Kylian Mbappe’s Wednesday night hat-trick prematurely knocked Pep Guardiola and his side out of the Champions League – and the Catalan native has included Real Madrid as one of the prospective champions of the competition.
It was all too much for the four-in-a-row Premier League champions: Erling Haaland left on the bench, Paris-born Mbappe confirming his world-beating nature and Guardiola’s patchwork campaign now hitting a new trough.
Ultimately, the reigning champions, having raised the cup aloft for a record 15th time last season, proved that class is permanent and are among Guardiola’s chosen quartet of candidates to win the final, which is being hosted in Munich on 31 May 2025.
Given Guardiola’s past success in Champions League at Barcelona, winning it in 2008/09 and 2010/11, it is not surprising that he chose Carlo Ancelotti’s well-drilled players as one of his favourites to rule victorious in Germany.
“Of course Madrid are a contender, definitely,” the 54-year-old – one of the best football managers of all time – stated following a play-off phase collapse from Europe’s top table, albeit against one of the competition’s strongest sides.
Jude Bellingham and Co. battled to sign from the same hymn sheet in the new-look league phase of the competition this season and, albeit just one point behind, ended outside the automatic progression slots (1st-8th).
Table toppers, the Reds tore throughout the league, closely followed by Barcelona. PSG, on the other side, is still looking for their first-ever Champions League trophy; their 10-0 aggregate over Stade Brest shows their aims.
“But other teams are performing really brilliantly. Up till now, Liverpool is having a really great season; Barcelona is fantastic; Paris Saint-Germain, with my pal Luis [Enrique] in charge, is on the march. Clearly, though, Madrid is a frontrunner.
