Who will win the Champions League? Ranking the last 1️⃣6️⃣'s chances | OneFootball

The Champions League is back and this is where things start to get really interesting.

Ahead of the Round of 16, we’ve had a think about which club is most likely to be lifting the trophy in Istanbul in May.

And here – from least likely to most likely – is our ranking.

1️⃣6️⃣ Lyon

The Ligue 1 side are capable of giving anyone a game on their day but after they just scraped through the weakest group of this year’s competition and with Memphis Depay out, we just cannot see them overcoming Juventus.

1️⃣5️⃣ Valencia

Despite winning their group this season, Valencia have been consistently inconsistent domestically and unfortunately, we can see them being taken apart by Atalanta over two legs.

1️⃣4️⃣ Atalanta

If/when Atalanta do make it through that tie, we don’t see them going much further. After failing to pick up a single point from their first three group games, it’s remarkable Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have even made it this far. It’s been an adventure but it will soon be over.

1️⃣3️⃣ RB Leipzig

The Bundesliga title-chasers have looked rather leggy in recent weeks and though they will be far from a pushover, we don’t see them getting past Tottenham in the last 16.

1️⃣2️⃣ Atlético Madrid

They may be having a poor season in LaLiga but Diego Simeone’s side have been one of the strongest clubs in the Champions League in recent years and you wouldn’t bet against them knocking anyone out of the competition. Anyone except Liverpool, that is, who look unstoppable and should navigate this tie with minimal fuss.

1️⃣1️⃣ Napoli

Getting out of a group containing Liverpool and FC Salzburg was no mean feat for the Partenopei but their Serie A form has been all over the place this season and it’s very difficult to see them getting past Barcelona.

🔟 Chelsea

Given their transfer ban last summer, Frank Lampard’s side did well to get through their group but their failure to strengthen in the January window means it’s hard to imagine their young team getting past a Bayern Munich side with much more experience at this level, never mind going on to win the thing.

9️⃣ Tottenham

If there’s one thing José Mourinho should bring to this hot and cold Spurs side, it’s the ability to navigate a two-legged Champions League tie. For that reason, they will get past RB Leipzig but we would be surprised if last year’s finalists made it further than this year’s quarter-finals.

8️⃣ Borussia Dortmund

Can Lucien Favre’s beautifully flawed side really keep the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappé at bay over two legs? And if they can, could they then go on to win the Champions League this season? We would suggest the answer to both questions is no.

7️⃣ Manchester City

The prospect of being banned from the competition for the next two seasons should provide City with extra motivation but we’re not convinced they even have the defensive resilience to make it past Real Madrid. It promises to be the most interesting tie of the round.

6️⃣ Bayern Munich

After a troubled start to the season domestically, Bayern have come into some form at just the right time. They won all six of their group stage games and will get past Chelsea in the last 16. But do we see them winning the Champions League this season? No, we do not.

5️⃣ Juventus

Juve should sidestep Lyon with relative ease and then nobody will be delighted to draw them in the quarter-finals. But can you really see a side coached by Maurizio Sarri winning the Champions League this season? Because we can’t. Sorry Cristiano.

4️⃣ Barcelona

Quique Setién’s plans are beginning to take shape at Barça and they will have enough to get past Napoli in the last 16. But they look a long way from being the best team in Europe and you wonder whether they’re still scarred by the manner of their last two Champions League exits. They will be thereabouts but not quite there.

3️⃣ Paris Saint-Germain

That 4-4 draw with Amiens at the weekend was far from the ideal preparation for Tuesday’s first leg with Dortmund. But then, Thomas Tuchel did rest Neymar and Kylian Mbappé for that game, and we still have a feeling this could be the year they reach at least the semi-final of the Champions League.

2️⃣ Real Madrid

If you had told us after two matches of this season’s group stage that we’d be tipping Real Madrid as the second favourites to win the Champions League, we wouldn’t have believed you. But Zinedine Zidane’s side have come on leaps and bounds in the last few months and there is only one team stronger than them in the whole of Europe at the moment. If Los Blancos get past Manchester City they will be difficult to stop.

1️⃣ Liverpool

But as good as Madrid are, they’re still at least a level or two below Liverpool at the moment. The Reds are 25 points ahead at the top of the Premier League meaning they can channel all of their energy into retaining the Champions League, and we’re backing them to do it. They should have little trouble getting past Atlético in the last 16 and we wouldn’t fancy anyone else in Europe to beat them over two legs.