Following the recent success of West Ham United and Chelsea, backing Crystal Palace could be worthwhile. Others are in the mix, however.
| Conference League Winner | Odds |
|---|---|
| Crystal Palace | +450 |
| Fiorentina | +500 |
| Strasbourg | +700 |
| Rayo Vallecano | +900 |
| Shakhtar Donetsk | +900 |
All odds are courtesy of BetMGM, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.
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Crystal Palace
The reigning FA Cup champions are back on the European stage for the first time since 1998. Palace should’ve been in the Europa League, but that’s in the past now, and Oliver Glasner will now be focused on the task ahead. Losing Eberechi Eze over the summer was a blow, but they kept the bulk of their squad together - and appear solid.
At the time of writing, they’re on a 16-game unbeaten run in competitive fixtures, and have three clean sheets from the last four games. Glasner has made them very difficult to beat, and that stands them in good stead. They’re the bookies’ favourites at the moment, and have the quality to get the job done.
The Eagles have a definite chance of going all the way, although January could be pivotal given their in-demand players.
Fiorentina
The Italians have come close twice. There have only been four UCL finals, and I Viola have been in two - losing to West Ham in 2023 and Olympiacos in 2024. They’ll be desperate to try and go one step further this time around after Stefano Pioli’s arrival over the summer.
It’s been an indifferent start to the season, though, with Fiorentina still waiting for their first Serie A win. However, they did score six in their two Conference League qualifiers, and should see off SK Sigma Olomouc this month. They sold a few players this summer but spent more than they sold, and there are hopes of progress under the new boss.
I Gigliati could be worth a look, but they’ll need to find their feet again. The off-field issues that led to Raffaele Palladino’s departure could hurt them this season.
Strasbourg
Strasbourg haven’t won a piece of European silverware in 30 years - since clinching the Intertoto Cup back in 1995. Now, under the leadership of Liam Rosenior and as part of the BlueCo group, they’ve got a chance to change that. They’ve made a bright start to their Ligue 1 campaign, and have some very exciting young players in their ranks.
Joaquin Panichelli and Emmanuel Omega already have three goals each to their name, and the two forwards could be key this season. Les Bleu et Blanc have some very winnable games coming up, but their Palace clash in November is a chance to put down a marker. They’ve lost just one in six this season, and can continue to build on that.
With Rosenior at the helm and a talented squad at his disposal, Strasbourg have a real chance of going all the way.
Rayo Vallecano
Vallecano snuck into the European places on the final day of last season, securing their highest finish since 2012/13. It’s a testament to the excellent work of Iñigo Pérez as manager, and they did it without spending a penny on transfer fees, too. This summer, they invested more in the squad, though their start has been mixed.
Alvaro Garcia and Jorge de Frutos have both started well, with six goals between them, and Perez hopes that form will continue. The bookies have the La Liga side amongst the favourites this season, and we’ve seen how unpredictable some of the UCL results can be. The big question, however, is whether their squad can handle the strain of domestic and European football.
Los Franjirrojos could progress quite far in the competition this year, and have players to drive them forward. However, claiming the title outright is probably a step too far.
Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar finished third in the Ukrainian Premier League last season, qualifying for the UEL, but couldn’t make it past Panathinaikos to reach the main tournament. They now hope to turn that negative into a positive by progressing in the UCL under the watchful eye of former Barcelona man, Arda Turan. Hirnyky spent a bit of money over the summer, bringing in a Brazilian trio of teenagers, and will be keen to improve further.
Turan’s side haven’t been beaten in any of their last 21 games and have proven very difficult to break down. Even Greeks who knocked them out of the UEL couldn’t manage it, and needed penalties to claim victory after two 0-0 draws. Shakhtar, boosted by their young Brazilian talents, evokes memories of past glories and could provide some entertaining football.
Given how tough they are to beat, Turan’s men may be in with an outside chance. They’ll unfortunately never have home advantage.