Is there a better time of year for a sports fan and bettor than the end of summer? Between the second part of August and early September, all of the domestic football leagues are starting one after the other. After the usually turbulent summer full of transfers and occasional national team duty, clubs are ready to battle it out for the next ten months. Trophies await and it all starts with the first gameday. As always, it is the Premier League that starts first followed closely by La Liga and the rest of the big national competitions. It is approaching fast and the fans could not be more ready after the EUROs and the Olympics.
While the fans of the greatest sport on the planet have been gearing up, buying new home and away kits, and debating whether or not their team is now better or worse, the bettors have been hard at work too. Figuring out what to play and what strategy to employ for the next few months takes a lot of time. Football is the best sport to bet on for a reason. There is just so much to cover and take into account. The excitement is high and everyone is anticipating the kickoff. In this article, we take a look at Sergio Aguero's exclusive interview with Stake and discuss his thoughts about the Premier League, La Liga, and domestic football predictions.
What is Sergio Aguero Up To Now?
Following his illustrious football career, Sergio Leonel Aguero del Castillo, better known as Kun Aguero, is still heavily involved with the game. After retiring in 2021 due to his health and injuries, he celebrated the 2022 World Cup win with his Argentine brethren and remained active since. His ventures outside of the pitch involve Twitch streaming, he has a deal with Disney+, and he is the Global Football Ambassador of Stake. He is even involved in charity matches with other celebrities and football legends, past and present, and cannot seem to fully step away from the beautiful game. Who can blame him?
In their exclusive interview, he talked extensively about the upcoming season. He gave his honest predictions regarding the winners and surprises, commented on the state of his former clubs as well, and talked about the biggest changes and signings of the transfer period. This interview is a gold mine due to Aguero's predictions for the 2024 football season. Every football fan, especially a frequent betting enthusiast, should check it out. If Aguero says it, it is bound to hold some weight as it can help you make informed decisions with your picks. He has first-hand information after all!
One of the Best Forwards in History
How can we talk about Sergio Aguero and not take a look back at his astonishing career? The striker is, after all, widely considered and recognized as one of the best strikers and overall players in the Premier League, the most difficult and competitive national league in the world. His international career with Argentina also deserves praise as he brought them happiness and trophies time and time again, like the 2008 Olympic gold and the 2021 Copa America.
His absolute best came with the England giant Manchester City, who have since enjoyed a lot of success, a lot of which was planted and began with Aguero in the starting 11. In 275 Premier League games between 2011 and 2021, he scored 184 goals. He is the all-time top goalscorer of the team and still holds the record for most hat-tricks in the league with 12. He won the Premier League 5 times, has 1 FA Cup, 6 EFL Cups, and 3 Community Shields.
His La Liga stint was shorter but still fruitful. Before Man City, he played for Atletico Madrid from 2006 to 2011. In 175 appearances in the Spanish league, he scored 74 goals. The league title escaped him but he did 2in the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup in 2010. His second tenure in Spain was brief. In 2021, before retiring, he played only 4 games for FC Barcelona and scored 1 goal.
The 2024 Betting Predictions
In the remained of the article, we are going to take an objective look at the upcoming season and evaluate the chances of some of the best teams. Who will win the league? Who will score the most goals? Who takes the individual honours? And of course, we talk European titles, mainly the UCL and EL. There is a lot to unpack with the football betting odds for next season so let us get on with it.
Premier League
English football has been in a sort of limbo when it comes to the domestic league with Manchester City dominating in the past decade. The defending champions look to add another one to their impressive collection and extend the streak. The 2025 title would be their 5th in a row and 11th overall. They are the safest bet thanks to their top form and a plethora of stars in their ranks. Although it may be cruel to say it, it seems the rest of the clubs will be battling for the 2nd spot, or at least one of the European spots. Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United and Chelsea all have a chance, but teams like Aston Villa and Tottenham are always there to make things interesting.
And what about individual honours? Again, much of the same. The Golden Boot will remain in the hands (feet?) of Erling Haaland. The player of the year will depend greatly on who wins the title, but again, it will probably be one of the City players like Kevin De Bruyne or Phil Foden. Here is a sure bet, according to many: Cole Palmer of Chelsea takes the Young Player of the Year award.
La Liga
What about the top-tier Spanish competition? Well, Real Madrid looks to be running away with most of the hardware this season, both team-wise and individually. The arrival of Killian Mbappe to the La Liga and UCL holders will only strengthen them and give them additional motivation and confidence to repeat. Speaking of the French striker, he is the new runner for the top scorer, the famous Pichichi Trophy. He already scored his first goal for his new club in a 2-0 win over Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup. The first trophy of the season is already safe and sound in Madrid.
If Real cannot repeat, the next best team has to be Barcelona and its youngsters. Several players won the EURO during the summer and are hungry for more, none other than Lamine Yamal who has great odds to be player of the year. Nico Williams of Athletic Bilbao should be the frontrunner for the Young Player of the Year award. The most surprising team last season, Real Sociedad, is sure to stir up some new drama this season too as they look to improve on their great finish and remain in Europe. The Galacticos have underperformed before so the title race will be up in the air until the very end!
Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1
Will the story remain largely the same in the rest of the Big Five? Bayer Leverkusen will look to repeat after their historic 2024 campaign in which they won the Bundesliga and DF Pokal without a single loss. They were so close to winning a treble but failed to Italy’s Atalanta in the EL final. Of course, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are always in contention for the league and cup titles. The 2024/2025 season looks to be one of the best and most exciting German domestic competitions in recent memory.
It was three seasons with three different champions in Italy since 2022 in what has been a sort of revival of Italian football. Their teams’ great performances on the European stage confirm this and we should be looking at more of the same in 2025. Inter, Milan, Juventus, and Atalanta should be battling it out for the 1 through 4 spots, with Roma, Lazio, and Napoli close behind. It is never certain who takes what in Italy, which makes this one of the best betting leagues.
Last but not least, we go to France where the national hero, Kylian Mbappe, has finally left his beloved PSG for glory and fame in Spain. He is now a Galactico of Madrid and Ligue 1 continues without him. This one transfer can and will bring a lot of change in the domestic competition of France as Monaco, Marseille, and Lyon will look to dethrone the most successful French team. It would not be a stretch to recommend any of them to take the title over PSG in 2025.
What About the Actual Odds?
The outcome that the fans want, what the experts expect, and what happens rarely collide. This is exactly what makes football betting so fun and engaging. None of the sensible and logical choices have to happen and it does seem that the sportsbooks usually know best. So do they confirm what was said above or do the bookies see someone else taking the titles and individual honors in the new season?
According to Stake.com and their picks, Manchester City leads with 2.35 followed by Arsenal FC at 2.70. For Spain, Real Madrid is the clear favorite at 1.38 with FC Barcelona following them at 4.25 and Atletico Madrid at 10.00. There is a surprise in Germany, and potentially a chance to score big, as Bayern Munich is the favourite at 2.45 and the defending champion Bayer Leverkusen at a high 5.00. Borussia Dortmund is at 9.00 with RB Leipzig at 10.00.
Despite Mbappe leaving, most bookies still put PSG as their favourite and so does Stake at 1.29. Marseille, Monaco, and Lille follow but only at 13.00, 15.00, and 17.00, respectively. Finally, Inter is the clear frontrunner in Italy at 1.62 followed by Juventus at 4.50, Milan at 8.00, and Napoli at 8.50.
When it comes to the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid as the defending champions is only second at 4.25. The favourite of most bookies is still Manchester City with 3.40. From third to fifth they have Arsenal, Liverpool, and Bayern at 10.00, 12.00, and 13.00, respectively. Across the pond, Copa Libertadores odds are a tad bit more interesting. Flamengo sits at 4.50, River Plate is at 5.00, and both Mineiro and Botafogo are at 7.00. Palmeiras is fifth with 7.50 following suit.
Final Thoughts
All in all, the 2024/2025 football season is bound to be one of the most impactful and memorable in recent history. Most fans and bettors will agree that a combination of surprises and obvious outcomes await us, but do not be that certain. It was often the case that the most logical finishes to the season turned out to be anything but. The strongest teams may only be so on paper, and that does not score goals or win titles. Who says that Vini, Bellingham, and Mbappe will gel well enough to win a treble? What if Barcelona upsets them and takes one or two major trophies?
Nothing is set in stone which is why even the bookies’ odds are not the safest bets. All that the players are left with is their research combined with thorough research and smart strategies. Only then can you expect to win some money this football season. Remember to leave your passion and subjectivity behind as there is no place for them in betting. Combine different bets on your tickets well, try not to miss big game days when the top teams are playing, and do not give up. It is a long season and a lot is going to happen when you least expect it. Here’s to a fun new football season and some fruitful bets!
