Luis Figo snubs Real Madrid as he names 2 favorites to win Champions League
Real Madrid legend Luis Figo believes his former side aren't the favorites to win this season's UEFA Champions League. Figo instead feels that one of Los Blancos' potential semifinal opponents - Bayern Munich or Manchester City - could go on to lift the title.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Vicente del Bosque Academy in Calvia, Mallorca, the Portuguese said (as quoted by Managing Madrid):
“In the Champions League, you always have to count on Real Madrid, but my favorite is between Manchester City and Bayern Munich.”
Carlo Ancelotti's side are set to take on Chelsea in the Champions League quarterfinals. Should they get past the Blues, they will take on the winner of the clash between Bayern and City in the last four.
Figo also indicated that another of his former club sides, Inter Milan, may not be among the favorites to win the Champions League:
“Inter Milan have it a little more complicated and my level of favoritism for them is a little lower.”
Luis Figo says Real Madrid are not favourites to win the Champions League managingmadrid.com/2023/3/29/2366…
Figo spent the final four years of his career with the Nerazzurri, making 140 appearances across competitions in which he recorded 11 goals and 29 assists. The Portuguese midfielder won four Serie A titles, an Italian Cup and three Italian Super Cups.
Prior to signing for Inter in 2005, he turned out for Real Madrid for five years, having joined from their arch-rivals Barcelona. Figo played 245 times for Los Blancos, scoring 57 times and laying out 92 assists. He won the Champions League once, while also lifting two La Liga titles and a UEFA Super Cup.
Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich have all been brilliant in the Champions League this term
Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester City have all been worthy of the favorites tag so far in this season's UEFA Champions League.
Bayern are the only team to have won all eight of their games in the competition so far. The Bavarians beat Barcelona and Inter Milan in the group stages before defeating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 on aggregate in the Round of 16.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, fell to a defeat against RB Leipzig in Group F. However, they won four of their other five matches to finish first before thrashing Liverpool 6-2 on aggregate in the last 16.
Lastly, City went undefeated in the group stages with four wins, three of which came against Sevilla (twice) and Borussia Dortmund, and two draws. They drew 1-1 with Leipzig in the first leg of their Round of 16 clash, but whalloped the German side 7-0 in the second leg to qualify for the quarterfinals.