The Champions League has returned for the 2024-25 season, with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) aiming to win the title for the third consecutive year. Five English teams, including Arsenal, are competing to stop PSG's ambitions. Experts Julien Laurens and Guillem Balague have offered their insights into potential winners and key players to watch this season. Laurens believes that while a three-peat for PSG would be a historic achievement, it is unlikely. He expects PSG to reach at least the semi-finals but not the final. He favors Arsenal as the tournament winner, citing their strong defense, and also predicts that Bayern Munich and Real Madrid could meet in the final. Balague shares a similar view, suggesting that PSG will come close to repeating their success but may face strong competition from Barcelona. He also notes that Arsenal, having found consistency in recent seasons, might perform better now that the pressure is off. Balague highlights several key players, including Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, who is in the running for the Ballon d’Or, and Lamine Yamal, a young talent with potential to make an impact in the Champions League. He also mentions Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, whose skill could be crucial for PSG, and Kaua Elias from Shakhtar Donetsk, who might emerge as a star. Laurens adds to this list with players like Jude Bellingham, Nico Paz, and Ismaelo Ganiou, predicting that Bellingham will have a standout season with Real Madrid and that Kvaratskhelia is in contention for the Ballon d’Or. According to Opta statistics, Arsenal are the favorites to win the Champions League, with a 20.4% chance of success, closely followed by Bayern Munich at 20%. PSG has a 7.3% chance, while Manchester City have a 12.7% chance. All five English teams have a greater than 50% chance of reaching the last-16 stage. In the league phase, Liverpool have the easiest draw, while Stuttgart has the most favorable overall path. Inter Milan has the best draw among teams in the top group, and Arsenal’s group includes Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, as well as the two lowest-ranked teams in the competition. BBC will provide highlights of Champions League matches every Wednesday at 22:00 BST, with additional coverage available on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app. A special Champions League Match of the Day will air on BBC One from 22:40 to 00:00, and a highlights show will be broadcast on BBC Two at 22:30 on Thursday.