Six pundits predict who will win Champions League with Arsenal and Liverpool in mix

Just eight teams remain in the Champions League, with Premier League sides Liverpool and Arsenal having some of European football's biggest hitters in their way

When the European club season resumes after the international break, the business end of the Champions League will be on plenty of people's minds. Just two of the six English clubs made it through the round of 16 and booked their place in the quarter-finals, with Arsenal beating Bayer Leverkusen and Liverpool overcoming Galatasaray.

In an open draw, pundits have made a range of predictions about who might go all the way. Three of the eight play-off winners - in other words, the lower-ranked teams in the round of 16 - are still in the competition and very much in the mix for glory.

One of those teams is Paris Saint-Germain, who won the tournament last season despite finishing a lowly 15th in the league phase. They were one point better off in 11th this time but have overcome Monaco and Chelsea to set up a rematch with a Liverpool side who they eliminated on penalties last year.

Real Madrid (9th) and Atletico Madrid (14th) are the other teams from outside the top eight in the league phase to make it through, beating Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur respectively in the round of 16. Los Blancos will now play against Bayern Munich, while Atleti face a Barcelona side who smashed Newcastle 8-3 on aggregate.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK!Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook page

READ MORE : Benfica handed punishment by UEFA after racism incident during Real Madrid clashREAD MORE : PSG granted Liverpool Champions League advantage after furious club row

The final match in the quarter-finals sees Arsenal take on Sporting CP in a repeat of a dramatic 2022/23 Europa League clash which the Portuguese side won on penalties. It's anyone's to play for and Mirror Football has taken a look at who the pundits are backing.

Jamie Carragher

CBS Sports pundit Carragher didn't just pick the winner, he made his predictions for the entire knockout bracket before the round of 16 second legs. His predicted final pits Paris Saint-Germain against Arsenal, the same match-up we saw in last season's semis, only with a different outcome.

"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 backing Arsenal to beat Barcelona in the second semi and then pip PSG in the final in Budapest.

"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

If Carragher's prediction is correct, two of Thierry Henry's former sides will meet in the semi-finals. The former France star was torn between Barcelona and Arsenal, though, while also suggesting Bayern Munich could be the team to beat.

“[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 said after Barca's first-leg draw 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 talked up Bayern's balance as they thumped Atalanta home and away, suggesting they could end up having the best shot at glory. “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 said.

Micah Richards

Like Carragher, former England and Manchester City defender Richards is backing Arsenal. The Gunners came up short against PSG last season but have to consider themselves among the favourites after winning all eight matches in the league phase.

"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 said 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 made the prediction in early March, before the Gunners played the Carabao Cup final against City. They lost on that occasion but it remains to be seen whether they allow the Wembley reverse to derail the rest of their season.

Paul Merson

Former Arsenal star Merson has cooled on the Gunners since their Carabao Cup final defeat. While he stopped short of outright backing any team to go all the way, he can't see Mikel Arteta's team getting past Barcelona if both sides make it through to the semis.

"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 said 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 pundit Hargreaves initially banged the drum for his former club Bayern Munich. However, he quickly changed his tune and backed Barcelona.

"You know what, I’m going Barca," the former England midfielder said. "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 won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005 and isn't ruling out a repeat. Arne Slot's side haven't been the most convincing in Europe but the former midfielder believes they have as good a chance as anyone.

"I think Bayern and Liverpool could be the ones people don’t think can get there, but they can," he said. "I would be pushed that way [PSG] as well, if they can get everyone on the pitch."

Click here to read article