Chelsea and Arsenal both odds-on to see off French opponents
Monday 15 December 2014 13:35, UK
Manchester City have been pushed out from 12/1 to 14/1 to win the Champions League after they were drawn against Barcelona in the final 16.
City were knocked out by Barca 4-1 on aggregate at the same stage last season and are rated outsiders by Sky Bet just to win the first leg at the Etihad Stadium.
Chelsea also drift in Sky Bet's outright market, from 11/2 to 8/1, after being paired with PSG again, although Jose Mourinho's men are odds-on to oust the French champions for a second successive season.
Arsenal are the only Premier League side to shorten in the betting after being handed a seemingly favourable draw in Monaco, although they remain the biggest-priced outsiders of the English trio at 22/1 (from 28/1.)
The two most recent champions, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, remain joint favourites at 5/2 apiece having been drawn against Schalke and Shakhtar Donetsk respectively.
Sky Bet Football Trader Chris Spicer said: "It’s yet another tough draw for City but we’re certainly not writing them off, given the way they turned things around to make it this far. However, the fitness of Sergio Aguero could be key and if he is not fit in time, then their odds on progressing will drift.
"The other two English sides are both expected to come through their ties but Jose Mourinho, for all his talk about hoping to face PSG again, will know there were more favourable opponents in the draw than PSG, who are rated the highest in the betting from their potential opponents."
Champions League last 16 ties:
Paris Saint-Germain v Chelsea
Manchester City v Barcelona
Bayer Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid
Juventus v Borussia Dortmund
Schalke v Real Madrid
Shakhtar Donetsk v Bayern Munich
Arsenal v Monaco
Basel v FC Porto
