UEFA Champions League 2017-18: Top 5 favourite title-contenders 

#4 Real Madrid

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Los Blancos are looking to make history by winning a third consecutive Champions League, which is unprecedented since the European Cup was rebranded. They have struggled this season in both the league and in Europe, but they should never be underestimated.

The Champions League is the ideal competition for them because they thrive in individual big games rather than in a consistent run which is required in the league. They are also showing signs of improvement this season with a 5-0 win at home against Sevilla on Saturday.

Real Madrid boast one of the strongest squads in world football and they have a manager who knows how to effectively man-manage them. Zinedine Zidane may lack the tactical knowledge of other managers such as Pep Guardiola, but he excels at keeping the big players thriving. This is a key part of Real's success because it allows them the freedom to create.

The main issue for Real is that they lack the squad depth from last season and certain key players are unable to make up for that - last time around, they could basically rotate the entire first-team out for less important games last season and still produce results. Players such as Álvaro Morata and James Rodríguez were ridiculously talented substitutes to have.

This year players such as Karim Benzema have to make up for this shortfall, but they aren't able to produce the same effect which hinders Real. Key players are also not getting as much rest, so fatigue will be a real issue as the season progresses. They have players capable of saving their best for the big occasions, but a combination of stronger opposition and a weaker side than last year means they are unlikely to repeat their success.

They have a tough fixture in the round of sixteen because they face PSG. This is a fixture between two heavyweights and Los Blancos can't afford to exit the competition at such an early stage.