'No other outcome' - who will win Champions League? Pundits predictions

The Champions League is backmost - and bigger than ever.

Thirty six clubs volition present beryllium taking portion successful a new-look contention - 4 much than antecedently - arsenic Real Madrid bid to clasp their crown.

Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Celtic are Britain's entrants, with the enactment kicking disconnected connected Tuesday night.

We person asked immoderate of BBC Sport's experts who they deliberation volition beryllium lifting the trophy successful Munich adjacent year, arsenic good arsenic who volition their astonishment bundle beryllium and which subordinate excites them the most.

Don't hide the BBC volition amusement highlights of the Champions League this season.

From 22:00 connected the Wednesday of Champions League matchweeks, determination volition beryllium match-by-match highlights disposable connected BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app, positive a peculiar Champions League Match of the Day connected BBC One astatine 22:40.

There volition beryllium besides beryllium a highlights amusement connected Thursday connected BBC Two astatine 23:05.

BBC Sport's main shot writer Phil McNulty: The summation of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid’s ranks makes it hard to spot beyond a 16th triumph successful the tourney for them and a sixth for manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Man City volition beryllium their closest challengers but Real conscionable person that unthinkable wont of getting this peculiar occupation done adjacent erstwhile obscurity adjacent their champion and they person been implicit this people and region successfully truthful galore times.

BBC Sport's French shot adept Julien Laurens:

It is getting a spot boring present due to the fact that Real Madrid triumph the Champions League each twelvemonth - and I spot nary different result again this season.

The Spanish champions person the experience, the savoir faire, the heritage, the wealth clip mentality and the talent.

Imagine keeping the aforesaid manager and beauteous overmuch the squad (although Toni Kroos is simply a evidently monolithic loss) and adding the champion subordinate successful the satellite successful Kylian Mbappe!

BBC Sport's Spanish shot adept Guillem Balague: You ideate the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester City successful the semi-finals and, erstwhile there, determination are galore things that impact a effect (a referee decision, an injury, a mistake) that is not precise clever to predict.

But I consciousness City person got what it takes to triumph some the home semipermanent contention and the cupful contention that is the Champions League.

They are precise beardown successful some boxes and person the maturity to recognize what is required successful each portion of the transportation and each infinitesimal of the game

BBC Sport's German shot adept Constantin Eckner: Real Madrid won the trophy successful May and person since added Mbappe to their attack.

The Spanish powerhouse is erstwhile again the squad to beat, and they whitethorn precise good triumph it for the 16th time.

I wouldn't wage excessively overmuch attraction to their performances until January, due to the fact that Carlo Ancelotti's broadside excels successful the knockout stages whereas different teams conflict to execute connected constituent successful the aboriginal months of the season.

As acold arsenic challengers to Madrid's throne go, Man City and Bayern Munich person the prime to triumph the competition.

Phil McNulty: Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp oregon not, determination is thing astir the Champions League and Anfield that gets the juices flowing successful this competition, arsenic proved by their record. If they marque the knockout stages they volition beryllium a fistful for anyone.

They volition relish their instrumentality to what they judge is their rightful signifier aft a twelvemonth distant and determination is inactive truthful overmuch people astatine Arne Slot’s disposal.

The Dutch manager volition besides bask the tactical challenges presented by Europe’s elite tournament.

Julien Laurens: Bayer Leverkusen.

This caller mini-league format volition marque for a much absorbing run wherever teams extracurricular of the large ones volition person a accidental to impressment and defy the odds.

I deliberation Leverkusen could beryllium the acheronian equine of the season.

Xabi Alonso and his players achieved thing peculiar past play with an unbeaten home play and present the German champions volition amusement each their talents successful the biggest contention of all.

Guillem Balague: Inter Milan.

Since they ended Juventus's dominance successful 2021, they conscionable won the league again, and person been successful Europa league and Champions League finals.

They are different squad with a batch of layers and with Lautaro Martinez they person 1 of the champion players around. They did not merchantability a large sanction and person added to a beardown squad.

Constantin Eckner: My acheronian equine besides hails from the Spanish capital.

Atletico Madrid person made a fig of intriguing moves connected the transportation marketplace during the summer, adding the likes of Julián Alvarez and Conor Gallagher.

The nine person reached the last doubly nether the tutelage of Diego Simeone. The lone interest I person is that Simeone has yet to fig retired however his squad tin beryllium a spot much ascendant successful possession and frankincense support leads better.

Phil McNulty: Having had the appetite whetted astatine Euro 2024, I’m going for Barcelona’s 17-year-old genius Lamine Yamal. He is made for this stage, arsenic helium proved erstwhile Spain won successful Germany.

If I could prime 1 much I’d spell for different teenager, Real Madrid’s 18-year-old Brazilian Endrick…if helium gets regular crippled time.

Julien Laurens: Lamine Yamal.

There are loads of contenders evidently but the champion and astir breathtaking subordinate close present successful Europe is the Barcelona winger.

He is inactive lone 17 but his maturity and determination making is retired of this world, connected apical of his gait and method ability. He is simply a delight to watch.

He was a prima astatine the Euros with Spain successful the summertime and volition beryllium a prima successful this Champions League run too.

Guillem Balague: Lamine Yamal.

It was lone fewer months backmost that we were praising moments of magic from him but present helium already has 3 goals and 4 assists successful 5 games, truthful his publication is regular and indispensable for this Barcelona squad that has started truthful powerfully nether Hansi Flick.

They retrieve the shot aboriginal successful a amusement of corporate effort, they people lots, they make tons too. Fun to ticker but Lamine is the subordinate that takes them to different level

Constantin Eckner: I'm funny successful seeing Viktor Gyokeres and Sporting Lisbon's full attacking enactment playing successful the Champions League.

While astir shot fans cognize astir Gyokeres, I consciousness similar Sporting are criminally underrated owed to the information that Portugal's Primeira Liga does not pull that overmuch attraction internationally.