‘I can’t see beyond City or Liverpool for final’– Mcmanaman

Mcmanaman, who wore both Liverpool red and Manchester City blue during a playing career that saw him lift the European Cup with Real Madrid, is tipping his two former clubs to go all the way to the final this season. The ex-england midfielder reckons the Premier League’s title rivals will also be battling for the game’s most precious piece of silverware – if they are kept apart in the draw. Mcmanaman feels English clubs now stand on the brink of a glorious new era that will see them dominate the Champions League. And while Klopp’s Kop kings sent City crashing out at the quarter-final stage last season, he feels that Guardiola’s title-winning Centurions are favourites to prevail this time.

Toughness

Mcmanaman said: “I can’t see beyond Manchester City or Liverpool for the Champions League. “Yes, it’s very hard to pick a winner at this early stage of the season, because your fate in a knock-out competition can be decided by a bit of good luck or bad fortune. “But the best teams always find a way to come through – and in my opinion City and Liverpool are now the two teams to beat. “City had that mental toughness in virtually every game last season – apart from the ones that mattered most when they played Liverpool in the Champions League. Guardiola already had the best squad in the country, but he’s strengthened it further by signing Riyad Mahrez, while Benjamin Mendy is also back. “So City are the team for me. If you look at all the big clubs in Europe, I would say that City are the allpowerful team now. What they have got to do is make that final step. The biggest step. They have got to move from Premier League winners to Champions League winners.”

Madrid have won three successive European titles, but have lost Cristiano Ronaldo to a Juventus team that has made lifting the Champions League a priority after winning the Italian title for the last seven seasons.

Paris Saint-germain have star names like Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, while Bayern Munich always seem to feature in the latter stages.

But Mcmanaman feels that the only threat to a first English triumph since Chelsea lifted ‘Ol’ Big Ears’ in 2012 will come from a Barcelona side that has been active in the transfer market to get the best out of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

Mcmanaman said: “I thought the last year that the cycle that has seen the top European teams dominate the Champions League was coming to an end. “I believe that even more now. “Real Madrid and Bayern Munich look a bit jaded to me. They look like they needed refreshing. Juventus have got Ronaldo – which will obviously help their cause – and they have brought Leonardo Bonucci back to add his experience.

“PSG have got the superstars but can they get over the line?

Challenge

“They fluffed a great chance against Barcelona a couple of years ago, when they went to the Nou Camp leading 4-0 from the first leg and lost 6-1.

“And last season they were expected to go through against a Madrid side that was low on confidence and lost again.

“For me, the only top European side who have invested well – buying players who can challenge for places in the team – is Barcelona.

“I see Barca as the only team from the continent to challenge City and Liverpool.”

Mcmanaman added: “Manchester United and Tottenham also have squads good enough to go deep in the competition.

“But City and Liverpool have got greater quality and depth.”