UEFA Champions League 2023/24 Season

[slapper]

We can't compare the current Inter Milan with what we saw from them in the last season especially in the Champions League because Inter Milan in the last Champions League was very much lucky and let's say they had usually games with weak teams while the other teams like Manchester City didn't have with luck. Maybe if Inter Milan was playing against stronger teams they couldn't even be in the final match and that's why I don't expect to see them in the final match like we saw in the last season from them.

It's true that the luck factor was also what allowed Inter Milan to reach the final last season. But I also can't forget how Inter Milan was able to match Man City's performance in the final. So I started to think that Inter Milan could get to the Final because of their fairly consistent performance in the UCL. And another factor is also due to luck because Inter Milan did not directly face strong teams like Real Madrid and Man City in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. But we also have to see that Inter Milan was in a difficult group for the group stage last season. Namely, Inter Milan is in the same group as Bayern and Barcelona. But Inter Milan can qualify quite well.

I get your point about Inter Milan's final appearance being a result of luck and skill. I've always felt chance plays a role in sports, but Inter showed great effort and skill in a difficult group stage. Bayern and Barcelona in the same group and still winning is impressive. Their resilience and tactical skill are evident

However, their gameplay growth must be acknowledged. I agree with your UCL consistency comment. Last season's run wasn't chance; it was a sign of their rising performance, which has only improved this season. Football is exciting because of this mix of ability, strategy, and luck. Inter Milan has become a team you can't underestimate, and I'm excited to see how far they'll go this time

[temple]

We can't compare the current Inter Milan with what we saw from them in the last season especially in the Champions League because Inter Milan in the last Champions League was very much lucky and let's say they had usually games with weak teams while the other teams like Manchester City didn't have with luck. Maybe if Inter Milan was playing against stronger teams they couldn't even be in the final match and that's why I don't expect to see them in the final match like we saw in the last season from them.

It's true that the luck factor was also what allowed Inter Milan to reach the final last season. But I also can't forget how Inter Milan was able to match Man City's performance in the final. So I started to think that Inter Milan could get to the Final because of their fairly consistent performance in the UCL. And another factor is also due to luck because Inter Milan did not directly face strong teams like Real Madrid and Man City in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. But we also have to see that Inter Milan was in a difficult group for the group stage last season. Namely, Inter Milan is in the same group as Bayern and Barcelona. But Inter Milan can qualify quite well.

I get your point about Inter Milan's final appearance being a result of luck and skill. I've always felt chance plays a role in sports, but Inter showed great effort and skill in a difficult group stage. Bayern and Barcelona in the same group and still winning is impressive. Their resilience and tactical skill are evident

However, their gameplay growth must be acknowledged. I agree with your UCL consistency comment. Last season's run wasn't chance; it was a sign of their rising performance, which has only improved this season. Football is exciting because of this mix of ability, strategy, and luck. Inter Milan has become a team you can't underestimate, and I'm excited to see how far they'll go this time

That's what I noticed as well and I couldn't have phrased it any better. It was a sign of their rising performance not only for the last season towards the end, but it seemed to be the beginning of something bigger and this is what happened when they played the Champions League final against Manchester City, which they could have won, and then how they started into Serie A this season. They never allowed their opponents to think for a second that Inter Milan could struggle and I am sure they will play deadly and clinical in the Champions League this time again. The only thing that can stop them is the upcoming matchups when their opponents are like Real Madrid and Manchester City. If they play against the teams that are not necessarily considered favorites, I think Inter Milan will beat them almost surely.

[Ayers]

-snip

Indeed, it is time for PSG to change their environment, not be surrounded by diamonds and they have to create their own diamonds so that they can be more organized in bigger competitions without having to rely on star players for roles. Everything requires a process for PSG and it is not easy for a team that was successful from the start because it had a rich owner and not because a team learns to build strength from history.

that's right, but it's hard to see PSG building their own diamond because PSG is a team that has very large finances and is able to buy high quality players according to the coach's wishes, but all of that is actually a mistake if a team is not able to develop new talent to build team performance. who is strong and has very solid players is very difficult if you don't have key players or players whose talents the team has developed.
however, PSG goal is just to quickly get a title in the UCL and that is the main goal of the PSG president, so he always buys players at high prices and with very good quality talent, such as at that time Mbappe, Messi and also Neymar.

until now, it is difficult to see PSG getting the title in the UCL, even though in League 1 this team seems to dominate the standings, but in the UCL it will not be easy to compete with other big teams because the UCL requires strong player cooperation.
even if currently Mbappe is still a very reliable player, this is not just about Mbappe but all PSG players.

Ligue 1 is not a proper competition, to be honest. At least it is definitely not a very big competition for a club like PSG. They do not have any competition in the league. And whenever they face actual competition, in the Champions  League, they are not able to do well. PSG should change their approach. Otherwise, they are not going to see any success in the Champions League. Y

es, I also understand they are looking for players who are already made and bringing them in with money so that they can make a great team. But not every player is going to be able to get set with the situation. Even though it looks like they are a big club, they have a long way to go.

[Jody.Drummer]

True, it could be said that Inter Milan were lucky enough to reach the final last season, but I also agree that they could match the play of Manchester City in the final match. Even if they have fast players up front, then they might be able to capitalize into goals. But they don't have that speed so in that match I think they wasted a lot of chances, especially at the end of the match.
Honestly, Inter Milan exceeded my expectations in that match and I really appreciate them because they can answer all the doubts that come to them. This season maybe they're in an easier group than last season, but their performances are also better than last season.

Saying that Inter Milan got to the final of last season UEFA Champions League by luck I think is a way of robbing them of their deserved glory and I wouldn't be a part to that because in my own analysis, they actually got to the final because they deserved it and their performance against eventual winners Manchester in the final is a proof that they get to the final by chance like some of you are trying to make us believe.
This season, the Italian Serie A club have also been doing great in their domestic league as well as in the Champions League and if they can continue with their current form, I wouldn't be surprised to see them play in the UEFA Champions League final again this season

In terms of luck, it's actually not just when they play, but also by having the opponents they face, which in my opinion is also luck too. In the 16th round last season they faced Porto and in the last 8 round they faced Benfica. I think they were quite lucky because they didn't face a very strong opponent. In the semi-finals they also faced AC Milan, who both came from Serie A. Obviously they definitely know what strength their opponent has, AC Milan was also not better last season than Inter Milan. It was quite a profitable journey for them before they finally reached the final round with Manchester City. Many people said it was not an ideal final as well as confirmation that Inter Milan was not that strong last season.

[Asiska02]

The best team is rewarded with major titles, while the struggling clubs only fights harder to maintain a spot in the UCL. High spirit coming from elite clubs, every potential manager keen on lifting the UCL trophy but it's definitely going to be hard one because it consists of more competing clubs. This season comes different, Manchester City and Real Madrid are the frontline favorites to win, perhapes there are other competing opponents that tends to take their performance very very serious. Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola are experienced and hoping for the big winnings.

What about Bayern Munich? You don’t think that they’re also favorites to win the UCL title amongst the teams you’ve mentioned? All of this three teams have the experience and at the moment they stand a very good chance to win the champions league because their performances are exceptional both in their domestic league and champions league. What fascinates me more is the fact that the favorites team to win the champions league are all playing in different European leagues which makes it looks more competitive to catch up with. If an elimination does not affect any of this teams and they all made it to the semifinals, that is when I think we’ll know the two teams that can meet in the finals and the ones that have the potential to win the finals.

[Weawant]

Saying that Inter Milan got to the final of last season UEFA Champions League by luck I think is a way of robbing them of their deserved glory and I wouldn't be a part to that because in my own analysis, they actually got to the final because they deserved it and their performance against eventual winners Manchester in the final is a proof that they get to the final by chance like some of you are trying to make us believe.
This season, the Italian Serie A club have also been doing great in their domestic league as well as in the Champions League and if they can continue with their current form, I wouldn't be surprised to see them play in the UEFA Champions League final again this season

Inter Milan did performed excellently last season and we're very much deserving of their every move they made and stage they got to last season, saying they got there by luck is a direct way of undermining their every efforts of which they did put in their very best and it was much more evident in their performance.

Even in the final game against Manchester city they did perform so we'll that i for a moment felt like they will be able to win but then Manchester city will not get to such finals and fail to win because they have worked too hard to not get that, but I see another opportunity with them this season again because they have been performing well and have so far gotten to pass the group stage and are very likely to get pass the round of sixteen too  of which if they get pass then just like last season they may get to the finals again.

[tiCeR]

PSG has always been paying attention to world class player names. If they had some world class player names in their team, they thought that this is enough to win the Champions League trophy. But I emphasized that the focused on names because what did it help them that they signed a player like Ramos who was in his mid 30s? It is a big name in the football business, but how could such a player improve the team to a degree that they can reach the next level and compete with the giants like Real Madrid? They should focus less on names and more on what they need in the team. Their offense was huge for so many years, but they never paid the same attention to their defense or the midfield.

I think you are right. Currently PSG is known for having world-class forward players. I think I only really know Mbappe and to be honest I don't really know the other PSG players. I mean, only Mbappe is often in the spotlight in various sports media. I think it is right for team management to look for potential defenders and midfielders in this transfer market.

But the problem is that I heard rumors that Mbappe is not extending his contract with PSG and that means if PSG doesn't sell him then he will be on a free transfer and that will be very detrimental to PSG. So I think PSG also needs to look for another striker in this transfer market if they don't want to lose their dominance in the league. 

There are of course a couple of other names that are quite well known, but in the past PSG thought when they have Messi, Neymar and Mbappe that they would instantly win the Champions League because of that. They then neglected their defensive line and especially the midfield. If you compare the midfield of Manchester City with the midfield of PSG in the years 2018-2023, I think you can quickly see that the difference in the quality of the players is gigantic. It's not all about the offense. Without a strong defense against these monsters like Haaland there is no chance to win those games.

[Coyster]

This season comes different, Manchester City and Real Madrid are the frontline favorites to win, perhapes there are other competing opponents that tends to take their performance very very serious. Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola are experienced and hoping for the big winnings.

I'd add Bayern Munich too, and maybe we would have one unexpected team go very far, like Inter Milan did last season, but as things stand right now City are favorites for me, followed by Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham might be the difference for them, he is such a great footballer and so young as well. Bayern also now have a replacement for Lewandowski in Harry Kane, the Englishman would want to taste European glory, and he might be the one to lead them to it this season.

Having said that, if i am to predict a winner, i'd say it would be City, they look very likely to make it back to back UCL titles, and with Pep and the number of quality players they have in their team, they can definitely achieve that.

[bitvalak]

The best team is rewarded with major titles, while the struggling clubs only fights harder to maintain a spot in the UCL. High spirit coming from elite clubs, every potential manager keen on lifting the UCL trophy but it's definitely going to be hard one because it consists of more competing clubs. This season comes different, Manchester City and Real Madrid are the frontline favorites to win, perhapes there are other competing opponents that tends to take their performance very very serious. Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola are experienced and hoping for the big winnings.

To be able to win the Champions League is complex, the team must have high standards in many aspects. Not only the depth of the squad, but there are other factors such as developing a competitive mentality and full support from fanatical supporters. Real Madrid & Man City are examples of clubs with aspects that meet the requirements to become strong champion teams. However, I hope that there are other teams who can prepare their squads more thoroughly to match the level of these two clubs. So far I see that Bayern Munich has the potential for that.

[baeva]

-snip

Indeed, it is time for PSG to change their environment, not be surrounded by diamonds and they have to create their own diamonds so that they can be more organized in bigger competitions without having to rely on star players for roles. Everything requires a process for PSG and it is not easy for a team that was successful from the start because it had a rich owner and not because a team learns to build strength from history.

that's right, but it's hard to see PSG building their own diamond because PSG is a team that has very large finances and is able to buy high quality players according to the coach's wishes, but all of that is actually a mistake if a team is not able to develop new talent to build team performance. who is strong and has very solid players is very difficult if you don't have key players or players whose talents the team has developed.
however, PSG goal is just to quickly get a title in the UCL and that is the main goal of the PSG president, so he always buys players at high prices and with very good quality talent, such as at that time Mbappe, Messi and also Neymar.

until now, it is difficult to see PSG getting the title in the UCL, even though in League 1 this team seems to dominate the standings, but in the UCL it will not be easy to compete with other big teams because the UCL requires strong player cooperation.
even if currently Mbappe is still a very reliable player, this is not just about Mbappe but all PSG players.

After all, the goal is to win the Champions League quickly and promotes the purchase of ready-made players, but adaptation in the team - I doubt it. It seems to me that new stars who come to PSG do not adapt well to the team, and as a result they can not play well. They may win in Ligue 1, but it's not the level of the league to compare their victories with Champions League games. They are used to winning easily, that's why they don't play well in the Champions League, they don't know what to expect from their opponents

[Josefjix]

To be able to win the Champions League is complex, the team must have high standards in many aspects. Not only the depth of the squad, but there are other factors such as developing a competitive mentality and full support from fanatical supporters. Real Madrid & Man City are examples of clubs with aspects that meet the requirements to become strong champion teams. However, I hope that there are other teams who can prepare their squads more thoroughly to match the level of these two clubs. So far I see that Bayern Munich has the potential for that.

Let's prepare for the worst, I don't think any other team will win the UCL title apart from Real Madrid and Manchester City this season. The potential possibility of these teams winning the title is high compared to other clubs that lacks consistency in matchs. I've seen and watch the performance of most elite clubs, they don't play upto standards. Speaking of high standards, Manchester City and Real Madrid are the two clubs that have prioritized themselves to be eligible for the UEFA title. Watching both team's performance in their various UCL matches, it says it all.

[Furious 7]

We can't compare the current Inter Milan with what we saw from them in the last season especially in the Champions League because Inter Milan in the last Champions League was very much lucky and let's say they had usually games with weak teams while the other teams like Manchester City didn't have with luck. Maybe if Inter Milan was playing against stronger teams they couldn't even be in the final match and that's why I don't expect to see them in the final match like we saw in the last season from them.

Yeah this can be said to be true because Inter's luck last season when getting opponents in the round of 16 until the semi-finals they can predict even though their opponents are still very strong but when the opponents are Napoli and Milan then there is definitely an advantage for them because they know what they have to do in the game so that the advantage is theirs but on the other hand comparing this season and the previous season even though this cannot be compared but this season Inter is still in good shape even if compared to last season and this season they are much more developed this season so I think this can still be taken into consideration.
Now we just have to wait to see if they'll have the same luck as last season especially with the form they have at the moment or not.
But for the Round of 16 now they will definitely be very troubled in this.

[hahay]

This season comes different, Manchester City and Real Madrid are the frontline favorites to win, perhapes there are other competing opponents that tends to take their performance very very serious. Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola are experienced and hoping for the big winnings.

I'd add Bayern Munich too, and maybe we would have one unexpected team go very far, like Inter Milan did last season, but as things stand right now City are favorites for me, followed by Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham might be the difference for them, he is such a great footballer and so young as well. Bayern also now have a replacement for Lewandowski in Harry Kane, the Englishman would want to taste European glory, and he might be the one to lead them to it this season.

Having said that, if i am to predict a winner, i'd say it would be City, they look very likely to make it back to back UCL titles, and with Pep and the number of quality players they have in their team, they can definitely achieve that.

In essence, Manchester City will still have a great chance of getting that Champions League trophy if Bruyne and Haaland remain available. But, if one of them is injured or cannot be played then yes, I think Manchester City will lose the chance to get the Champions League trophy . So yes, Pep Gurdiola just needs to be smart to play Haaland and Bruyne of course to keep their health and fitness good and thus, the rotation of players will continue to be carried out to keep the condition of Manchester City main squad still good. Because indeed, that Pep Guardiola is still very good at making a team to win trophies and ya, moreover Pep Guardiola is still strongly supported by the club and of course Pep Guardiola will still have a very good chance to deliver Manchester City to the final match.

[QueenVera]

Well, last season Inter Milan reached the final through luck, of course not. because if I'm not mistaken, the most difficult group in the Champions League last season was occupied by Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Barcelona and Inter Milan was able to get through the group phase with their good performance. So in my opinion, Inter Milan in the Champions League last season performed quite well and they were able to reach the final. Even for the Champions League this season, Inter Milan is even stronger because their squad is very well organized and quite strong from what we have watched in the matches they have played.

Even though reaching the final this season will be quite difficult, with their mentality I predict Inter Milam will be able to achieve it. But for this reason, we hope that they will not experience a decline in their performance during the busy schedule they are undertaking because for the time being, Inter Milan is also very focused on Serie A and they will also focus on the Champions League.

Well Inter Milan were a better team last season and among the odds they were still able to attain success by getting to the UCL Final. They had strong oppositions in their group stage and in their run to the UCL they weren’t in any tight race in the league with anyone. Now this season they’re in a tight league race with Juventus and it’ll be quite tough trying to play both competitions. Yea this kind will require the coach trying to change pattern and also try to manage his players so as to avoid fatigue and injury.

 Well it’ll be real hard trying to achieve success in the UCL this season especially as we’ve got Real Madrid in full form and Manchester City who’re now back with all her players. Well let’s see how far Inter can go with their current squad because they’re no w better than last season but with more challenges.

[rahmad2nd]

The best team is rewarded with major titles, while the struggling clubs only fights harder to maintain a spot in the UCL. High spirit coming from elite clubs, every potential manager keen on lifting the UCL trophy but it's definitely going to be hard one because it consists of more competing clubs. This season comes different, Manchester City and Real Madrid are the frontline favorites to win, perhapes there are other competing opponents that tends to take their performance very very serious. Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola are experienced and hoping for the big winnings.

What about Bayern Munich? You don’t think that they’re also favorites to win the UCL title amongst the teams you’ve mentioned? All of this three teams have the experience and at the moment they stand a very good chance to win the champions league because their performances are exceptional both in their domestic league and champions league. What fascinates me more is the fact that the favorites team to win the champions league are all playing in different European leagues which makes it looks more competitive to catch up with. If an elimination does not affect any of this teams and they all made it to the semifinals, that is when I think we’ll know the two teams that can meet in the finals and the ones that have the potential to win the finals.

What about the other teams, just like last season, Inter is not at all a candidate to advance to the Champions League final. is it possible that this season there will be a surprise or the Underdog team could be a threat to Real Madrid, City, Bayern Munich. It is possible that Arsenal will be able to put up resistance and stop one of the three teams mentioned above. the reason is, Arsenal has a team that is quite competitive and has an energetic playing pattern, especially capable of overthrowing City. even though in reality the opportunities they have are not as big as the three teams who are always favorites. But Arsenal only lost in terms of experience. Arteta should not underestimate tactics and strategy.

In essence, I am not in the capacity to favor Arsenal, that is just one example. it could be that Inter will advance to the final round again. or Atletico Madrid for example.in fact, this competition relies more on luck, regardless of the teams included in the elite team squad in this competition. after all, each team only meets two matches. if they lose it means they are eliminated. unlike the Domestic League competition, there are many matches that will be played by a team. but yes, still if we talk theoretically, statistics and data. Manchester City, Real Madrid and even Bayern Munich are the most favorite teams and that is very natural. however, the competition has not yet started. so, let's just wait to speculate further.

[nurilham]

What about Bayern Munich? You don’t think that they’re also favorites to win the UCL title amongst the teams you’ve mentioned? All of this three teams have the experience and at the moment they stand a very good chance to win the champions league because their performances are exceptional both in their domestic league and champions league. What fascinates me more is the fact that the favorites team to win the champions league are all playing in different European leagues which makes it looks more competitive to catch up with. If an elimination does not affect any of this teams and they all made it to the semifinals, that is when I think we’ll know the two teams that can meet in the finals and the ones that have the potential to win the finals.

Bayern Munich is one of the favorite teams to win UCL. I think there are 3 teams as the favorite teams to be the champion. They are Real Madrid, Man City, and Bayern Munich. We can't deny that Bayern Munich also has a very strong squad, they are quite solid in each line. I even think that Bayern Munich is ideally the team that have most strong players in all the lines. Real Madrid and Man City still have the weaknesses in their defense. But Bayern Munich has the top players in their defense line.

Bayern Munich didn't get very satisfying performance in their domestic league. However, they performed quite well in UCL. I think Bayern Munich may more focus to win UCL trophy. Real Madrid and Man City are no longer in their best condition, it is the time for Bayern Munich to steal the UCL trophy for this season.

[Silberman]

To be able to win the Champions League is complex, the team must have high standards in many aspects. Not only the depth of the squad, but there are other factors such as developing a competitive mentality and full support from fanatical supporters. Real Madrid & Man City are examples of clubs with aspects that meet the requirements to become strong champion teams. However, I hope that there are other teams who can prepare their squads more thoroughly to match the level of these two clubs. So far I see that Bayern Munich has the potential for that.

Let's prepare for the worst, I don't think any other team will win the UCL title apart from Real Madrid and Manchester City this season. The potential possibility of these teams winning the title is high compared to other clubs that lacks consistency in matchs. I've seen and watch the performance of most elite clubs, they don't play upto standards. Speaking of high standards, Manchester City and Real Madrid are the two clubs that have prioritized themselves to be eligible for the UEFA title. Watching both team's performance in their various UCL matches, it says it all.

Without a doubt Manchester City and Real Madrid are the two favorites to win the UCL, but you never know what it may happen, as the draw could make those teams to face each other before the final and allow another team to have a chance to win it all, and from the remaining teams I think Bayern Munich is a team that has what it takes to get to the final and win it, so Manchester City and Real Madrid still need to be careful as anything can happen once a match starts and their hopes of winning the UCL can disappear rather quickly.

[Josefjix]

Without a doubt Manchester City and Real Madrid are the two favorites to win the UCL, but you never know what it may happen, as the draw could make those teams to face each other before the final and allow another team to have a chance to win it all, and from the remaining teams I think Bayern Munich is a team that has what it takes to get to the final and win it, so Manchester City and Real Madrid still need to be careful as anything can happen once a match starts and their hopes of winning the UCL can disappear rather quickly.

A coach mapped out his priorities before the beginning of the season. One can start winning matches without the pressure coming in from other opponents, the winning is the top priority for most of these elite clubs. Aside Real Madrid and Manchester City, we have other top clubs in the picture, atleast we shouldn't count them out because they also have priorities to meet up this season. I'm looking forward to watching Manchester City face Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League grand finale because they're both tough side and one of them have to lose three easy points.

[tusandii]

What about Bayern Munich? You don’t think that they’re also favorites to win the UCL title amongst the teams you’ve mentioned? All of this three teams have the experience and at the moment they stand a very good chance to win the champions league because their performances are exceptional both in their domestic league and champions league. What fascinates me more is the fact that the favorites team to win the champions league are all playing in different European leagues which makes it looks more competitive to catch up with. If an elimination does not affect any of this teams and they all made it to the semifinals, that is when I think we’ll know the two teams that can meet in the finals and the ones that have the potential to win the finals.

Bayern Munich is one of the favorite teams to win UCL. I think there are 3 teams as the favorite teams to be the champion. They are Real Madrid, Man City, and Bayern Munich. We can't deny that Bayern Munich also has a very strong squad, they are quite solid in each line. I even think that Bayern Munich is ideally the team that have most strong players in all the lines. Real Madrid and Man City still have the weaknesses in their defense. But Bayern Munich has the top players in their defense line.

Bayern Munich didn't get very satisfying performance in their domestic league. However, they performed quite well in UCL. I think Bayern Munich may more focus to win UCL trophy. Real Madrid and Man City are no longer in their best condition, it is the time for Bayern Munich to steal the UCL trophy for this season.

Maybe you say this as a Bayern Munich fan or maybe because of Harry Kane.
In my opinion, Bayern Munich really deserves to be a candidate to hold the Champions League trophy because it has a strong performance after the arrival of Harry Kane, but this is not just about one player, but in the Champions League, it requires a strong collaborative performance between players and I admit that Bayern Munich has a very solid player but look at Munich performance, they have lost several times and that means they have lost consistently.
I also won't agree if you say Manchester City and Real Madrid are not in their best condition because for me Haaland and De Bruyne can still destroy every club that will prevent them from getting a trophy in the Champions League even though Pep Guardiola two mainstay players have just recovered from injuries but look at how De Bruyne performs after returning to appear with MC.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid, now that Vinic has returned to appear with his club and the addition of Bellingham, has made Real Madrid very strong.
We can't speculate too much but it doesn't matter if that's your opinion, but for me Manchester City still in very strong condition, the same as last season.

[Hirose UK]

~snip~

Without a doubt Manchester City and Real Madrid are the two favorites to win the UCL, but you never know what it may happen, as the draw could make those teams to face each other before the final and allow another team to have a chance to win it all, and from the remaining teams I think Bayern Munich is a team that has what it takes to get to the final and win it, so Manchester City and Real Madrid still need to be careful as anything can happen once a match starts and their hopes of winning the UCL can disappear rather quickly.

I not sure there will be draw that means the two strongest team will meet before the final, UEFA has way of scheduling matches and if indeed in every match they win then there is possibility that the final could bring these two team together.
But there is Bayern Munich and Inter Milan who are also contenders for the title.
I sure that in the semifinals these four team will be candidates who will be able to fight for place in the final.
It just that if the four strongest teams play the semi-finals and Manchester City doesn't face Real Madrid then we all know who will advance to the final.

They will continue to be careful in order to win the title in the most important competition in Europe, as far as the match progresses to the round of 16, Manchester City has proven that they are worthy of retaining the title.
But on the other hand, Real Madrid, which is the most successful team in the UCL, also really wants title to add to their collection of titles.
Ancelotti is definitely trying to bring Real Madrid to fight hard in this competition.