Juventus are favourites for Champions League, but Barcelona and Real Madrid not in top five

Aditya Devavrat 10:38 14/12/2018
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  • Juventus look like the favourites at the moment.

    The field of 16 teams for the Champions League knockout stages is set after this week’s fixtures, with some teams acquitting themselves better than others during the group stage.

    Real Madrid may have won this competition three years running, but on current form it looks like there will be a new champion at the end of the season. But who?

    Here’s our top-five favourites to win the 2018/19 Champions League.

    1. Juventus

    In a group with Manchester United and Valencia, there was the potential for slip-ups – and indeed, Juventus lost to United at home despite leading in the 85th minute, and then suffered a shock reverse to Young Boys in the final game of the group stage, nearly costing themselves top spot in the process. But they took that top spot, nonetheless.

    For a team that has been knocking on the door of European success for the last few years, there were encouraging signs that the team is ready to take that final step. One, of course, is the mere presence of Cristiano Ronaldo. But there was also an imperiousness on show when they beat Valencia 2-0 away from home with 10 men, and when they brushed aside United in the away game. Right now, they look like the best team in the competition.

    2. Liverpool

    Last season’s beaten finalists were in danger of crashing out heading into their final group game. But nothing symbolises why this year’s Liverpool are considered an even better bet to win the trophy than that final clash against Napoli. They battled to a 1-0 victory to seal their round-of-16 spot – they would have been hard-pressed to manage that sort of result last season.

    Though finishing second in the group makes their route a little harder, this Liverpool side would probably fancy themselves against the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Bayern Munich. Jurgen Klopp’s long wait for a trophy as Reds manager could finally be coming to an end.

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    3. Paris Saint-Germain

    PSG had to answer a lot of doubts during the group stage. They lost their opener away to Liverpool, and four games in the only team they’d beaten was Red Star Belgrade – a state of affairs that left them with just five points.

    But they won their last two to top the group, and now they can look at finally getting the Champions League trophy that the club so desperately desires. Thomas Tuchel has drilled a new level of discipline and nous into the side, and in Neymar and Kylian Mbappe they have players who can turn a game in an instant. Could this finally be their year?

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    4. Manchester City

    Manchester City had their slip-ups – losing to Lyon at home, falling behind to Hoffenheim twice – and Lyon in particular showed up City’s defence. With top spot secured on the final day, however, they can look ahead to conquering the competition that, like with PSG, has become their biggest dream.

    Their form overall, both in the Champions League and domestically, sets them out as one of Europe’s best sides, though the same thing was said last season as well. Ultimately, until they win this competition, their credentials will be questioned. But they’ve got an excellent chance of silencing the doubts.

    Manchester City

    5. Borussia Dortmund

    Borussia Dortmund have only lost once all season across competitions – a record matched by just one club in Europe’s top five leagues, PSG. This team looks like the 2010-13 vintage which won the Bundesliga twice in a row and then reached the Champions League final.

    Their dismantling of Atletico Madrid at home, in a stunning 4-0 win, should be enough to convince anyone that Dortmund are for real. They also finished the group stage with the best defensive record of all teams, conceding only twice. And they have a host of talented players who are all in top form. Dortmund are poised for a deep run.

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