Manchester United legend Paul Scholes names the ‘best team in the world’

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has named the ‘best team in the world’ after the Champions League quarter-finals got underway.

The business end of the Champions League began on Tuesday night with Bayern Munich beating Real Madrid and Arsenal overcoming Sporting quarter-final first-leg ties.

The huge European games keep on coming with struggling reigning Premier League champions Liverpool taking on Champions League holders PSG on Wednesday night, while Barcelona face La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid.

Scholes has hailed PSG as the ‘best team in the world’ ahead of those fixtures but insists it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Liverpool will beat the Champions League holders.

The former Manchester United and England midfielder says a PSG win is the most likely outcome, however, and claims Liverpool losing could even cost Arne Slot his job.

Slot is under immense pressure at Anfield less than 12 months since guiding Liverpool to the Premier League title, with the Reds just fifth in the Premier League and in serious danger of failing to win any trophies.

‘Do you know the weird thing? Liverpool could actually go and beat PSG,’ Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast. ‘If they get one of those special nights… Champions League… Anfield.

‘I’m telling you. It wouldn’t be the biggest shock. PSG are unbelievable and I still expect them to go through but it wouldn’t shock me. It could happen but I can’t see it right now.

‘PSG are probably the best team in the world right now. Arne Slot knows he’s in trouble and it looked like the players had given up in the FA Cup [a 4-0 defeat to Manchester City].

‘The manager knows he’s in big trouble now, he’s not stupid is he? If they go out badly to PSG – and that tie could get messy – then that might be the end of it.

‘Why bother keeping him until the end of the season if you go out of the Champions League? There will be questions if they go out against PSG, especially if it gets messy.

‘PSG, I’ve said it a few times, they’re probably the best team in the world. They can hammer teams and if they do that to Liverpool it wouldn’t surprise me if they sacked him.’

PSG have refuted claims they are strong favourites to win the Champions League ahead of their quarter-final tie against Liverpool.

‘The favourite according to you [the media],’ midfielder Vitinha said as PSG prepare to welcome Liverpool to the Parc des Princes.

‘The same way you said last year that Liverpool was. Even if Liverpool are not in their best form they remain a great team with great players.’

PSG boss Luis Enrique added: ‘With the teams, it’s impossible to have a favourite. I don’t believe it.

‘Who are the favourites? If you remember last year, everyone said it was Liverpool, and the team that qualified [for the next round] was Paris Saint-Germain. For me, there is no favourite.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.