Theo Walcott names ‘favourite’ to win Champions League after Arsenal beat Real Madrid
Theo Walcott discussing the 2025 Champions League (Picture: BBC One) Theo Walcott has named the ‘favourite’ to win the Champions League after the four semi-finalists were confirmed. One of Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona or Inter Milan will be crowned European champions this season after the four clubs booked their place in the semi-finals. Premier League runners-up Arsenal produced two sensational performances to thump Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals. The Gunners held all the cards following a shock 3-0 win in the first leg and dismissed any fears of a Madrid comeback by winning 2-1 at the Bernabeu. Arsenal will face PSG in the semi-finals after the French champions survived a major scare to beat Aston Villa 5-4 on aggregate. Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. PSG, who knocked out Premier League champions-elect Liverpool earlier in the competition, progressed despite losing 3-2 in a Champions League classic at Villa Park. Barcelona made relatively light work of their quarter-final tie against Borussia Dortmund, going through courtesy of a 5-3 win on aggregate. Arsenal celebrate after knocking out Real Madrid (Picture: Getty) Barca – who also have aspirations of winning La Liga, currently sitting four points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the table – also lost in the second leg but had a huge advantage following a 4-0 first-leg victory. Inter Milan make up the semi-final line-up after an impressive win over German giants Bayern Munich. The Serie A side won 2-1 at the Allianz Arena and drew the home leg 2-2 to advance at the expense of Vincent Kompany’s Bayern. Paris Saint-Germain edged past Aston Villa (Picture: Getty) Both semi-finals are incredibly hard to call but ex-England forward Walcott rates his former club Arsenal as the ‘favourites’ to win the Champions League after they dispatched of Real Madrid. ‘I want Arsenal to win it and they are certainly capable of going all the way,’ he told BBC Sport. ‘They will be favourites now, after going to the Bernabeu and beating Real Madrid, but there is something about Inter Milan that worries me. The way they defend makes me think they have a real chance too. Barcelona proved too strong for Borussia Dortmund (Picture: Getty) ‘It is still so open, though, and I can’t even call either semi-final right now, let alone the final – it’s too hard to say who will win it with any certainty.’ Ex-Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha is also backing Mikel Arteta to guide Arsenal to their first ever Champions League triumph. ‘As I look at the two ties left now, I think it’s going to be one of the first-time winners, so either Arsenal or PSG, whoever comes through their semi-final,’ he said. Inter Milan knocked out Bayern Munich (Picture: Getty) ‘That’s a shame for one of them because they are the two best teams in the competition. It’s very hard to choose between the two but I am going to go for Arsenal. ‘Beating Real Madrid, even if this isn’t the best version of Real Madrid is one thing, but to go to the Bernabeu with all the talk about a comeback and be so robust, showed they have what it takes. ‘Overall, in terms of how they are prepared to defend and suffer, and still have a threat in attack, I would argue they are the most complete team left in the competition.’ PSG tipped to lift Champions League trophy Despite Arsenal’s stunning display against Real Madrid, a number of pundits believe they will be knocked out by eventual winners PSG. ‘I just think PSG are such a well-balanced team,’ Chris Sutton, the former Premier League striker, said. ‘They’ve got rid of all the big hitters now. ‘They’ve got Ligue 1 wrapped up already so they can concentrate on the Champions League and they just ooze class and quality.’ Ex-England defender Matt Upson added: ‘It’s easy to change opinion once you get through another set of games but I’m going to stick with my gut feeling of PSG to win the competition. ‘I think they’ve been standout performers all the way through. This side has a grit about it that I’ve not seen in any other PSG team.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Theo Walcott has named the ‘favourite’ to win the Champions League after the four semi-finalists were confirmed.
One of Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona or Inter Milan will be crowned European champions this season after the four clubs booked their place in the semi-finals.
Premier League runners-up Arsenal produced two sensational performances to thump Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.
The Gunners held all the cards following a shock 3-0 win in the first leg and dismissed any fears of a Madrid comeback by winning 2-1 at the Bernabeu.
Arsenal will face PSG in the semi-finals after the French champions survived a major scare to beat Aston Villa 5-4 on aggregate.
Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.
PSG, who knocked out Premier League champions-elect Liverpool earlier in the competition, progressed despite losing 3-2 in a Champions League classic at Villa Park.
Barcelona made relatively light work of their quarter-final tie against Borussia Dortmund, going through courtesy of a 5-3 win on aggregate.
Barca – who also have aspirations of winning La Liga, currently sitting four points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the table – also lost in the second leg but had a huge advantage following a 4-0 first-leg victory.
Inter Milan make up the semi-final line-up after an impressive win over German giants Bayern Munich.
The Serie A side won 2-1 at the Allianz Arena and drew the home leg 2-2 to advance at the expense of Vincent Kompany’s Bayern.
Both semi-finals are incredibly hard to call but ex-England forward Walcott rates his former club Arsenal as the ‘favourites’ to win the Champions League after they dispatched of Real Madrid.
‘I want Arsenal to win it and they are certainly capable of going all the way,’ he told BBC Sport.
‘They will be favourites now, after going to the Bernabeu and beating Real Madrid, but there is something about Inter Milan that worries me. The way they defend makes me think they have a real chance too.
‘It is still so open, though, and I can’t even call either semi-final right now, let alone the final – it’s too hard to say who will win it with any certainty.’
Ex-Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha is also backing Mikel Arteta to guide Arsenal to their first ever Champions League triumph.
‘As I look at the two ties left now, I think it’s going to be one of the first-time winners, so either Arsenal or PSG, whoever comes through their semi-final,’ he said.
‘That’s a shame for one of them because they are the two best teams in the competition. It’s very hard to choose between the two but I am going to go for Arsenal.
‘Beating Real Madrid, even if this isn’t the best version of Real Madrid is one thing, but to go to the Bernabeu with all the talk about a comeback and be so robust, showed they have what it takes.
‘Overall, in terms of how they are prepared to defend and suffer, and still have a threat in attack, I would argue they are the most complete team left in the competition.’
PSG tipped to lift Champions League trophy
Despite Arsenal’s stunning display against Real Madrid, a number of pundits believe they will be knocked out by eventual winners PSG.
‘I just think PSG are such a well-balanced team,’ Chris Sutton, the former Premier League striker, said. ‘They’ve got rid of all the big hitters now.
‘They’ve got Ligue 1 wrapped up already so they can concentrate on the Champions League and they just ooze class and quality.’
Ex-England defender Matt Upson added: ‘It’s easy to change opinion once you get through another set of games but I’m going to stick with my gut feeling of PSG to win the competition.
‘I think they’ve been standout performers all the way through. This side has a grit about it that I’ve not seen in any other PSG team.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
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