Barcelona. Bayern hasn’t just been an unstoppable scoring machine this season; they’ve also posted an impressive defensive record in the Bundesliga. As a former center-back, Vincent Kompany knows the value of remaining strong defensively in big games, which is why this will be a point of emphasis for Bayern that can propel them deep into the knockout stage.
The other edge that Bayern should have over Inter and Barcelona later in the tournament, assuming those are the eventual matchups, is the fact that they have a more comfortable lead in their domestic league. Inter has two Italian rivals within striking distance at the top of Serie A while Barcelona is unlikely to pull away from Real Madrid at the top of La Liga anytime soon. As a result, Bayern will be able to dedicate more resources to its Champions League run while knowing they have enough depth to maintain their lead in the Bundesliga while also making Champions League their priority. The fact that Munich could be hosting the final should inspire Bayern to stay focused on making the dream of winning Champions League on home soil a priority.
Second Finalist: Liverpool
Liverpool’s side of the Champions League bracket is loaded with Arsenal and Real Madrid. Heading into the Round of 16, those are three of the top four favorites to win Champions League, yet only one of them will be able to reach the final. However, Arsenal and Real Madrid are on a collision course to meet in the quarterfinals, so Liverpool won’t have to worry about facing either one until the semifinals.
The biggest test Liverpool will face before the semifinals will be its Round of 16 opponent PSG. But this isn’t a PSG team with Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe. Despite running away with another Ligue 1 title, PSG lost three matches during the League Phase of Champions League and got a fortunate draw with Brest in the playoff round. They shouldn’t be much of a test for Liverpool, giving Arne Slot’s team a manageable path to the semifinals. That makes the Reds a safer bet to reach the final than Arsenal or Real Madrid, who are likely to square off in the quarterfinals.
Even against Arsenal or Real Madrid in the semifinals, Liverpool should compare favorably. Outside of PSG, the Reds have the largest domestic league of the big five European leagues. While not exactly on cruise control in the Premier League, Slot will still have no problem rotating his squad to stay fresh and put his best foot forward for Champions League matches. With Arsenal chasing Liverpool and Real Madrid chasing Barcelona, those clubs won’t have the same luxury, making fatigue a factor by the time they reach a semifinal against Liverpool.
Obviously, Real Madrid’s history as winner of six of the last 11 Champions League titles makes it hard to pick against them. But Liverpool has been the class of Europe this season as both the Premier League leader and the top performer during the League Phase. That makes them the team most likely to reach the final on May 31.
- UEFA Champions League