Carlo Ancelotti, currently serving as Brazil’s head coach following his departure from Real Madrid, has identified Paris Saint-Germain as his pick to lift the UEFA Champions League trophy for a second consecutive season.
Speaking in an interview with Italian newspaper Il Giornale, Ancelotti acknowledged the quality of this season’s competition while making his position clear. “I’ve seen some amazing high-scoring games, which were exciting for the fans. The Champions League is a tournament that doesn’t always favour the top teams, but it’s still a competition where teams can improve and grow,” he said.
PSG have been among the standout performers in this season’s knockout rounds, eliminating Liverpool with a commanding 4-0 aggregate victory to secure their place in the last four. The French side will now face Bayern Munich in what is set to be one of the more high-profile semi-final matchups in recent memory.
On the other side of the draw, Arsenal — who have attracted considerable attention for their run in the competition — will face Atletico Madrid with a place in the final at stake. Despite Arsenal’s impressive campaign, Ancelotti’s prediction conspicuously omits the Premier League club from contention.
The semi-final ties are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks, with the final pencilled in for late May or early June 2026. PSG’s potential path to back-to-back titles would represent a significant moment for French football, with the club having invested heavily in squad depth and tactical development in recent seasons.
Ancelotti, one of the most decorated managers in Champions League history having won the competition four times — three with Real Madrid and once with AC Milan — carries considerable authority when assessing European football at its highest level. His endorsement of PSG reflects the momentum the Parisian club have built throughout the tournament.
For Arsenal, reaching the semi-finals marks their deepest run in the Champions League in a number of years, and a victory over Atletico Madrid would place them in their first final since 2006. Atletico, under Diego Simeone, remain one of European football’s most defensively disciplined sides, making their tie with the Gunners difficult to predict.
Bayern Munich, meanwhile, enter their semi-final against PSG as a club with significant Champions League pedigree, having won the tournament six times. The German side will be looking to reach a final for the first time since their 2023 appearance, when they were defeated by Manchester City.
