Lionel Messi says PSG are one of the main contenders to win the Champions League this season but says six other teams – including Manchester United and Chelsea – are also strong ‘candidates’.
RB Leipzig scored a late equaliser against PSG on Wednesday but the French club will still be confident of progressing to the knockout stages ahead of their final two group matches against Man City and Club Bruges.
Man City are now top of Group A on nine points, while Liverpool booked their place in the next round and continued their unbeaten run with a 2-0 victory over Atletico Madrid.
Ajax have been the stand-out club in Group C and La Liga giants Real Madrid are in now in pole position in Group D.
Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, who won the UEFA Champions League in 2020, are already through and Barcelona will look to join them from Group E.
Group F is shaping us nicely with Solskjaer’s Manchester United and Unai Emery’s Villarreal both on seven points and Atalanta still fighting it out in third position.
Chelsea are second in Group H and they moved a step closer to the next stage with a 1-0 victory over Malmo on Tuesday.
Messi is desperate to win the Champions League with PSG but Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man United, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid are also in the mix to win Europe’s biggest club competition.
The former Barcelona forward told beIN SPORTS: ‘I think it is my biggest target and the club’s. ‘They have bee looking to win the Champions League and they have been very close. I think it is their main target.
‘We are one of the main candidates, but not the only one.
‘Everyone is talking about PSG because of the players, but other clubs have been working together for years and have also signed good players, like Man United, Man City, Bayern, Liverpool, Atletico and Chelsea.
‘There are plenty of clubs who can win the Champions League, it is a very difficult competition and the best team doesn’t always win it.
‘You need a lot of things to win it, everything is possible and we are one of the candidates, of course.’
