Lamine Yamal declares Barcelona favourites to win the Champions League ahead of huge quarter-final with Borussia Dortmund as Spain wonderkid eyes first European trophy

Barcelona have been perhaps the best team in the world this season, averaging slightly over three goals scored per game in what is Hansi Flick's maiden campaign in the Catalan dugout. As the Champions League reaches its most thrilling stage, Barca star Lamine Yamal is confident his team can go all the way in the competition.

Barcelona have lost just once in the Champions League this season, an opening matchday 2-1 loss to Monaco. They finished as runners-up in the group stage behind Liverpool and strolled past Benfica with ease in the round of 16 to book a quarter-final clash against Borussia Dortmund.

The Catalans are also leading the La Liga table as things stand, level on points with Real Madrid with a game in hand. In all competitions, Flick's troops have plundered a whopping 132 goals in just 43 games across all competitions, averaging 3.07 goals per game.

Ahead of the knockout stages of the Champions League, Barcelona were one of the two outright favourites to win the competition along with Liverpool. However, the Reds suffered a huge upset at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16, leading Yamal to firmly assert that Barcelona are the favourites to clinch the famous trophy and end their 10-year wait.

"We are the favorites for the Champions League," Lamine asserted confidently in an interview with SPORT. "When the group stage ended, I said that Liverpool were the favorites because they were first [in the group stage], and now that they have been eliminated, it's us."

Yamal is currently on international duty with Spain. The 17-year-old will be a key player when La Roja take on Netherlands in the Nations League quarter-final over two legs: Thursday, March 20 and Saturday, March 23.