Sergio Aguero has revealed his top three picks to win this season’s Champions League.
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The former Manchester City player has chosen ..Continue Reading
Under the new Champions League structure, all 36 teams in the tournament have already played three matches.
The English clubs have had an impressive start, with Aston Villa, Liverpool, and Man City currently holding the top three spots.
Arsenal sits in ninth place but shares the same points as third-placed Manchester City, while reigning champions Real Madrid are in 12th, and Atletico Madrid ranks 27th.
In this updated format, the top 12 teams will directly advance to the knockout rounds, while the following 12 teams will enter a play-off, and the last 12 will be eliminated.
‘This is a new Champions League format, I think this year will be full of surprises,’ legendary striker Aguero told Stake.
‘This format could help smaller teams to thrive and qualify to the next round. This might also complicate things for bigger clubs to qualify.
‘I’ve always felt that the favourite to win the tournament is Manchester City, and then Real Madrid, but I also see a very strong Arsenal team.
‘However, I do hope both Man City and Barca can conquer this edition. Even though I’ve seen City struggle in some Premier matches this season, it is the same club we know, controlling the games from start to finish.
‘But to tell you my prediction, I feel that this year’s Final will have two teams that no one is expecting.’
The other major club cup competition taking place across Europe is the Europa League, featuring the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma and Fenerbahce.
Mourinho named his two favourites to win the competition ahead of Fenerbahce’s game with Man United on Thursday, which finished 1-1.
‘At the end of the day, this new format will always allow that the top teams are going to qualify,’ he said.
‘No problem for a top team to lose three or four matches out of eight because then they will win three or four, they will make 12 points easily and they qualify, so I think they are in a stable situation.
‘If I have to say now which are the two biggest candidates to win the Europa League, I think it’s easy – Man United and Tottenham.
‘The Premier League is a different level of quality, it’s a different level of intensity, it’s a different level of pace, it’s a different level of tactical culture, it’s a different level of everything.
‘I think tomorrow we are going to play against one of the two strongest teams.’
