Peter Crouch offers thrilling Liverpool, Man City CL prediction, but claims Man Utd in danger
Peter Crouch has said that Liverpool and Manchester City are his favourites to win the Champions League this season, with Bayern Munich also a threat.
The Reds head into this campaign’s last 16 as one of three teams to have earned maximum points in the group stages. Indeed, Bayern and Ajax also won all six of their matches.
Nevertheless, this season’s first knock-out round features more familiar faces including last term’s losing finalists Manchester City and winners Chelsea.
Manchester United complete the English representation in the last 16 following Cristiano Ronaldo largely single-handedly taking the Red Devils to the group stages.
Crouch, a Champions League finalist with Liverpool in 2007, also featured in the competition for Tottenham.
The pundit has insisted that he cannot see past the Reds – the 2019 winners – and City as the potential winners. He added that Chelsea have a chance to retain the title.
“We are living through an exciting time for English football and are currently in a spell of Premier League dominance,” Crouch wrote in a column for the Daily Mail.
“Two all-English finals in three years says it all and you would not bet against that turning into three out of four when Saint Petersburg comes around on May 28.
“I cannot see much past the Premier League clubs. Liverpool and City are my favourites and I’m struggling to split them in Europe.
“Chelsea, crowned world champions over the weekend, have a real opportunity to defend the trophy too.
“Joe Cole still keeps in touch with the guys at Lille and they fancy their chances in their last-16 match but Chelsea should be too strong.”
While the Blues face Lille, Liverpool play Serie A champions Inter, with the first leg in Milan on Wednesday. Ex-Liverpool and Inter boss Rafael Benitez has offered his prediction on the tie.
Contrasting Liverpool, Man Utd fortunes
City play Sporting on Tuesday in their last-16 first leg. Rivals United, meanwhile, play La Liga title holders Atletico Madrid in their tie.
Crouch added that he is “wavering” on a prediction for the Red Devils.
He added amid the recent criticism for the performances of interim manager Ralf Rangnick’s side: “They can have their moments, although their tie with Atletico Madrid is 50-50.
“It depends on which United turns up.”
PSG, Real Madrid eye CL run
Elsewhere in the last 16 of the Champions League, Bayern play Austrian side RB Salzburg, Benfica play Ajax and Villarreal face Juventus.
However, the clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid is the highlight away from the English teams.
Madrid have not won the Champions League since 2018 when they beat Liverpool. PSG, meanwhile, have yet to win it at all and are looking to prove themselves under Mauricio Pochettino.
The French giants reached the final in 2020 but lost out to Bayern, before losing in the semi-finals to Man City last season.
Madrid in fact beat PSG in 2018 on their way to the final in Kyiv.
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