Legendary former Inter midfielder Lothar Matthaus does not believe that his former club or any Italian side are strong enough to win the Champions League this season.
Speaking to German broadcaster Sky Sport Deutschland, as reported by FCInter1908, the 60-year-old gave his predictions on the competition with the group stage beginning.
The summer transfer window was one of upheaval for the Nerazzurri and for other Italian clubs, with the likes of Achraf Hakimi and Romelu Lukaku leaving Inter while Juventus faced the high-profile exit of Cristiano Ronaldo.
AC Milan’s and Atalanta’s transfer windows were more muted, though it remains to be seen if either side can make a significant impression in this season’s edition of Europe’s top competition.
Matthaus does not believe that either La Liga or Serie A have teams currently capable of competing at the summit of European football, rather favouring Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and the English sides in the competition.
He explained, “On paper, Paris Saint-Germain are one of the big favourites for the title. Messi, Donnarumma, Ramos, Wijnaldum and Hakimi arrived and they also managed to keep Mbappe. If Bayern were to be lucky and avoid injuries, they could also go for it in Europe.”
“My favourites for the Champions League are therefore PSG, Bayern and the English four,” he concluded, “who have strengthened a lot and have started very well in the Premier League. I don’t see any Italian or Spanish team that currently has the potential to win.”
