Champions League betting: Can Liverpool win the Champions League? We look at their outright odds

Jurgen Klopp’s men emerged from a titanic scrap with runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City with a 5-1 aggregate success that looked a lot more comfortable on paper than it was in reality during a tough first half at the Etihad.

Sky Bet Champions League odds

• 2/1 Real Madrid
• 2/1 Liverpool
• 9/4 Bayern Munich
• 8/1 Roma

It’s a first Champions League semi-final for Liverpool for a decade, but Reds fans are already conjuring up memories of Istanbul when they last won the trophy back in 2005.

Seeing Barcelona get dumped out by Roma despite a 4-1 first leg lead proved anything is possible in this season’s competition so the Italians are not to be taken lightly, while European heavyweights Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were drawn together in Friday’s semi-final draw.

So, Liverpool will most likely be favourites to win their semi-final but then come up against Bayern or Real Madrid, there are a few reasons why the Reds could be toasting a sixth European triumph in Kiev in May.

Klopp's leadership

It has to be noted that Klopp has not won any silverware in his tenure at Anfield yet, and he’s wasted a couple of opportunities with a League Cup final defeat against City and a particularly stinging Europa League final loss to Sevilla.

That defeat though was one of just two Klopp has suffered in European competition as Liverpool boss – an impressive statistic for managers of even the very best current sides on the continent.

He’s a funny guy and media darling, but now with a squad all-but built as he would like it, he seems to have the confidence to send his men out against any side in the world and manage to engineer a result.

Attacking talent

With at least two more games to go, Liverpool have already scored more goals than any other English side has managed in the Champions League with 33 this season, and that sort of firepower is enough to scare anyone still left in the competition.

Mohamed Salah has been involved in 50 goals already, 39 strikes and 11 assists, and he can carve a goal out of nothing and also link up magnificently with Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane. It’s no exaggeration to say none of the defenders left in the Champions League will want to come up against these three.

Firmino never gives the central defenders a moment’s piece, but his running often disguises his fabulous touch, finishing ability and hold-up play, while Mane is another willing runner and Salah sniffs out goals at will.

Mo Salah betting: PFA Player of the Year - 8/11 Balon d'Or 2018 - 6/1

Defensive improvement

Virgil van Dijk gave Man City the perfect start at the Etihad on Tuesday with a defensive error, but he’s been a huge part of the big improvement in the Anfield rear guard of late. They that limited the league’s top scorers to one goal and just three shots on target in 180 minutes - even if they had a bit of luck along the way.

Loris Karius had some shaky moments at City but has largely been a big improvement since being handed the gloves permanently, while Dejan Lovren has also defied his critics with some solid displays since Joel Matip suffered a season-ending injury.

Perhaps the biggest stars of the lot though are Liverpool’s full-backs – 19-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold and Scottish international Andy Robertson, a bargain £8 million buy from relegated Hull City last summer.

Both largely shackled City’s wide men throughout the tie, both are full of endless running and both can offer a great deal going forward – they’ve been a revelation both at the back and in attack.

Fortress Anfield

Liverpool fans have long been scoffed at for banging on about the famous Anfield atmosphere, especially on European nights, but time and again big teams have crumbled in front of a feverish Kop and struggled to get to grips with the task in hand.

The fact Klopp almost always sends his team out to go for the throat right from the off helps as well, as the manager is aware that his team have a responsibility to give the crowd something to shout about early in the game.

Having the crucial second leg at home would be a huge advantage for Liverpool in the semi-final draw, but having destroyed City in the first leg this time the power of Anfield has proven equally as effective in the first leg. Again not many teams will fancy making this trip.

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