{"id":2183,"date":"2021-01-08T17:56:27","date_gmt":"2021-01-08T17:56:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/footballvoyage.com\/predicting-league-winners-tournament-champions-and-more-for-2021\/"},"modified":"2021-01-08T17:56:27","modified_gmt":"2021-01-08T17:56:27","slug":"predicting-league-winners-tournament-champions-and-more-for-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/footballvoyage.com\/?p=2183","title":{"rendered":"Predicting league winners, tournament champions, and more for 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
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theScore’s footy staff is breaking out the crystal balls. Below, we predict winners for all the major competitions and awards for 2021 and answer a few key questions. Get in on the action by leaving your predictions in the comments!<\/em><\/p>\n

Premier League<\/h3>\n
Pool \/ Getty Images Sport \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gordon Brunt: <\/strong>Liverpool. Key players returning from injury should help get the Reds back on track and win the title before things start to spiral out of control.<\/p>\n

Anthony Lopopolo: <\/strong>Tottenham Hotspur. Jose Mourinho has instilled a winning mentality at the club. Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son, and Tanguy Ndombele will be decisive.<\/p>\n

Gianluca Nesci: <\/strong>Manchester City. Pep Guardiola has figured things out after some early-season weirdness and still has the most talented unit in England.<\/p>\n

Daniel Rouse:<\/strong> Liverpool. The defense is still performing decently despite its torrid run of injuries, and it’s only a matter of time before an attack this good rediscovers its spark.<\/p>\n

La Liga<\/h3>\n
OSCAR DEL POZO \/ AFP \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Real Madrid. After a rough start, Real Madrid have been piling up the points and could sneak up to snatch the league away from Atletico.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> Atletico Madrid. Diego Simeone has enough firepower to get the goals he needs, and Barcelona and Real Madrid are too inconsistent to keep up.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>Atletico Madrid. With Luis Suarez delivering the goals, Atleti are in pole position to take advantage of Barcelona’s and Real Madrid’s struggles.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> Atletico Madrid. They sometimes look very average, but their competition this season is pretty weak.<\/p>\n

Serie A<\/h3>\n
Daniele Badolato – Juventus FC \/ Juventus FC \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Juventus. It feels almost inevitable that Juventus will spoil the fun and overtake a Milan side that many hoped would end the Bianconeri’s monopoly.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> Inter Milan. As cliche as it sounds, experience counts, and Antonio Conte’s side has it in spades. His system may not be pretty, but it is effective.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>Inter Milan. With no European commitments to worry about, Conte can focus exclusively on guiding his team to domestic success.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> Juventus. AC Milan’s resurgence is fun and Inter are picking up results, but Juve are the favorites – even with a rookie in charge.<\/p>\n

Bundesliga<\/h3>\n
M. Donato \/ FC Bayern \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Bayern Munich. Better luck next year, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> RB Leipzig. Is the Bundesliga a write-off? Leipzig have lost just once in the league this season, and their defense is by far the best in Germany. Watch out for Dani Olmo.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>Bayern Munich. Enough said.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> Bayern Munich. Again, no explanation needed.<\/p>\n

Ligue 1<\/h3>\n
Xavier Laine \/ Getty Images Sport \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Paris Saint-Germain. Les Parisiens shouldn’t have any trouble defending the title if – and it’s a big if – Neymar and Kylian Mbappe stay healthy.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo: <\/strong>Lyon. The Ligue 1 title race is genuinely exciting and should come down to the final day. Count on Memphis Depay, Lucas Paqueta, and Karl Toko Ekambi to lead Lyon to glory.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>Lyon. Les Gones have been flying after a wobbly start and have the benefit of putting all their eggs in the domestic basket in 2021.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> Paris Saint-Germain. It’s cute that other clubs think they can compete for the title, but Mauricio Pochettino will get the job done.<\/p>\n

Champions League<\/h3>\n
David Ramos \/ Getty Images Sport \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Bayern Munich. On the heels of last year’s record-breaking run – and a dominant showing in the group stage – Bayern look poised to win it all again.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> Manchester City. Pep Guardiola is turning City into a more efficient team: less pressing, more defending. They’ll be fresher by the end of the season.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>PSG. Let’s face it: The club didn’t bring in Mauricio Pochettino to win Ligue 1. After coming so close last season, the French giants go one better in 2021.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> Bayern Munich. Hansi Flick’s squad will need refreshing when David Alaba and Jerome Boateng depart, but it’s the strongest outfit for now.<\/p>\n

Women’s Champions League<\/h3>\n
DeFodi Images \/ DeFodi Images \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Lyon. In what’s shaping up to be a year of repeat champions, Lyon’s sixth straight continental win might be the most impressive victory of the bunch.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> Lyon. They own this tournament.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>Chelsea. Lyon’s run has to end at some point. With Pernille Harder and Sam Kerr headlining a loaded attack, Chelsea can make it happen.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> Wolfsburg. The German side worried Lyon in last year’s final, and Lena Oberdorf is ready the reach new heights on the continental stage.<\/p>\n

Europa League<\/h3>\n
Eurasia Sport Images \/ Getty Images Sport \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Bayer Leverkusen. They might fall short in the Bundesliga, but Leverkusen will make up for their domestic failure with a European title.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> Lille. This team has the right blend of youth and experience to go all the way. Despite a change in ownership, Lille should be able to keep the group together.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>AC Milan. With January reinforcements, this vastly improved team will keep surging in 2021. (Not being able to pick Sevilla here feels wrong.)<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> Tottenham. Jose Mourinho’s side has the parts to go all the way if it isn’t too distracted by other trophy pursuits.<\/p>\n

Euro 2020<\/h3>\n
SOPA Images \/ LightRocket \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Italy. The misery of missing out on the 2018 World Cup will be forgotten after Italy ends a strong Euro 2020 campaign with another major trophy.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> Netherlands. If Memphis Depay stays healthy and PSV hotshot Donyell Malen continues to develop, watch out. The Dutch haven’t been this good in years.<\/p>\n

Nesci:<\/strong> Belgium. Romelu Lukaku has become virtually unstoppable since joining Inter, and now he gets service from Kevin De Bruyne. Scary.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> France. There will be players who miss out on the 23-man squad who could walk into rivals’ starting XIs. Les Bleus’ depth is insane.<\/p>\n

Copa America<\/h3>\n
Guillermo Legaria \/ Getty Images Sport \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Brazil. Barring any major injuries, Brazil will repeat and celebrate its 10th South American title by beating Argentina in the final.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> Brazil. Tite has the Selecao purring. With five wins in a row, Brazil has reasserted itself in South American football. Neymar, Lucas Paqueta, and Gabriel Jesus will dominate the tournament.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>Brazil. With the other perennial CONMEBOL contenders all in various stages of transition, the Neymar-led Selecao are positioned to prosper.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> Argentina. It would be fitting for Lionel Messi to win his first Copa on home soil with emotions still high after the death of Diego Maradona.<\/p>\n

CONCACAF Gold Cup<\/h3>\n
Omar Vega \/ Getty Images Sport \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Mexico. With the U.S. at the tail end of a transitional period, Mexico will again upset its bitter rival in the final to win back-to-back Gold Cups.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> United States. Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams – the list goes on. The U.S. men’s national team is heading into a vibrant new era.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>United States. A win at this summer’s tournament will serve as the first signature achievement for an exciting generation of American talent.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> United States. Gregg Berhalter handled young talent well with the Columbus Crew and is the right man to oversee this gifted group.<\/p>\n

Men’s Olympic tournament<\/h3>\n
SOPA Images \/ LightRocket \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>France. Like the senior side, the junior squad is bursting with the kind of talent that can win another major trophy for France.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> France. Kylian Mbappe is eligible to play at the Summer Games in Tokyo. That’s about all you have to know.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>Spain. The competition at the Under-23 level is fierce, but this Spanish squad is loaded with young stars already playing for top clubs.<\/p>\n

Rouse: <\/strong>Germany. Despite the senior side’s current failings under Joachim Low, Germany remains one of the game’s greatest producers of young talent.<\/p>\n

Women’s Olympic tournament<\/h3>\n
Richard Heathcote \/ Getty Images Sport \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt:<\/strong> United States. The field is vastly improved, but no nation is capable of assembling a team that can stop this supremely talented U.S. outfit.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> United States. The U.S. women’s national team is still the best women’s squad on the planet. It’s about more than just Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan; Mallory Pugh and Rose Lavelle are the future.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>Canada. Picking with the heart over the head, perhaps, but who doesn’t want to see iconic captain Christine Sinclair win Olympic gold?<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> United States. The improvement from other nations in the women’s game is encouraging, but they are still far beneath the Americans’ level.<\/p>\n

Nations League finals<\/h3>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>France. Didier Deschamps’ men won’t end 2021 empty-handed, as France will respond to its European setback with a Nations League triumph.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> Italy. The Azzurri are unbeaten in 22 matches and scoring in bunches. This isn’t your grandfather’s Italy.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>France. It won’t come anywhere close to making up for their near-miss at the Euros just months prior, but Les Bleus will take home some silverware in 2021.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> Italy. Playing on home soil is a huge advantage. Hopefully, the team will be able to celebrate with fans after the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic. <\/p>\n

Other key questions for 2021<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Will Messi leave Barcelona?<\/h3>\n
Andrea Staccioli \/ LightRocket \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Yes. Lionel Messi and Barcelona will finally go their separate ways in the summer, with the Argentine spurning City’s advances for a move to PSG.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> No. Joan Laporta, who appointed Pep Guardiola as manager in 2008, will win Barcelona’s presidential election and change the trajectory of the club.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>Yes. Where he ultimately ends up remains a mystery, but one thing is abundantly clear: Messi doesn’t want to play for Barcelona anymore.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> Yes. It will take more than a new president to steer Barcelona toward glory anytime soon, so Messi will go elsewhere for his swansong.<\/p>\n

Who will win the Ballon d’Or?<\/h3>\n
ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT \/ AFP \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Kylian Mbappe. The PSG star will add another major award to his collection when he claims the first Ballon d’Or of his glittering career.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> Robert Lewandowski. This is the closest anyone has ever come to the scoring brilliance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Lewandowski is likely to post consecutive 50-goal seasons.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>Kevin De Bruyne. After picking Manchester City to win the Premier League and Belgium to conquer Europe, this is the only logical conclusion.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> Robert Lewandowski. He fronts Europe’s best team and should get some extra sympathy after missing out when the 2020 award was scrapped.<\/p>\n

Who will be the most expensive signing?<\/h3>\n
SASCHA SCHUERMANN \/ AFP \/ Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brunt: <\/strong>Kylian Mbappe. Real Madrid will back the Brinks truck up to the Parc des Princes and sign the 22-year-old to a record-breaking deal.<\/p>\n

Lopopolo:<\/strong> Jadon Sancho. Count on Manchester United paying close to \u20ac100 million for Sancho.<\/p>\n

Nesci: <\/strong>Erling Haaland. Real Madrid need a long-term answer up front; Karim Benzema can’t carry them forever, and Haaland is the perfect No. 9.<\/p>\n

Rouse:<\/strong> Jadon Sancho. The pandemic-induced financial crisis means fewer big deals, but there have been hints that Sancho believes he’s outgrown Borussia Dortmund.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

theScore’s footy staff is breaking out the crystal balls. Below, we predict winners for all the major competitions and awards for 2021 and answer a few key questions. Get in on the action by leaving your predictions in the comments! Premier League Pool \/ Getty Images Sport \/ Getty Gordon Brunt: Liverpool. Key players returning […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2184,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2183","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bundesliga"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/footballvoyage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/footballvoyage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/footballvoyage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/footballvoyage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/footballvoyage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2183"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/footballvoyage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2183\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/footballvoyage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/footballvoyage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/footballvoyage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/footballvoyage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}