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Movement Towards Real Madrid Before Champions League Final

Nick Bondi

Last Updated: May 26, 2022 5:20 AM EDT • 1 min 16 sec read.

Marcelo Vieira Da Silva of Real Madrid during the Spanish championship La Liga football match between Real Madrid and Real Betis Balompie on May 20, 2022 at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain - Photo Irina R Hipolito / Spain DPPI / DPPI (Photo by IRH / Spain DPPI / DPPI via AFP)

The 2022 UEFA Champions League will be played on May 28, and since the opening lines were released after the conclusion of the semi-finals there has been some movement.

The odds have shifted towards the La Liga champions, with Real Madrid considered less of an underdog against Liverpool than they were back on May 4.

Here are the current odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, and BetMGM. Note that these odds are for regular time.

https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/x65YW/1/

Liverpool were as low as -115 at both DraftKings and FanDuel at the time of opening. The Reds have since been moved up to +110 at both sportsbooks, an implied probability shift of 53.5% to 47.6%.

The odds for Real Madrid have shrunk significantly, from as high as +310 to win in 90 minutes at FanDuel to a new market low of +240 at the same sportsbook. That's a shift from 24.4% to 29.4% in implied probability.

https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/1529522938268946432

The reason for the line move isn't hard to figure out. Since the market opened, there has been a rash of injury concerns for Liverpool. Forward Mohamad Salah and defender Virgil Van Dijk both suffered injuries in the FA Cup Final on May 14. Neither started in their team's final Premier League against Wolverhampton, although Salah was subbed on in the 58th minute and scored in the 84th. Both are still expected to start in the final.

However, midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho will likely not start for the Reds, leaving a hole in the middle of the pitch that needs to be filled.

In contrast, Real Madrid have no injury concerns and have been able to rest and rotate players since the semi-final against Manchester City. They clinched the La Liga title way back on April 30.

Liverpool opened at +900 to win the Champions League before the beginning of the competition, while Real Madrid were +2000.

Make sure to keep an eye on our Live Odds page throughout the week to get the best lines possible and connect with others in the SBR community on our popular sports betting forum.

Written By:
Nick Bondi
Publishing Editor for Sportsbook Review. Long-suffering Canucks fan. Formerly of SB Nation and the Locked On Network. In my spare time, you can find me betting on any sport with a ball or a puck.