Carlo Ancelotti snubs Arsenal in naming his favourite to win the Champions League

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 will meet Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final after the Bundesliga side edged a thrilling 4-3 win over Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena earlier this week.

On the other side of the Champions League bracket, Arsenal played out a goalless draw with Sporting CP to secure their place in the semi-final and they will 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 appear to be hitting top form with impressive wins over Chelsea and Liverpool in 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 amount 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.

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‘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 next.

‘Even the build-up play from the back must 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, but it’s still a tournament where you can 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 the best national team.

‘There’s a French school that has brought together the best players, distributed across various European clubs, but who, together, form a national team that is today the best in the world,’ Ancelotti said.

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