Luis Figo picks surprise Champions League winner despite Real Madrid rivalry

This year will be one of the rare occasions in recent times where Real Madrid doesn’t win the Champions League. The teams still in contention for the prestigious trophy are Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid. In a surprising pick, Luis Figo chose a former rival as the team he would like to see win it.

During the Laureus Awards gala, Figo said: “From the teams that are in the semifinals, I’d like Atletico Madrid to win the Champions League after so many years and lost finals, even though I played for Real Madrid.”

He later explained that his choice was influenced by friendships with key figures at Atletico Madrid such as CEO Miguel Ángel Gil and club president Enrique Cerezo, helping clarify his unexpected answer.

Figo highlights PSG and Bayern Munich

A player of Figo’s caliber also offers insight into the players he enjoys watching the most. Among the teams still competing, he singled out Michael Olise, saying “it’s a pleasure watching him play.”

While his pick of Atletico Madrid reflects more of a personal wish than a firm prediction, he also addressed which team he believes is most likely to win, pointing to a specific semifinal matchup.

Figo identified the French and German sides as the favorites to lift the trophy: “Speaking from a soccer perspective, the champion will come from the semifinal between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.”

Figo about Real Madrid

Real Madrid are set to finish the season without a trophy, something that rarely happens. However, according to the Portuguese legend, the pressure comes more from outside the club than from within. Figo said: “When you don’t win for two years at that club, alarms start to go off.”