Sun Sep 14 21:00:00 UTC 2025: **News Article:**
**Opta Supercomputer Predicts Liverpool to Win 2025-26 Champions League**
**London, UK –** As the UEFA Champions League gears up for its 71st edition on September 16th, all eyes are on who will lift the coveted trophy at the end of the 2025-26 season. Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, fresh off a dominant victory over Internazionale, will face stiff competition according to the Opta supercomputer’s pre-tournament simulations.
Despite an early exit last season, Liverpool are tipped as the favorites, with a 20.4% chance of winning the title. The supercomputer highlights Liverpool’s strong league phase performance last year, where they topped the table with seven wins out of eight matches.
Arsenal follows as the second most likely winner (16.0%), hoping to finally break their Champions League drought after reaching the semi-finals last season. PSG (12.1%) are in third place but face a difficult set of league phase fixtures.
Manchester City, despite a trophyless 2024-25 campaign, are given an 8.4% chance, sharing the same possibility with Barcelona, who scored the most goals of the UCL 2024-25 season (43 goals in 14 matches). Real Madrid is given 5.8% chance to add another Champions League to the club’s museum.
Chelsea (7.0%), Bayern Munich (4.4%), and Inter Milan (3.0%) are also in the mix, with Newcastle United having the same odds as Inter. Debutants Pafos, Bodø/Glimt, and Kairat Almaty face long odds, with the supercomputer simulating zero wins for Kairat, Pafos and Qarabağ in the 2025-26 simulations.
The new Champions League format, featuring a single league stage with 36 teams, promises increased entertainment. Last season saw an average of 3.27 goals per game, the highest since 1975-76. The elimination of the Europa League safety net raises the stakes for all participating teams.
With six English teams in the competition and a host of European giants vying for the title, the 2025-26 Champions League season is set to be a thrilling spectacle.
First Piper 