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15th Sep 2015 | Champions League

Arsenal Ready To Erase Painful Memories

Arsenal Ready To Erase Painful Memories

Won’t want to repeat the excruciating exits of previous seasons and have a squad with plenty of experience at this level.

Having tipped the last two winners of the Champions League (Real Madrid 2013Barcelona 2014) it is tempting to suggest we have cracked the code.

The key is experience.

These are the last eight winners of the Champions League and the stage they exited the competition in the five years prior to their victory.

2015 Barcelona: QF-SF-SF-W-SF
2014 Real Madrid: SF-SF-SF-L16-L16
2013 Bayern Munich: F-L16-F-QF-DNQ
2012 Chelsea: QF-L16-QF-F-SF
2011 Barcelona: SF-W-SF-L16-W
2010 Inter: L16-L16-L16-QF-QF
2009 Barcelona: SF-L16-W-L16-DNQ
2008 Man United: SF-L32-L16-L16-QF
Most recent exit on the left.

The last eight winners reached the knockout stages of the competition at least four times in a row prior to winning the Champions League. If the trend continues we are left with a shortlist comprising:

Barcelona 3/1 Bet365
Bayern Munich 9/2 Paddy Power
Real Madrid 11/2 Paddy Power
Arsenal 25/1 William Hill

The list comprises the usual suspects including the last three winners and the top three in the betting. In that respect we aren’t learning anything the market doesn’t already know. By default that leaves us with Arsenal at 25/1 (William Hill).


The Gunners have been frustrating to follow in Europe, exiting at the last-16 stage in the last five seasons but perhaps they will have learnt their lesson.

For the first time in a while, Arsene Wenger has gone through a summer transfer window without losing any key personnel and this is arguably his strongest squad in many years. 

Back-to-back wins in the FA Cup suggest his team are getting into the winning habit and although Bayern Munich might win the group, Arsenal should finish a comfortable second with Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiakos providing moderate opposition.

At 25/1 (William Hill), our bet should be live into the New Year at the very least.

1pt Arsenal to win 25/1 with William Hill
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Odds correct at time of publishing: 08:30 15th Sep, 2015 but subject to change

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