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Opta Supercomputer has predicted Liverpool and Arsenal to have the best chance of winning the UEFA Champions League, while Real Madrid sit at seventh. Paris Saint-Germain have a 12.1% chance of retaining their title this season, making it the third favorite in the prediction.
Opta have released their Supercomputer predictions for the UEFA Champions League, with the group stage set to kick off in six days. Just three sides have been given a double-digit chance of winning the competition, while 23 sides have less than 1% chance of lifting the trophy at the end of the season.
Liverpool are the red-hot favorite to win the competition this season, and have been given a 20.4% chance. The Reds finished on top of the league phase table last season, but went out in the Round of 16 to eventual champions PSG.
The French side have a 12.1% chance of winning the UEFA Champions League for the second time in their history, while Manchester City and Barcelona have 8.4%. Chelsea, who won the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup last season, have a 7% chance, with Real Madrid next with 5.8%.
Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and Newcastle United finish the top 10, with all three sides given less than 5% chance to win the tournament. Benfica, Napoli and Tottenham are the final three sides to have more than 1% chance of going all the way in the Champions League.
Real Madrid star on Champions League chances with Liverpool and Arsenal favorites
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe was asked to name his favorites for the UEFA Champions League this season, and the Frenchman snubbed Opta's favorites, Liverpool and Arsenal. He believes his sides, Los Blancos, will be the favorites, but is aware of the competition ahead of them this season. He told BILD (via World Soccer Talk):
“I always say Real Madrid. But there are a lot of good teams in Europe, really a lot. We saw last year was fantastic with the new Champions League format. This year it will be even better. It’ll be interesting to see who comes out on top in the end.”
Talking about the new manager at Santiago Bernabeu, he added:
“I had a great impression of him. You see a guy who wants to succeed. He knows the club perfectly because he played for Real Madrid himself. Our start was good with three wins, that’s really positive, but we have to improve, keep working, keep pushing ourselves, because we know how hard it is to win trophies. We’re on the right path and just beginning a long journey, but the goal is always the same: to win trophies.”
Liverpool and Real Madrid begin their UEFA Champions League campaign at home against Atletico Madrid and Marseille. Arsenal and Chelsea are away at Athletic Bilbao and Bayern Munich, while Barcelona travel to face Newcastle United in their first game.
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