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Champions League tips: The inside track on who’s going to win the Champions League
THE Champions League is back and starts with a bang tonight.
Who will win the Champions League this season?
Manchester United are back in the big time and host Basel while Chelsea face Qarabag.
Celtic also have the daunting task of hosting Paris Saint-Germain while Barcelona and Juventus clash in another blockbuster tie.
Express Sport are on hand to give you our tips for the winner and the best performing English club.
Daily Express London reporter Tony Banks
WINNER: Real Madrid
BEST ENGLISH TEAM: Manchester United
Real look to have a good group to get out of because I think they will be too strong for either Borussia Dortmund or Tottenham. The other big names have got more difficult paths, with Bayern Munich and PSG drawn together, and Juventus and Barcelona.
United should get out of their group with few problems, and Jose Mourinho's teams are always stronger in their second season.
I expect them to go far, but then Manchester City also have a decent group to get out of, as do Liverpool, though Sevilla will be a test.
For Chelsea and Spurs it looks much more difficult. Antonio Conte's team have to get past both Ateltico and Roma - a tough ask. If they can do it they will also be contenders. Spurs of course have Real to contend with, and Dortmund.
Mata: Manchester United's perfect start is just the beginning
Daily Express Manchester reporter Richard Tanner
WINNER: Real Madrid
BEST ENGLISH TEAM: Manchester City
I'm backing Real Madrid to complete a hat-trick of Champions League wins because they have so many match winners and so much know-how of the competition. And Manchester City to go the furthest of the English clubs.
Pep Guardiola had never failed to reach at least the semi-finals until last season's exit on away goals to Monaco in the round of 16.
That stung Guardiola's pride but on the balance of play over the two cracking games, City could easily have gone through.
They have strengthened again this summer, including buying two from that Monaco team, Benjamin Mendy and Bernardo Silva, and all the players they have bought have Champions League experience.
City look so good going forward and full of goals. The big question mark is whether skipper and defensive king-pin Vincent Kompany can stay fit.
But the early signs are that John Stones has improved his decision-making and is going to come leaps and bounds this season.
Real Madrid are the defending champions having won the Champions League for the second straight time
Daily Express Merseyside reporter Gideon Brooks
WINNER: PSG
BEST ENGLISH TEAM: Manchester City
With a summer investment of £380million for Kylian Mbappe and Neymar there can be no doubting the ambition at PSG to make a proper mark in this competition this time round.
And with those two firing they look sure to go very close.
Yes, last year they won only half of their group games and shipped three goals in four freakish minutes as they were turned over in the last 16 by Barcelona.
But it is hard to rid the memory of a 4-0 thrashing of the Catalan giants in the first leg, they have made a shrewd signing in Dani Alves and have started their domestic season like a train winning five on the bounce.
Manchester City look about best equipped of the Brits to progress furthest for all that doubts over their defences might stop them reaching the deep end next May.
Express Sport online reporter Jack Otway:
WINNER: Real Madrid
BEST ENGLISH TEAM: Chelsea
I’m backing Real Madrid. There is no team anywhere near as good as Zinedine Zidane’s side.
Best defence? Yes. Best midfield? Yes. Best attack? Yes.
They’ve started slowly in La Liga and weaknesses can be exposed when Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t in the team.
But nobody will get near them. Barcelona are weaker without Neymar and PSG’s attack aside, they are not actually that good. Monaco showed that last year.
No English team will get near. I think Antonio Conte’s Chelsea are probably the team who, on their day, could do well but the problems at Stamford Bridge so far suggest this will not be their year.
Paris Saint-Germain have seriously strengthened with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe
Express Sport online reporter David Wright
WINNER: PSG
BEST ENGLISH TEAM: Manchester United
Manchester United have arguably the easiest group of the English clubs to reach the Champions League knock-out stages, with Benfica presenting their toughest challenge.
And after an impressive summer of transfers, Jose Mourinho has the best squad in terms of depth to compete in Europe and in the Premier League - especially when Zlatan Ibrahimovic returns from injury in January.
But for me it’s big spenders Paris Saint-Germain who will go on and win their first Champions League crown.
Unai Emery could only guide PSG to the last 16 last season following their embarrassing 6-1 collapse to Barcelona in the second leg.
But after the £200million signing of Neymar and loan arrival of Kylian Mbappe in the summer, Emery can take PSG all the way this time round.
It is United who for me will be this country's best hope this time round.
Express Sport online reporter Lewis Winter
WINNER: Manchester United
BEST ENGLISH TEAM: Manchester United
Jose Mourinho added just what he needed this summer in terms of new signings.
Romelu Lukaku will score plenty and Paul Pogba looks to be finally living up to his £89million price tag, largely due to the arrival of Nemanja Matic from Chelsea.
Real Madrid can’t possibly win it three years in a row, can they? Barcelona have lots of uncertainties and are not good enough defensively to lift the trophy for the first time since 2015.
Paris Saint-Germain will be there or thereabouts and a final against United would be quite something but Jose Mourinho’s side have got something about them this season which tells me they will go all the way.
Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool and even Tottenham will all qualify from their groups but will falter once they get to the knockout stages.
Jose Mourinho's teams always look stunning in his second season at the club
Express Sport online reporter Konstantinos Lianos
WINNER: Real Madrid
BEST ENGLISH TEAM: Manchester United
It’s still early days but the one global superpower that stands out is arguably Zinedine Zidane’s side.
The Real legend has put together a team of incredible players who have clicked perfectly well with each other and also have arguably the best player in the world Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Champions League is in Real’s DNA and they are showing absolutely no sign of slowing down, as proven in the UEFA and Spanish Super Cup against Manchester United and Barcelona respectively.
Paris Saint-Germain pose a threat with the acquisition of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe but this stunning group of superstars will first have to learn how to play with each other and become a team.
Premier League sides have yet to convince they can take Europe's biggest clubs to the limit.
But I can see United standing out as they have the easiest group to take them to the knock-out stages and Jose Mourinho’s sides also tend to be much better during his second season at the club.
Romelu Lukaku is unstoppable, Paul Pogba has clicked well with Nemanja Matic, David De Gea is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s January return will add in even more firepower.
Mbappe celebrates move to PSG with UNREAL goal for France
Express Sport online reporter Michael Potts
WINNER: Real Madrid
BEST ENGLISH TEAM: Manchester United
All eyes are on Paris ahead of the Champions League group stages but while their new toys will be ruthless this season against teams of every calibre, they won’t go all the way.
Zinedine Zidane has built a Real Madrid team capable of dismantling any team in world football, with young wonderkids leading the charge at the Bernabeu.
Marco Asensio & Co. pulled Barcelona apart in the Supercopa without breaking a sweat. They have the pedigree to negotiate awkward knockout ties and simply find a way to win – with or without Cristiano Ronaldo.
I don’t think Manchester United are ready to win the trophy yet, but nothing would surprise me to see Jose Mourinho leading his team out in the semi-finals or beyond if they have a kind draw.
Romelu Lukaku will relish the chance to make a dent in Europe, Paul Pogba has matured, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the perfect present in time for the knockout rounds.
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