Opta's supercomputer predicts the Champions League winner

The 2026/27 Champions League league phase kicks off this Tuesday, with 36 teams battling for a place at the Metropolitano on June 5, 2027, where the winner will lift the coveted trophy. That is when we will find out who succeeds Paris Saint Germain as European champion, but until then, there is plenty of room for predictions about which teams are the favorites. In that regard, Opta's supercomputer has delivered its verdict, and neither PSG nor any of the Spanish clubs is considered the leading candidate to win the trophy. That distinction goes to Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, which reached last season's final against PSG. As for Opta's top 10 favorites, both Barcelona and Real Madrid make the cut. Barça sits fourth with an 8.2% chance of winning the competition, while Real Madrid ranks seventh at 4.4%. Atlético Madrid, whose stadium will host the final, does not appear among Opta's 10 leading contenders. Opta's 10 favorites to win the Champions League Arsenal (20.9%) Bayern Munich (19.4%) Manchester City (12.3%) Barcelona (8.2%) PSG (7.1%) Liverpool (6.1%) Real Madrid (4.4%) Manchester United (3.8%) Inter (3.6%) Aston Villa (2%) Of course, all of this is only a prediction, and soccer does not always follow the expected script. But the AI has already had its say. Now it is up to the teams and players to do their talking on the field, and time will ultimately determine whether the predictions were right or wrong.