Betway Shift Liverpool’s Champions League Price After Fenerbahce Loss

Liverpool’s odds to lift the Champions League have been lengthened by Betway following their defeat to Fenerbahce. The Reds, who were trading at 12/1 with most UK bookmakers before a ball had been kicked in this season’s competition, have now drifted out to a price of 20/1.

The Merseyside giants had found the Champions League to be a welcome distraction given their tentative start to their Premier League campaign. However, Andoni Iraola’s men slipped to a surprise 3-2 reverse away to Fenerbahce last night, and the pressure has intensified with the league phase of Europe’s elite competition now at the halfway point.

No Turkish delight

On the subject of comebacks, Liverpool and Istanbul have plenty of history. The stunning turnaround in 2005 against AC Milan in the Champions League Final was proof in point as Liverpool overturned a three-goal deficit at half-time to prevail.

However, Liverpool came unstuck against Fenerbahce and made history for all the wrong reasons. It was the third time in the club’s major history that they took the lead twice in a game only to succumb to defeat, with the other occasions being against Roma in May 2018 (4-2) and PSV Eindhoven (3-2) in January 2025.

Alexander Isak’s goal, which helped Liverpool regain the lead in the 69th minute, was the latest they had gone ahead in a European game before going on to lose. The setback ended the Reds’ perfect record in the league phase of the competition, and more worryingly, Iraola’s charges have conceded three or more goals in each of their last three Champions League outings.

Liverpool problems laid bare

Conceding goals has been a serious problem for Liverpool, who have been too open at the back. They’ve shipped 10 goals in the Champions League this term, and it’s the first time they’ve let in three or more goals in three successive European fixtures.

Currently, the Reds are eighth in the league stage, which, as things stand, would see them qualify automatically for the Round of 16. Despite seeing their outright winner odds drift, Betway has offered odds of 2/5 for Liverpool to qualify for the next round of the competition as one of the top eight sides. And they are now 9/1 with the same bookie to reach the final.

Liverpool’s defensive fragility has come to the fore, and this was highlighted by ex-Reds defender Stephen Warnock, who said: “The biggest issue is that this keeps happening, with Liverpool looking like they concede at any moment and being so open on the counter-attack. There is a repetitive theme of the goals they are conceding, and it undoes all the good work they do when they go forward.

“When you go ahead, twice, away from home at Fenerbahce in the Champions League, then, if that is Arsenal, they win that game - they see it out against a team like Fenerbahce. Liverpool don’t have the ability to do that at the moment, and that is what is really frustrating.”

A check in on the other English clubs

In terms of English representation in the Champions League, Arsenal are still garnering the most attention. They are currently tucked in as third favourites at 6/1 with Betway behind Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona (both at 7/2). The Gunners have made an impressive start, and Mikel Arteta’s men claimed a 2-1 victory over Slavia Prague to ensure they remain unbeaten in the league phase.

Manchester City, meanwhile, have seen their outright winner odds drift to 12/1 with Betway, and Enzo Maresca has a job on his hands to replicate the achievements of his predecessor, Pep Guardiola, who tasted success in 2023 when his side saw off Inter Milan.

Elsewhere, Manchester United lifted the pressure, at least temporarily, off the shoulders of under-fire Michael Carrick with a remarkable 3-2 win at home to Roma, having found themselves 2-0 down after just 17 minutes. But Betway has made the Red Devils a distant 50/1 to get their hands on the trophy.

Similarly, Aston Villa are available at 50/1. Unai Emery’s side were dismantled 3-0 by Barcelona in midweek, their joint-heaviest defeat in major European competition, but they are currently sixth in the league phase standings. While their outright price doesn’t seem promising, Betway has offered odds of 20/1 for them to reach the Final and a much shorter price of 8/5 to book their place in the Round of 16.