Jurgen Klopp tips Manchester City or Bayern Munich to succeed Liverpool as Champions League winners

Jurgen Klopp says that Manchester City and Bayern Munich will battle it out for European supremacy this summer in Portugal when the Champions League resumes and that they are the teams most likely to succeed Liverpool as European champions.

Bayern have been in supreme form in the Bundesliga since the return from lockdown with 11 straight wins, while City excelled as they thrashed Liverpool 4-0 on Thursday night.

City still have to play the second leg of their last 16 game against Real Madrid, in which they lead 2-1, while Bayern have a 3-0 lead halfway through their tie with Chelsea. 

Manchester City showed their good form by thrashing Liverpool 4-0 at the Etihad on Friday 

Bayern have won every game since the restart, powering to the German league and cup double

Klopp said: ‘I think for me the two big favourites left in the competition are Bayern and Man City. 

‘That would be an interesting game. Bayern played an impressive season in Germany after Hansi Flick took over [as coach from Niko Kovac]. It was really impressive what they did and these two are the favourit

‘I don’t know exactly how it could happen, if they meet in the semi-final or final or whatever, but the competition [in August] will be really interesting. It will be really new. But when you see Manchester City, the squad there… yes [they have a] massive, massive chance.

The current holders were knocked out of the competition at the last-16 by Atletico Madrid 

‘But even in the game against us on Thursday night, which City won deservedly, we should have scored three goals. Don’t forget that. We should have and we would have normally. 

‘They have so much quality but no team in the world is perfect. City is not, Bayern is not, we are not. But you need to be nearly perfect in precise moments to win the Champions League.

‘Everybody needs luck and if you want to win the Champions League you should have your best line up ready for the final if possible, but I really think these two teams are the two favourites. I will watch it, the tournament. 

‘It will be really interesting but unfortunately we have nothing, really, to do with it this year.’

The Reds’ triumph in 2019 was backed up by their first Premier League title this season

The Champions League will take place in Portungal in August. The quarter finals onwards will be one-off games in Lisbon culminating in a final on 23rd August. 

It is yet to be decided where the remaining last 16 ties, which includes City against Real Madrid, Bayern against Chelsea, Juventus against Lyon and Barcelona and Napoli, will be played. 

City, Barcelona and Juventus are insisting they should have home advantage as normal, even though it will be behind closed doors, though UEFA is considering playing the games at neutral venues in Portugal.