Eight teams remain in the Champions League, and all will be vying for glory as the quarter-finals get underway on Tuesday evening. With Premier League sides Arsenal and Aston Villa joined by European giants with Champions League pedigree – including Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid – there is no easy route to success.
According to The Mirror, Opta’s supercomputer has now revealed who is most favoured to lift the trophy at the Allianz Arena later this year. Barcelona have been deemed favourites with a 23.1 per cent chance of winning the competition for the first time since 2015. Hansi Flick’s side have also been handed a 44.3 per cent chance of reaching the final but a significant 78.2 per cent chance of reaching the final four.
Paris Saint-Germain are second favourites to finally break their duck in Europe after dispatching Liverpool, who were previously favourites, to reach the quarter-final stage. The Ligue 1 champions have been handed a 19.3 per cent chance of winning the competition, and appear to have benefitted from facing Aston Villa after being given a 71.3 per cent chance of overcoming the Midlands side.
Arsenal are next in line and are touted by the data as being third favourites to win the competition. Mikel Arteta’s men side have been given a 15.6 per cent chance of realising their dreams. Their task against Real Madrid should not be underestimated however. The clash between Arsenal and Real Madrid could barely be deemed tighter with the Gunners earning a slight advantage with a 50.2 per cent chance of beating their opponents.
Inter Milan have a 13.8 per cent chance of winning the tournament for the first time in 15 years, while Real Madrid have a 12.2 per cent chance of retaining their title. Bayern Munich have a 10.8 per cent chance of winning, while Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund are given a 3.7 per cent and 1.5 per cent chance respectively.
The supercomputer’s predictions also suggest that Barcelona have a strong chance of reaching the final, while PSG are favourites to overcome Aston Villa. Arsenal’s chances of winning the competition are also dependent on their ability to overcome Real Madrid, who have a strong record in the competition.
Overall, the quarter-finals promise to be an exciting stage of the competition, with several top teams vying for a place in the final. The supercomputer’s predictions provide an interesting insight into the chances of each team, but ultimately, the outcome will depend on the teams’ performances on the pitch.