Real Madrid hero Clarence Seedorf says his old club remain favourites to win the Champions League this season.

Real will face another of Seedorf's former clubs Ajax in the first of the round of 16 this week.

"Real Madrid is the favourite, because they are the current champions and because of the experience they have in the Champions ... But this does not mean that they will win 100%," he told Marca.

Seedorf also spoke of Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to Juventus.

"Cristiano was considered a king in Madrid and was a guarantee of goals for the team. If Cristiano was still in the team, Madrid would have had more confidence in himself, but I do not think the results would have been so different.

"Probably the exit of (Zinedine) Zidane had a greater impact because the work methodology has been changed. Whoever had replaced him would have needed a special job to have immediate success and overcome the initial difficulties."