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Liverpool legend Jaime Carragher has made his prediction on who will lift this edition of the UEFA Champions League. With the first leg of the semi-finals concluding on 27 April, Carragher feels confident enough to make his prediction for the tournament.
Speaking to CBS Sports (via The Mirror), the footballer-turned-pundit explained that he fully expects his former side to lift the trophy this season.
He said:
"I think Liverpool will win the Champions League. It feels like it’s Liverpool’s competition and they’ve got one foot in the final and I don’t think anyone else can say that. I think Madrid will go through. When you miss that many chances in the first leg you have got a massive problem. It’s a big standout game."
Liverpool have enjoyed a strong season so far. They already find themselves with a two-goal advantage heading into the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals. They look likely to win the second leg against Villarreal on May 3. If they do, they will make their third continental final under Jurgen Klopp.
However, the Reds will face either Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City or European royalty Real Madrid in the final. This means the competition is far from concluded. City are their domestic rivals while Madrid beat them in the 2018 Champions League final.
Liverpool will however be confident, with Klopp’s men only falling to one defeat in their entire continental campaign so far this season. Their only loss came against Inter Milan in their Round of 16 second leg clash, where the Reds ultimately went through 2-1 on aggregate.
They will still look to avoid complacency and fulfill Carragher’s prediction if they reach the final.
UEFA could remove two-legged semi-finals in the Champions League: Reports
According to a report from The Times (via The Mirror), the European Club Association (ECA) could remove the two-legged semi-finals from the UEFA Champions League. However, the organization is yet to make a decision on the matter.
There has reportedly been an increase in support of the removal of the two legs and replacing them with a single knockout game at the semi-final stage. It is reported that the knockout matches will take place in the same city as the final. The idea is to make it look similar to a football festival.
Currently, the semi-finals are hosted in two separate legs, at the home stadiums of each club at that knockout stage. This is followed by a final at a pre-decided venue.
