Champions League Odds

The Champions League odds have been put up by the online bookmakers following the draw in Monaco. The four English clubs involved in this season's Uefa Champions League experienced contrasting fortunes when the draw was made for the competition's group stages in Monaco this week. While last year's finalists Manchester United (11/2) and Chelsea (11/2) - joint favourites to win the trophy - were drawn in seemingly straightforward groups, Arsenal (14/1) and Liverpool (14/1) were less lucky. United will be confident of progressing from Group E, in amongst teams they are familiar with from recent outings in the competition.

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Celtic (150/1) played Manchester United home and away in the 2006/07 tournament, winning at Celtic Park 1-0 thanks to a Shunsuke Nakamura free-kick, but going down 3-2 at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, United's previous encounter with Villareal (33/1) holds memories of a painful season, in which Sir Alex Ferguson's side - featuring the inexperienced Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo exited Europe's premier club competition in the group stage - both games in 2005/06 between the two sides finished goalless.

As for AaB Aalborg, the European champions will be wary of the Danish outfit after a spirited performance against Tottenham Hotspur in the Uefa Cup last season. Chelsea could be forgiven for feeling equally smug when Italy legend Bruno Conti drew the balls from the bag at the Grimaldi forum. The Blues will take heart from the thrashings handed out to Roma (22/1) by Manchester United in the last two competitions, including a memorable 7-1 rout. Jose Felipe Scolari's outfit should be capable of more than matching the Italian Cup winners, who lost their tricky winger Mancini to league champions Inter (7/1) during the transfer window.

French side Bordeaux (80/1), who grabbed second place behind Lyon (33/1) in the French first division, should offer little resistance to the strength and depth of Abramovich's army, while Romanians CFR Cluj (500/1), who won their first league title last season, are not expected to perform miracles. Liverpool face a much tougher task if they are to progress to the last 16. Atletico Madrid (33/1) appear to pose the sternest challenge of all the Reds' three opponents in Group D. A forward line featuring the resurgent Diego Forlan and Argentine sensation Sergio Aguero is bound to test a Liverpool defence which can be found wanting for pace. PSV Eindhoven (80/1) are the Dutch champions who met with Liverpool two seasons ago at the same stage of the competition (drawing in Holland and beaten 2-0 at Anfield). PSV will miss the threat of the outgoing Jefferson Farfan up front and presence of Gomes between the sticks but the experienced Champions League club could always cause an upset.

Liverpool's third opponents are Marseille (80/1), who have bought wisely over the summer, recruiting Hatem Ben Arfa, the effervescent former Lyon and France winger who proved to be handful for Manchester United last season. Almost as testing will be Arsenal's series of Group G matches, against former champions Porto (33/1), Fenerbache (150/1) and Dynamo Kiev (100/1). Turkey and the Ukraine are considered among the most difficult destinations on the Champions League map and despite losing attacking full-back Jose Boswingwa to Chelsea this summer, Porto's dangerous attackers Ricardo Quaresma and Lisandro Lopez will ensure Arsene Wenger's men have to work hard for their place in the knockout stages. For those who expect the English clubs to dominate again, a winner from any of the Premier League clubs can be backed at 11/8, while another all-English final is a 4/1 shot.

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