PSG, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea... all the European top players are present for this new edition of the Champions League which started earlier this week. To mark this occasion, let's review the 10 favourites for this 2020-2021 season.
We can’t say that Manchester United has had a great start to the season, making future opponents tremble with fear. Since the English championship, the Red Devils have had 2 wins and 2 losses, conceded quite a few goals, and are sadly in 15th place.
However, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer's club will still be worth watching out for, because, on paper, Manchester United looks good this year. Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Donny Van de Beek...
The Red Devils made their debut against PSG, winning 2-1.
While Chelsea is already higher than Manchester United in the Premier League standings, the Blues are not that much more impressive. Like their Manchester rival, Frank Lampard's team is also conceding quite a few goals, as evidenced by last weekend's draw: a spectacular 3-3 against Southampton.
But this summer, Chelsea made a lot of headlines with their recruitment: Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Edouard Mendy, Thiago Silva, and Hakim Ziyech. The message is clear: Chelsea wants to get back to the top!
This is not a club that has been talked about much since the beginning of the season, and we have to admit that being in eighth place after 4 matches is not very encouraging... but let's not count out Atletico Madrid just yet. Still coached by Diego Simeone, the Spanish club remains a tough opponent.
Quarter-finalists in the last edition, the other Madrid club has been strengthened this summer with the arrival of Luis Suarez. It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to finally win this competition, after 3 losses in the final (1974, 2014, 2016).
After a Champions League campaign that ended in the quarter-finals with a terrible spanking by Bayern Munich (8-2), FC Barcelona had an eventful summer: the arrival of new coach Ronald Koeman, the departure of several executives and, above all, the departure of a certain Lionel Messi.
Although the Argentinian ultimately stayed, he is still in the middle of a serious dispute with the club, and tensions seem to reign over the Catalan club. Add to that disappointing performances from some players and a style of play that is still unconvincing…
But the club is still, of course, a candidate for the European Cup title. The main reason? The 5’6’’ Argentinean who wears n°10…
When Cristiano Ronaldo surprised everyone in the summer of 2018, leaving Real Madrid for Juventus, it was quickly understood that the Italian club wanted to send out a clear message: their goal is to win the Champions League.
Dominant in Serie A, CR7’s club is a little less so in the Champions League, as shown by their elimination in the quarterfinals last summer against Olympique Lyonnais. Now coached by legend Andrea Pirlo, the Old Lady will be keen to make up for lost time.
For several years now, Manchester City has been upending the transfer market with transfers of staggering value. This summer, Pep Guardiola's club once again strengthened its defence with the arrivals of Nathan Aké and Ruben Dias, making City's squad one of the most expensive in Europe.
Although Liverpool's recent runners-up in the Premier League struggle to get far in the Champions League, they are nonetheless an opponent to be wary of, with players like Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling, and Sergio Aguero.
This year, the health crisis has taken a heavy toll on the finances of many clubs, to the extent that some have not sought to recruit any new players. This is the case with Real Madrid, who, by selling several players to prepare for next summer’s transfer market, will be relying this season on the squad that won yet another Spanish league title.
By counting on experienced players such as Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema, Casemiro, and young talents such as Odegaard and Vinicius Jr, Zinedine Zidane can very well win another Champions League with the Merengues.
A few months ago, Parisian fans thought they would finally see their favourite club win this elusive championship. In an edition with a new format, PSG made it to the final but unfortunately lost to Bayern Munich (1-0).
This adventure could have done some good for the club, which finally broke through and realised its potential. With a reinforced squad and a duo of Neymar-Mbappe at the top of their form, PSG can go for the ultimate prize once again.
At last! After 30 years of waiting, Liverpool finally won the English championship again this summer. Impressively consistent, Jurgen Klopp's men haven’t had a great start to the season but are still a solid team.
Now that they have a Premier League title, why not try for another Champions League win after the 2019 one. No doubt that Liverpool's colossal squad, strengthened by the arrival of Thiago Alcantara, will be ready for anything…
Last season, Bayern Munich lived up to its reputation as a steamroller by winning every possible title, including the Champions League. While a few clubs have renewed their squad, Bayern Munich is a rare case, which has managed to keep all its best elements while signing some choice recruits: Leroy Sané, Douglas Costa, Marc Roca, Bouna Sarr... and Choupo-Moting who quickly won over the fans.
From now on, it is impossible not to make Bayern Munich the number one favourite to win this new edition of the Champions League!
