Europe’s elite cup competition, the UEFA Champions League is down to its most important stage where any drop in intensity could be punishable and unforgivable. You snooze…You lose!
According to FiveThirtyEight, they have penciled down the teams chances of qualifying to the next stage in the order of percentage rankings.
The four gigantic teams in Europe ably vying to make it to the final have to overcome a hurdle in the Semifinals and it certainly wouldn’t come easy.
Three out of the four sides have been previous winners of this massive competition but the other who haven’t lifted this competition (Manchester City) have a manager (Pep Guardiola) who has won it in the past propelling them.
It might be shocking to you which team is placed highest to get to the UEFA Champions League final and it might not be, given their recent level of success in the domestic front.
Let’s dive right straight into how the teams are placed according to FiveThirtyEight and REMEMBER it is a percentage based rankings.
Here are the ranking of the Semifinalists
Real Madrid – 37%
The 14 time champions of this prestigious competition are placed last with a 37% chance to progress into the final of the UEFA Champions League.
Real Madrid defeated Liverpool in the round of 16 of the competition by a smashing 6 – 2 aggregate scoreline before making light work of Chelsea in the quarterfinals.
The White Angels have netted 25 goals and conceded 8 in the UEFA Champions League this campaign, they have won 8 games, drawn 1 and lost 1 so far.
It ended Real Madrid 4 – 0 on aggregate against the English side and that ensured their passage into the Semifinals of the competition where they would face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
AC Milan – 45%
The second most successful side in the competition have a percentage ranking of 45% to get into the UEFA Champions League final.
The Rossonerri have lifted the competition 7 times in the past, last winning it in the 2006/07 campaign.
AC Milan have scored 15 goals and shipped in 8 goals so far in the tournament. They have won 5 games, shared the spoils in 3 and lost 2.
Milan defeated Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on aggregate to get into the quarterfinals before defeating Luciano Spalleti’s Napoli by another slim margin (2-1).
The victory over Napoli ensured their progression into the Semifinals where they would face fierce rivals Inter Milan over two legs and that should be a mouthwatering clash.
Inter Milan – 55%
The Nerazzurri have lifted the UEFA Champions League thrice in the past and they are placed 2nd with a percentage ranking of 55%.
The 3 time champions of this competition have scored 16 goals and conceded 10 out of 10 games played in the competition and they have lost 2 games, drawn 3 and won 5 games.
Inter just like city rivals AC Milan also battled their way through to the Semifinals, beating FC Porto by 1-0 on aggregate in the round of 16, they then defeated another Portuguese side SL Benfica by 5-3 on aggregate to move into the Semifinals..
It would be a big iconic clash and a match for the ages to see the Derby della Madonnina once again on Europe’s biggest stage.
Manchester City – 63%
The Cityzens of Manchester have come out all guns blazing since they set out in the UEFA Champions League this term and they are ranked the highest based on percentage to progress into the final.
Manchester City are placed first with a percentage ranking of 63% and they are tutored by a manager, Pep Guardiola, who has won the UEFA Champions League on two previous occasions.
They have netted 26 goals and conceded 4 goals in 10 games in the UEFA Champions League so far this season and they are unbeaten in the competition.
Manchester City is filled with so many quality players
A team filled with big names like Erling Braut Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Ederson Moraes amongst others would obviously be rated highly but they face a tough task in the Semifinals as they go up against the defending champions Real Madrid.
The Manchester based club have never won the UEFA Champions League but they have the highest goalscorer of the competition this campaign in their fold.
City humiliated RB Leipzig in the round of 16 by defeating the German club 8-1 on aggregate before beating German giants Bayern Munich by a resounding 4-1 scoreline on aggregate.
Their hunt to win this elusive title wouldn’t come easy but they have been penned down according to FiveThirtyEight as the team with the best chance of progressing to the final.
2023 Champions League Finalists
Based on the aforementioned, Manchester City will face Inter Milan in the final of the 2023 UEFA Champions League at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on 10 June 2023.
