- Manchester City defeated Young Boys 3-0 at home on Tuesday evening
- City have qualified for the knockout stages with two games to go
- CHRIS SUTTON: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is a CLOWN – It all starts
Rio Ferdinand believes Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are the only obstacles between Manchester City and a second successive Champions League win.
The Premier League champions made little work of Young Boys on Tuesday evening and secured their place in the knockout stages after a comfortable 3-0 win at home thanks to a goal from Phil Foden and a brace from Erling Haaland.
City have now qualified for the knockout stages for 11 consecutive seasons and a draw against RB Leipzig at the Etihad in three weeks’ time will be enough to clinch top spot in Group G.
Real and Bayern, along with City, are the only two clubs who can still boast a perfect Champions League record, despite both having played one game fewer than Pep Guardiola’s men.
And Ferdinand believes the two European giants are the only teams that can derail City’s quest to retain the Champions League.
Rio Ferdinand believes Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are the only teams that can stop Manchester City in the Champions League
Erling Haaland scored twice as City beat Young Boys 3-0 on Tuesday evening to book their place in the knockout stages with two games in hand
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“Real Madrid obviously have that relationship with this tournament and they have some fantastic players, Jude Bellingham in good form,” the former Manchester United defender told TNT Sports on Tuesday evening.
“They would be one you would mention.
“I think the forward line, the front line, especially at Bayern Munich, could cause any team in this league problems, especially if Harry Kane scores at the rate he is scoring.”
However, Ferdinand insisted City remained superior to both Real and Bayern.
“I don’t see anyone who has the complete package, you can poke holes in all those teams,” he added.
“This is the one team you look at and think it’s a complete team. That’s the problem with everyone else.’
Bayern currently top Group A after three wins in three games and will clinch a place in the knockout stages with a home win over Galatasaray on Wednesday evening.
Real top Group C and a win at home to Braga will also see them secure a place in the round of 16.
Harry Kane has made a great start in Munich, scoring 17 goals in 14 games in all competitions so far
Jude Bellingham has been equally impressive in Madrid, scoring thirteen goals in fourteen games so far
City defeated both Bayern and Real on their way to their first Champions League win last season.
The Premier League champions defeated the Bavarians 4-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals and won the first leg 3-0 at home.
Their victory over Real in the semi-final was even more emphatic, with City beating the Spanish giants 4-0 at the Etihad after drawing the first leg 1-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Meanwhile, Guardiola warned City that the job was not done despite qualifying for the knockout stages.
“There are still two games to play,” he said.
‘Leipzig is the toughest opponent in this group and we have to try to finish further. It is important to have the weapon of the second match at home in the last sixteen, instead of away.’