5 football predictions for the year 2020

#4 Barcelona will win the Champions League

Can Lionel Messi inspire Barcelona to a Champions League victory?

It’s almost impossible to accurately predict a winner in the Champions League; the tournament is probably the hardest in the world to win, the knockout stages are loaded with phenomenal teams, and as Tottenham proved last year, it’s not impossible for an underdog to go all the way. But if I had to pick a winner right now, my money would be on Barcelona.

Firstly, Ernesto Valverde’s side have been in great form for the majority of the season thus far; they’ve lost just three games and none of them were in European competition, and they currently sit at the top of La Liga too.

They also avoided the big guns in the Champions League’s Round of 16 – rather than facing Atletico Madrid or Tottenham, they’ve drawn Napoli, a dangerous team but not one to be feared.

Most notably of course, the great Lionel Messi seems to be in irrepressible form this season, scoring 15 goals and registering 9 assists in just 18 appearances. The Argentine wizard turns 33 this summer and won’t be around at the top for much longer; another Champions League victory would be an amazing feat for him – and with teammates like Luis Suarez, Antoine Griezmann, Frenkie De Jong and Gerard Pique alongside him, it’s a distinct possibility that it could happen.

If anyone can make it that way, it’s Messi.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram