Cristiano Ronaldo Names Top 3 Champions League Contenders

• Cristiano Ronaldo is optimistic about Manchester City's prospects of defending their Champions League title
• The Portuguese identified two additional strong contenders for European football's most coveted prize
• The Al-Nassr star won five Champions League titles with Real Madrid and Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo expressed his belief that Manchester City has a "good chance" of securing another Champions League victory this season, while also highlighting two other formidable contenders for the prestigious European title.

The 38-year-old shared these insights during the 2023 Globe Soccer Awards ceremony in Dubai.

Alongside asserting himself as the "best goalscorer" in world football, a statement that elicited a noticeable reaction from Erling Haaland, Ronaldo engaged in an on-stage Q&A session where he addressed various questions.

During this session, a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid and Manchester United, Ronaldo was asked about the potential winners of this season's premier club competition.

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During the discussion, Ronaldo asserted that Manchester City stands a "strong chance" of reclaiming the Champions League title.

The Portuguese icon identified Real Madrid and Bayern Munich as the other formidable contenders. While it was expected that Ronaldo would acknowledge Los Blancos' prowess, he notably extended additional praise to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City—a team strongly linked with him in 2021.

“I think Manchester City has a great chance of winning the Champions League again this season," he added. "I hope not [they don’t win], but I think they have a chance.”

In May of the previous year, Manchester City secured their inaugural Champions League title with a 1-0 victory over Inter Milan in the final.

Ronaldo's subtle message to Messi

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Cristiano Ronaldo's strategically timed Instagram post on Monday, January 16, has led fans to speculate that he was sending a message to his rival, Lionel Messi.

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Messi recently clinched the Best FIFA Men's Player for 2023, adding to his record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or victory, surpassing Erling Haaland for another prestigious individual award.

Ronaldo, who was not involved in the final voting, shared a message on Instagram shortly after Messi's achievement was announced.