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Pundits Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards have shared their predictions for the 2023 UEFA Champions League winner.
Former Manchester City defender Richards backed Napoli to go all the way in the prestigious tournament. He said (via Football365):
“I think Napoli. Napoli with their form have been brilliant. In terms of stand-out favourites, it’s difficult. You just think at the end of the season, teams are going to get better but on form I think Napoli."
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He added:
“They really stand out to me. If I was a betting man and I was putting money on right now in terms of form, I would pick Napoli because when I watch them, they’re dynamic, they defend well, they attack well.
"But over the course of the season, teams are going to be in form, they might lose a bit of form but right now I’d say Napoli yes.”
Napoli have been in terrific form this season and finished atop their Champions League group above Liverpool. They will face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Round of 16.
The Italian side have also established a whopping 15-point lead at the top of the Serie A table.
Carragher also sees Napoli as a good contender for the 2023 Champions League trophy but he picked Manchester City to win their maiden trophy instead. He said:
“Yeah I think Napoli right now are the form team. I would love to see them win it, an outsider behind the big teams you expect to win it. But I think this could be the season of Manchester City.”
Manchester City also finished atop their Champions League group and will face RB Leipzig in the Round of 16.
They are engaged in a tight Premier League title race against Arsenal, who have a three-point lead with a game in hand.
Knockout stages of 2023 UEFA Champions League commence
Tuesday (February 14) marked the first two fixtures of the Round of 16 of this year's competition.
Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 1-0 at the Parc des Princes via Kingsley Coman's goal. The second leg will be played at the Allianz Arena on March 8.
In the second fixture, AC Milan beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 at the San Siro, courtesy of a Brahim Diaz goal. The second leg will be played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on March 8.
