Gary Lineker names his ‘underdogs’ to win the Champions League | Football

Gary Lineker has named his dark horses for this season’s Champions League but admitted the tournament is wide open at this stage.

After the first evening of last-16 action, it was Arsenal who stole the headlines with their remarkable 7-1 win away from home against PSV Eindhoven.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been short of goals in recent weeks but showed no shortage of quality in the final third on Tuesday as they all-but secured their place in the quarter-finals.

Aston Villa put on a similarly impressive performance away at Club Brugge, with a 3-1 win giving them a huge advantage heading into the second leg.

Unai Emery’s side have endured mixed fortunes in the Premier League this season but have impressed greatly on the continent and could now reach a Champions League quarter-final for the first time since 1983.

While Liverpool and Real Madrid remain the favourites with several pundits, this year’s tournament remains wide open in the early knockout stages.

And having been impressed by one of their recent displays in the Budesliga, Lineker reckons Bayer Leverkusen could be a side to watch out for in the coming rounds.

‘I’ll go Bayer Leverkusen – are they underdogs? Is anyone really underdogs at this stage?’ he said on the Rest Is Football Podcast.

‘They’ve got Bayern Munich which is a massive game for them but I saw them play against Bayern a few weeks ago.

‘It ended up goalless but Bayer Leverkusen outplayed them and if they dominate like that they’ll have a great chance.’

Alan Shearer, meanwhile, tipped Atletico Madrid to upset the apple cart, although Diego Simeone’s side will have to overturn a one-goal deficit following their first leg with Real.

‘Without calling them an underdog, [I fancy] Atletico,’ he said.

‘I think that’s the toughest draw that Real Madrid could have had at this stage. It’s such a tough ask at this stage of the competition.’

Micah Richards instead threw his support behind Inter Milan, saying: ‘They were in the final a couple of years ago against City but there’s something aboiut them as a team.

‘They play that three-at-the-back formation with the rotation in midfield. Martinez and Thuram up front and they have a great coach as well who just knows when to tweak things at the right time.’

Inter travel to Feyenoord on Wednesday for their first leg and currently sit top of Serie A.

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