Two rounds of action in the group stage of Europe’s elite competition are behind us. Six teams boast maximum points so far.
These teams include Bayern Munich, the top side in the standings, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Arsenal, and Qarabag. Among these, one team has caught attention as a potential candidate to remain in the Champions League until May 30, 2026, as suggested by Opta’s predictions.
According to the renowned statistics platform, there’s a surprising new favourite for lifting the trophy. Interestingly, this team does not currently occupy a spot in the top three. But who has overtaken Bayern, Real Madrid, and the defending champions?
It’s none other than Arsenal. The English side, runners-up in the Premier League last season, boast an impressive goal difference of 4:0.
The Gunners kicked off their Champions League campaign with a solid 2:0 win over Athletic Bilbao, followed by another 2:0 success against Olympiacos Piraeus. Although Arsenal currently sits in 5th place in the group stage standings, Opta considers them the frontrunners to claim this year’s title, estimating their chances at 18.09%.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s odds stand at a close 14.70%, while PSG follows with a probability of 13.96%. Manchester City and Bayern Munich each hover around 10% (9.71% and 9.50%, respectively). Barcelona’s chances are calculated at 8.25%, whereas Real Madrid is given a comparatively modest 4.94% likelihood of winning.
On the other end of the spectrum, some teams are deemed to have no realistic chance of victory. These include Qarabag, Olympiacos, Pafos, Ajax, and Kairat. In their case, the rate stands precisely at 0.00%.