The supercomputer is clear about the favorite to win the Champions League
Opta Analyst’s supercomputer, which predicts teams’ chances based on a series of parameters and simulations, has FC Barcelona as the favorite to win the Champions League. Of the eight teams qualified for the quarterfinals, Hansi Flick’s team would have the best chance of lifting the trophy on May 31 in Munich, according to this data. This is more than one percentage point higher than the second-placed team in this table of contenders, Paris Saint-Germain, and almost 7 points more than the Blaugrana’s “eternal rival,” Real Madrid, who sits in fifth place in this particular ranking.
Opta gives Barça a 20.5 percent chance of winning the Champions League. It’s worth remembering that Barcelona finished second in the league phase of the continental competition, and that first-place Liverpool is already out of the title race after falling in the round of 16 to PSG. Furthermore, Barcelona secured their place in the quarterfinals with a 4-1 aggregate victory over Benfica.
Barça is first on this list, and their next opponent, Borussia Dortmund, is eighth and last in this ranking. Therefore, the supercomputer gives Barcelona a chance of reaching the semifinals at a whopping 80 percent, compared to just 20 percent for the Germans. Barcelona also has a notable 41.5 percent chance of reaching the final in Munich.
Luis Enrique is looking for glory
Paris Saint-Germain is closest to Barcelona in terms of winning the Champions League. Luis Enrique’s team, despite not having a good league season, has gained significant momentum after eliminating Liverpool and creating numerous scoring chances, especially in the first leg at the Parc des Princes. The French side has a 19.3 percent chance of winning what would be their first ever “big-eared” trophy.
It’s striking that Real Madrid is ranked fifth by the supercomputer with a fairly low percentage point, about 7 points behind FC Barcelona. Carlo Ancelotti’s team has only a 13.6 percent chance despite being the current champions of the competition and having won it 15 times throughout their history.
In fact, Real Madrid’s quarter-final opponent, Arsenal, is more likely to win the championship than Arsenal, with a 52.8% chance of reaching the semi-finals and therefore eliminating Real Madrid, and a 16.8% chance of Arteta’s side winning.
Source: SPORT
