Germany holds value in the Champions League Top Scorer market

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 12 goals for Real Madrid in Europe last year was enough to claim the title of the Champions League’s Top Goalscorer in the 2012/13 campaign.

Much like the rest of Europe’s most prestigious individual awards, it has been dominated by the Portuguese and his personal rival Lionel Messi in recent years and between the two they have won the award for the last six years running.

It comes as no surprise then that the two are clear market leaders, with Messi priced at 5/2 and Ronaldo slightly longer at 7/2. While it is likely that both will be challenging for the honours again, especially with both playing for teams expected to reach the final stages of the tournament, but value seekers could be tempted to look elsewhere.

Borussia Dortmund’s Robert Lewandowski threatened the big two’s stranglehold on the tournament with 10 goals last year and the Pole’s goalscoring nous was no more evident than when he found the net four times in the first-leg semi-final victory over Real Madrid.

Lewandowski, who is priced at 25/1 to be top goalscorer this time, will certainly attract plenty of attention. However, it is up for debate whether he will be as prolific this time. Dortmund reached the final last year, ensuring plenty of playing time for the number nine but with the loss of key players such as Mario Gotze and a difficult group draw, alongside Arsenal and Napoli, it seems unlikely they will progress as far this year.

Of course Dortmund eventually succumbed to Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich and it is potentially the German giants who could provide the man to top the charts. With talismanic manager Pep Guardiola now at the helm, many expect Bayern to put up a solid defence of their title and it seems that Croatian Mario Mandzukic is the Spaniard’s preferred hitman.

And with two goals in four appearances so far this season many could be tempted by the 12/1 on offer.

Mandzukic is not the only threat in Bayern’s attacking arsenal and European Footballer of the Year Franck Ribery cannot be ignored at 50/1 while Arjen Robben, who netted in the winner in the final last year, looks a massive price at 66/1.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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