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

The Champions League is backmost - and bigger than ever.

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

Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Celtic are Britain's entrants, pinch nan action kicking disconnected connected Tuesday night.

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

Don't hide nan BBC will show highlights of nan Champions League this season.

From 22:00 connected nan Wednesday of Champions League matchweeks, location will beryllium match-by-match highlights disposable connected BBC iPlayer and nan BBC Sport website and app, positive a typical Champions League Match of nan Day connected BBC One astatine 22:40.

There will beryllium besides beryllium a highlights show 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 difficult to spot beyond a 16th triumph successful nan tourney for them and a sixth for coach Carlo Ancelotti.

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

BBC Sport's French shot master Julien Laurens:

It is getting a spot boring now because Real Madrid triumph nan Champions League each twelvemonth - and I spot nary different result again this season.

The Spanish champions person nan experience, nan savoir faire, nan heritage, nan money clip mentality and nan talent.

Imagine keeping nan aforesaid head and beautiful overmuch nan squad (although Toni Kroos is simply a evidently monolithic loss) and adding nan champion subordinate successful nan world successful Kylian Mbappe!

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

But I consciousness City person sewage what it takes to triumph some nan home semipermanent title and nan cup title that is nan Champions League.

They are very beardown successful some boxes and person nan maturity to understand what is required successful each portion of nan transportation and each infinitesimal of nan game

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

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

I wouldn't salary excessively overmuch attraction to their performances until January, because Carlo Ancelotti's broadside excels successful nan knockout stages whereas different teams struggle to execute connected constituent successful nan later months of nan season.

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

Phil McNulty: Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp aliases not, location is thing astir nan Champions League and Anfield that gets nan juices flowing successful this competition, arsenic proved by their record. If they make nan knockout stages they will beryllium a fistful for anyone.

They will relish their return to what they judge is their rightful shape aft a twelvemonth distant and location is still truthful overmuch people astatine Arne Slot’s disposal.

The Dutch coach will besides bask nan tactical challenges presented by Europe’s elite tournament.

Julien Laurens: Bayer Leverkusen.

This caller mini-league format will make for a much absorbing run wherever teams extracurricular of nan large ones will person a chance to impressment and defy nan odds.

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

Xabi Alonso and his players achieved thing typical past play pinch an unbeaten home play and now nan German champions will show each their talents successful nan biggest title of all.

Guillem Balague: Inter Milan.

Since they ended Juventus's power successful 2021, they conscionable won nan convention again, and person been successful Europa convention and Champions League finals.

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

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

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

The nine person reached nan last doubly nether nan tutelage of Diego Simeone. The only interest I person is that Simeone has yet to fig retired really his squad tin beryllium a spot much ascendant successful possession and frankincense take sides leads better.

Phil McNulty: Having had nan appetite whetted astatine Euro 2024, I’m going for Barcelona’s 17-year-old brilliant Lamine Yamal. He is made for this stage, arsenic he 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 he gets regular crippled time.

Julien Laurens: Lamine Yamal.

There are loads of contenders evidently but nan champion and astir breathtaking subordinate correct now successful Europe is nan Barcelona winger.

He is still only 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 nan Euros pinch Spain successful nan summertime and will beryllium a prima successful this Champions League run too.

Guillem Balague: Lamine Yamal.

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

They retrieve nan shot early successful a show of corporate effort, they people lots, they create tons too. Fun to watch but Lamine is nan subordinate that takes them to different level

Constantin Eckner: I'm willing successful seeing Viktor Gyokeres and Sporting Lisbon's full attacking statement playing successful nan Champions League.

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