Games of Knock out stage have started already. All the 16 teams who are still here will certainly fight for the craving trophy, however, only one will be the UCL winner. Football is a game of glorious uncertainty. Anything could happen at any minute nevertheless, not all the teams are at the same level. A couple of them are real challengers while histories are there where minnows did what everyone thought impossible. Regardless of the unpredictability, pundits and experts always try to figure out what is going to happen. Availability of Supercomputers and research about the existing information makes things easier for prediction.
Manchester City has been placed as favorites to win the Champions League according to Data specialists, who also claims rivals United has less than one percent chance of lifting the trophy. Round of 16 commencing on Tuesday and the data group FiveThirtyEight have come up with their own formula to work out who will be champions in May.
Who will be UCL winner?
The group claims, United is not the favorites to win their upcoming tie against Athletico Madrid, which starts next week, but their journey to the St Petersburg final has little chance even if Ralf Rangnick’s side does progress to the quarter-finals.
Pep Guardiola’s city who have beaten finalists in the last year’s final against Chelsea has a 25 percent chance of going one step further this time. According to data, Premier League leaders have a 92 percent chance of progressing to the next round. They have already beaten Sporting CP 5-0 at the first leg of Round Of 16.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who face Inter Milan in their last 16 clashes which starts on Wednesday. They are deemed as third favorites with a 15 percent chance of winning the Champions League, with German giants Bayern Munich behind City in the data tally.
Meanwhile, Dutch giants Ajax- who face Benfica in their first knock-out round are a surprise pick for the fourth favorites. Although they haven’t won the tournament since 1995. Ajax’s 13 percent chance of winning the trophy put them ahead of defending champion Chelsea, Messi’s Psg, and 13 times UCL winner Real Madrid. Eric ten Hag’s side has the tournament’s top scorer in Sebastian Haller.
Thomas Touchel’s Chelsea went all the way last season. But the data predicts it has less than a 50 percent chance of reaching the last four. Though they are 90 percent likely to beat Lille and reach the quarter-finals.
Real Madrid vs PSG
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Real Madrid and PSG are less than 75 percent likely to reach the last four. Though both teams are top of their respective divisions in Spain and France. Both teams will play each other in the last 16 of the competition.
Along with Rangnick’s United, the only other teams with less than one percent chance of winning the UCL of Europe are Juventus, Lille, Red bull Salzburg. Sporting Lisbon and Benfica are also on the table.
