Champions League 2014: Odds and Predictions for Top Goalscorers
The 2014-15 UEFA Champions League will kick off on Tuesday, and fans can't wait to find out how the best players in the world will perform in this year's edition of Europe's top club competition.
Plenty of top strikers moved clubs during the summer, making it that much harder for oddsmakers to predict how some of the new signings will perform with their new team-mates.
Regulars like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are expected once again to finish high on the list of top scorers, while newcomers such as Ciro Immobile and Luis Suarez will try to establish themselves among the top poachers in the event.
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Here are the odds for this year's top scorers, courtesy of Oddschecker.com:
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 11-4 | Luis Suarez | 20-1 |
| Lionel Messi | 4-1 | Sergio Aguero | 16-1 |
| Robert Lewandowski | 8-1 | Thomas Muller | 20-1 |
| Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 14-1 | Karim Benzema | 25-1 |
| Diego Costa | 12-1 | Neymar | 25-1 |
Cristiano Ronaldo
Last year's top scorer predictably has the best odds going into the tournament, and his 17 strikes set a new Champions League record. Supported by new signings Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez, he's expected to continue his domination on the pitch as the world's best winger.
All is not well at Real Madrid, however. As shared by Di Marzio's David Amoyal, more and more insiders are claiming the Portuguese superstar is not happy with the club's transfer strategy:
Rumours of a possible January exit continue to persist, although Spanish football insider Rafael Hernandez believes the speculation to be ludicrous:
Regardless, the fact remains that Los Blancos have lost back-to-back matches in La Liga and things are not looking well. Ronaldo is also still struggling with the injury concerns that slowed him down toward the end of the 2013-14 campaign, making him a dangerous choice for punters.
The forward has a history of success, however, and there are plenty of reasons to believe he and his team-mates will overcome whatever adversity they face.
Ronaldo will be in the thick of the race for the title of top scorer, and after two consecutive wins, he remains the logical choice.
Lionel Messi
Eternal rival Messi comes in as a close second with the oddsmakers, who likely believe the Argentine's production will suffer due to Barcelona's purchase of Luis Suarez.
Coupled with Brazilian forward Neymar, who is in his second season with the club and looks more at home, Messi will lose a lot of looks on goal. He remains the Catalans' best player and No. 1 option in front of goal, but it's logical to assume his goal tally will slow down as his number of assists rises.
That's not a knock on Messi—it's basic maths. The pint-sized forward will remain among the favourites to end the season as top scorer, but right now, Ronaldo looks like a stronger candidate.
Diego Costa
Diego Costa's start to the 2014-15 season has been simply unbelievable, with seven goals in four matches, as shared by Squawka:
The Spaniard couldn't be in a better situation—the Blues' army of talented wingers opens up acres of space for him to exploit, and Cesc Fabregas' incisive passing is tailor-made for Costa's skill set.
Can they replicate that success on the European level? It's always dangerous to assume Costa will keep scoring at the same rate before we actually watch him play Champions League football for Chelsea, but so far, all signs point to "yes."
The key is value. Ronaldo and Messi are the favourites, and their odds reflect that. At 12-1, Costa is worth a gamble for punters looking to win big.
Thomas Muller
Speaking of value: Thomas Muller currently carries odds of 20-1. Like Messi, his chances of winning the title took a hit when Bayern Munich brought in Robert Lewandowski, who is now the oddsmakers' favourite in the Bavarians' squad.
The 25-year-old has a tendency to defy logic, however. He's not overly athletic or technically gifted, and when you watch him run with the ball, you just don't see a world-class scorer.
But he is. Per Squawka, he's currently outscoring the entire Scottish team, at the age of 25:
Muller has the uncanny ability to always be in the right place at the right time. His football IQ is off the charts, and he's a perfect fit for Pep Guardiola's system.
Will he be the Champions League top scorer? Probably not, but he's worth a shot at 20-1 anyway.
