Lionel Messi - Manchester United not among favorites to lift Champions League

Barcelona wizard Lionel Messi has ruled out 2008 Champions Manchester United as favorites to win this season's Champions League.

According to Messi his team Barcelona team, their Spanish rivals Real Madrid or English champions Chelsea are favorites to lift the trophy in May. In a report in The Sun, Messi mentioned these three sides but Manchester United were without a mention.

Ourselves, Madrid and Chelsea are the favourites for this year, the Barcelona forward was quoted as saying in The Sun. Here, everyone knows their role and we complement each other. All of us make each other better. It's the greatness of this team.

Chelsea will face Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after the draw took place at Wembley, earlier on Friday. Real Madrid face English side Tottenham Hotspur while Messi's Barcelona have the seemingly easy task of facing Shakhtar Donetsk. The first leg encounters will take place on April 5 and 6 while the second leg will be played out a week later on 12 and 13 April.