Wayne Rooney names his Champions League winner after Chelsea’s triumph over Barcelona
- Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Barcelona has intensified debate over this year’s Champions League favourites
- Wayne Rooney believes one Premier League side, not Chelsea, is best placed to win the trophy
- The former Man United forward backs a top English club to go all the way due to their strong squad and smart recruitment
Wayne Rooney has shared his Champions League prediction following Chelsea’s emphatic win over Barcelona.
The Blues swept aside the La Liga champions with a commanding 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge, moving into the Champions League’s top eight, the zone guaranteeing automatic qualification for the knockout rounds.
Source: Getty Images
Last season, Barcelona entered the tournament as one of the favourites but crashed out after conceding two late goals in a dramatic semi-final loss to eventual runners-up Inter Milan.
Chelsea, by contrast, weren’t even in Europe’s premier competition last year, having competed in and won the far less prestigious Conference League.
Enzo Maresca’s side looks increasingly capable of not just competing but genuinely challenging for the Champions League, yet Rooney believes another Premier League team has a “good chance” of going all the way.
Rooney predicts Champions League winner
Arsenal’s flawless record faces a major examination on Wednesday when Bundesliga leaders Bayern, also unbeaten in Europe, travel to the Emirates Stadium.
Ahead of the Gunners' attempt to make it five wins from five, Rooney tipped Mikel Arteta’s men to win the Champions League, praising their strong squad and smart recruitment.
Speaking to MailSport after predicting Arsenal would lift the trophy, Rooney said:
‘I think they have got as good a chance as they’ve had for a long time.
‘The whole squad they’ve put together, I think it’s got good players obviously starting [and] good players on the bench to come in if they get injuries as well.
‘I think the recruitment has been really good, and they’ve been really strong in the Premier League. If they can take that form into the Champions League, they have a good chance.’
Source: Getty Images
John Obi Mikel, a Champions League winner with Chelsea, has also backed Arsenal to claim their first-ever title in the competition.
‘This season I think it’s Arsenal’s to lose,’ he said on The Obi One Podcast. ‘If Arsenal and Mikel Arteta don’t win the Premier League… the squad, the depth they have, is frightening.
‘They have the best squad not just in the Premier League, not just in England, in world football right now. I bet you there’s no better squad depth than Arsenal’s.
‘We’re talking about the Premier League but I think they can go on to win the Champions League, this is how good Arsenal are.
‘It’s scary, I’m telling you, the squad they have, the players they have, there’s something there, I can feel it now, finally Arsenal are ready.’
Watch Mikel Obi's UCL prediction below:
Rooney showers praise on Kudus
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Rooney lavished praise on Ghanaian star Mohammed Kudus following his sensational performance in Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 away victory over Leeds United in the English Premier League on Saturday, October 4, 2025.
The 25-year-old attacker, who scored his debut goal for Spurs, was at the heart of everything positive for Thomas Frank’s side as they continued their strong start to the 2025/26 campaign.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
