The Rondo, Champions League edition: Can PSG three-peat and which team will disappoint?

Tom Hindle: Liverpool should be fascinating. Andoni Iraola’s style has been compared to that of Jurgen Klopp, and even if that is a little flattering, all of the high-pressing, heavy-metal football traits are there. That worked wonders in the Champions League before and it might do so again. Some big performances under the Anfield lights wouldn’t go amiss.

Ryan Tolmich: PSG are the obvious choice, but Barcelona are intriguing. The Catalan giants haven’t been particularly close in recent years, but early form in La Liga says this team may have taken a step forward this summer. Is Rodri the missing piece? Can Lamine Yamal add that next bit of silverware to his already-insane resume? That’s worth watching.

Alex Labidou: They’re probably a year away from winning it all, but let’s give Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid a shout. Madrid never disappoint when it comes to drama, and this side should offer plenty of subplots alongside a serious challenge. I see a semifinal exit, but the ride will be fun. Mourinho needs silverware somewhere this season if his return is going to last. This particular trophy, though, looks destined for another team in Spain or one in Germany.

TH: Real Madrid! You can write the script now. They will make the groups look relatively easy and then collapse when the knockouts come. For all of the star power here, they just don’t have the right balance to dominate Europe.

RT: In their first run without Pep Guardiola in over a decade, Manchester City have been handed a nightmare draw. It may not come back to bite them in the early rounds, but it could set them up for a tough run later, which wouldn’t be ideal for a club that is in something of a rebuilding phase.

AL: Arsenal have plenty of ambition, but the early signs suggest they’ll do more damage domestically. Success in the Champions League often relies on top strikers, and they haven’t quite found a convincing answer at No. 9. January could change that, but for now, this looks like a side headed for an early knockout exit.

TH: Lamine Yamal. Barca will win it after a couple of really compelling runs, and the Catalan wizard will claim a bit of individual silverware en route to the 2027 Ballon d’Or.

RT: There are a few contenders to win this thing, and Bayern Munich have the most obvious recipe for success: have Harry Kane score a boatload of goals. If they win, it’ll be obvious why, which makes him a pretty good contender for Player of the Tournament honors.

AL: There’s a brilliant field of contenders, but I’m going with Lamine Yamal, provided Hansi Flick manages his minutes carefully. Rodri has a strong claim to being Barca’s best player - just look at how commanding he was at the World Cup - but playing at No. 6 makes it harder to produce the headline numbers that tend to drive these awards. Yamal has the talent to make this his tournament.

TH: It would not be surprising to see a familiar storyline playing out here. PSG will struggle in the league phase, fail to impress, and maybe even need some final-day heroics to ensure a knockout spot. But the inevitable locking in when the elimination soccer starts will be too much for most teams.

RT: Absolutely. PSG are favorites, but there are three teams right in that tier behind them: Bayern, Arsenal and Barcelona. All three will be feeling good about their chances. Then there’s the “good but flawed” category of teams like Real Madrid, Manchester City, Liverpool and Inter lurking, too. PSG are a good bet, but this isn’t going to be a cakewalk, no.

AL: Not sure if it is post-World Cup hangover or just a byproduct of the last few years of dominance, but PSG don’t look the same this season. They will contend as they always do, but it appears as if Barcelona or Bayern Munich are well-equipped to take this year’s trophy.

TH: Barcelona! They’ve flirted with it for a few years now, and with Rodri at the base of that midfield… good luck getting the ball off them! There will be a question or two to be asked about Raphinha’s hamstrings. But if he stays fit, then the Catalan giants win it all.

RT: Let’s shake it up a bit and go Bayern. Kane is Kane and Olise has the ability to win games by himself, too. Is the defense good enough? What’s going to happen with Jamal Musiala? Big questions, but ones that could be answered in a way that earns Bayern a trophy they’ve coveted.

AL: Bayern have the best front three in the world, but there are serious questions in midfield, at full back and in goal. Can they go all the way with Manuel Neuer struggling so badly in big games - for club AND country - over the past year?

That pushes the vote to Barcelona. Adding Gabriel Jesus to an attack featuring Anthony Gordon and Lamine Yamal, with Rodri anchoring the midfield, gives them a compelling balance. This isn’t quite the Messi-Suarez-Neymar era, but this squad is close to some of Messi’s other teams in Catalonia. Watch out.

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