Former Arsenal FC Arsène Wenger gave his thoughts on who he views as the UEFA Champions League favorites. The 70-year-old went on to say that Manchester City, Juventus FC, and Paris Saint-Germain are his favorites to win the European competition this month.
Wegner isn’t alone with this opinion; former capital club and current Everton FC manager, Carlo Ancelotti, views PSG as one of the favorites. The 61-year-old manager spoke with Corriere dello Sport to discuss what it takes to win the Champions League and why he thinks Les Parisiens’ obsession with winning the tournament isn’t bad.
The interview began with Ancelotti’s short statement on what he thinks it takes to win the competition, even relying on some methods out of their control. Everton’s manager has won Europe’s most prestigious trophy three times, twice with AC Milan and once with Real Madrid.
“Unconsciousness, luck, and courage,” Ancelotti said. “In 2003, we passed the quarterfinals by beating Ajax at the last second, and there were the two peers with Inter, 0-0, and 1-1. As Joseph Conrad said, “It is the mark of an inexperienced man not to believe in luck,” is the brand of the inexperienced not to believe in luck.”
The three clubs that Ancelotti sees as the favorites are three clubs obsessed with winning the Champions League. Their seasons ride on how well they perform in the tournament. Although some could view this as an extreme way to measure a season, Ancelotti isn’t entirely on board with that opinion.
“An obsession, but also a very strong motivation. The two travel together. The Champions League is seen by the club as a very not only emotional investment,” Ancelotti said. “I think that when we reach a final we have already done our best, the rest is in the hands of God.”
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