Currently it is only Manchester City and Real Madrid that is the strongest in UCL, and it is only Manchester city that is Real Madrid rival. Any club that is in its best form has the chance of winning UCL that season. This was what happened when Chelsea won UCL. However, luck is also part of succuss because if you are not lucky, you will not be able to overcome tough clubs like Real Madrid.
Next season will favor Real Madrid more only if City can stop them but I doubt this can happen because scoring goals would not be a problem for Real Madrid anymore now that they got Mbappe as their number 9 striker, he will be scoring very easy because he will have all the assist he needs.
No doubt that Manchester City and Real Madrid are the strongest rivals of the Champions League in recent years if not it used to be Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool, AC Milan that rotates the Champions League title but all started underperforming apart from Real Madrid and even though Manchester City is seen as a great team in the champions league but if we look at the Champions League history Manchester City is not even close to being counted because they won the Champions League just once, their major dominance is always in the Premier league. It's really bad that all other teams that was making the champions league very competitive and interesting to watch have all dropped out in the competition and left it for Real Madrid as the club has always been in the limelight of the European competition for over a decade now and it is becoming worrisome because other teams also have nice and quality squad even have all the resources it will take to build a strong opposition against Real Madrid but instead the team keeps going higher and strengthening the squad year after year and they have got high quality players that always delivers for them.
Kylian Mbappe is a great talented player and for the fact that he has joined Madrid now will even solidify the squad the more now tell me why everyone will not predict them to win the champions league with such squad of quality players even their substitutes is made up of great talented players. Honestly, I will be so glad if any team rise up to defeat Real Madrid next season because at this point it's almost impossible even though the table can turn but not when the handwriting is already in the wall for all to see how equipped the Madrid team is now.