November 5th 2024.
Former Premier League striker and current England coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has shared his thoughts on the top contenders for this season's Champions League title. In an interview with BoyleSports, Hasselbaink revealed that he considers Manchester City, Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Barcelona as his top four favorites to lift the trophy.
The Champions League is currently in the midst of its new format, with all 36 qualified teams playing three games in the group stage. Surprisingly, it is Aston Villa who sits at the top of the table with a perfect record, including a stunning victory over Bayern Munich. Liverpool and Manchester City also have a strong start, with both teams winning all three of their matches so far.
Under this new format, the top eight teams will automatically advance to the knockout stages, while the remaining 12 will have to go through a play-off. Unfortunately, the bottom 12 teams will be eliminated. Along with Villa, Liverpool, and Man City, the top eight also includes Monaco, Brest, Bayer Leverkusen, Inter Milan, and Sporting Lisbon. On the other hand, European giants such as Arsenal, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Benfica, and Juventus are currently just outside the automatic qualifying positions, while teams like AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, and RB Leipzig are struggling in the elimination spots.
When asked about his top four favorites, Hasselbaink confidently named Manchester City, Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Barcelona. He did not include Bayern Munich in his list, stating that he was not impressed with their style of play. He firmly believes that one of these four teams will come out on top and lift the trophy, with a special mention for Arsenal who he thinks will have a strong showing in the competition.
Despite their recent struggles in the Premier League, Hasselbaink believes that Arsenal will have a deep run in Europe this season. The club has only managed to secure one point in their last three league games, putting them at fifth place in the table, five points behind Man City and seven behind Liverpool. However, the former striker has faith in Mikel Arteta's side and is confident that they will perform well in the Champions League.
As the Champions League continues, all eyes will be on the top teams as they strive for the ultimate prize. This week, Liverpool will host Bayer Leverkusen, while Manchester City will travel to face Sporting Lisbon. On the other hand, Arsenal will have a tough match against Inter Milan, and Real Madrid will face off against AC Milan.
In terms of odds, Manchester City is currently the top favorite to win the Champions League with odds of 100/30, followed by Real Madrid at 4/1. Arsenal, Barcelona, and Liverpool all have odds of 8/1, while Bayern Munich follows closely behind at 10/1. Despite their recent defeats, both Arsenal and Man City are still considered top contenders, while Liverpool continues to impress with their consistent form under Arne Slot. As the competition heats up, it will be interesting to see which team will emerge as the champion of the 2024-25 Champions League.
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