The Champions League league phase begins on Tuesday, and while Liverpool Champions League fixtures are not listed here, the bigger story is Paris St-Germain’s attempt to make history by winning a third straight title. That would match the modern benchmark set by Real Madrid between 2015 and 2018, and it is a challenge that Julien Laurens believes is beyond PSG, even if he expects them to go deep again.
There are five English teams involved in the competition this season, which only adds to the sense that the race for Europe’s biggest prize is wide open. Arsenal are among the clubs viewed as challengers, with the final scheduled for 5 June next year in Madrid.
Laurens: PSG can go far, but three in a row is too much
Laurens said PSG could still be strong enough to reach the latter stages, but he was firm that a third straight crown would be exceptionally hard to achieve.
“If PSG do the three-peat, it would be an incredible achievement. I don't think they will do it. I think two in a row is already special - three in a row is impossible unless you've got Cristiano Ronaldo in your team, which they don't,” he said.
He added that PSG may still be good enough to get close to the latter rounds. “I think they will be close. I think they'll reach at least the semi-final, but I think going for three in a row is tough.”
That is the key point in this season’s discussion. PSG are not being written off, but the standard required to win the competition three years running is another level entirely.
Bayern Munich and Arsenal backed to reach the final
Laurens was even more direct when naming the teams he would back for the final, saying he did not fully trust the Jose Mourinho-Real Madrid project.
“I don't believe fully in the Jose Mourinho-Real Madrid project, so I would go for Bayern Munich and Arsenal to reach the final,” he said.
He also pointed to the strength of Bayern Munich’s back line as a major reason for optimism. “They have the best defence in Europe by far and that's what wins you titles,” he said.
Guillem Balague offered a slightly different reading of PSG’s prospects, warning that their early-season form matters in a competition where consistency is everything.
“With PSG's irregular start to the season we are seeing how difficult it is to maintain the level,” he said. “As the main axis is there, I expect them to get very close to winning it again.”
So the picture is clear enough: PSG are chasing history, Arsenal are among the challengers, and Bayern Munich are being tipped as serious contenders. The league phase starts on Tuesday, with the ’s coverage set to bring the key games into view through Wednesday and Thursday evening highlights shows.
For Liverpool, the focus now turns to the shape of their own Champions League campaign rather than any fixture list attached to this story. But across Europe, the early verdict is already taking shape: PSG have the talent to threaten, yet the talk from the experts is that matching Real Madrid’s three-peat remains a huge ask.
