Owen names Champions League favourite among four teams who have a ‘real chance’
Michael Owen has named his favourite to win the Champions League this season but claims four sides have a “real chance” of claiming the gong.
The last-16 looks set to get underway on Tuesday with Premier League pair Arsenal and Aston Villa in action against PSV and Club Brugge respectively.
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid also face-off in a mouthwatering derby, while Borussia Dortmund take on Lille.
Arne Slot takes his Liverpool side to PSG on Wednesday while Barcelona take on Benfica, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen do battle in an all-German tie, and Feyenoord host Inter Milan.
Owen has tipped Liverpool – who won seven games on the bounce in the group phase before losing the dead rubber against PSV – to go all the way.
“My Champions League favourites are Liverpool, above Real Madrid,” Owen told BoyleSports. “You can also look at Barcelona and Bayern Munich as having a real chance.
“There’s a handful of teams who can win it, but I’d definitely say Liverpool and Real Madrid are the two teams at the moment.
READ MORE: Ranking Champions League favourites after last-16 draw: Aston Villa above Arsenal
“There is huge pressure on Kylian Mbappe, but that’s Real Madrid. Managers have won the league and been sacked for not winning the Champions League.
“The pressure there is to beat Barcelona and now Atletico Madrid as well, they have the best players and the best manager, you have to win everything or it feels like a failure.
“Mbappe knew the scenario before he signed, that’s the life of a top player. If he didn’t want the pressure he should’ve signed for someone else. The higher up the food chain the more pressure there is.
“He will have to fire them to the top of the league and the Champions League, but he’s not failed in doing so yet. They have a habit of coming on strong and they’ll go on a great run when everyone is it.
“They will be the last team you want to draw in the knockout stages, people have spoken about Real Madrid like they are having a disastrous season, but you’d be very brave to dismiss them now.”
MORE LIVERPOOL COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Liverpool star ‘expected’ to leave with £60m flop ‘to be offered’ to Newcastle amid ‘wild swap’ claim
👉 Lineker makes Klopp comparison as he fingers Ferguson for start of Man Utd decline
👉 Lijnders reveals argument with Liverpool legend Klopp that left him ‘really upset’
Speaking after Manchester City’s Champions League exit, Pep Guardiola described holders Real Madrid as “favourites”.
“Of course Madrid are a contender, definitely,” Guardiola said. “But there are other good teams around. It will be an interesting Champions League season.
“Madrid are always favourites for this trophy. There are other teams who are having a very good season but Madrid are always favourites.
“But there are other teams that are playing very well. Liverpool are having a really good season up until now, Barcelona are amazing, Paris Saint-Germain, with my friend Luis [Enrique] in charge, are on the march.
“But obviously, Madrid are favourites.”
