Carlo Ancelotti has backed Paris Saint-Germain to win the Champions League this season.
PSG ran out 4-0 winners on aggregate to eliminate Liverpool at Anfield this week and they’ll meet Bayern Munich within the Champions League semi-final after the Bundesliga side edged an exhilarating 4-3 win over Real Madrid on the Allianz Arena earlier this week.
On the opposite side of the Champions League bracket, Arsenal played out a goalless draw with Sporting CP to secure their place within the semi-final and they’ll play Atletico Madrid, who beat Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate.
PSG won the Champions League last season and after a slow start this term, Luis Enrique’s side look like hitting top form with impressive wins over Chelsea and Liverpool within the knockout stage.
In an interview with Il Giornale, Ancelotti named PSG as his pick to win the Champions League and added that ‘too many mistakes’ led to the quantity of goals in Bayern Munich’s win over Real Madrid.
‘I’ve seen high-goal matches, Atletico Madrid-Barcelona and Bayern-Real Madrid offered thrilling moments for the fans,’ Ancelotti said.
‘But too many goals also means too many mistakes, from goalkeepers and defenders. The so-called high pressure, man-to-man play, involves constant risks, and so the result can change from one moment to the subsequent.
‘Even the build-up play from the back should be perfect, otherwise you immediately pay for the smallest of distractions.
Champions League winner odds
Bayern Munich – 13/8
Arsenal – 15/8
Paris Saint-Germain – 9/4
Atletico Madrid – 7/1
Odds via Betfair
‘The Champions League is an open tournament that leaves great teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester City on the sidelines, however it’s still a tournament where you may grow.’
Ancelotti is currently making his final preparations as Brazil’s head coach for the upcoming World Cup but heading into the tournament, the Italian named France as one of the best national team.
‘There’s a French school that has brought together one of the best players, distributed across various European clubs, but who, together, form a national team that’s today one of the best on the planet,’ Ancelotti said.
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