At this point, any team can win the Champions League.
And well, uh, yeah. Soccer is random, and all it takes is three more results to lift the biggest trophy in Europe.
But usually -- because soccer is so random on the game-by-game basis -- there's at least one surprise team in the semifinals. You know who I'm talking about: that team who we all know technically could win the Champions League, but who we'd all be shocked to see actually win the Champions League.
Not this year, though. Among the four semifinalists, we have:
1) PSG: The team that already clinched Ligue 1
2) Inter Milan: The team that won Serie A last year
3) Barcelona: The team that's leading LaLiga and has scored 20 goals more than anyone else in Spain
4) Arsenal: The team that's second in the Premier League, has finished second in the Premier League in each of the previous two seasons, and just beat Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate
Per the implied probabilities derived from ESPN BET's odds, Barcelona are the most likely to win it all at 31%, then PSG at 27%, Arsenal at 26%, and Inter Milan at 16%. In other words, no team is a huge favorite, and no team is a huge underdog.
So, given that any team really can win the whole thing, let's look at the strengths and weaknesses of every semifinalist. Before Arsenal face PSG on Tuesday, and Barcelona face Inter Milan on Wednesday, let's take a look at the reasons why each team will win the Champions League -- and why they won't.
