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Jake Stokes & James Quinlan

Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand agree on Champions League winners but it's not Chelsea or Tottenham

Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand have revealed who they think will win the Champions League this season — but it's not Chelsea or Tottenham.

Spurs have already been handed a huge blow to their hopes of clinching European glory after AC Milan secured a 1-0 advantage ahead of the round of 16 second-leg. While the north Londoners are already on the back foot, the Blues are yet to lock horns with Borussia Dortmund.

The German outfit will welcome Graham Potter's side to the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday evening as Chelsea look to get off to a better start to their knockout stage campaign than their rivals Tottenham. Nevertheless, a supercomputer has tipped Bayern Munich as early favourites to win the Champions League this term.

READ MORE: Chelsea face triple suspension risk for Borussia Dortmund clash amid Kalidou Koulibaly decision

However, Cole and Ferdinand disagree with technology and have hedged some predictions of their own. Speaking on BT Sport, the former Chelsea midfielder said: "Certainly one of these two teams [Bayern Munich and PSG] could win it.

"Bayern Munich, they’re always there or thereabouts, but I can’t look past Man City this year. I’ve been flip-flapping between Man City and PSG this year, this is a tricky tie for PSG and if they come through this I might then fancy them, but at the moment today I’m going to go with Man City."

Singing from the same hymn sheet, the former Manchester United defender said: "It’s just too difficult. I’m gonna go with City, just because of Haaland and Pep, he’s driven to win this. He’s been involved with the Premier League, but the Champions League is where it’s at for him. He’ll shut many people up if he does get it done."

City have never won the Champions League in the club's history. Pep Guardiola's side reached the final in 2021 but Chelsea walked away victors against the odds.

Then, in 2022, Real Madrid won the tournament for a 14th time after defeating Liverpool in the final. Now that City have a traditional striker at their disposal in the shape of Haaland, they've been tipped to finally clinch European silverware.

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