UEFA Champions League 2023/24 Season

[skarais]

~~~

Barcelona have continued to work on many solutions to maintain the financial stability of their current club, various ways they have done including selling star players, cutting wages, selling young players and even reportedly when Barcelona also no longer give lunch to young players who train in their academy just to prevent the club's expenses from growing,  And reportedly this season Xavi coached Barcelona for free because indeed he has given this season's salary to barcelona so that the club's financial stability is maintained.

I don't know where you got this news because I'm sure there are many rumors that are very different from reality. Barcelona are of course in very poor financial shape so far, but they have really had a great season with all the effort they have put into it. The players have made sacrifices by cutting salaries, Xavi has to accept the fact that he doesn't get a large spending budget, while there are still many other things being done to keep the club afloat.

I'm not sure other clubs will be as good as Barcelona if their financial condition is as bad as Barcelona's. Xavi and the squad and management have done their best so far and basically they are quite successful and competitive. The problem is, some fans and other people don't appreciate this because high demands are one of the most burdensome things for anyone currently at Barcelona.

What Barcelona are doing now is indeed very capable to make them continue to stay in La Liga and also continue to exist in champion league, but I think precisely what Barcelona are doing now in defending their team is like a time bomb that can explode at any time, and of course over time Barcelona's burden will greatly increase in the future if they cannot get an effective solution to overcome the problem Their finances so far, or indeed maybe Barcelona should have been taken over by another party who is indeed able to provide a large investment to solve all of Barcelona's current problems as you said, so that way we will be able to see Barcelona again can dominate the Champions League like the previous season., Btw if Barcelona can win the Champions League this season will the prize money obtained be very large and can make Barcelona's finances stable again?

They improved it last season and made quite good profits at the end of the season. Of course it didn't solve anything, but they did their best. What Barcelona can be most proud of is that they were still able to give their best when their financial conditions were very bad.

[1715310181]

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[1715310181]

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[1715310181]

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[beerlover]

Hopefully this can happen so that Real Madrid can get a little smoother in getting to the Champions League final this season, but Real Madrid must also be aware that Manchester City is still quite strong this season. So Real Madrid must be able to use all their abilities in the quarter-final match in order to get rid of the defending champions, because on the one hand Manchester City also know that Real Madrid will probably respond to them in the quarter-final match in order to advance to the final.

While now, we are heading for the quarterfinals of this season now I am feeling all teams will be gone with their full strength and never try to underestimate their opponent because from here any mistake of miss judgement can bring them down which could be worse currently both teams are at the same level even Manchester City is looking stronger on papers due to their strength, but Real Madrid is also giving his best and despite having few injuries they are giving their best in all competitions which is impressive.

Even nothing is predictable and there is no guaranteed about any team's win in final as well, but this is going to be one of the best encounter in this season mostly fans are expecting Manchester City is favourite and also able to win, but things could be not easy for any team as this is wide open game for the both sides.

I do agree that there is no weak team or strong team at this level. When you are at quarter finals, all teams deserved to be there, and yes normally there could be some smaller teams here, but this time there aren't any neither, the lowest ranked team is Dortmund, which should tell you how strong this quarter finals line up of teams are.

I believe that it is going to be very fun to watch them all, every team has someone their strength to battle it out and I think that means a lot of games to watch and have fun. I will definitely be live watching City Vs Madrid game because that is by far the best match up of the season so far and I believe that we are going to end up with something much better eventually if given enough chance.

[Farma]

I do agree that there is no weak team or strong team at this level. When you are at quarter finals, all teams deserved to be there, and yes normally there could be some smaller teams here, but this time there aren't any neither, the lowest ranked team is Dortmund, which should tell you how strong this quarter finals line up of teams are.

I believe that it is going to be very fun to watch them all, every team has someone their strength to battle it out and I think that means a lot of games to watch and have fun. I will definitely be live watching City Vs Madrid game because that is by far the best match up of the season so far and I believe that we are going to end up with something much better eventually if given enough chance.

The team that has qualified for the quarter-finals is the best team, whatever they have been through, what is certain is that the team that got here is the best of the opponents they have eliminated.
A slight difference is normal but not excessive so that any team will not be too favored or there will be no team that is easy to predict to qualify for the semifinals.

All the matches in the quarter-finals will be interesting and fierce and indeed the match between Manchester City vs Madrid is a little different in terms of prestige or tension because these two teams were previously favorites to win the UCL this season but have met before and that happened yesterday. This season makes the battle in the quarter-finals this season even more interesting.

[QueenVera]

The unexpected meeting between Real Madrid and Manchester City in the quarter-finals adds an element of intrigue and excitement to the competition. The outcome of this matchup will reduce the pool of title contenders, because this matchup lies in the fact that one of the tournament favorites will be eliminated at an earlier stage than anticipated. this intensifies the competition and raises the stakes for both teams. Both teams have arguably the best and strongest squads that makes their clash in the quarter-finals a highly anticipated event.

The fact that the two teams are the UCL Champions in last two seasons makes it difficult to predict which team will emerge victorious and progress to the semifinals. Both teams have demonstrated their ability to overcome formidable opponents and deliver under pressure. Mentality will become a significant factor to determine how the game will go and the result will be. Their clash will captivate fans worldwide and showcase the highest level of competition on the continental stage.

The meeting in the UCL is always having its high value and expectations and these 2 teams are the major oppositions for the UCL title this season. A lot expected to see them in the final stages but it’s quite going to be more fun to see them in the group stage phase. However just like last season, everybody's expectations would be on Manchester City based on the scoreline of the previous season, but Madrid's squad have improved and it's going to be a tough battle on the pitch.

 The UCL holds many expectations and surprises and we’ll be seeing one big match in this fixture. Both of the teams are on a very good level and you can’t compare on to one as each of them have their strengths amd weaknesses. Man City were able to thrash Madrid last seaso due to the hunger but right now this season, you can’t see that much hunger in the team and you can say how much the young Madrid squad is hungry. Did I say young, well yes young because most of them haven’t won a UCL with his madrid side and they’ll want to write their names in the history book of the club.

 Anyone able to win between this 2 clubs will be seen as favorites for the UCL trophy because no other club seems to come close to them in terms of performance as they’re both playing on a very high level. This fixture is adding value and excitement to the UCL a d we can’t wait to see how the battle goes down. The competition between both teams are fierce and I think the best team thT wins is the one the coach doesn’t make too much of an experiment in terms if tactics of the day for the club.

[Moreno233]

I'm a bit sad since all the Italian teams were eliminated
This makes me sad and makes me think, we are not at good levels to compete in Europe
Having said that, I'm certainly an orphan of teams and I also support Real Madrid and I hope they show me some good games

It was very annoying to see that there were no Italian representatives who managed to advance to the quarter -finals even though Inter Milan had previously been favored to qualify. But in fact they have to admit defeat when facing Atletico Madrid and now we no longer witness Italian representatives in the next phase for this season. Real Madrid will also face the defending champions in the quarter -finals so that their chances are still quite small because Manchester City will definitely defend themselves to qualify for the next round.

You are not the only one saddened by the fact that no Italian side made it to the quarter finals. I had serious confidence in Inter Milan who maintained such a wonderful record this season in both their local league and international competitions. Inter Milan won their first leg in against Atletico Madrid and during the second leg, they scored first which made me conclude they would qualify. How they allowed Atletico Madrid to score them two goals that made the match enter extra time and eventually penalty shootout is what surprised me.

Now competition in the quarter -finals will be very interesting where Real Madrid must face Manchester City first if you want to pass the next round. It will be much more difficult to make the prediction of the match because the two coaches have understood each other's strengths with each other so both must try a different strategy.

These are two times I was tipping either of them to win the trophy this year. It is unfortunate that they will be facing each other in a match that it has become extremely difficult to know who will take the lead. Whoever win in that match may likely go to the finals and eventually win the cup.

[AYOBA]

I repeat again what i said in the Laliga thread, dont think this Barcelona is better than the normal Barcelona, theya re still the same shit, they are only in a good run and also they are not more with the pressure for results after Xavi announcement of going away at the end of the season.

For me Luis Enrique is gonna win this coach duel against Xavi and put Paris in the semifinals.

If Barcelona can eliminate Napoli from UEFA champions league competition that won last season Italy serie A trophy , you will know that they have make some positive changes in this season that makes them to be more better than last season and, they are working towards their target to get to final because it look like they will win their opponent in their next game.

With the Barcelona performance this season it shows that are far better than last season because their performance performance this season is extremely good, but that doesn't never give them the hope that they can able to win to their opponents in their coming match even that they make positive changes in their last match, I have doubt that they will find this coming match so difficult to win so that they can draw down the number of their point.

If what Barcelona is displaying in this season can maintain it till the end of the tournament, I believe it will be a good season for them to make their coach proud that his efforts is not in Vail despite some challenges that occur in their past games.

Although that Barcelona displaying a wonderful perform this season they try maintain their consistent but currently now I don't think they can able to hold their consistent to end due to how they display their previous match, with what I'm seeing I'm still aspecting more challenging from the Barcelona. Because right now I'm having big hopes for Girona that they can soon overtake the Barcelona from 2nd position even in Laliga trophy, since their just ahead of the Girona with only 2 point.

[Falconer]

-snip-

You are right, Xabi and Luis Enrique are students and teachers. And in this match Xavi will definitely try to prove that he was a worthy student of Luis Enrique .

Luis Enrique is very experienced compared to Xavi this is true. But Xavi cannot be underestimated. Last season he won the La Liga title with Barcelona. The situation in Barcelona was very weak and shaky. He has been able to stabilize this team. So I would say Xavi has the ability to beat a PSG team.

Barcelona's match strategy is quite good. Barcelona players also performed well against Atletico Madrid in the last match. The PSG vs Barcelona match will be very competitive. It is impossible to predict which team will win. Both teams have equal chances of winning.

PSG has many reliable attackers in its squad, that is an advantage that PSG has compared to Barcelona. Meanwhile for Barcelona, ​​this team is being built with good confidence to finish this season with the best results. Xavi will try to convince his squad that PSG can still be beaten regardless of the depth of the squad they have.

This challenge must be accepted inevitably and both coaches will try their best. Luis Enrique has experience in winning titles with Barcelona, ​​but Xavi has also done it as a player. Both coaches will compete as best they can, but I think Barcelona has a slightly lower chance than PSG of qualifying for the semifinals. Whoever can win that match will probably qualify for the final, PSG or Barcelona.

[Franctoshi]

You are not the only one saddened by the fact that no Italian side made it to the quarter finals. I had serious confidence in Inter Milan who maintained such a wonderful record this season in both their local league and international competitions. Inter Milan won their first leg in against Atletico Madrid and during the second leg, they scored first which made me conclude they would qualify. How they allowed Atletico Madrid to score them two goals that made the match enter extra time and eventually penalty shootout is what surprised me.

This is why Champions League is a tough and interesting league game than every other league competition out there, where you have Champions come to face fellow champions and other good performing team from different leagues, you can be the best performing team in your league side, Premier League, Italian, German league etc., but come to Champions League and get messed up by an opponent team. Inter did still try their best, but this season's trophy isn't in their favor.

[jakdanyel]

Yes there is no Italian team as of the quarter final round. Last season was really successful for Italian teams in the Champions League as you remember. There is a big performance drop when we compare these seasons. When it comes to the most attracting draw I believe it is obvious, Real Madrid - Manchester City. 

The majority of people would favour Manchester City to advance just as I think the same too. Real Madrid really need to play extra. If they don't get better than the previous round their end might be similar to the draw these teams had against each other in the previous season.

[marcous]

PSG has many reliable attackers in its squad, that is an advantage that PSG has compared to Barcelona. Meanwhile for Barcelona, ​​this team is being built with good confidence to finish this season with the best results. Xavi will try to convince his squad that PSG can still be beaten regardless of the depth of the squad they have.

This challenge must be accepted inevitably and both coaches will try their best. Luis Enrique has experience in winning titles with Barcelona, ​​but Xavi has also done it as a player. Both coaches will compete as best they can, but I think Barcelona has a slightly lower chance than PSG of qualifying for the semifinals. Whoever can win that match will probably qualify for the final, PSG or Barcelona.

Psg has strikers who are hungry for goals and they even have stronger perfection this season. You can imagine how Mbappe will perform this season, where he is so ambitious to continue scoring goals in every match that Barcelona players will have to be wary of Mbappe in the first leg. From the side of coaches Xavi and Luis Enrique, of course, this is a reunion between the coach and his student where both of them will work out a good strategy to bring their team through to the next round.

What might be interesting is the reunion between Dembele and Barcelona, ​​where it could be that he will play to his best to beat Barcelona. For meetings in the last 5 matches in the Champions League, I see that both of them are evenly matched in their records where Barcelona won 2 wins and PSG won two wins. The first leg will take place at PSG headquarters, of course Mbappe et al are favored to secure victory, however everything could turn around because if Barcelona can score a goal early I think they will play carefully.

[Arenga pinnata]

--cut--
Barcelona have the ability to win this match. In the last match against Atlético Madrid, the Barcelona players performed brilliantly. The team is in very good rhythm. On the other hand, PSG's performance is still completely dependent on Mbappe. If Mbappe plays well PSG has a chance to win, and if Mbappe doesn't perform well PSG has a very low chance of winning against Barcelona.

he certainly has the skills to win the match without problems, without a doubt
but it doesn`t seem as solid to me as it wants to appear, on the contrary
there is a lot of turbulence internally in my opinion and a team that is not in order internally cannot give its best
obviously this is a shame.. for me

In fact, PSG is not completely dependent on Mbappe. It's just that the best striker there is still held by Mbappe. And Mbappe's performance is also at his best at the moment. Even though his contract looks like it will end there, Mbappe seems to want to make happy memories at PSG. So he and his friends might even be ambitious enough to even beat Barcelona later. But on the one hand, I also see Barcelona starting to improve. The attack coordination shown by Barcelona in the match against Atletico Madrid was quite surprising because Barcelona seemed to have rediscovered their lost strength. But still, the quarter-final match between PSG and Barcelona is still quite difficult to predict. Because I feel that both of them have equal strength at the moment. Unless Barcelona can play with their maximum strength then Barcelona deserves to be the favorite.

[hahay]

Yes there is no Italian team as of the quarter final round. Last season was really successful for Italian teams in the Champions League as you remember. There is a big performance drop when we compare these seasons. When it comes to the most attracting draw I believe it is obvious, Real Madrid - Manchester City. 

The majority of people would favour Manchester City to advance just as I think the same too. Real Madrid really need to play extra. If they don't get better than the previous round their end might be similar to the draw these teams had against each other in the previous season.

I think there is no majority or minority because after all, Manchester City also has a big dependence on De Bruyne and also Haaland. Therefore, Manchester City and Real Madrid both still have a chance to win because yes, it seems like Manchester City is not completely the favorite when compared to Real Madrid. Because after all, the factor of having a dependency on several of these players will of course prevent them from being able to get good results if their key players cannot play well in their match later. Therefore, I personally think that at this moment Manchester City and Real Madrid have quality and performance that is not much different. Thus, I also believe that Manchester City and Real Madrid still have the same good chance and no one is in the majority or minority, because basically they are big teams and both have above average quality.

[$crypto$]

Yes there is no Italian team as of the quarter final round. Last season was really successful for Italian teams in the Champions League as you remember. There is a big performance drop when we compare these seasons. When it comes to the most attracting draw I believe it is obvious, Real Madrid - Manchester City. 

The majority of people would favour Manchester City to advance just as I think the same too. Real Madrid really need to play extra. If they don't get better than the previous round their end might be similar to the draw these teams had against each other in the previous season.

The quarterfinals are now dominated by LaLiga teams last season the team from Serie A as runners up but they are eliminated now,,, All draws are fair and it will certainly be interesting not to miss them meeting the same team again.

No, Real Madrid fans are scattered everywhere they will definitely support a lot,, then I say this will be balanced who will win it will be the best team, is it possible that Real Madrid will take revenge again?
So far I can see they will play balanced, not only Real Madrid but Man City will play even more extra.

[Jatiluhung]

The quarterfinals are now dominated by LaLiga teams last season the team from Serie A as runners up but they are eliminated now,,, All draws are fair and it will certainly be interesting not to miss them meeting the same team again.

No, Real Madrid fans are scattered everywhere they will definitely support a lot,, then I say this will be balanced who will win it will be the best team, is it possible that Real Madrid will take revenge again?
So far I can see they will play balanced, not only Real Madrid but Man City will play even more extra.

It is indeed very interesting to see changes in the dominance of clubs in the Champions League, where last season clubs from Serie A dominated the UCL and then this season clubs from Laliga dominated the UCL. Well this is very interesting. And it will be even more interesting if the three of them also qualify for the semi-finals. But I have a prediction that there will only be 1 La Liga club that will qualify for the semi-finals and the rest will just stop here. Real Madrid seems to have quite bad luck every season because they have to meet Man City early. And this could make Real Madrid stop in its tracks due to being intercepted by Man City, just like last season. But Real Madrid will definitely want to avenge their defeat last season by Man City and of course everything is still difficult to predict and I wouldn't even bet on that match. But maybe I'll change my mind when the time comes. 

[marcous]

I think there is no majority or minority because after all, Manchester City also has a big dependence on De Bruyne and also Haaland. Therefore, Manchester City and Real Madrid both still have a chance to win because yes, it seems like Manchester City is not completely the favorite when compared to Real Madrid. Because after all, the factor of having a dependency on several of these players will of course prevent them from being able to get good results if their key players cannot play well in their match later. Therefore, I personally think that at this moment Manchester City and Real Madrid have quality and performance that is not much different. Thus, I also believe that Manchester City and Real Madrid still have the same good chance and no one is in the majority or minority, because basically they are big teams and both have above average quality.

Of course the influence of the players in one team will have a big influence on their performance on the field. So in the next match, be it Real Madrid or Manchester city, of course they hope that the main players will be in a fit condition before this match starts. Well, Kevin De Bruyne is a player who has a big influence in the Manchester City squad, even though he has been absent a lot this season, but I am sure he will be Pep Guardiola's first choice when facing Real Madrid.

Of course, these two teams have the same chances and also have almost equal strength, therefore it is possible that the level of atmosphere will be different when they play away or at home. In terms of coaches, I think both teams have quite genius coaches and it is difficult to predict before we see the strength of the line-up of players who will compete in the they meeting.

[rahmad2nd]

Xavi was been criticized when Barca was facing a little difficulties in winning their matches, and this led to Xavi making conclusions to leave the club by the end of this season. But I must say that, Xavi did a great job to manage the players on ground, and finally brought out the best in them, which led to the current form of the club. I know that Xavi ha e little experience in the coaching job compared to Luis Enrique, but it is going to be a matter of time for us to know the coach that can come up with the proper strategy for his team to qualify to the next round.

It's normal for Xavi to receive criticism, especially when Barcelona's performance is really underperforming. as a coach, he is also responsible for the performance of his team's squad. Regarding Xavi's statement to leave Barcelona, ​​I'm sure it's not just a matter of his team's performance. There are several other issues that caused Xavi to end his coaching with Barcelona until this season, but what we are discussing is not that in this discussion but the match between Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona. This match should be interesting, bringing together Luis Enrique and Xavi Hernandez. Both of them have worked together in Barcelona. Luis Enrique as coach, Xavi as central midfielder at that time. Now, the two meet again in the Champions League competition. Luis Enrique with PSG, Xavi with Barcelona.

The point is, PSG is now slowly starting to find its rhythm in Enrique's hands. Meanwhile for Barcelona, ​​their performance was not very stable, plus several key players were injured. referring to the temporary betting market, Paris Saint-Germain is more favored by bookmakers. Maybe, because Paris Saint-Germain has a good record when playing home games. On the other hand, Barcelona is starting to improve even though several of their core players have not fully recovered from injuries. but at least, Xavi will try to do a good job with his squad. I hope this match will present a match worth watching. So, let's just wait.

[Jatiluhung]

Of course the influence of the players in one team will have a big influence on their performance on the field. So in the next match, be it Real Madrid or Manchester city, of course they hope that the main players will be in a fit condition before this match starts. Well, Kevin De Bruyne is a player who has a big influence in the Manchester City squad, even though he has been absent a lot this season, but I am sure he will be Pep Guardiola's first choice when facing Real Madrid.

Of course, these two teams have the same chances and also have almost equal strength, therefore it is possible that the level of atmosphere will be different when they play away or at home. In terms of coaches, I think both teams have quite genius coaches and it is difficult to predict before we see the strength of the line-up of players who will compete in the they meeting.

The atmosphere in the Man City vs Real Madrid match will definitely be like the strong atmosphere that always exists in final matches. Because last season it was the same. When we saw the Man City vs Real Madrid match in the semi-finals, we could feel that the atmosphere of the match was similar to a UCL Final match. And something similar will definitely happen. And both teams will definitely try to keep their best players ready for the match. And the slightest injury will definitely be avoided at this time. So both clubs will definitely play carefully in the domestic league to keep their main players safe.

[ShowOff]

he certainly has the skills to win the match without problems, without a doubt
but it doesn`t seem as solid to me as it wants to appear, on the contrary
there is a lot of turbulence internally in my opinion and a team that is not in order internally cannot give its best
obviously this is a shame.. for me

In fact, PSG is not completely dependent on Mbappe. It's just that the best striker there is still held by Mbappe. And Mbappe's performance is also at his best at the moment. Even though his contract looks like it will end there, Mbappe seems to want to make happy memories at PSG. So he and his friends might even be ambitious enough to even beat Barcelona later. But on the one hand, I also see Barcelona starting to improve. The attack coordination shown by Barcelona in the match against Atletico Madrid was quite surprising because Barcelona seemed to have rediscovered their lost strength. But still, the quarter-final match between PSG and Barcelona is still quite difficult to predict. Because I feel that both of them have equal strength at the moment. Unless Barcelona can play with their maximum strength then Barcelona deserves to be the favorite.

You may be right, that was one of Luis Enrique's statements some time ago. Kylian Mbappe is a great striker, he can contribute a lot to the team with the quality he has, but in the end PSG will probably face the fact that Kylian Mbappe will leave after this season is finished. However, considering that this is a good season for Luis Enrique, Mbappe will likely be relied on heavily in the Champions League and Enrique hopes he can give his best.

Barcelona may need to realize that PSG has great strength in its squad. They have many players with fast playing characteristics such as Mbappe, Dembele and several others, so this will be a tough job for Barcelona's midfield and defense. Xavi also has a knack for building a team mentality, even if he has to rely on several young players in his squad. I'm not saying Barcelona is the favorite, but Barcelona can win this match if they play with a fighting spirit and high motivation to win.

[imamusma]

~~

It's normal for Xavi to receive criticism, especially when Barcelona's performance is really underperforming. as a coach, he is also responsible for the performance of his team's squad. Regarding Xavi's statement to leave Barcelona, ​​I'm sure it's not just a matter of his team's performance. There are several other issues that caused Xavi to end his coaching with Barcelona until this season, but what we are discussing is not that in this discussion but the match between Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona. This match should be interesting, bringing together Luis Enrique and Xavi Hernandez. Both of them have worked together in Barcelona. Luis Enrique as coach, Xavi as central midfielder at that time. Now, the two meet again in the Champions League competition. Luis Enrique with PSG, Xavi with Barcelona.

The point is, PSG is now slowly starting to find its rhythm in Enrique's hands. Meanwhile for Barcelona, ​​their performance was not very stable, plus several key players were injured. referring to the temporary betting market, Paris Saint-Germain is more favored by bookmakers. Maybe, because Paris Saint-Germain has a good record when playing home games. On the other hand, Barcelona is starting to improve even though several of their core players have not fully recovered from injuries. but at least, Xavi will try to do a good job with his squad. I hope this match will present a match worth watching. So, let's just wait.

The PSG Verus Barcelona match is really worth waiting for and watching, a lot of emotions will be involved in it, with Luis Enrique being one of the attractions in the match. In fact, it is not limited to just coaches, Dembele also has to beat with his former club, hoping that both teams can field their best squads in the match. On paper, PSG deserves to be the favorite in the first leg, because apart from having better squad depth, they are also a little more consistent, and PSG will act as hosts.

In terms of managerial experience, Luis Enrique is certainly more experienced than Xavi, but this cannot be used as a complete benchmark. Barcelona have a good reputation and a better mentality in the Champions League than PSG, and Xavi will try his best to leave a good impression before stepping down at the end of the season. If Barcelona appears more consistent in La Liga, it is possible that the quarter-final match will be more difficult to predict.

[pawel7777]

[....]Placing bet on Real could be a good opportunity. If they somehow manage to get passed the City, it should be smooth sailing from there.

Putting a bet on them as early as now is still high risk but their fans would more gladly take that. I also don't know about smooth sailing since Arsenal or Bayern will be the next opponent if they somehow managed to win against City. They would likely become the huge favorite when that happens.

Betting on them now is the entire point. Betting on them when/if they eliminate City will not give you anywhere as good a payout as the current one. I'd imagine it would drop to below x2.5 if not lower.
You're probably right about the smooth sailing thing, not the best choice of words I guess. At this stage, there will be no easy games. But if we assume that the City is the strongest team in the bunch, then knocking them off would be a good indicator of Real's abilities to win the cup.
The City will be put to a big test before the first leg of UCL quarter-finals. On 31st, they're playing a home game against Arsenal. If they fail to win, it would be a good time to place a bet on any other team to win the UCL (provided the odds won't get amended straight away).