UCL winners predicted as Man City lead challengers for Real Madrid's crown

It may look radically different this season, but plenty of things about the Champions League are still the same.

As the tournament starts on Tuesday the teams will walk out to that iconic music, the eyes of the world will be upon them and that familiar iconic trophy they're playing for is still there at the end of it too.

But as the 36-team 'Swiss' league system starts, who will be lifting that famous trophy at the Munich final come the end of May next year? We asked our Mirror Football writers who who they think will become the new European champions.

John Cross - Real Madrid

Real Madrid are my tip to win the Champions League this season. Hardly an original prediction but Europe’s best got better with the signing of Kylian Mbappe who, in my mind, is the most exciting and spectacular all-round forward in world football. If you put him together with Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham and Co then Real Madrid are just frightening.

Carlo Ancelotti references it on a regular basis that Real have an aura about them. They have won the European Cup 15 times and even when they are not playing well… they find a way to get the job done.

I do think off-the-pitch distractions could affect Manchester City. What will happen with the hearing? It’s dragged on far too long for everyone. Arsenal and Liverpool are a work in progress while Aston Villa are a welcome addition.

I like the new format. The old six group matches could become dull, especially with the dead rubbers. I hope it’s not too complicated. I’ve sat through so many briefings - and I’m still confused! The best formats are simple and exciting. Let’s hope.

Nathan Ridley - Manchester City

More games, more competition - that usually results in more winning for Man City. Pep Guardiola's side were most people's favourites last season and only went out through fine margins against destined winners Real Madrid, but this time around I don't see anyone stopping them on the road to Munich.

They went out at the same stage as Arsenal but I can't see the Gunners keeping pace again, nor do I think Liverpool can make a good fist of it given Arne Slot's squad doesn't have the depth required for this greedily expanded competition. As for Unai Emery's Aston Villa, the parallels with Newcastle are difficult to avoid and reaching the knockouts would be a surprise given their opponents in the first phase.

Real will still be in the fight, especially if Carlo Ancelotti's men turn their focus away from La Liga after an underwhelming start, while I can see Bayer Leverkusen going deep given Xabi Alonso's excellent record in knockout football.

Andy Dunn - Atletico Madrid

The group stage might have a different format but it will be the usual suspects who move through to the knockout phase and it is difficult to make a strong case against Manchester City’s chances of winning a second title.

My hunch is that Kylian Mbappe’s presence at Real Madrid is as likely to be as unsettling as it is uplifting and it would not be overly surprising if Barcelona went deeper into the tournament. But Spain could still provide an alternative to the obvious choices, in the form of Atletico Madrid.

Conor Gallagher scored his first goal for Diego Simeone’s team at the weekend and the English midfielder has the temperament, the attitude, and the ability to be a big success there. Julian Alvarez also got off the mark for Atleti and his qualities have been there for all to see over the past few years.

Gallagher and Alvarez complement world class players already on the books - such as Jan Oblak and Antoine Griezmann - and Simeone, in his 14th season as manager, has the experience and know-how to take Atleti all the way.

Jeremy Cross - Real Madrid

There's only one winner, and it's the club that almost does it for fun. Real Madrid. The Spanish giants became kings of Europe for a staggering 14th time last season And since then, Real have added a certain Kylian Mbappe to their ranks.

So good luck to anyone wanting to dethrone a club which measures it's standards on winning the biggest club prize of the lot. And I include Manchester City in this.

The English champions are perhaps the only side capable of going toe-to-toe with Real, as they've done in the past few seasons. But when it comes to this competition, it tends to make Pep Guardiola take strange decisions.

Mike Walters - Real Madrid

Just when you thought players couldn't be flogged to death any more, along comes an expanded Champions League with the opening phase expanded from six games to eight and a TV schedule requiring Gogglebox levels of addiction to the sofa.

As usual, you won't be seeing any surprise contenders when we get down to the last eight. Just the usual cast of suspects. So that means Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain among the likeliest winners - because money talks loudest.

We can't be sure how City's season will pan out because those 115 charges are going to weigh heavily over the winter, even if they don't have an immediate impact on the pitch.

Arsenal won't be able to sustain a title challenge and compete for the Champions League - supremacy begins at home, so Mikel Arteta's best option is to try and land a first Premier League crown in 21 years since the Gunners' Invincibles season.

Unai Emery's expertise in Europe should make Aston Villa worth watching, although they don't have enough depth of quality to go all the way. And Liverpool's lack of activity in the transfer market in the last window will come back to bite them.

So it looks like Kylian Mbappe, who has never won the European Cup (to use its proper title), will finally get his hands on it.

Mark Jones - Barcelona

They are top of their domestic league after five wins from five featuring 17 goals, have a burgeoning crop of young talent, many of whom have got their hands on silverware already, and they have a manager who has won the Champions League in the recent past. So why is no-one talking about Barcelona?

Hansi Flick has them playing some superb stuff in La Liga, and they are sharing the goals around too with seven different scorers already this season. That takes the burden off the ageing Robert Lewandowski, who nonetheless still has the pedigree to worry the best defences and act as an experienced foil for the likes of Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha, Ferran Torres and Pedri.

The new format - which is significantly better, by the way - has been kind to them too, with their toughest game being Bayern Munich at home.The bookies have Barca hovering at around fifth or sixth favourites for the competition along with the likes of Liverpool and PSG, and that looks long to me.

David McDonnell - Real Madrid

With the addition of Kylian Mbappe to their already formidable squad, it's hard to look beyond serial winners Real Madrid when predicting this season's Champions League winners.

It might be predictable, but there is a reason why Real are the Kings of European football - their 15 triumphs irrefutable proof of their peerless pedigree in the competition and why they will always be among the favourites.

Any squad that can boast the glittering attacking talent of Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr, underpinned by a midfield of Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and the experienced Luka Modric, and a solid defence including Anthony Rudiger and Eder Militao, will be hard to beat come the business end of European football's elite club competition.

Manchester City will likely be in the mix, given their equally rich depth of talent and experience, although their case against the Premier League may have a bearing on their chances of success this season, if they are found guilty of the charges they face.

The revamped format brings more jeopardy to the opening stage, with the bigger teams playing two opponents from the same seeded pot, meaning the first round may not be such a stroll for them as it frequently was under the old format, when the last two games of the group stage could often become dead rubbers for sides with a 100 percent record.

The additional two games - four for those teams involved in the playoff round to make the knockout stage - places an even greater burden on players in an already congested fixture calendar.

But the new format undoubtedly will offer up more exciting games between Europe's elite clubs - Manchester City v Inter Milan, Liverpool v Real Madrid, Barcelona v Bayern Munich among them - and turn an often pedestrian first phase into something much more intriguing and watchable.

Sam Meade - Manchester City

Yes they're favourites most years and yes it is not the most creative choice, but they are viewed in that light for a reason. They were by far the better team when Real Madrid knocked them out in the quarters last season - with the Spaniards seemingly praying for penalties.

City will be determined to wrestle back their crown and now know what it takes as a group to conquer Europe. Watching Aston Villa should be intriguing as they attempt to juggle that alongside domestic matters. Don't be surprised to see some memorable wins at Villa Park, but I don't think they'll feature in the latter stages. Arsenal too will be better off for their experience last year.

As for the new format, not a fan. Felt like changes for changes sake and the major issue is the increased amount of games. UEFA - like all governing bodies - do not care for player welfare when it comes to making more cash.