Weeks after claiming their first UEFA Champions League trophy, Paris Saint-Germain are being touted as the front-runners to earn some more silverware this summer.
Opta has the reigning Ligue 1 champions as the favourites to win the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. Luis Enrique’s men will be among 32 clubs from across the globe competing in the tournament. The Opta supercomputer has PSG with an 18.5% chance of winning the competition, just ahead of Manchester City (17.8%).
Bayern Munich ranks as the third favourite, with odds of 12.8%, followed by Champions League runners-up Inter Milan (12.3%) and rounding out the top five is Real Madrid (9.8%).
In a group featuring Atlético Madrid, the Seattle Sounders, and last year’s Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo, the French champions have been given a 75.4% chance of advancing into the last eight. Botafogo are owned by Olympique Lyonnais owner, John Textor.
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This will be the first appearance for Les Parisiens in this competition, and they will also be the first French side to ever take part.
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The tournament opens on Saturday when former PSG forward Lionel Messi leads Inter Miami onto the field against Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
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PSG open the tournament on Sunday against Atlético Madrid. They follow that up by facing Botafogo on June 19 before concluding the group phase four days later against the Sounders.
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All of their opening-round matches take place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
GFFN | Joel Lefevre