After one of the most unlikely winners in the tournament's history, footballing eyes look to the future and the odds on the 2013 Champions League. Can Chelsea do what Barcelona could not and win a back to back title?

Despite the odds, despite the form and despite all of Bayern Munich's shots Chelsea pulled off another “mission improbable” and won the 2012 Champions League on Saturday. 

I will always admit when I am wrong with my picks and in this situation I may have been right about Bayern Munich's dominance in the final (they had most of the possession and way more shots than Chelsea), but I was very wrong about the eventual result. After that trophy success it’s no surprise that Chelsea’s interim boss, Roberto Di Matteo is now odds-on, at 1/2 to be named the next permanent manager of Chelsea.

It seems that the gods of football have been bought off by Roman Abramovich

The most significant factor in Chelsea winning the Champions League is not so much the fact that they finally get their paws on the trophy that has eluded them for so long, but it means they get into the 2013 Champions League competition despite finishing sixth in the English Premier League, two places and five points behind fourth placed Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs HAD taken the final champions league spot based on league position (but now must make do with the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League instead).

It was not enough that Chelsea succeed, Spurs had to fail!

It may sound like sour grapes but there is a definite injustice in the fact that Tottenham had qualified for champions league football based on 38 games (W20, D9 and L9) while Chelsea qualify via 13 games (W7, D4 & L2). 

Spurs made £25.34m from reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2010 and will receive (at best) a fraction of that even if they go on to win next season's Europa League. The sportsbooks have Spurs at 8/1 to win the Europa consolation cup. 

On top of that there is the possible loss of key players. Gareth Bale earlier suggested that he could leave if Spurs fail to qualify for the top competition and Luka Modric (who tried to leave White Hart Lane last summer) is likely to be lured away to a club will allow him Champions League football. If it’s any consolation Spurs were around the 40/1 mark to lift the trophy before they were dumped out

But enough about Spurs!

Chelsea’s open top bus has barely been put back in the garage, and already the countdown to The 2012–13 UEFA Champions League final (to be played at Wembley Stadium in London, England on the 25th May 2013) has already begun and so have the odds on the next champions of Europe. 

Lionel MessiThe side that most bookies backed to lift the 2012 trophy, Barcelona, are the 2/1 favourites to win the Champions League in their first post-Guardiola season and their local rivals, Real Madrid are close behind at 7/2 with the sportsbooks. Interestingly, (and for the first time in history) it's the City side of Manchester who are favoured (at 5/1) over (three times winners) Manchester United (who are offered up at 7/1) to win the Champions League next season. As for the other side who qualified through the Premier League Arsenal are at (a hardly likely) 25/1 to lift the trophy come next May.

Runner’s up Bayern Munich are 16/1 to bounce back and win it next season, but I feel the momentum has passed and the ghost of defeat will haunt them for at least a couple of years.

Champions League?

There are also the long shots to win the 2012-13 Champions league, who seem to have wandered into this tournament from a different competition; such as Benfica (at 100/1), Montpellier (at 250/1); and Celtic and FC Copenhagen (both at 500/1). 

There are also the REALLY long shots of Salzburg and Motherwell who are at 1000/1 and 2000/1, soccer odds not even a mother could love. Don’t fritter your money away on those teams as they are just making up the numbers.

Double-bubble or bust

Chelsea are 10/1 to win back to back Champions Leagues, but surely they’ve used up ALL of their luck on this one. I would suggest very, VERY strongly that you DON’T back Chelsea to win the 2013 Champions League…

But as I predicted that they would lose to Barcelona in the semis (twice) and go out inside 90 minutes against Bayern in the final, you might want to back the Chelsea jinx to continue and invest in greater glory for Chelsea FC.

Prediction: Barcelona will win the 2012-13 Champions League.