Daniil Medvedev predicts the winner of the UEFA Champions League

Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev, a long-time fan of German football club Bayern Munich, has said that Spanish football club Real Madrid and England's Manchester City are strong contenders for winning the UEFA Champions League.

He however said that competition is so intense that anyone can end up winning the trophy. The Champions League is fun to watch because of the sheer unpredictability that the tournament brings to fans, he said.

"Champions League, we have Real Madrid, Manchester City that are going very strong-they showed it [in their first legs]," Medvedev told Eurosport in an interview.

Medvedev pointed out that Italian football club Inter Milan who came close to winning the tournament last year were not even favorites at the end of the group stage matches.

"But I think what is good about Champions League in my opinion anyonecan win it. Inter were so close last year to winning it, and now in a way are even kind of in the favourites group - but I think last year after the group stage, they were nowhere close to being the favourites," Medvedev said.

The Russian said he liked how matches are played at the UEFA Champions League, the premier sporting event in Europe.

"That's why Champions League is nice, it's two matches, penalties, in my opinion anyone can win it so I will just watch it and enjoy," Medvedev said in the interview.

"I really fell in love with soccer and with Bayern when I was maybe 12 years old" Daniil Medvedev on his football obsession

Daniil Medvedev with the US Open trophy after winning the title in 2021

Daniil Medvedev recalled his interest in football and how he started liking Bayern Munich. He said that he supported CSKA Moscow when he was young but switched to the German club as the Russian team was not playing in the 'Champions League'.

"I really fell in love with soccer and with Bayern when I was maybe 12 years old. That's when it really started. But even before that, when I was 6 years old, I remember that I already liked Bayern," he said.

Since Bayern Munich were playing really well when he started watching soccer, Medvedev told his parents that they should see matches in which the German club was a contender.

"They were really good at that time and I remember telling my parents that Bayern is playing, we need to watch it. But when I was 12, I really got into soccer, so I said to myself: 'I need a team now'," Medvedev said.