So, here are our predictions for Europe’s top 7 leagues.
These are the top 7 as ranked by UEFA’s coefficients, and they currently read: Spain, England, Italy, Germany, France, Russia and Portugal.
7. La Liga – Barcelona
In order of strongest to weakest by UEFA’s calculations, we start in Spain with La Liga. Barcelona are probably the smart choice to win Spanish football’s top flight again this season, having taken the title in seven of the last ten seasons – including last season, when they won it with a 14 point cushion. I think it’ll be a whole lot closer this season, but Barca still get the nod for us.
6. Premier League – Manchester City
Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on August 12, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.
Yup, no great shocks just yet. Manchester City are unsurprisingly the favourites to retain their Premier League title given the emphatic fashion in which they won it last season. Having said that, it’s a decade since anyone has retained the Premier League title, so City will have to guard against complacency. Liverpool have invested heavily and addressed most of their vulnerabilities, Manchester United will be desperate not to see one of their arch rivals lift the trophy, and although Spurs forgot that they were allowed to sign players this summer, their young squad should only improve.
With all that being said, and the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal to throw into the mix, we think Manchester City are just too good. We’d have liked to see them bring in someone who could rotate with Fernandinho, since the Brazilian is 33 now, but other than that they look excellent.
5. Serie A – Juventus
Serie A has been a really entertaining league to watch these last few years, but this could be the best season in Italian football for a long time. The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus is of course the talking point, but Inter Milan and AC Milan have both shown ambition in the transfer market, Roma have the potential to push on and Napoli came so close last season.
Having said all that, we still fancy Juve. They’ve strengthened further at the back with the return of Leonardo Bonucci and acquisition of Joao Cancelo, and, even at 33, Cristiano Ronaldo is the overwhelming favourite to win Serie A’s Golden Boot next season. We think it’ll be a good battle, but Juve will be too strong over the full campaign yet again.
4. Bundesliga – Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich’s German head coach Jupp Heynckes and his players celebrate on the balcony of the city hall in Munich, southern Germany on May 20, 2018. (Photo by GUENTER SCHIFFMANN
Not much to dwell on here. Bayern Munich won the Bundesliga by 21 points last season, their sixth consecutive German title. We’d love to see Dortmund, Schalke or anyone else give them a challenge but we just can’t see it. Sorry guys.
3. Ligue 1 – PSG
Although France’s Ligue 1 was a closer contest than the likes of the Premier League, La Liga and the Bundesliga last season, PSG’s 13 point lead over second place Monaco was still an enormous cushion. Financially, no team in France can compete with PSG and that will be reflected in the table once again. Monaco have lost star players again, meaning the bookies have Lyon as the second favourites, and you can get them at odds as long as 16/1. So if you fancy an upset, there’s cash to be made. We don’t though…
2. Russian Premier League – Spartak Moscow
Nikolay Rasskazov (L) and Aleksandr Tashayev (2d L) of FC Spartak Moscow vie for the ball with Andres Ponce of FC Anji Makhachkala during the Russian Premier League match between FC…
Following on from the nation’s hosting of the 2018 World Cup, we should be able to expect a pickup in terms of attendances and a feel-good factor about football in Russia this season. Lokomotiv Moscow won the league last season, and as the bookies fourth favourites, we’d say they were a decent bet to retain their title. The bookmakers have made Zenit St Petersburg their favourites, but although we think it’ll be a tight race at the top, we’re backing Spartak Moscow.
While CSKA lost players this summer, Spartak kept hold of top scorer Quincy Promes, and we think that could make all the difference. It’s a tricky one to call if we’re honest, but our tips would be Spartak, who are the most successful club in Russia.
1. Portuguese Primeira Liga – Benfica
Porto won the Portuguese Primeira Liga, or Liga NOS, by seven points last season, and they are the favourites to retain their title in 2018-19. However, they have had a few notable departures, particularly at the back, and we think that could give Benfica the opportunity to pounce. The Eagles haven’t lost any key men from last season, and they’ve strengthened in defence and attack. The addition of Facundo Ferreyra in particular, who we expect to score regularly, alongside the virtually guaranteed goals of Jonas, they should be free scoring and incredibly dangerous, so they’re our pick.
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