The UEFA Champions League quarterfinal lineup is nearing completion, with Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Real Madrid securing their spots. The remaining contenders will finalize the field next week. Now, the question arises: who stands as the favorite to claim victory in the competition?
In his Q&A mailbag, The Athletic’s David Ornstein noted that he isn’t going with a Premier League team to win the competition. Manchester City is already through, while Arsenal are down 1-0 heading into their second-leg match against FC Porto.
So, who is Ornstein going with? He believes PSG and Kylian Mbappé will have a last-dance type of moment where the Frenchman leaves the trophy that the club has desired the most before leaving this summer.
“Purely to say something different to everyone else… Paris Saint-Germain,” Ornstein wrote. “They are the youngest team left in the tournament and Kylian Mbappé will sign off with the one trophy that has eluded them and that they want the most.”
Mbappé propelled the Parisians into the next round, registering a brace in the 2-1 second-leg win over Real Sociedad. The Ligue 1 team would secure a 4-1 aggregate victory, with the 25-year-old emerging as the star over the two legs.
I don’t think they have a shot at the champions league. Real madrid, Arsenal and Manchester city are the best placed team.