Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has revealed that Premier League leaders Liverpool are favorites to win the UEFA Champions League this season.
The Reds defeated French side Lille 2-1 on Tuesday night to secure automatic qualification for the knockout stages of the competition, as they maintained their 100% record atop the standings.
“Judging by their performances so far, Real Madrid are not my top favourite. That would be Liverpool, who who are currently dominating the Champions League.”
I was positively surprised by how Arne Slot managed the transition after the Jurgen Klopp era came to an end”, Ballack said.
Ballack, who achieved a second-placed finish in 2008 with Chelsea, losing on penalties to rivals Manchester United, believes the Reds have been superb this season and are are on course to win the tournament.
Arne Slot’s side also top the English Premier League, six points ahead of second-placed Arsenal, and are also in contention in the Carabao Cup, with a chance to secure qualification for the final after narrowly losing the first leg of the semifinal to Tottenham Hotspur.
“It is always twice as difficult when you follow greats like Klopp or somebody like Jose Mourinho at my former club Chelsea, who achieved something unique.
I see Atalanta as the secret favourite. They have a clear plan offensively and defensively and dominated Bayer Leverkusen in last year’s Europa League final”, he added.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
