Barcelona star Lamine Yamal believes his side are now the favourites to win the Champions League following Liverpool’s exit.
The Reds were knocked out on penalties by Paris Saint-Germain, leaving one less giant in the competition.
Meanwhile, Barca overcame Benfica in the last-16 and will face German side Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals.
Importantly, Yamal’s side are on the opposite side of the draw to PSG and rivals Real Madrid.
But they could still come up against Bayern Munich or Inter Milan on route to the final.
Speaking on international duty with Spain, Yamal said to SPORT: “We’re the favourites for the Champions League.
🚨🏆 Lamine Yamal: “We are favorites to win the Champions League now that Liverpool are out of the competition”.
“We are not afraid of any team, we are a family… and we’re not the same as one year ago against PSG”, told @Sport. pic.twitter.com/9iiMMQ6V0i
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 18, 2025
“When the group stage ended, I said Liverpool were the favorites because they were first, and now that they’ve fallen, it’s us.”
The dynamic winger goes on to say that the team has no fear of any opponent and highlights their “strong mentality” as they prepare for the most critical part of the season.
Barcelona remain in contention for three major titles: the Champions League; LaLiga, where they currently hold the top spot with a game in hand; and the Copa del Rey, where they are set to face Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the semi-final.
“We’re a different team than last year, when we lost to PSG,” said Barca’s No.19.
In Spain, no side has scored anywhere close to Barca’s 75 goals, and only two sides have conceded less than their 27.
But it has been 10 years since the club last lifted the Champions League, in the Lionel Messi era.
Now, Yamal is looking to make his mark as the next legend of the club and the 17-year-old has already proved his worth since bursting onto the scene from La Masia.
If he can lead Barca to the prestigious trophy, he will become a hero.
