In a year where European football has delivered countless dramatic moments, even 1win kenya odds makers have struggled to predict outcomes accurately. From unexpected champions to shocking eliminations, the 2024 season has rewritten many assumed narratives in continental competition.
The Fall of Giants: Premier League Powers and European Royalty Stumble
Perhaps the most shocking development has been Manchester City’s dramatic struggle in the new Champions League format. Starting the season as clear favorites with 3.70 odds, Pep Guardiola’s team now finds themselves fighting for survival, sitting five points outside the top eight and just one point above the elimination zone. While bookmakers still give them an 88% chance of avoiding complete elimination, their odds of winning the tournament have plummeted to 9.00.
Real Madrid’s situation proves equally surprising. Initially second favorites at 4.50, Los Blancos now languish in the bottom half of the second ten, having lost half their matches and conceded an alarming 11 goals. Their chances of reaching the top eight have become so remote that bookmakers offer 30.00 odds on this possibility – a remarkable shift for a club that traditionally dominates European competition.
Paris Saint-Germain’s struggles complete the trifecta of struggling giants. Despite being among the seven main contenders for the title, they now sit outside the qualification spots altogether, their odds drifting from 17.00 to 40.00 after a series of disappointing performances.
Underdogs Rise: From Olympiacos to Shamrock Rovers
The most remarkable success story belongs to Olympiacos, who transformed from Conference League outsiders (45.00 initial odds) to champions. Their journey included an epic comeback against Maccabi Tel Aviv (overturning a 4-1 first-leg deficit with a 6-1 home win), dramatic victories over Fenerbahce and Aston Villa, and a thrilling extra-time victory in the final against Fiorentina, with El Kaabi proving the hero.
Atalanta’s Europa League triumph represents another stunning achievement. Initially rated alongside Real Betis and West Ham, they systematically dismantled more favored opponents, including a memorable 3-0 victory at Anfield against Liverpool. Their final triumph over Bayer Leverkusen, another 3-0 masterclass, confirmed their status as worthy champions despite starting the tournament with 25.00 odds.
In the new Champions League format, Brest has emerged as perhaps the most surprising success story. Originally given odds of 200.00 to win the tournament, the French underdogs now sit seventh in the standings, with excellent prospects of securing at least a playoff spot. While their title odds have only shortened to 150.00, their achievement in reaching this position represents a remarkable accomplishment for a team few expected to compete at this level.
The Evolution of Competition: New Format, New Opportunities
The new Champions League format has particularly highlighted how traditional power structures in European football can be challenged. Borussia Dortmund’s run to the Champions League final in the previous season, starting with odds of 41.00, demonstrated this shifting landscape. Despite ultimately falling to Real Madrid in the final, their journey through a group containing PSG, Milan, and Newcastle, followed by victories over PSV, Atletico Madrid, and PSG again, showed how the extended format could benefit well-organized teams regardless of their initial odds.
Similarly, Marseille’s unexpected run to the Europa League semi-finals, despite odds of 26.00 at the start, included impressive victories over Shakhtar Donetsk, Villarreal, and Benfica before finally succumbing to Atalanta. Their achievement was particularly noteworthy given their domestic struggles, finishing eighth in Ligue 1.
The emergence of clubs like Shamrock Rovers in the Conference League, moving from 350.00 outsiders to securing a seeded position in the playoffs while maintaining one of the competition’s best defensive records, further illustrates how the European football landscape is evolving. Their unbeaten record through five matches, including three victories, represents a remarkable achievement for a club initially considered among the five weakest in the competition.
These developments suggest a democratization of European football, where traditional hierarchies can be challenged more readily than ever before. The new formats, particularly in the Champions League, have created opportunities for teams to build momentum and confidence over a longer period, potentially leading to more surprises in the future.
The statistical improbability of many of these results – such as Atalanta’s 3-0 win at Anfield (7.55 odds) or Olympiacos’s 4-2 victory at Villa Park (7.42 odds) – demonstrates that while the football world can still be predicted to some extent, the capacity for surprise remains one of the sport’s most compelling features. As we move forward, these unexpected developments may become less surprising, signaling a more competitive and unpredictable era in European football.
