Micah Richards Doubts Real Madrid’s UCL Chances Despite Dominant Win Over Man City

|By Babatunji Wusu

Former Manchester City defender, Micah Richards, has ruled out Real Madrid as favourites to win this season’s UEFA Champions League, despite their emphatic victory over the English champions.

Madrid secured a convincing 5-1 aggregate win against City in the round of 16, thrashing them 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu before sealing qualification with a 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium, powered by a brace from Vinícius Júnior.

However, Richards insists the Spanish giants still fall short of being the strongest contenders for the title.

“Real Madrid winning the whole thing? Right now, I’d say no,” he said.

The former England international argued that Madrid’s triumph over City was largely influenced by moments of individual brilliance and key incidents in the game.

“The tie vs City—individual brilliance and Bernardo’s red card won them the tie,” he added.

Richards pointed instead to FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich as stronger contenders for European glory this season.

“Barcelona on their day can beat anyone. Bayern are also there,” he noted.

Despite his doubts, Richards acknowledged Madrid’s pedigree in the competition, highlighting their ability to deliver in crucial moments.

“Real Madrid have players for the biggest moments. That’s what the Champions League is about. A couple of seasons back, they got past Chelsea and City without playing well, but they still got over the line,” he said.