Who will win the UEFA Champions League this season? Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole pick their favorites
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand and Chelsea cult-hero Joe Cole have both named Manchester City as their UEFA Champions League favorites in the ongoing 2022-23 season.
City, who have never lifted the much-coveted European trophy in their club's history, topped Group G with 14 points from six games last year. They scored 14 goals and conceded just two in the process.
Pep Guardiola's side are set to lock horns with Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig in their UEFA Champions League last-16 clash. While they will visit the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday (February 22), Leipzig will travel to the Etihad Stadium for the second leg on Tuesday (March 14).
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Speaking on BT Sport, Cole offered his prediction on the eventual UEFA Champions League winners this campaign. He elaborated:
"Certainly one of these two teams [Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain] could win it. Bayern Munich, they're always there or thereabouts, but I can't look past Manchester City this year. I've been flip-flapping between City and PSG this year. This is indeed a tricky last-16 tie for PSG and if they come through this I might then fancy them, but at the moment today, I'm going to go with City."
Ferdinand also backed City to lift the famed trophy. He added:
"It's just too difficult. I'm gonna go with Manchester City, just because of [Erling] Haaland and Pep [Guardiola]... he's driven to win this. He's been involved with the Premier League for so many years, but the Champions League is where it's at for him. He'll shut many people up if he does get it done with Manchester City."
The Cityzens reached the Champions League final in 2021 but Chelsea triumphed 1-0 over them courtesy of a Kai Havertz winner.
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Supercomputer offers prediction for UEFA Champions League winner this campaign
According to BettingExpert's supercomputer, BETSIE and Bayern Munich have a 22.27% chance of lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy this season with Manchester City most likely to finish runners-up. Napoli and Real Madrid have been tipped as the third and fourth most likely teams to win the continental competition.
As for the other Premier League sides, Liverpool (6.37%) have more of a chance to win the European tournament than Chelsea (5.13%). Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, has the least chance with 3.5%.
Last season, Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 in the UEFA Champions League final in Paris. Vinicius Jr. scored the decisive goal against the six-time winners to help Los Blancos lift the trophy for the 14th time.