{"id":2906,"date":"2026-03-09T12:38:35","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T12:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2906"},"modified":"2026-03-09T12:38:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T12:38:35","slug":"arsenal-snubbed-as-mccoist-and-hargreaves-name-their-favourites-to-win-champions-league-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2906","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal snubbed as McCoist and Hargreaves name their favourites to win Champions League | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Arsenal finished top of the league phase to cruise through to the Champions League last 16 (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ally McCoist and Owen Hargreaves have both overlooked Arsenal when naming their favourites to win this year\u2019s Champions League.<\/p>\n

Arsenal enjoyed an outstanding group-stage campaign to breeze through to the last 16 of Europe\u2019s premier competition, winning eight from eight while shipping only four goals.<\/p>\n

It saw Mikel Arteta\u2019s men finish top of the league phase with a three point advantage over six-time European champions Bayern Munich.<\/p>\n

The Premier League leaders were joined by a strong English contingent in the next round as Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, and Manchester City also secured top-eight finishes, before Newcastle advanced via the play-offs.<\/p>\n

As the remaining teams were plucked out at last month\u2019s eagerly anticipated round-of-16 draw, the Gunners discovered they will be doing battle with Bayer Leverkusen for a spot in this year\u2019s quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

European heavyweights Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and PSG all find themselves on the other side of the draw, leading fans and pundits alike to talk up Arsenal\u2019s chances of finally breaking their Champions League duck.<\/p>\n

A quarter-final clash versus Bodo\/Glimt or Sporting awaits Arsenal should they come through their two-legged last-16 contest with Leverkusen, kicking off on Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"TOPSHOT-FBL-EUR-C1-PSG-TROPHY\"\t<\/div>
McCoist is backing PSG to successfully defend their title (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n\t\t\"Paris\t<\/div>
The ex-Scotland forward has gone with PSG as his favourites from the start (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But former Rangers and Scotland striker McCoist is backing champions PSG to go all the way once again, despite Luis Enrique\u2019s side facing a potentially treacherous route to this year\u2019s final.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve said right from the start of the competition, Paris, and I ain\u2019t changing!\u2019 McCoist said on TNT Sports\u2019 last-16 preview show when asked to pick out his favourite for the trophy.<\/p>\n

\u2018On his decision to overlook Arsenal, McCoist told host Darren Fletcher: \u2018Well they could win it if you ask me who I think will win it\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2018Arsenal could win it, of course they could, but you\u2019ve asked me who I think will win it.\u2019<\/p>\n

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McCoist\u2019s TNT Sports colleague Hargreaves also looked away from the Gunners when naming his most likely bet to go all the way in the competition.<\/p>\n

But unlike McCoist, the ex-England, Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder plumped for a team competing in Arsenal\u2019s side of the draw in the shape of Barcelona.<\/p>\n

\u2018Arsenal have got a brilliant chance with that draw, haven\u2019t they?\u2019 Hargreaves began.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Newcastle\t<\/div>
Barcelona can \u2018beat anybody on their day\u2019, says Hargreaves (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Do you know what? I\u2019m going to go with Barca. Yeah, I\u2019m going Barca!<\/p>\n

\u2018With the draw, obviously it favours that side. Lamine Yamal, Raphina, Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, Frekie De Jong\u2026 the manager has already won it.<\/p>\n

\u2018They play super-aggressive football and when it gets to those games, you\u2019ll probably play a little bit deeper.<\/p>\n

\u2018Barcelona could beat anybody on their day.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Celebrations\t<\/div>
PSG thumped Inter in last year\u2019s final to end their wait for Champions League glory (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 2023 winners Manchester City have been paired with 15-time European champions Real Madrid in what promises to be an intriguing battle for a spot in the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

While acknowledging Madrid\u2019s pedigree and history in the competition, Steven Gerrard insisted it was a \u2018genuine 50-50 game\u2019 between the two giants.<\/p>\n

\u2018City at this stage of the season, I think they\u2019ve recruited really well in January and this is where the machine starts rolling,\u2019 the ex-Liverpool and England captain explained.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think pre-January, I\u2019d probably edge towards Real Madrid. But now, at this stage, I think they\u2019re going to hit some form and it\u2019s a genuine 50-50 game.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Manchester\t<\/div>
Guardiola\u2019s City side travel to the Bernabeu on Wednesday (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hargreaves put his neck on the line and named City as his \u2018favourites\u2019 to progress from the heavyweight last-16 tie.<\/p>\n

He refused to talk down out Madrid\u2019s chances of progressing, though, highlighting the individual brilliance and firepower that could help Alvaro Albeloa\u2019s side secure a place in the next round.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think City are the favourites in that game and they\u2019ll probably win,\u2019 Hargreaves said.<\/p>\n

\u2018I remember speaking to Ruud van Nistelrooy about this once and he said that Real Madrid are one of the best clubs in the world when you\u2019re winning. When you\u2019re not, it\u2019s different.<\/p>\n

\u2018Everybody starts coming out the corners, everybody has an opinion.<\/p>\n

\u2018They\u2019ve gone through a manager, they\u2019ve got an interim in, they don\u2019t really have a clear identity with how they\u2019re playing\u2026 you\u2019ve got all this chopping and changing so I just think that must be really difficult to be in that dressing room.<\/p>\n

\u2018That club is so used to winning and I think even the fans will be watching and thinking, \u201cWhat is this?\u201d\u2026 obviously they\u2019re second in La Liga.<\/p>\n

\u2018I don\u2019t think they\u2019re favourites in that match but because they have Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappe and Thibaut Courtois, I wouldn\u2019t bet against those guys.\u2019<\/p>\n

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