Arsenal named as Champions League winners as six pundits predict who will lift trophy

Arsenal are one of just two Premier League representatives in the Champions League quarter-finals

When the European club campaign returns following the international break, the crucial stages of the Champions League will be at the forefront of many supporters' thoughts. Arsenal are one of just two English sides to have survived the round of 16 thanks to their victory over Bayer Leverkusen and some pundits are backing them to go all the way.

Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle and Tottenham all fell at the latest hurdle, with Liverpool the only other Premier League side joining Arsenal in the last eight. It's all to play for, with three of the eight play-off victors - the lower-seeded clubs in the round of 16 - remain in contention and firmly amongst the favourites for silverware.

One such club is Paris Saint-Germain, who lifted the trophy last season - via victories over Arsenal and Liverpool - despite a modest 15th-place finish in the league phase. They improved marginally to 11th this time around but have dispatched Monaco and Chelsea to pave the way for a rematch with a Liverpool outfit who took them to spot-kicks last term.

Real Madrid (9th) and Atletico Madrid (14th) are the other lower-ranked sides to advance, eliminating City and Tottenham respectively in the round of 16. Los Blancos will now face Bayern Munich, while Atleti meet a Barcelona team who demolished Newcastle 8-3 on aggregate.

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Arsenal's quarter-final sees them pitted against Sporting CP in a rematch of their tense 2022/23 Europa League encounter. The competition remains wide open, with some pundits backing Mikel Arteta's side but others backing different teams for glory.

Jamie Carragher

The CBS Sports analyst didn't merely select the victor, he outlined his forecasts for the complete knockout stage prior to the round of 16 second legs. His anticipated final features Paris Saint-Germain against Arsenal but this time he thinks Arsenal will come out on top.

"Most people will say Bayern are a better team than PSG this season but that will not sway me. PSG will be in the final" Carragher said, before tipping Arsenal to overcome Barcelona in the second semi-final and subsequently edge past PSG in the Budapest final.

"That high line will cost Barcelona in the semi-final against Arsenal," he added. "So a PSG-Arsenal final and then the winner will be... Arsenal will win the Champions League for the first time in their history.

Thierry Henry

Should Carragher's quarter-final forecast prove accurate, two of Thierry Henry's previous clubs, Barcelona and Arsenal, will clash in the final four. The former France international found himself divided between the two while also proposing Bayern Munich might emerge as the strongest contenders.

"[Barcelona] need to find that consistency and that balance if they want to win and be considered one of the hot favourites to win it – I still think they are," he remarked following Barca's first-leg stalemate with Newcastle in the round of 16. "But that balance sometimes that they don't have make me turn a tiny bit more to Bayern and Arsenal."

He praised Bayern's equilibrium after their first-leg demolition of Atalanta, suggesting they might ultimately possess the strongest chance of triumph. "You will see, whoever it is - it can be the winger inside, the striker like we saw with Nicolas Jackson on the right - [Bayern] know what they need to do, they press well, they're very difficult to beat at times," he stated.

Micah Richards

Similar to Carragher, former England and Manchester City defender Richards has picked Arsenal as his winner. The Gunners fell short against PSG last term but must regard themselves amongst the contenders after topping the league phase standings and flying high domestically.

"They're top of the Premier League and I think Arsenal are the favourites for the Champions League because I think it will suit them more than the domestic games," Richards commented on The Rest is Football. "In the Champions League the games might get a little bit more stretched whereas in the Premier League everyone is going to that low block against them."

Richards offered his prediction in early March, prior to the Gunners' Carabao Cup final clash with City. European success may depend on how quickly they can put their Wembley defeat behind them.

Paul Merson

Former Arsenal player Merson has tempered his enthusiasm for the Gunners following their Carabao Cup final loss. Although he refrained from explicitly backing any particular side to triumph, he cannot envisage Mikel Arteta's squad progressing beyond Barcelona should both teams reach the semi-finals.

"I look at Barcelona – who Arsenal are on course to play in the semi-finals – and Arsenal haven't got the pace to trouble Barcelona's high line," he remarked on Sky Sports. "The forward players aren't electric – they're not like Anthony Elanga or Anthony Gordon who caused Barcelona problems in the last 16. I dread to think what Barcelona could do to Arsenal."

Owen Hargreaves

TNT Sports analyst Hargreaves initially championed his former side Bayern Munich. Nevertheless, he swiftly reversed his position and threw his support behind Barcelona.

"You know what, I'm going Barca," the ex-England midfielder stated. "I think with the draw, obviously it favours that side."

"[Lamine] Yamal, [Robert] Lewandowski, Raphinha, Pedri, [Frenkie] De Jong, the manager [Hansi Flick] has already won it, they play super aggressive. When it gets to those games, they will probably play a little bit deeper. Barca could beat anybody on their day."

Steven Gerrard

Gerrard, who clinched the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, isn't dismissing a similar feat. Despite Arne Slot's team not being the most persuasive in Europe, the former England ace is of the opinion that they stand as good a chance as any.

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