Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has backed his former club to win the Champions Leagueand La Liga again this season — but says Liverpool will bring the Premier League title home in Arne Slot's first campaign at the helm.
Predicting the rest of the season for TNT Sports, Bale was speaking before Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid. After that result, Liverpool moved into the favorite spot with the bookies' for European glory.
Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo scored the goals in the second half with the Reds the only team with a 100 per cent Champions League record. Real Madrid is in 24th spot and fighting for a place in the knockout phase, so Bale's prediction for Los Blancos to go all the way might raise a few eyebrows — though Carlo Ancelotti said something similar after the midweek defeat.
"We will qualify to the next round and we will compete as every year. You will see," Ancelotti boldly stated. His side had already been defeated by AC Milan and Lille this season in the Champions League and currently sits right on the borderline for qualification for progression into the next round with three matches remaining.
Bale also predicted that Harry Kane will be the Champions League's top scorer, Erling Haaland will win the Premier League Golden Boot, Robert Lewandowski will pick up the La Liga top scorer award, and Kylian Mbappe will collect the next Ballon d'Or.
Liverpool.com says: For any team to win both the league and the Champions League in the same season, it is incredibly hard. Liverpool, though, is in a great position in both competitions. That doesn't mean that the Reds will win both, but the players should be eyeing up going far in Europe as well as winning the domestic title.