Champions League Group H Preview, Prediction & Odds

In this post, you can find our Champions League Group H preview along with a Group H prediction and all the latest betting odds.

Champions League Group H Teams

Barcelona

Porto

Shakhtar Donetsk

Antwerp

Champions League Group H Odds

Champions League Group H Preview

Barcelona

Barcelona is an odd case of a football club, no longer the force they once were with the departures of almost all their “Golden Era” side. Despite the financial issues at the club, they’re still a strong side, last season winning La Liga and the Supercopa de España.

Barcelona’s transfer business in the last decade will be used as a case study in years to come on how not to run a football club (an article for another day). However, I largely like their business in this summer transfer window.

They brought in both Ilkay Gundogan and Iñigo Martínez on free transfers. Defensive midfielder Oriol Romeu returns for peanuts while Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo join the squad on loan. Barca also brought in €78.9m in transfer fees. €50m of that came from Dembele’s move to PSG which will not harm their finances.

Barcelona is 14/1 to win the tournament, 2/7 to win Group H, and 1/20 to qualify out of the group.

Porto

The 22/23 Porto season was quite exceptional. Despite finishing second in the league (missing out by two points) and being eliminated at the Round of 16 stage in the Champions League, they managed to win a domestic cup treble. This Portuguese side could outperform expectations in this season’s Champions League.

Porto is a side that always does the recruitment side of things well and this summer has been no different. Four young players have been brought into the squad for a total of €33m along with two loan signings from Ajax. It’ll be interesting to see what potential stars emerge from the pack but Nico Gonzalez from Barcelona could be a name to watch out for.

Porto are 80/1 to win the tournament, 11/4 to win Group H, and 3/10 to qualify out of the group stage.

Shakhtar Donetsk

The 22/23 Ukrainian Champions, partook in the Champions League Group Stages last season coming third place in a group that included Real Madrid, RB Leipzig, and Celtic.

They would then be knocked out by Feyenoord in the Europa League Round of 16. After a 1-1 first-leg draw they were hammered 7-1 in the second leg.

The Ukranian side’s major departures in the summer were Trubin to Benfica, Teté to Galatasaray, and Solomon to Tottenham. Their recruitment in the summer has been split interestingly. Donetsk made several loan signings, bringing in seven players 21 or under including four teenagers and three players who are 28, 31, and 36 respectively.

Shakhtar Donetsk is 250/1 to win the tournament, 18/1 to win Group H, and 3/1 to qualify out of the group stage.

Antwerp

Royal Antwerp had success in Belgium last season as they won the domestic double. Europe was a different story, however. The Belgian side were eliminated in Europe last year at the playoff round stage of the Europa Conference League where they lost to Istanbul 2-4 on aggregate.

Antwerp has brought in ten first-team players this season with a large number of loans (7) from the likes of Ajax, Dortmund, and CSKA Moscow. Their big departure from last season would be Gastón Ávila who signed for Ajax for a fee of €12.5m.

Given the talent in this squad compared to their Group H rivals they could find it tough going in this group.

Antwerp is bottom of the Champions League betting odds at a price of 1000/1 to win the tournament, 20/1 to win Group H, and 9/2 to qualify out of Group H.

Game of the Group

Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Porto – September 19th.

Player to Watch – Nico Gonzalez

21-year-old Nico Gonzalez, following his move from Barcelona to Porto, won’t have to wait long before returning to the Nou Camp following this group stage draw. The former Spain U21 International will have a point to prove in this one.

Champions League Group H Prediction

1st – Barcelona

2nd – Porto

3rd – Shakhtar Donetsk

4th – Antwerp

Barcelona should win this group easily.

The second spot will likely be fought for between Porto and Shakhtar and I like the look of the former.

Antwerp could be the whipping team in this group.

Click Below For All Our Champions League Group H Odds

2023/24 Champions League Format

This is the final season of the Champions League as we know it, with a new format coming for the 24/25 season, which we have previewed here.

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