Predicting and profiling the favorites to win the Champions League 2018-19 

4) MANCHESTER CITY

It's often easy to forget just how good Manchester City team were last season. But make no mistake, Pep Guardiola has created a team which is good enough to beat any team in the world. Their possession-based football coupled with intense pressing as soon as they lose the ball meant that the premier league teams were chasing them all season: both figuratively and literally.

De Bruyne would be motivated to portray his world-class talent on the biggest stage

So how did they not end up winning the Champions League you ask? Well, they came up against the 'to be finalists' Liverpool in the Quarterfinals who got the better of Pep's pressing style football and knocked them out in spectacular style.

But the Spaniard is an elite tactician and would be aware of Man City's weaknesses and prepare them better this season as he looks to do one better than winning the league last season. He will be pressed all the way because of the higher level of domestic competition the Premier League adds. But with David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne in his midfield, he'll be confident of staying in control, regardless of the opposition pressure. The addition of the skill and trickery of Mahrez to his already devastating attack might just give them the edge they need to go all the way.